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Check out videos online with Aso, who works for Wilson as a "glove guru". He shows how he breaks in gloves and mitts for major leaguers, what to do and what not to do.
My son (15u) takes his new gloves to a batting cage and sits on a bucket and receives several hundred balls with it. Seems to be a good way to break them in and keep them clean.
The best way to do it, and the one that will help the glove last the longest is to just play catch with it. Use a good quality oil / conditioner very sparingly, but be sure to get the laces when you do oil. Wipe it down with a rag after every use - dirt breaks down the leather.
It may be better to use 2 balls instead of 1 when you wrap the glove. Pay attention not only to the pocket, but to the hinge at the base of the palm. You want to have a small gap there when you close the glove for storage. (I hope that makes sense.)
This video shows a product my son is using in his new mit...http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IkjQP3K6bBw
You don't need the form / bag they are selling per se - but look at how it is designed to shape the pocket and maintain the hinge and you can probably come up with something similar.
Playing catch is best - I am not a fan of any kind of oil but if you are - use sparingly. It is critical you square the pocket on a catcher's glove. When glove closes - the pocket should remain square.
Will have to slightly disagree on using two balls.. Two balls may stretch/deepen the pocket making it a bit more difficult to consistantly "find" the ball on throwdowns. The most important thing is to keep the glove clean and dry, don't use it to clean the plate, don't leave it on the grass,don't throw it into the dugout. don't let others use it, treat it with respect It will take time to break in.
Will have to slightly disagree on using two balls.. Two balls may stretch/deepen the pocket making it a bit more difficult to consistantly "find" the ball on throwdowns.
This is true. You have to angle the balls so that one is in the pocket and one in the palm basically. The second one is to keep the hinge from collapsing. I would only do this if the mitt wasn't being wrapped though. If the mitt is wrapped the second ball can stretch the palm too much. Of course it can depend on the size of mitt as well. A 32 isn't going to need the same type of storage as a 34.
