POLL: Are Kids Getting Priced Out of Baseball and Softball?
A NY Times article explores the era of the $250 baseball bat
Have you bought a baseball glove for your Little Leaguer lately? Did you pay more than $100 for it? How about a $250 bat? A New York Times story headlined "Big Price Tags Attached to Even the Littlest Leagues," looks at the big business of equipping youngsters for participation in youth baseball and softball leagues, quoting those costs and more. "A batting helmet protects tiny heads for $39.99," the Times reports. "A pair of Nike Jordan Black Cat cleats will make your child fast and fashionable at $51.99 until he or she outgrows them." So what do you think? Has the cost of bats and gloves taken our kids too far from the simpler days of sandlot and playground ballgames? Or have you had better luck finding more modestly-priced equipment for…
bmo
11:07 am on Thursday, May 10, 2012
I have coached multiple years of baseball and softball and these prices are off base. A decent youth glove runs about $35 (Louisville Slugger, Mizuno) and you can find serviceable gloves for around $25 (Wilson). IMO the best youth gloves are in the $60-$70 range (Rawlings, Slugger, Mizuno, Wilson) and should last multiple seasons. Youth Cleats are $20 to $35 for (Nike, Mizuno, NB, Under Armour). … more ›