Rawlings’ Heart of the Hide leather isn’t just for gloves anymore

As most folks know, not all softball glove leathers are created equal.

The best leathers are taken from specially bred bovines, taken from a specific region of the animal’s body. Those leathers are inspected for imperfections, then treated and worked to make them ideal for baseball or softball gloves.

Rawlings’ Heart of the Hide is one of those leathers.

The durability and feel make the HoH a favorite among professional players and amateurs alike. And now, you can get Heart of the Hide leather in more than just gloves.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Wallet ($54.99)

Looking for a wallet that will last forever? Look no further. Includes 6 credit card pockets, two interior pockets and one big ol’ pocket for your cash.

These wallets are on pre-order until June 8. Shop now.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Travel Kit ($99.99)

A travel kit for players to take their game on the go. Includes two interior pockets.

This one’s also on pre-order with an expected ship date of June 8. Get one now.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Duffel Bag ($499.99)

Take your gym bag to the next level. Premium heart of the hide leather exterior, with an exterior front zip, back pocket and interior zip pocket. Includes a padded leather strap.

These ship directly from Rawlings, and you can expect to see yours in 3-10 days. Shop now.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Travel Organizer ($149.99)

This is the way to travel in style. Includes a clear ID pocket, passport pocket, boarding pass pocket, 2 interior zip pockets, currency pocket, 2 open pocket slots and 12 credit card pocket slots.

When you order this one, you can expect to see it on your doorstep in 3-10 days. Shop now.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Briefcase ($529.99)

State of the art design combined with a true classic glove leather creates a perfect balance to keep you at the top of your business game. Now go out and pitch that new account.

Includes exterior front and back zip pockets with two large main zip pockets for laptop case and file space.

These ship directly from Rawlings, so expect another 3-10 day ship time. Shop now.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide Leather Glove Chair ($4,699.99)

We’ve reached the crown jewel of Rawlings’ Heart of the Hide accessories: The Glove Chair.

If you’re looking for the perfect throne for your man cave, this is it. The glove chair is handmade by Rawlings’ master glove craftsmen in the Rawlings Glove Factory for an incredible, quality look and superb durability.

It can be customized, just like your baseball glove (call for details).

You can be sitting in your new glove chair in 3-10 days. Shop now.

Related: Looking for an actual Heart of the Hide baseball glove? We have those too!

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How good posture equals good softball performance

From our friends at Crossover Symmetry, here’s a very quick primer on posture and the role it plays in athletic performance.

The things we do in our modern-day lifestyles — whether it’s hunching over our desks at school or slouching on the sofa in front of the TV — can lead to poor shoulder posture. We roll our shoulders forward, and that can lead to problems down the road in sports.

That’s especially true in softball, where the shoulder and rotator cuff are so important.

Click for big (.pdf)

Proper shoulder positioning allows your shoulder girdle to perform to its potential. With shoulder muscles able to properly elongate and contract, you’ll get the most velocity on your throws, and you’ll have the most control.

But poor posture equals poor performance. Bad posture is linked with shoulder tightness in baseball players, and tight muscles are inefficient muscles. That means your throws won’t have that “oomph” behind them, and at worst, you can injure your shoulders.

So how do you avoid it?

First, stop slouching. Second, regularly stretch and perform mobility exercises on your shoulders and upper back. The primer includes a few examples to get you started.

It doesn’t take much. If you’re feeling tight, just add in 5 minutes of shoulder stretching a day, and you should see some improvement in your shoulder mobility.

Stretching is most effective when your shoulders and upper back are already warm (so, after practice is a good time for position players. Pitchers could do it after some light throwing.)

Taking those simple steps will help keep your posture good and your performance high.

Related: Keep your shoulders in top condition with a pair of Crossover Symmetry Cross Cords.

Jeepers creepers, wear some sunglasses and protect those peepers

Yellow or brown-tinted sunglasses are a popular option. They provide a large amount of contrast, allowing players to better track the ball.

Ever finish up a mid-day game or a doubleheader to find that you came down with a case of itchy, burning eyeballs?

It means your eyes got sunburned.

It’s true. You can get sunburn on your eyes, and if you spend a moderate amount of time outside in the sun (say, playing softball) your eyes are susceptible to sun damage. While sunburn goes away, repeated sun damage can cause permanent problems. It can cause retinal damage, cataracts and even blindness.

That means there’s no reason not to protect your eyes, especially when you’re out between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the most direct.

When looking for sunglasses, it’s important to get a pair of shades with 99-100% UV protection. Anything less will actually make it worse — the curve on the lens will intensify the sun’s UV rays going into your eyes.

From there, it comes down to your personal style. We carry everything from simple Oakley M-Frames to MAXX HD sunglasses with MLB team logos on the sides.

Every pair of glasses we carry was chosen because they are fitted and designed for athletic wear, so you can be confident they won’t interfere with your play.

Related: While you’re at it, cut down on glare with Rawlings Eye Black.

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FREE Shipping & Returns on all Softball Bats!

No hassle bat buying! Buy a Softball bat and get free shipping……….don’t like what you bought? Ship it back for free.

See more details at Softball.com

Louisville Slugger announces recall on all oneX fastpitch softball bats

Louisville Slugger’s 2013 oneX Fastpitch Softball Bat

Louisville Slugger announced this week that it has issued a recall of its entire 2013 line of oneX fastpitch softball bats.

Model numbers affected include FP136, FP1369 and FP1368.

According to Slugger, the company announced the recall after it became aware of a durability issue in the bat’s taper. In some cases, the bat would show some cracking between the barrel and handle. In extreme cases, there would be a complete fracture.

Louisville Slugger has asked that customers contact them at 1-800-282-2287 to arrange a return. Bats will be replaced with the 2013 Louisville Xeno, and customers will be given a choice of one of the following:

1. Equipment bag or ball glove with an $80 value.
2. A stored value card equivalent to $50.
3. A new 2014 oneX replacement bat available in late summer.

Softball Sales will not be able to accept any returns on Louisville Slugger’s behalf. We asked that all affected customers contact Slugger directly.

You can read the entire announcement here.

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Save 15% storewide during our Presidents Day weekend sale!

Presidents Day weekend starts today, and we’re celebrating in style!

Now through Tuesday, you can take 15% off all orders at Softball Sales. There is NO minimum order.

Just use the promo code JSSBSP88 at checkout. Shop now.

Related: Browse our selection of closeout softball equipment.

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Jennie Finch welcome’s baby girl Paisley

Jennie Finch has finally got a daughter to pass on her athletic ways to. The Olympic softball star and husband Casey Daigle welcomed their third child, Paisley Faye Daigle, in the early morning hours of Saturday. ‘We are so thrilled to announce the birth of our sweet baby girl,’ Finch, 32, told People.

Meet Baby Paisley! Jennie Finch has welcomed her first daughter into the world, the little one arrived on Saturday morning

Read full article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2261442/Its-girl-Former-softball-star-Jennie-Finch-welcomes-daughter–Paisley.html?ito=feeds-newsxml