For anyone who ever turned the sound down during the television broadcast of a sporting event, there are a couple of new toys for you—or for someone you know, 8 years old and up—from ESPN.

The ESPN Play by Play contains everything you need to be the next Jon Miller, and like the network that shows both major league baseball and spelling bees, it's versatile.

ESPN's Play by Play and Sportscast let you play broadcaster

With the ESPN Play by Play, kids and adults alike transform from spectators to commentators. They can even pretend to become real superstars and delight in hearing their names out loud as they create game highlights on the field.

This portable sports audio system allows children and adults to get involved in their favorite sport like never before. Kids are transported to the sidelines as they conduct interviews, provide their own play-by-play commentary and enhance their reporting with sporty sound bites.

A hand-held ESPN microphone, built-in ESPN theme music and a sound card with six sound bites produce an authentic-sounding broadcast just like on TV, radio or podcasts.

The ESPN Play by Play broadcasts over 150 feet, is great for indoor or outdoor use and can be used alone, together with the ESPN Sportscast, or with any MP3 player, computer and many digital devices.

There is also a smaller version of the unit called the ESPN Sportscast that lets you mix an AM/FM radio feed with sports sound bites that are a button push away. The Sportscast includes ESPN SportBytes and many of the signature ESPN music moments that come to mind.

This handheld AM/FM radio with digital display lets kids and adults listen to their favorite sports broadcasts while mixing in favorite sound bites. With the option to broadcast through the speaker, the earbuds (included) or the ESPN Play by Play (sold separately), listeners can broadcast popular ESPN phrases and theme music with the touch of a button.

Or simply slide in the ESPN SportBytes SoundCard (included) for even more exciting sounds of the game. Additional SoundCards are sold separately.

Here is your chance to produce the baseball show you've always wanted, complete with ESPN accessories. The Play by Play operates with an included AC adapter or six C batteries (not included) and is priced at $99.95. The Sportscast requires three AAA batteries (not included) and costs $49.95.

For more information on both of these products and other toys and accessories from RealLiveSports, visit www.reallivesports.com.

While casual fans were discovering him this season as the Mets returned to the playoffs, readers of Baseball America and the experts at Wilson Sporting Goods were already well aware of the talent of David Wright.

Wilson added Wright, the Mets' third baseman of now and the future, to an all-star line-up of players who endorse its brand. Wright joins top players including John Smoltz, Vladimir Guerrero, Greg Maddux, Roy Oswalt, Gary Sheffield and Mike Lowell in serving as an ambassador for the Wilson brand. And in just his second full season in the big leagues, Wright also introduced his own signature glove, the Wilson A2K DW5.

Drafted in 2001, Wright has already established himself as one of the Mets' key producers. Dazzling fans and earning the respect of teammates with his strong work ethic, Wright hit .311 with 26 home runs and 116 RBIs this season.

"David Wright has the skill and drive to become one of the game's all-time greats," says Wilson director of baseball Jim Hackett. "We're ecstatic to have David as a Wilson Advisory Staff member, and we're honored to provide him with his own signature ball glove—the Wilson A2K DW5."

In using his signature glove, Wright was among the first major league players to debut the new Wilson A2K, a custom tooling of the company's top-selling A2000 line.

"I chose Wilson for its authenticity and dedication to players," says Wright. "I've always liked the fit and performance of Wilson Pro-Stock gloves, and the new A2K is an awesome addition."

Wilson Baseball Advisory Staff members choose gloves from the A3000, A2000 and A2K lines, the official ball gloves of Major League Baseball. Designed and redesigned for Major Leaguers since 1957, the A2000 was the first professional-grade glove available to pros and amateurs alike. The A3000, released in the spring of 2002, is the first ball glove with an exoskeleton. The visible exoskeleton reinforces the fingers for maximum pocket stability and performance longevity. The A2K builds on legendary A2000 glove patterns with finer materials and finer attention to detail.

The Wilson Advisory Staff includes top players from America's favorite sports. The Advisory Staff represents the brand and works with Wilson engineers in creating game-improving technologies. Notable members include Tom Brady, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Lindsay Davenport, Padraig Harrington and Kerri Walsh.

Chicago-based Wilson Team Sports Company, a division of Amer Sports, is one ofthe world's leading manufacturers of sports equipment. The company designs, manufactures and distributes advanced equipment that helps players improve their performance.

You can find out more about Wilson's baseball equipment and other products at www.wilson.com.

Under Armour became a household name based on its line of breathable outerwear, but the company has moved beyond shirts and shorts.

Anyone who has seen the Click-Clack ad campaign knows the company is moving into footwear too, and it's not just football cleats.

With the release of the Metal Thief and Metal Bomber, Under Armour has moved to the forefront of baseball cleat technology that will be appearing soon at a diamond near you.

Under Armour is adding two new baseball cleats to its line of baseball gear

Based on the explosion of its other apparel and equipment, it is only a matter of time before Under Armour cleats cover the baseball landscape.

The Metal Thief is a shoe built for the game's fastest players.

The Metal Thief provides the player with a dynamic combination of lightweight and breathable upper half with outstanding comfort and support. Dual plate technology and rotational traction allow for explosive starts and maximum speed out of the batter's box, on the bases and in the field.

Whether stealing second or robbing an opponent of an extra-base hit, the Thief is the shoe for the speedster. It also features a full-length internal midsole and steel spikes in the front with cleats in the heel.

