At JustGloves, we often field inquiries about different web types for both baseball gloves and softball gloves. Because of that, our Glove Experts decided to create a post to give customers the low-down on the most common web types.
As you read through, be sure to know that there are no set-in-stone rules when it comes to webs. There's no official rules that say a certain web has to be used at a certain position or anything like that. However, there are small nuances that might make a particular web best for use at a specific position.
Overall, we think that by reading through this blog, you'll come to find out that there is more to a web than just the way it visually looks. Let's dig in!
Basket (Fully Closed) Web
A basket webbed glove will be completely closed off, not allowing light or dirt to pass through it. You can also refer to this glove as a fully closed style of web. This web is often utilized by a pitcher as the web will conceal their grip from an onlooking hitter. On the baseball side, you'll typically only see fully closed webs employed by youth players or pitchers who play no other defensive position. On the other hand, in fastpitch softball you might see this style of web used at all positions (including within the pitcher's circle).
I-Web
The I-Web is an extremely popular option for infielders (Second Base, Shortstop and Third Base).The construction consists of two horizontal leather strips and one centered, vertical leather strip.This creates the shape similar to a capitalized letter “i”. The result of a web shaped in this manner is a shallow pocket which allows for quick transfers between the glove and throwing hand. Because of this, you'll more commonly find it used at the middle infield positions, SS and 2B, rather than at 3B. An alternative benefit is that the gaps in the web allow for dirt to pass through the glove easily and not interfere with a ball being fielded.
A final note is that you won't find this style of web on outfield gloves. For longer length gloves (i.e. 12 inch and longer) a web constructed in this manner could cause problems when a baseball is being used. Due to the smaller size of a baseball, it could easily pass through an I-Web if an I-Web was placed on a glove 12 inches or longer. Fastpitch gloves have seemed to follow suit and manufacturers have avoided putting I-Webs on gloves longer than 12 inch.
H-Web
Very similar to the I-Webs, an H-Web glove is going to make a great option for infielders. If you take a glance above, it will be pretty obvious to see why these webs are said to be "H" webs.
Unlike the I-Web, you can utilize H-Webs in the outfield as well. This is because there are smallers gaps between the leather in an H-Web when compared to an I-Web. Overall, you'll be able to find H-Webs on our smallest youth sized gloves...all the way to the largest-allowed 13 inch gloves.
Regarding pocket size, the H-Webs allow for a deep pocket. Typically, all outfielders want a deep pocket and the frequency at which H-Web gloves are used by outfielders would indicate that the pocket on these models are quite deep!
Modified Trap Web
The look of a Modified Trap(or Modified T-Web) is a little more futuristic than most web types on this list. Essentially is consists of a center leather strip and another leather strip that crosses the top of the center strip. This makes the look of a capital letter "T". Then lacing is weaved along both sides of the center bar to complete the look.
This type of web is commonly found being used by pitchers as batters are not able to peer through the webbing and see the pitcher's grip on the ball. In the recent past it could be found on a number of infield gloves and even some outfield gloves (like our popular Wilson A1000 KP92), but at JustGloves, it appears to us that less non-pitchers are using the Modified T-Web these days. We believe one of the reasons for the decreased used is that the weaved lace has to be pretty tight in its structure. And because there is so much lace weaved so tightly on the web, it can be hard to widen the catching surface of the glove. Today's fielding trends encourage players competing on the infield and outfield to have their gloves wider in shape. With this web's structure promoting a more narrow design, Modified T's might be relegated even more to strictly being a "pitcher's web".
Single Post Web
A traditionalSingle Post web is going to primarily be used by infielders. By traditional, we mean a single post web that has a vertical strip of leather and a horizontal strip of leather that cross over right at the center (the single post shown above is a fancier version of the traditional single post). This type of single post will be employed on infield gloves ranging up to 12 inches in length.
Once gloves get longer than 12 inches you'll start to see a modfied version of the single post web. We will typically call these webs: Single Post, Double Bar Webs. On these gloves there will be be two horizontal strips of leather that cross over the vertical strip of leather. This type of web is employed on longer first base mitts and outfield models.
For baseball play, a traditional single post web (one horizontal strip and one vertical strip) would not work on a glove or mitt longer than 12 inches as the gaps between the strips of leather would be too large and a baseball could slip through. Similar to the I-Web example from earlier in this post, fastpitch seems to have followed baseball's example and stays away from traditional single posts on gloves longer than 12 inches (even though their ball is much larger).
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Hopefully you found this post helpful. If you have any specific baseball glove questions, our Glove Experts are available via telephone at 866-321-4568, email at experts@justballgloves.com, or you can click here to live chat. Don't forget, with our customer service, we'll be here for you from click to catch!
