Rating The Cleats

Footwear is always an important choice for athletes, but we chose these shoes because they are black. Charlie Finley may be rolling in his grave, but we are pretty old-school and it is our jaded opinion that all baseball cleats should be mostly black. So, the following is our list of yet another thing to add to the Holiday List.

1. Mizuno 9 Spike Limited Low Metal Baseball Cleats $129
Mizuno is the footwear choice for a lot of high schools and colleges in our area, so we are biased. We really like the 9 spike in durability, traction, and design. It's also made of Kangaroo leather and will give your player extra hops. All right, so it won't do that, but the leather down under is more durable and supple for a more comfortable fit...And, it breathes like real leather...no synthetic stuff...That means less smelly socks. Mom's we are sure will be rushing to put this shoe under the tree for that feature alone.

2. Nike Shox Fuse Premium Low Metal Baseball Cleats $119
We always liked the Shox technology but the first models were a bit too heavy. Nike has lightened the load and has come out with a pretty good shoe, both in comfort and look. Of course Nike has always been at the forefront of style. No one can make a black shoe look better than they do.

3. Under Armour Thief Low Metal Baseball Cleats $79
Speaking of shox, here's a shocker. Under Armour...It's a great looking, great performing shoe. If Kenny Lofton wore this shoe in his prime, he would have looked even faster in these cleats. Think one of those futuristic concept roadsters in a shoe design. On the inside, it has HeatGear® liners that wick away moisture keeping the foot cool, dry, comfortable and yes mom's, less smelly. Dual Plate Technology and Rotational Traction, a more masculine version of the rotational pattern on women's fastpitch shoes, allow for explosive starts and max speed out of the batters box, on the base paths and in the field.

4. Nike Zoom 5 Tool Pro Mid Metal Baseball Cleats $104.99
If you must have a Mid...then this Nike is the best mid around. Like the Mizuno, it has 9 cleat configuration for first step traction. They also incorporated Dri-FIT lining for breath ability, comfort and durability. Full length midsole for extreme cleat comfort and a new caged zoom heel unit for responsive cushioning.

5. Adidas Diamond King Low Metal Baseball Cleats $74.99
We like this shoe, because it is ALL black and it doesn't look like a Adidias shoe. For we all know that Adidias is a s****r company and real baseball players really don't like s****r. The shoe is also comfortable for the foot and the wallet as well. Not a bad shoe, if for anything else, to practice in...

RT Staff