The Baseball Rampage 12 Days of Giveaways kicks off today. Baseball Rampage is giving away a $100 Gift Certificate each weekday from 12/4 - 12/19. The entry period has closed, but if you placed an order on BaseballRampage.com during November then you’re already entered.

We will post a blog entry each day with the name of the winner. The winner just needs to email winner@baseballrampage.com from the email address that we have on file to verify that it is them.* We will then email them the $100 electronic gift certificate valid at BaseballRampage.com.**

The Baseball Rampage 12 Days of Giveaways winner for 12/4 is:

Shawn Adams

Check back tomorrow for another winner!

Terms & Conditions:

*Prizes must be claimed by 1/31/2009 or they will be forfeited. To claim your prize email winner@baseballrampage.com by 1/31/2009 from the email address that you registered with.

**The promotion period is 11/1/08 - 11/30/08. Each order placed during the promotion period on baseballrampage.com will be one entry in the contest. No purchase is necessary. You can enter to win by emailing your name, address, email, phone, and date of birth to entry@baseballrampage.com. Winners will be selected at random, and posted on our blog at http://blog.baseballrampage.com. You must check the blog and email your name, address, email, and phone to winner@baseballrampage.com to claim your prize. Winners must claim their prizes by 1/31/2009. Any prizes not claimed by 1/31/2009 will be forfeited. Each prize is a $100 electronic gift certificate redeemable at BaseballRampage.com. The prizes are non-transferable and are not redeemable for cash. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 or older to enter.

I am a glove fanatic, and I am lucky enough to have the opportunity of placing every single glove listed on Baseball Rampage on my hand. I take my time and note all of the little details and note how the glove feels and what attributes I like or dislike. A good baseball glove is like a work of art, and you can tell a good glove just by putting it on your hand. Most of our manufacturers carry a high-end or pro style baseball glove. I have always been a Rawlings man, but after having the opportunity to try out other manufacturers such as Mizuno, Wilson, Nokona, Louisville Slugger, and Easton, I have realized that each have different attributes. I am very impressed with what they offer and realize you can’t go wrong with one or the other, which makes choosing a glove very difficult. Hopefully an evaluation of the elite gloves we carry at Baseball Rampage will help out in that decision.

Rawling’s Gloves - Since 1887 Rawlings has been the leading glove manufacturer in baseball. They just recently came out with the ultra-elite Primo ball glove and continue to produce some of the best gloves available.

Primo Baseball Gloves – Immediately catches your eye, the dark, rich leather is beautiful. Put one on your hand and you will wish you had one, that is if you can get by the price tag. These gloves are made with hand crafted Italian leather and flawlessly assembled and truly are the Mercedes Benz of all baseball gloves.

Rawlings Pro Preferred - The Pro Preferred comes in several options, the two-tone and one tone black or tan. These gloves are made with soft leather but are left stiff so a player can break it in how they would like. Once broken in these glove will keep their rigidness where needed but break in exactly to how the hand wants. I had one of these gloves for eight years until left at (of all things) at a softball game by a friend. I felt like I lost a friend that day and still think of that glove in mourning.

Rawlings Gold Gloves - The Gold Glove has been Rawlings signature glove for many years. This model has been refurbished this year yet has kept the classics around as well. The new Gold Glove models have a Dual Core adding position specific key break-in points on the gloves. These gloves are softer than the original models and will become “game ready” quicker. The new Dual Core models feel great on the hand and are an excellent option for a player looking for a high-end glove that needs to get it broken in quickly.

WilsonBaseball Gloves carries the A2K, and the A2000. For over fifty years these gloves have been in the hands of many pro ball players and continue to produce two of the most popular models on the market.

Wilson A2K Gloves - This glove fits around your fingers like you are sticking your hand into memory foam, and still has a solid and tight fit. I love gloves that fit snug on your hand and the A2K does more than any other glove out there. The leather is softer than the other high-end gloves and can be more easily broken in. This is an amazing glove and I would suggest the A2K for any ball player.

