“I learned that if you leave [a glove in the microwave] for a minute, it starts cooking. You can pretty much eat it.”  Angel’s Outfield Tori Hunter (From ESPN.com)

While Ivy and I have been playing catch – sort of – Meg has been stuck inside. Not just because of little Darcy, but her glove was not a part of her dowry. Just like my dad’s baseball cards were not a part of his – instead they became garage sale profits (To discuss sadness is to sit with dad and consider the cards he had…). Anyhow, a gloveless Meg would watch us play catch. So I went out yesterday and bought her a new glove. Random: the market for left handed folks is a racket. The selection is tiny! And pricey.

Now begins the process of breaking in the glove for her. But when I read the card attached to the new glove there was a great piece of wisdom, “Placing your Wilson Ball Glove in the microwave or oven WILL damage…” WHAT? Who would put their glove in the microwave. Unlike sliced grapes** this could not be a good idea. A glove should be wrapped and crushed by Bibles – to increase the chance of miracles (kidding). I had never heard of baking a ball glove.

** Halved grapes in a microwave are startling. A mini July Fourth. The microwave is pretty impressive tool…

So I went to our most reliable source, Google, and discovered a whole new perspective. An ESPN.com article explained how many Major League ball players break in their new glove with the microwave (check it out). First they soak the glove, next zap it for less than a minute, then head out and start playing catch…

So who do we trust. The manufacturer or the professionals??

Unfortunately I am not rich enough to run tests (as I said the glove market is a racket). So that leaves my gut. And my gut says the manufacturer is right. If MLB players over cook a glove, who cares, because they can get a new one. Plus the glove does not need to last into the future (they get a new one every year).

Here is our dilemma. Of course I could prove or disprove the microwave theory. But there are some things in life that we can not prove. Some things that are gut decisions – or heart decisions.

And these choices are the most important.