Luis Marte gets his first major league victory September 3,2011

We at Vinci are happy for you and wish you many years of success for the rest of your career.

Read more about Luis Marte

Related Posts

• Lester Oliveros Wears Vinci Baseball Glove For MLB
• Joakim Soria Wears Vinci Baseball Glove for MLB
• Vinci Baseball Gloves Go to Japan
• As American as Baseball and Apple Pie!

“I’ve been using Vinci gloves since 2010,” said Oliveros. “It’s the best glove I’ve used in my career. I like the feel and comfort of the glove. Definitely a winner.”

Oliveros was called up to the Detroit Tigers on July 1, 2011 to replace the injured Al Alburquerque. He appeared in nine games for the Tigers this season. On August 16, Oliveros was traded to the Minnesota Twins. He was assigned to the Rochester Red Wings, the Minnesota Twins AAA affiliate.

“Lester is a really great guy,” said Pete Vinci, owner of Vinci. “He represents Vinci well. He’s a hard thrower with a lot of heart. We would like to congratulate him on his recent call up and wish him the best in the major leagues.”

Oliveros joins several other top athletes in both the American and National League who wear the Vinci brand.

Click Here to View Pictures of Lester Oliveros Wearing Vinci

Click Here to Watch a Video of Lester Oliveros in Action

Related Posts

• Joakim Soria Wears Vinci Baseball Glove for MLB
• As American as Baseball and Apple Pie!
• Vladimir Nunez Vinci Glove Debut
• Congratulations Luis Marte of the Detroit Tigers

Joakim Soria, the top Mexican closer in MLB history, is the closer for the Kansas City Royals. He has worn a Vinci glove since 2010 with the Kansas City Royals. For the Royals he is wearing a Vinci Model JC3300 baseball glove. This glove is dedicated to his daughter, Angela.

“Vinci makes a great glove,” said Soria. “I bring all I can to each game, and I expect a lot from my equipment. My Vinci glove always serves me well.”

Soria made his Major League debut on April 4, 2007. In May of 2010, Soria got his 100th save against the Texas Rangers. He was picked for the 2010 All-Star Game, the second of his career. He finished the season with a 1.78 ERA and 43 saves in 46 opportunities. In 2011, Soria has accumulated 14 saves as of July 5th.

“We are thrilled to have Joakim wear a Vinci glove,” said Pete Vinci, owner of Vinci. “We have followed him throughout his career and consider him a personal friend of the family.”

Soria joins several other top athletes in both the American and National League who wear the Vinci brand.

About the Vinci Model JC3300 Baseball Glove

The Vinci Model JC3300 baseball glove utilizes 5 oz. Vinci exclusive comfort feel genuine leather for the best feel and comfort in the industry. Our comfort feel genuine leather is pre-treated at the factory allowing for a much shorter break in time. The high quality leather allows our gloves to be durable, yet playable and retain their shape longer. They also come with heavy-duty thumb and pinky loops, along with thumb and pinky supports which help retain the glove shape. Our pittards leather finger linings offer the feel and durability of a major league baseball glove, without the major league price tag.

About Vinci

Vinci is a family owned and operated sports equipment company dedicated to quality. Each product in the line is researched, designed, and developed by Peter Vinci. Every glove model number has a particular meaning behind it. For additional information about Vinci, please visit http://www.vincipro.com

Click Here to View More Pictures of Soria Wearing Vinci

Related Posts

• As American as Baseball and Apple Pie!
• Lester Oliveros Wears Vinci Baseball Glove For MLB
• Vinci Baseball Gloves Go to Japan
• Spring Training 2010:Continued

The first thing my son said when he opened the case housing a pair of white Vinci baseball sunglasses was, “These are tight.” And he hadn’t even tried them on.

That was his way of saying that the glasses Vinci (www.vincipro.com) had sent us to try were cool. Whether you’d describe them as “cool”, “tight” or “super-duper,” there is so much going for these shades you’re sure to have the same reaction he did.

