BRADENTON, Fla. — The glove was waiting at Starling Marte's locker the day he checked into Pirates spring training camp.
One of the clubhouse attendants already had taken it out of the box and removed the plastic wrapping. That's akin to ripping open somebody else's presents under the tree on Christmas morning, but Marte did not seem to mind.
He had been waiting for this particular glove for a long time.
“It's a special glove,” Marte said softly.
As usual, Rawlings custom made the mitt to Marte's specifications. It has two-tone (black and pale yellow) leather and bright yellow web lacing.