Wilson A2000 Baseball Gloves – The A2000 has been around for over 50yrs! This is the glove that older guys tell stories of having an A2000 for 20-30 years and still using it. The glove is tough and lasts. It has the same fit as the A2K but the leather isn’t as soft and just a bit stiffer. For the price, you are getting an excellent glove and one that you know will last.

Nokona Gloves an American legend has bounced back from a devastating fire that destroyed their warehouse and everything inside. With loyal employees and hard work they have re-built and continue hand making every glove once again. Nokona added to their extensive collection of gloves with two new lines the Bloodline, and Kimera.

Nokona Bloodline Baseball Gloves - Nokona’s new top-of-the-line addition that will be incredibly successful. This glove has baseball enthusiast foaming at the mouth. It’s hard to explain how this glove feels, in my opinion it feels better on the hand than any other glove I have experienced. The glove is incredible looking and soft but rigid where it needs to be. The Bloodline gloves can be broken in quickly so anyone looking to get this glove but are worried it won’t be broken in for the season don’t have anything to worry about.

Instead of listing all of the models Nokona carries I am going to go through the type of leather they carry. Nokona has become famous for the different types of leather they integrate into their gloves. Nokona uses cowhide, buffalo, and kangaroo to make the most unique gloves available. Their cowhide is tough and durable, they use the cowhide for the core of their gloves and implement the buffalo and Kangaroo in the areas where the leather needs to bend and crease. The buffalo leather is incredibly light and somewhat flexible. With these characteristics it is surprising that it is still very strong. The Kangaroo has the same characteristics and is used in the same way.

Last note: I have never known anyone who has owned a Nokona to ever switch to another brand of glove. They have a loyal following and continue to be the only handmade and American made glove available.

What is it? Composite is made up of Carbon Fiber. Carbon Fiber is the common name used to refer to plastic (epoxy) reinforced by a graphite textile, otherwise named carbon fiber composite. Confused yet? Me too! However I have looked into what this stuff really is, and believe it or not it is all that it promises to be. Composite is used in high-quality cars, boats, bicycles, and planes, including formula one race cars. All of the composite bat manufacturers have banked on the success of composite in their baseball bats due to massive success with composite bats in the softball industry. It is well established in softball and is becoming a big part of baseball. Carbon fiber is very expensive, but has an unbelievable weight-to-strength ratio. So far attempts to put it in to mass production have failed, due to inadequate demand, and lack of skilled craftsmen.

How is it applied in baseball? – Baseball manufacturers have made the commitment and devoted huge amounts of money to testing, development, and production of composite bats. The composite make-up of a baseball bat is completely different from the traditional alloy. The new bats sound and feel completely different when the ball comes off the bat, and most importantly needs to be broken in to achieve maximum “pop”. The break in period takes approximately 150-300 pitches to compress the composite. The reason the composite bats have a “break in period” is because (mentioned above) composite is made of carbon fiber that has been woven together in sheets with epoxy added which eventually will bond the two products once place into a vacuum pump and heated up. Known as the strongest/lightest material man has ever created, it still has room to be compressed. That is exactly what the break in period is for these baseball bats. The sheets of carbon fiber and epoxy need to be “smashed” together to create a completely solid material. That is why the composite bats seem like they are dead when you first start hitting them. Composite bats will never sound the same as alloy bats but they do have the same if more pop (once broken in). Personally It took me awhile to get used to the idea of breaking in these bats, but I have had the chance to see a “broken-In” composite in action and I was amazed at how fast the ball comes off the bat. Just ask Fresno State’s Steve Detwiller who provided the offense throughout the College World Series, especially in the final game going 3-4 using Easton’s Easton Stealth IMX BCN9 composite bat. I am sure he will agree that composite is for real and is here! Let us know what you think. We would love to get opinions from players who have switched to the composite bats.