They come with three different types of impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses (smoked, blue-coated “mirrored,” and orange), which are easy to interchange. It’s like getting three different pairs of glasses for the price of one. You will always have the right lenses for the sun. The rubber ear tips make them extremely comfortable, while the rubber nose pads are adjustable and help them from bouncing as you move. They boast a total wrap-around profile to give better field of vision along with 100% UVA and UVB protection. They’re foldable and lightweight and, for a limited time, come with a free black holding case to protect them in an equipment bag.

So now, my son who never used to wear sunglasses while he played won’t take the field without them. Oh, and when he did put them on the first time…they fit perfectly. Not too tight at all.

Related Posts

• As American as Baseball and Apple Pie!
• Vinci Introduces NEW Red Framed Multi Lens Sport Sunglasses
• Vinci Photo Contest: Win a FREE Pair of Vinci Multi Lens Sport Sunglasses!
• Congratulations Luis Marte of the Detroit Tigers

Torres has worn a Vinci glove since 2008 with the Charlotte Knights, the AAA affiliate for the Chicago White Sox. For the Giants he is wearing a Vinci Model CT82 baseball glove.

Carlos Torres(on left) in Japan for the Giants

“I am excited and am looking forward to this opportunity to work hard and compete at such a high level,” said Torres. “With such a quality glove, a sense of family and great people, you can’t go wrong. That’s why my Vinci baseball glove is going everywhere with me.”

Torres has played for the Chicago White Sox in the major leagues in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. His first major league victory was an inter league game between the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago cubs.

“We are happy to see him play for the Giants in the Japanese major leagues,” said Pete Vinci, owner of Vinci. “We wish him and his team great success.”

The Japanese Major Leagues is called Nippon Professional Baseball. A season is played from April through October and consists of 144 game schedule. The Giants are rich in history similar to the New York Yankees.

About Vinci

Vinci is a family owned and operated sports equipment company dedicated to quality. Each product in the line is researched, designed, and developed by Peter Vinci. The model number of every glove always has a particular meaning behind it. For additional information about Vinci, please visit http://www.vincipro.com

Related Posts

• As American as Baseball and Apple Pie!
• Spring Training 2010:Continued
• Joakim Soria Wears Vinci Baseball Glove for MLB
• Vinci Sighting-Elmer Dessens plays Major Role in Mets Win

Looking back through our own history, we are amazed at how many important Vinci milestones occurred in the month of July and we wanted to take some time to reflect and share some of the highlights with you.

July 26th, 1942: Benjamin Vinci is awarded the Purple Heart.

Benjamin Vinci receives the Purple Heart.

Anyone familiar with our story knows that every Vinci glove features the signature of Benjamin Vinci, a true American hero. Benjamin was gravely wounded on the morning of December 7, 1941 in the infamous attacks on Pearl Harbor. After nearly 6 months of treatment (and with a 50 caliber bullet permanently lodged near his heart) Benjamin did what any patriot would do, he returned to active duty. On July 26^th, he was awarded the Purple Heart for his valor on the battlefield.  Almost sixty years later on July 27, 2001, US Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton (from Benjamin’s Home State of New York) led the US Senate in honoring his bravery. It was with a promise to Benjamin Vinci that “One day he would see his name in the big leagues” that Vinci (the glove) was born.

July 13th, 2008: Wilkin Ramirez Plays in the MLB Futures Game

Ramirez hits a homer on his first MLB at bat!

On July 11^th of this year, those who tuned in to watch the US take on the World at the MLB Futures Game were treated to a closing camera shot of a pair of Vinci Sport Sunglasses in the dugout of the World Team. Those glasses belonged to outfielder Wilkin Ramirez, and 2010 marked his second trip to the future. In 2008, Wilkin was a member of the World Team that won in a 3 -0 shut out over the US. We were very proud that Wilkin chose to wear a PJV16 Fielder’s glove and he logged a base hit with his #5 Vinci Batting Gloves and Vinci Baseball Bat (you can purchase the signed bat here). It was a great moment for Vinci to celebrate the future of a valued friend as well as our own future in the big leagues. Wilkin would go on to play for the Detroit Tigers where (while wearing his #5 Vinci Batting Gloves) he would become the first Tiger since Reggie Sanders in 1974 to hit a homerun on his first at bat.

