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Houston Astros closer Josh Hader has started his preparation for the upcoming 162-game schedule at the Palm Beach Complex in Florida. Not many would know but Hader uses a customized glove to help him dangle hitters down the stretch.
Hader recently took to Instagram and unveiled his signature glove collection & custom gear for the upcoming 2024 season. In the video, Hader offers insights into his preferences, superstitions, and the evolution of his gear over the years. At the end of the video, he also revealed his custom-made 2024 glove.
Deep Dive into Josh Hader's collection of gloves
1) Black Crocodile Pattern glove
In an elaborative video uploaded on his YouTube channel, Josh introduced this glove first among all. The glove has a black crocodile pattern with a hinge of baby blue (his preferred color). The glove has a solid backing and no exposed holes.
Hader also went on to share that he had a good run with this glove until a game against the Mets, where he gave up a lot of hits and that's when he decided that it was time to move on to the next one.
"I broke this glove in, got it all perfect and the right way I wanted it to feel, and I used it in a game against the Mets," Hader said.
"I was actually on a pretty good streak, I believe, and wasn't even giving up a run. I remember very vividly giving up a tank with this glove, and after that, I said, 'All right, you're in retirement now.' So that was the last time I used this glove," he added.
2) The Road Glove with Personal Touches
Josh Hader then moved on to the next glove, which he called the Road Glove. The gray and brown-colored glove had the initials of his son and wife, which Hader incorporated. He explained that he wanted to keep his family close to him, which is why he incorporated their initials.
"I like to put the initials of my son and wife on my glove so they're always with me chilling Good Vibes while I'm on that mound," Hader said.
3) The OG: A Glove with Memories
Josh Hader showcased one of his most beloved gloves, in which he had one of his best seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers. The glove is covered with a real tree print and subtle Milwaukee colors.
"This glove went through a lot of my best seasons of my career here. I had a thing where I always did the real tree print on the side of my gloves also. Incorporated a little bit of the Milwaukie colors but not too much," Hader said.
4) A Special Season and a Special Glove, 2021 Edition
Hader then showcased the glove that he won in 2021, the season in which he won the NL Reliever of the Year award. The glove with the initials of his family has a two-toned design with a hue of baby blue and tan.
5) Nostalgia and Excellence Glove in 2023
He wore the 2023 Glove while with the San Diego Padres. The 12.5-inch glove helped him conceal his grip on the baseball and maintain leverage over the hitter for what's to come.
6) 2024 Custom Glove
Finally, Hader unveiled the glove that he is going to use for the 2024 season. Apart from having an array of primary colors, the glove will also have a hue of orange since he is going to pitch for the Astros.
Hader then mentioned that he has incorporated his nickname "haterade" on the thumb, his jersey number "71," and the initials of his son and wife on different parts of the glove.
Check out Hader's video:
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