Wilson shows up at Angels spring training to deliver the custom glove goods

Ah, remember the day you got a new baseball glove? After scoping out the different manufacturers, you considered what position you’d need a glove for, the type of webbing you wanted, the size, and the color, you made the best choice. And then said “Never mind, I’m going with the ‘Brooks Robinson’ model”.

This morning in Tempe, Wilson Sporting Goods made their annual delivery and brought a few custom new gloves to some Angels players: Michael Barash, Jahmai Jones, Zack Cozart, Jefry Marte and Chris Young.

Wilson makes all sorts of other baseball equipment, such as catchers gear for MLB players, and they also own Louisville Slugger. All these manufacturers make their annual drive-by to every spring training camp for deliveries and promotions. Today, it was about Wilson baseball gloves for the Angels, and they invited Halos Heaven along.

MLB players put in their order for the next season around last October, then they are ready the following Spring, as it takes a couple months for them to make them and ship the gloves from Japan. The two Wilson representatives, Rob Rusch and Tim Naughton, were up at Salt River delivering custom models for those two clubs yesterday, and then were off to Scottsdale before 10 a.m. today for the Giants.

First though at 7 a.m., they had the had to make the day of a handful of Angels whose primary choice for gloves was Wilson. Working from the back of their black truck just outside the clubhouse door, they got out their merchandise and discussed what would work best for each player for the coming year as the players came and went over the next two hours.

Jahmai Jones, one of the Angels top outfield prospects came by to pick up his new, custom outfield glove. More interesting was the fact he was also in the market for an infielders glove as first reported by Halos Heaven this morning.

Zack Cozart is the premiere Wilson fielder on the Angels and also had the most interesting conversations with the reps this morning. As has been previously reported, Cozart has played SS his entire career but now with the Angels for upcoming season, Cozart will be playing primarily 3B, but also SS and some 2B as needed. Three positions means three gloves. He’s got his old gamer glove for SS, and today he was getting two new ones.

Keynan Middleton received two new gloves, a red one and a black one. Red? Black? Spin the wheel and let’s find out which one he wears!

Jefry Marte and Chris Young are also Wilson guys; they stopped by to finalize their 2018 gloves and check out the wares.

Sticking around for practice, I had the opportunity to see Jam Jones and Zack Cozart wielding their Wilson gloves at practice, showing them off for Mike Trout and Andrelton Simmons.