Evan Longoria’s Glove Finally For Sale…Sort of

It's always frustrating to see a pro ballplayer sporting some sweet new gear and then discover that you can't get the same stuff for yourself.

Last season (2009) I noticed Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria was using a new glove with a simple, old-fashioned design. The basic, single cross web design and plain blonde leather made it look like...a baseball glove. Just a glove, like gloves must have looked before the manufacturers started making everything tri-tone with a kaleidoscope of inserts and overlays and web patterns and decorative laces.

I thought: Awesome! I want one!

Then after a few hours of scouring the web: Damn. I CAN'T find this glove ANYWHERE.

So I wrote an email to Wilson.

Yes, I actually checked all 29 retail stores listed on Wilson's website. No, I didn't receive a response. And, unfortunately, I forgot about it until...

...this spring 2010, when the new video game MLB 2K10 was released with a cover featuring You Know Who wearing You Know Which Glove.

Now, I thought, since 2K Sports chose Evan Longoria for the cover due to his BEAST season (quick recap: selected as All-Star Game starter, won the Rawlings Gold Glove award for being the American League's best defensive third baseman, won the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger award for being AL's best offensive third baseman. Didn't win MVP. Joe Mauer did, for which he got the cover of PlayStation's MLB 10 The Show. Didn't win Cy Young. Darn.)...surely in 2010 Wilson will come guns-a-blazing, aiming to get every young infielder into the same glove worn by Evan Longoria. After all, isn't that the point of signing pro players to endorsement deals? Wear Kobe's shoes. Wear LeBron's shoes. Wear Evan Longoria's glove.

Guess not.

This is the new Wilson A2000 EL3 glove available to the public.

Model number: WTA2000 EL3-BBL
Size: 11.75 inches
Usual Price: $199.99

Where to buy it
- Amazon - had it for $189.99
- Eastbay - had it, but now it's gone
- Baseball Express - on backorder

Unfortunately, this Wilson A2000 EL3 is a different color than the glove that Evan Longoria wears.

Just look through MLB.com's Player Photo Gallery for Evan Longoria.

Or browse Google Images of Evan Longoria from around the web.

Each time his glove makes an appearance, it's just plain light tan leather.

Except...one interesting photo found on the MLBlog of Jorge Cantu from a June 2006 entry, back when he was with Tampa Bay. Longoria was just breaking into the show and he's seen using a Louisville TPX glove. See it here.

Even Wilson's official website doesn't show Longoria wearing the black and tan model. If you click the "Players" tab, it shows him wearing the plain tan version.

The only place I could find Evan Longoria wearing the retail Wilson A2000 EL3 is in promotional video at the bottom of some Eastbay pages for Wilson gloves.

In the first video called "Why Wilson" it looks as if they're handing this new retail model to him for the first time and they've asked him to use it for a while so they can get this advertising footage. Sad.

Looks like the only option for getting a glove like Evan Longoria is to get an actual glove of Evan Longoria, rather than a duplicate from Wilson. There are a few available through sports memorabilia dealers, at insane markups because they are autographed. Here's one for over $700, one for $600, and one on eBay with a starting bid of $400.