July, 19th 2008: Vladimir Nunez, the first player to wear Vinci in the Majors

Vladimir Nunez, the first player to wear Vinci in the majors.

Just 6 days after Ramirez hinted at Vinci’s big league future, the future arrived. On July 19^th, Vladimir Nunez, a right-handed relief pitcher was called up to the Atlanta Braves. Based in Richmond, Virginia, Vinci had developed a friendship with Nunez earlier that year. In April he began wearing Vinci gloves for the minor league AAA Braves affiliate team, the Richmond Braves. When Nunez was called up that July, he took his Vinci MV3 glove with him. It was a magical evening for us at Vinci as we watched Vladimir kiss his glove for luck when he stepped to the mound.

July 22nd, 2009: Carlos Torres makes his Major League Debut

Carlos Torres make his MLB debut.

Vinci had officially broken the major league barrier in July 2008. There were several other Vinci sightings in the year that followed, but no list of Vinci milestones would be complete without mentioning one of our favorite players, the 2-time Minor League All Star and only the 9^th player ever to be named Minor League Pitcher of the week 3 times in a single season. Carlos Torres, the 26-year-old right-handed relief pitcher brought his Vinci MV30 along when he was called up to the Chicago White Sox. He made his debut July 22^nd against the Tampa Bay Rays where he pitched six strong innings to record a quality start.

July 14, 2010: Carlos Torres named starting Pitcher for MiLB All Stars

One year later, Torres continues to have one of the most decorated careers in AAA Charlotte Knights history and on July 14^th, he was again named the starting pitcher for the International League All-Stars. He pitched 2 innings of the nationally televised game while wearing his Vinci MV30.

July, 2010: Elmer Dessens lights up the NY Mets Bullpen

Dessens and his glove earn compliments from Keith Hernandez.

And finally, we thought we’d tell one of our favorite current stories. Elmer Dessens has been called a lot of things in his 17-year professional baseball career. But recently he’s been bucking the odds by being called the “savior” of the New York Mets bullpen crisis. At 40 years old, this veteran of 9 major league franchises landed in New York (the place where it all started for Vinci).  And he has been racking up the wins ever since.

En route to a recent win (alright this one officially happened on the last day of June, but we’ve been talking about it a lot this July) Elmer Dessens’ Vinci MV30 glove caught the attention of New York baseball legend (and Mets analyst) Keith Hernandez. You might remember Hernandez from his World Series winning career with the Mets and the Cardinals, from his 3 best-selling books, or from his many guest appearances on Seinfeld.  But for those of us at Vinci, Hernandez will now be remembered as the New York legend that chose a nationally televised game to plug our glove. During the fifth inning, Hernandez saw Elmer’s glove and asked the viewing audience, “What’s that label on his Glove? Vinci? Like Leonardo Da Vinci? I’ve heard of that glove company.”

To hear a New York baseball legend talk about a glove that bears the signature of a New York war hero just 2 short years after Vinci gloves broke into the Big Leagues was surreal to say the least. And it’s just another reason that, here at Vinci, July will always be among our favorite times of year.

Do you have any favorite July baseball stories? If so, drop us a line, we’d love to hear them!

Related Posts

• Joakim Soria Wears Vinci Baseball Glove for MLB
• Vinci Baseball Gloves Go to Japan
• Spring Training 2010:Continued
• Congratulations Carlos Torres MiLBYs Best Triple-A Starter

In the big leagues, where players spend years searching for any possible advantage over their competition, choosing the appropriate athletic equipment can mean the difference between winning and losing. We are proud that, over the years, many pro-athletes have chosen to use Vinci gloves.

We recently spoke with one of our favorite players – Chicago White Sox and 2010 MiLB All-Star pitcher Carlos Torres – to discuss his life, his game, and why he uses Vinci gloves. Here are some highlights of the interviews.

Vinci (V):  Carlos, I want to congratulate you on your recent honors. (Carlos is just the 9^th pitcher ever to be named AAA pitcher of the week 3 times in a single season.) I also want to thank you for taking time to answer our questions.

Torres (CT): De Nada.

Carlos makes his debut in 2009 for the Chicago White Sox.

