How to break in your mitt

Quick quiz, which of these two mitts is easier to squeeze:




It's not a hard quiz, the one on the top is obviously easier to squeeze. And the easier to squeeze, the less likely your 5 year old is going to drop the ball. Or complain about how hard it is to squeeze the mitt.

So, how to go about breaking in a mitt to be squeezably soft. It's easy, oil it and distress it. And use it. Here are the techniques I use.

• First, use a lot of glove oil on it, put a ball in it, and tie string or rubber bands around it. Then hit it repeatedly with a baseball bat. Maybe run over it with your car.
  
• Play catch.
  
• Please note that when you close your hand mimicking the glove squeezing action, your thumb does not touch your pinkie, it shouldn't on your glove either. Keep this in mind when tying the thing up. See the top image again.
  
• Play catch.
  
• After repeated beatings, the glove should be starting to get its shape, at this point, oil it again, don't put a ball in it and have your ballplayer jump up and down on it. This doesn't do much but is fun for all involved. Take a turn yourself.
• Play catch.
  
• Oil again, and place the mitt under your mattress. Do this every night until your back starts aching. Let your kids know how much you are willing to do for them and hand them the brochure for the really nice retirement home in Florida.
  
• Play catch.
• Rinse and repeat.

That's it. Doesn't take too long, requires only a few drops of oil per day and is fun. Breaking in your mitt is going to make it a lot easier to use and make the game a lot more fun.