Due to the tough economy and billions of dollars in financial bailouts, I find it only fitting to talk about where the 2009 Free Agency Class is headed and the ridiculous amount of money some of them will be making. This year’s class includes a 36 year old man that wants a contract until he is 43, making him the richest pitcher in MLB history, and the richest closer in history. Add plenty of super-agent Scott Boras into the mix, and we a have a recipe for a fun offseason (a.ka. disaster). I have created a list of what I believe to be the top ten free agents this offseason, and where I think they will end up.

1. C.C. Sabathia: Recently Sabathia was offered a contract in the ballpark of 6 years, $140 million from the New York Yankees. Due to my love of the Cleveland Indians, I am naively believing that he won’t sell his soul for a huge paycheck. I look for him to stay in the National League because he loves to hit. Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

2. Manny Ramirez: No matter what you think of him, Manny can flat out hit. He is probably the best right handed hitter of my young lifetime. Although his agent won’t, we have to take into account that he is getting old. At 36 years old he can probably hit with anyone in the league, but at the end of the contract his agent is proposing (six years) he won’t be the same player. That is unless he joins the same gym as Barry Bonds, but I don’t see that happening. I look for him to get a four year deal with a club option for a fifth. Team: Los Angeles Angels

3. Mark Teixeira: At 28 years old, Mark Teixeira is still in his prime. He is someone that I could see receiving a six or seven year deal and over $100 million. I think Mark Teixeira should be the prize as far as hitters go. I am going to take all rational thought out of the equation and pick his team solely based on greed. Team: Cleveland Indians (please open up your wallets for once)

4. Francisco Rodriguez: KRod could not have had his record breaking season at a better time. Someone is going to open up their checkbook to the most dominating closer in the game. I think he could be looking at 5 years and $70 million. I don’t think it is out of the question that he stays with the Angels but… Team: New York Mets

5. A.J. Burnett: After hopefully losing the C.C. Sabathia sweepsteaks, I believe the Yankees will have to chase their tails to find another solid starting pitcher. I believe they will look Burnett’s way. However, i think they will once again get beat out by their American League East rivals. Team: Boston Red Sox

6. Derek Lowe: Derek Lowe is still a very solid pitcher. I think this is where the Yankees could make a splash. I think they will lose out on Sabathia, but need a solid starter for their rotation. They may be losing Pettitte, so I think a veteran like Lowe makes sense. Back to the AL East you go D-Lowe. Team: New York Yankees

7. Ben Sheets: Sheets is a tricky one to figure out. He is a great pitcher that is still fairly young, but hasn’t been completely healthy in a while. I could i see some of the bigger names (i.e. Yankees, Red Sox, Angels) take a stab at him, but I see him staying in the National League. Team: St Louis Cardinals

8. Orlando Hudson: I could see several teams vying for the services of Orlando Hudson. He will be the top middle infield free agent in baseball. Realistically (unlike with Teixeira), I could see the Indians in play here. They need to move Jhonny Peralta from shortstop anyway (presumably to third base), and Asdrubal Cabrera’s natural position is shortstop. That opens up a spot at second base. I believe it is a perfect fit. There is always the issue of cheapness with the Indians. Team: Cleveland Indians

9. Milton Bradley: There aren’t too many teams that would be willing to put up with Milton Bradley’s issues, which could drop his price into the mid market level. Milton’s talent has never been questioned, just his attitude. If his knee is not fully recovered, he could be limited to the AL as a DH. Team: Toronto Blue Jays

10. Ryan Dempster: Ryan Dempster was very solid for the Cubs last season. The Cubs have had such promising starters the past 10 years, but due to injury they haven’t worked out. I don’t see the Cubs letting him go. Team: Chicago Cubs

Nokona recently released their highly anticipated Nokona Bloodline Gloves. They use a “proprietary Prime Leather” to construct a well crafted hand made baseball glove. They have a deep rustic blood color, that really stands out when lined up against competitors. Personally, I have been very excited about the release of this line of gloves. The Nokona Bloodline did not let me down. Nokona claims that “this will be the best fit you will ever have in a glove,” and I couldn’t agree more. I have played baseball for twenty years, and I haven’t had a glove that felt more comfortable on my hand. You can feel the attention to detail that is put into these American made gloves. Nokona has created a line that has mixed style, comfort, and durability that would be a perfect Christmas gift for anyone that is passionate about baseball.