V: We know that you were drafted by the White Sox organization in 2004 out of Kansas State but can you tell us a bit about the role that sports played in your childhood?

CT: To tell you the truth, I never really liked sports growing up; it was the competition that I craved. My father was my biggest influence. When he would get home from work, he would make time to teach me anything he could about sports. Drills and bullpens were usually our thing. That was really the only thing that was ours. In high school I wanted to stop playing a few times but never did because that was how my father and I shared feelings and emotions.

V: I’m sure a lot of folks in Chicago and Charlotte are happy that you stuck with it. Do you have any favorite baseball memories?

CT: All of little league if I have to say. It was one of the few times you played because it was fun and pure. My favorite baseball movie is The Sandlot. Just because those were the times where baseball was the best.

V: Cool. Let’s talk a little about gloves. How important is it for a pitcher at your level to have a high-quality glove?

CT: Gloves are as important to a pitcher as a bat is to a batter.  They save you from getting hit by a ball every day. I grew up poor, so I had plastic gloves my whole life until college. They always ripped and the laces would break. Having quality makes you realize what you missed out on.

AAA All-Star Pitcher Carlos Torres called up to the bigs!

V: You currently use 3 models of Vinci gloves: a 12″  MV30 Custom Pro, a VN75-L (also a 12”) and a

PJV0416-L (12.75”), do you have a favorite?

CT: I am partial to the MV30; it’s the first glove I pitched with in the major leagues. It is also the first glove I have ever put a finger in every slot and didn’t put two in the pinkie, like outfielders do.  I usually do that because I want to feel a deeper pocket but with this model, I like the feel of its pocket.  Also, the outfielder’s glove (PJV0416-L) singlehandedly saved me 6 hits this year. It’s the size of an outfield glove but the same weight as a shortstop’s glove; that means you’re pretty good at fielding your position.

V: How many different brands of gloves have you used playing college and professional baseball?

CT: I went to 5 colleges in 4 years and every college had a different sponsor.  And in professional ball, I had three other brands until I was introduced to Vinci by my homey for life (Chicago pitcher) Derek Rodriguez.

V:   How do your Vinci gloves compare with the other brands you’ve used?

CT: Vinci has a better feel. Mass-producing makes you look for every corner you can cut to save money.  Vinci doesn’t do that.  They are quality and you feel it when you get it. I haven’t had a lace break yet.  I have taken my gloves to the edge and am trying to find out how long it will take, but I haven’t done it yet and it has been 2 years.  I keep tightening my gloves and not changing laces like you should, just to see how the glove holds up.  And it does!

I haven’t run into another company who cares, like, literally cares, as much as Vinci.  I have buddies with every glove you see and none of them ever receives what they asked for, or they can’t get a hold of their rep, or the glove takes too long to get there!  I could make one phone call and I could have it the next day no question.  Exactly what I ask for every time.

V:  Vinci has always been about family so it’s nice to hear how instrumental your father was in your development as a player.

CT: I asked Pete Vinci for two favors.  I asked him to put my daughter’s name on my glove and to put my father’s name on my glove.  The two people who have impacted my life beyond everyone else, and he did.  Those are people who care. Read the Vinci story and about Benjamin Vinci off of the website and you will realize how different this company is.

V:  Well, thanks again for taking time to answer our questions. We wish you continued success in Chicago and Charlotte.

Torres wears his Vinci MV30 in black in a game against the Cubs.

CT: I’m just happy to be pitching.

Carlos Torres has just been named to the 2010 International League All-Star Team as the starting pitcher for the second year in a row. The game will be nationally televised on July 14, 2010.  Torres has used Vinci gloves since 2008. His first major league appearance was July 22, 2009 with the Chicago White Sox playing the Tampa Bay Rays where he pitched 6 strong innings to record a quality start. Torres continues to have one of the most decorated careers in AAA Charlotte Knights franchise history.

Related Posts

• Congratulations Luis Marte of the Detroit Tigers
• Lester Oliveros Wears Vinci Baseball Glove For MLB
• Joakim Soria Wears Vinci Baseball Glove for MLB
• Vinci Baseball Gloves Go to Japan