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All guides by topic

Every guide on The Baseball Insider in one place: 225 articles on bats, gloves, cleats, protective gear, training, rules and baseball terms, grouped by topic.

BBCOR bats (high school and college)

BBCOR-certified bats are required in high school and college baseball. These guides compare BBCOR metal and wood models and explain how they differ from USA Baseball bats.

USA Baseball and Little League bats

Bats with the USA Baseball stamp are required in Little League, Babe Ruth and other youth leagues. These reviews cover the best USA bats by age and drop weight.

USSSA, big barrel and travel ball bats

USSSA bats are used in travel ball and allow bigger barrels and lighter drops. These guides cover USSSA, senior league, junior league and big barrel bats.

T-ball bats

T-ball bats are short, light and built for players aged 4 to 6. These guides cover the best T-ball bats by age and league rules.

Youth baseball bats by age and budget

Picking a bat for a young player comes down to age, height, weight and league. These guides match baseball bats to players from 5 to 12 years old and to every budget.

Wood, bamboo and fungo bats

Wood, bamboo and fungo bats are used for wood-bat leagues, practice and fielding drills. These guides cover the best models and what bats are made of.

Baseball bat buying guides

General baseball bat guides: the best bats overall, bats by budget, bats for contact hitters and cold weather, and what makes a bat illegal.

Slowpitch softball bats

Slowpitch bats differ by association (USSSA, USA/ASA), ball type and end loading. These guides cover the best slowpitch bats, ball-specific bats and budget picks.

Fastpitch and youth softball bats

Fastpitch bats are lighter, with drops from -8 to -13. These guides match fastpitch and youth softball bats to age, budget and hitting style.

Grips, tape and bat accessories

Grip tape, pine tar, end cap glue and swing analyzers help you get more out of the bat you already own.

Gloves and mitts

Fielding gloves, catcher’s mitts, batting gloves and inner gloves for baseball and softball, sorted by position, age and budget.

Catcher’s and protective gear

Catcher’s gear, helmets, cups, knee pads, braces, mouthguards and thumb guards that keep players safe.

Cleats and turf shoes

Baseball and softball cleats by position, support and budget, plus how to break them in and when to wear turf shoes.

Pants, caps, sunglasses and apparel

Baseball and softball pants, knickers, socks, caps, sunglasses and chains that fit and hold up.

Training gear and pitching machines

Pitching machines, hitting and pitching nets, tees, radar guns, bases and other gear for practice at home or with the team.

How to play: hitting, pitching and positions

Step-by-step guides to throwing, catching, hitting, pitching grips, positions, lineups and tryouts.

Rules and how the game works

How baseball works: innings, outs, game length, replay, the dropped third strike rule and other rules that confuse new fans and players.

Baseball terms explained

Plain-English definitions of baseball slang, stats and terms, from a can of corn to the magic number.

History, players and baseball culture

Stadiums, World Series history, quotes from the greats, the live-ball era and the habits that make baseball culture unique.