BaseballRampage.com has just announced a contest on their website. This contest is called “12 Days of Giveaways.” Baseball Rampage will be giving away 12 $100 gift certificates to BaseballRampage.com just in time to use to finish up your holiday shopping.

Every order in November is one chance to win. The more orders, the more chances to win. Each weekday, from 12/4-12/19, Baseball Rampage will randomly draw one winner to receive a $100 BaseballRampage.com gift certificate. The winners will be posted right here, on this blog, so check in to see if you win.

Read all the details and additional terms and conditions on the Baseball Rampage website.

While supplies last you can get a free pair of Rawlings batting gloves when you purchase any Rawlings product over $50 at Baseball Rampage. The offer is for a free pair of Rawlings BGP355 batting gloves. These batting gloves are very high quality and retail for $15! If you need any baseball gear, check out this deal at BaseballRampage.com.

This offer will run until 12/31/08 or while supplies last.

While the national sports media has been pulling for a Red Sox vs. Dodgers World Series, the rest of us have been rooting for the long shot Tampa Bay Rays. I personally believe that the Rays could save baseball. Not the type of saving that we thought we had with McGwire vs. Sosa in a steroid infused chase to Roger Maris’ home record. The type of saving I am talking about is an underdog story. The same type of story that gives March Madness it’s luster. The Tampa Bay Rays are Major League Baseball’s George Mason or Kent State. They give the everyday person a sense of accomplishment when they see a team with the second lowest payroll dominate the mighty Yankees and Red Sox. Major League Baseball has fallen behind the NFL, NCAA Football, and NCAA Basketball as America’s game. They lack something that those three leagues have: Parody. Baseball doesn’t have regular underdogs like Gonzaga in basketball or Boise State in football. They don’t have the parody that never lets you count anyone out in the NFL. They have the Red Sox and Yankees….Until this year. So I think Major League Baseball should forget about their market sizes and realize that baseball needs an underdog. We need parody. We need the Rays.

-T DeGirolamo

So I heard about this new product called the Heatr Warming Sleeve from WSI Sports. WSI Sports manufactures baseball-specific performance wear in Eagan, Minnesota. They have some very innovative products that promise some awesome results, but I wanted to see if the hype was for real.

The product claims that Wikmax HEATR generates heat while it wicks moisture off your skin. Designed to help get muscles warm and keep them warm. The WIKMAX HEATR material is located in the key muscle areas used in the pitching mechanics. The HEATR also helps get oxygen to the blood faster and keeps your muscles warm thus helping with recovery time.

So the Heatr Warming Sleeve is a compression sleeve worn from mid-biceps to wrist, that is made of the WIKMAX HEATR material. Seems like a great idea, but does it work?

I opened up one of these sleeves and put it on. I threw some balls in the cage, and took some swings. I felt multiple benefits from the sleeve. I like the compression aspect, and my muscles did feel slightly warmer in my throwing arm, but not hot or sweaty. It was very comfortable, and did not hinder my motion at all. The sleeve seems well manufactured, and the stitching seems very heavy duty. It feels like a quality product. I would have to pitch a complete game to tell you how it works over the course of nine innings, but after an initial review I would give the Heatr Warming Sleeve two thumbs up.

WSI also sells catcher’s shirts and compression pants, sliding shorts, moisture management apparel, and more. Right now you can get a free Heatr Warming Sleeve with any WSI Sports purchase at Baseball Rampage.

This drill will teach the hitter to concentrate and keep their weight back.

1. The coach will toss two balls
2. The coach will then call out top or bottom after the balls are released
3. The hitter will hit the called ball into the fence or screen

Two ball soft toss is a great way to help a player who is getting out on their front foot, and will also help develop bat control, and hand-eye coordination.