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Omir Santos tried on his new batting gloves, said to slow the impact of a harmful fastball down to the mere annoyance of a junkball, and voiced excitement. "I think it's going to help," the New York Mets catcher said. "It sounds like it's going to work."

The latest high-tech protective product in a sport that's slow to accept innovation, the batting gloves are manufactured by the startup company XProTeX, which hired former All-Star Reggie Smith to go around spring training trying to persuade big leaguers to switch.

Bob Watson, Major League Baseball's vice president of on-field operations, said his department already has given its approval, which is necessary for all on-field gear.

"We looked at the data. No, I didn't put it on and take a fastball," said Watson, a former All-Star himself. "Now, is this going to stop all major injuries? That I can't tell you, but according to the data, it should cut down on broken bones and severe injuries coming from pitched balls."XProTeX was formed by X Bats president Jack Kasarjian, whose company is known for supplying maple bats to major leaguers and — at about $100 each — to youth ballplayers. After consulting the former president of the motocross equipment company SixSixOne, Kasarjian developed an impact-absorbing material called Advanced Impact Composite.

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