Baseball Shoes

Baseball Shoes Advice

Much discussion has been made over the benefits of having a high top shoe over a low top baseball shoe.   In my experience, this has been largely exaggerated.   I believe a low top baseball shoe should always be used unless the player has some type of ankle injury or possibly plays first base.   The reason I might recommend it for first base is that often times a first baseman will get his foot or ankle stepped on by an opposing player running to first.   In this situation, a high top shoe might provide some more support.  

Instead, I believe you simply are looking for some baseball shoes that are not too heavy and feel comfortable on your feet.   Much like picking a baseball bat, I think that this should be left up to the person to see which shoes feel natural to them.   I would recommend two things for baseball players in this area.   One is that pitchers should consider purchasing a leather covering for the front part of their shoe that they drive off of.   Over the course of the season you will wear out the front toe of the shoe you drive off of.   You can purchase a small leather covering at most sporting goods stores or at baseball specialty store.   Second, I would recommend keeping some sandals or running shoes in your baseball equipment bag.   The reason for this is you will want to keep your spikes sharp and one way of doing this is only wearing them on the baseball field.   Walking your spikes across a cement parking lot can overtime reduce their effectiveness.   Therefore, just changing into some sandals or running shoes after the game can help keep your baseball shoes in good shape. 

I will also make a special note about socks and stirrups.  Stirrups are an odd part of the baseball uniform that has managed to survive mainly on convention.    They do not really serve any purpose and in my experience, they only get in the way.  I did not like the feel of how they would touch the bottom of my feet and saw them as a distraction.  If they both you as well, I recommend purchasing socks that have the stirrup painted in on the side.  Don’t get socks that are really thin as you will wear holes in them during the season and they will provide no protection for your feet.  Instead, try to get ones that have some substance to them as well.  You can buy these at a number of sporting goods stores or athletic supply shops and they are great at giving you all the comfort of a regular cotton sock without the distraction.

By the way, if you are reading this and thinking I am really being nitpicky, recognize even the late great Ted Williams would turn his wooden baseball bat with label facing away from so that he would not see it and be distracted by it during his swings.   All I am asking is for you to be comfortable in your uniform.   By choosing some good basic shoes and some durable socks with a stirrup design, you are on your way to dressing comfortably for baseball success. 

*To find a basic device to help your pitching, check out baseball pitching nets.