Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean
Was I right on the sequence for the batter/pitcher process?
I would think a lighter, energy absorbing with just the right amount of flexibility/rigidity in the right spots and a way to direct/funnel the ball to a specific spot in the glove could be engineered.
You could engineer different shapes for different positions. Might make a difference over time after all.
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The leather mitts already do almost all of that once they are properly broken in. Leather is a pretty amazing material, actually. After they are broken in, the glove is flexible and rigid in the appropriate spots. They balls also end up funneling themselves into the same spot automatically already (right to the palm of the hand, not counting the rare moment it gets caught in the webbing).
The main reason for errors is just getting a bad jump on the play, the ball taking a bad hop, or just simply not having the glove in the right spot at the right time. Short of putting micro circuitry on the glove to automatically extend/retract the fabric of the glove to put more of the glove in the right spot, I don't think there is much left to advance.
But, if you don't want leather there are alternatives, but most are using synthetic leather and aren't measurably better.
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