• Select the Right Size Baseball Glove

• Get Baseball Gloves to Fit Your Position

• Understand Baseball Glove Design & Style

• Evaluate Baseball Glove Materials & Durability

• Find Baseball Gloves on eBay

• Buy Baseball Gloves With Confidence

Select the Right Size Baseball Glove

Select the Right Size Baseball Glove

For optimum performance on the field, determine which baseball glove size best fits your hand.

• Youth baseball gloves: Youth baseball gloves are 8 to 12 inches.

• Adult baseball gloves: Adult baseball gloves are 10.5 to 13 inches (infielder gloves tend to be shorter)

• Professional baseball gloves: Professional baseball gloves measure no more than 12 inches.

When shopping for your Little Leaguer, consider his or her size and your budget. If you think your youngster will outgrow a baseball glove in one or two seasons, opt for an economical mid-range baseball glove that properly fits your child's hand. Buying an oversized baseball glove your child can grow into saves some money, but it also leads to inconsistent play and poor fielding habits. Remember, the right baseball glove not only makes catching easier, it makes throwing and completing plays easier, too.

Get Baseball Gloves to Fit Your Position

Get Baseball Gloves to Fit Your Position

Baseball players in different positions on the field use different baseball gloves or mitts (gloves have separate finger holes). The major types of baseball gloves each have a different purpose, size, shape, and design.

• Catchers mitts: Heavily padded catcher's mitt with a thumb pocket and mitten (instead of fingers) is designed to cushion the impact of hard pitches and protect the ball during tags.

• First base mitts: A first base mitt is similar to a catcher's mitt, but with less padding, a shallower pocket, and longer reach to help a first baseman quickly retrieve infielder throws and scoop up tough short-hop balls.

• Infielder gloves: Shorter, five-finger infielder gloves (typically 10.5 to 11.5 inches) made for second basemen, shortstops, third basemen, and pitchers. They feature shallow pockets for rapid transfer of the baseball to an infielder's throwing arm.

• Outfielder gloves: Longer, five-finger outfielder gloves (typically 12 to 12.5 inches) with deeper pockets, are designed to cushion the impact of fly balls and increase the fielder's reach and range.

• Softball gloves: Larger five-fingered softball gloves feature an oversized pocket to catch larger softballs.

Sellers also offer mitts and gloves designed for women and kids.

• Female gloves/mitts: Gloves and mitts designed for women have narrower finger holes and a smaller wrist opening than standard adult-sized baseball gloves and mitts.

• Youth gloves/mitts: Designed for easy break-in, youth gloves and mitts have small finger and wrist openings. They sometimes have a larger pocket than comparable adult-sized baseball gloves.

Understand Baseball Glove Design & Style

Understand Baseball Glove Design & Style

Baseball glove backs come in a couple different styles. Choose based on your position and personal preference.

• Coventional/open back gloves: Middle infielders generally prefer light coventional/open back gloves featuring a wide hand opening.

• Closed back: Any player may select a closed back baseball glove featuring a smaller hand opening and finger hole for added grip. Many also have a leather or Velcro wrist strap to adjust the fit of the baseball glove around your wrist.

You can also buy a baseball glove with open or closed webbing.

• Open web: Outfielders and third basemen prefer open webs that have spaces between each piece of leather webbing. They trap a ball better than gloves with a closed-web design.

• Closed web: Middle infielders prefer closed web gloves, or knitted baskets without an opening, because they provide faster access to caught balls.

Evaluate Baseball Glove Materials & Durability

Evaluate Baseball Glove Materials & Durability

Baseball gloves are made of leather or a synthetic material such as vinyl or plastic. Synthetic baseball gloves cost less than leather baseball gloves, but can be stiff and awkward. They make a good choice for young players who will quickly outgrow or lose their first glove. For the best performance, comfort, and selection, buy a leather baseball glove. Generally, the higher a baseball glove's grade of leather, the greater its price, durability, and longevity.

• Top-grain leather: Top-grain leather is the standard leather used in most baseball gloves. The mid-range leather derived from the top of an animal hide is thinner than full-grain leather and sometimes comes pre-oiled.

• Premium steer hide: High-grade, stiff, heavy, and durable steer leather of a lesser quality than full-grain, premium steer hide gloves require a lengthy break-in and sometimes comes pre-oiled.

• Full-grain leather: Full-grain leather is a heavy, high-grade steer or cowhide leather featuring a high percentage of original animal hide. It has not been excessively buffed and the long-lasting leather requires a lengthy break-in

Some manufacturers use alternative materials such as buffalo, kangaroo, and pigskin for baseball gloves. Lightweight buffalo and kangaroo skin offer more durability than steer or cow hide, but can lose their shape. Economical pigskin breaks in quickly, but lacks durability. Weigh the advantages of each type of material before you buy.

Find Baseball Gloves on eBay

Find Baseball Gloves on eBay

Now that you've figured out which type of baseball glove you want to buy, find it fast on eBay. Go to the Sporting Goods portal and click the Gloves & Mitts link under Baseball & Softball.

• Categories: Use the links in the Categories list on the left side of the page to begin narrowing down item listings. You'll find links to every type of baseball glove, including Catcher, Fielder-Adult, Fielder-Kids, Juniors, First Base, and Vintage. Some of your results pages will have additional Categories lists to help you narrow down your options even further. For example, you can select Left-Handed or Right-Handed from the Fielder-Adult list.

• Keywords: Keywords can help you quickly narrow down your choices. Type the words you want to find in the Search box to find listings that match your specifications. For example, if you want a new left-handed glove, type the keywords "left new" (without quotation marks).

• Let sellers help: A good item listing should include information about the type of glove and its materials, the name of the manufacturer, and a clear picture. If you want to know about information not included in a listing, email your question by clicking "Ask seller a question" under the seller's profile.

If you can't seem to find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save your search and eBay will email you when a match becomes available. While you shop, don't forget to buy a hat, cleats, bat, batting helmet, batting gloves, balls, sunglasses, and an equipment bag

Buy Baseball Gloves With Confidence

Buy Baseball Gloves With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.