The Metal Bomber is built for elite players seeking every possible advantage.

Like the Thief, the Bomber also features dual plate technology and rotational traction. It also has a Heatgear liner with moisture transport system, an abrasion-resistant toe guard and steel spikes in the front and heel. The combination is designed to provide the player with the best combination of power and speed, a true all-around performance cleat geared for the player with eyes on a 40-40 season. The bomber is available in mid and low cuts, and there is also a series for turf.

Both models are available in a variety of colors and can be found at the Under Armour Website at www.underarmour.com.

Combined with their line of outerwear and batting gloves, Under Armour provides plenty of options for any baseball player serious about his equipment.

The Metal Thief and Metal Bomber are just the first step by the ever-expanding Under Armour product line into the world of baseball footwear.

With this new duo of shoes, the patented Click-Clack will not be limited to the walk from the tunnel to the gridiron, but with a release in time for the holidays, you will be hearing it in dugouts as well.

For years, adult collectors have been the base that supported the baseball card industry, but Upper Deck is making a major effort to grow a new generation of enthusiasts. With that goal in mind, Upper Deck launched the industry's first-ever Kids Reward program.

The program is simple: Kids buy packs of any 2006 Upper Deck baseball product, register the code found on the back of their cards, and get a point award for each unique card. Kids can then redeem their points for prizes.

Every card entered is an entry into a sweepstakes to win the reward program's grand prize: a private clinic with Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. Other prizes include video games, song downloads, movie passes and autographed memorabilia.

The program is hosted at Upper Deck's kid-specific Website, www.upperdeckkids.com.

"Through extensive research, we've learned that most trading card collectors are over 35," Upper Deck senior marketing manager Kerri Stockholm said. "Because of that, the industry has become less kid-friendly, with more of a focus toward older customers that buy cards on speculation.

"While not wanting to alienate our solid core of older collectors, we realized the need to build for the next 10, 20 years—not just for tomorrow. We had to reconnect with and create interest among kids, making cards relevant to them again."

To do that, Stockholm said the company's efforts must do two things: add an element of interactivity while also giving each card—independent of what player is featured—a significant value.

"Our reward program is unique in that Upper Deck cards will have varying point values. Kids are encouraged to register all of their cards to find out how many points they're worth," Stockholm said.

"And points are random: an A-Rod or a top rookie isn't necessarily worth more points than a so-called common card. No longer will cards be discarded, put away to collect dust in a shoebox. Every card is now worth something to someone, whether they're building a set of their favorite team, a collection of their favorite players—or trying to increase their rewards point total.

"More than 70,000 kids have signed up since the program's launch in April, and nearly 4 million cards have been registered.

Another element to attract kids is keeping the cost of cards low.

"For many young collectors, price point is a major factor," Stockholm said. "It's also something that parents—who help drive buying decisions—take into account when steering their children toward certain sets or packs."

According to Upper Deck, every card in every baseball set—from its $2.99-a-pack UD Series 1 to the 99-cent First Pitch—will be a part of the rewards program. And the number of points per card is not based on the cost of the set.

Reward points per card vary, starting at 50 and going as high as 250, with an average of 100 points per card. The starting prize redemption for Upper Deck's kids reward is 1,000.

In the competitive baseball equipment industry, where dozens of companies have successfully carved their own niche, Reebok has quickly made a name for itself as the manufacturer of a full line of baseball equipment.

Long known for its outstanding footwear, Reebok is now offering aluminum baseball bats, batting gloves, pitcher, infielder, outfielder and catching gloves, as well as catching equipment. Each of these products will sport the familiar "RBK" logo that has become synonymous with quality in the sporting goods industry.

Reebok's aluminum bat line will feature two bats that are designed to meet the specific needs of competitive baseball players. The first, the Vector LSI, is designed to be a power hitter's dream. It couples a lightweight handle with an extended barrel to ensure that the hands will get through the zone quickly and that the bat will meet the ball with maximum speed. Reebok creates this effect by using VR950 alloy and a composite handle that is connected by an internal locking system. This combination allows the bat to have maximum strength, durability and vibration reduction.

The second line in Reebok's aluminum bat line is the Vector1. Designed with the contact hitter in mind, the Vector1 gives the bat a balanced feel during the swing. The balanced feel allows the hitter to have a controlled swing without losing bat speed. This provides this hitter with the confidence to face any pitcher and not feel the need to slow the hands down to make contact. Like the Vector LSI, Vector1 is designed with the battle-tested, distance enhancing VR950 alloy.

Reebok's extensive line of fielding gloves is similarly designed to meet the specific individual needs of the player, based on the position he plays. The VR6000 OTR series of fielding gloves are perfect for the player who is looking to improve his game. The webbing and pocket are deep and supple, allowing for a greater margin for error.

The VR6000 is designed with the more advanced player in mind. Perfect for middle infielders, the VR6000 is a smaller, tighter-fitting model that allows the player to make quick, efficient exchanges from glove to throwing hand. The leather used to make the VR6000 is especially durable, and the glove can last the player for many seasons.

Both models of Reebok's fielding gloves were made with full-grained, tanned cowhide, deer-tanned palm linings for soft feel and Texas cowhide lacing for added durability. The VR6000 also features deerskin finger linings for comfort and cushion, as well as 100 percent wool linings in the pocket for stability.

To find out more about these products and everything in Reebok's baseball lineup, visit www.rbk.com.

The baseball player's need to overcome the rigors of the season and stay free of injury has brought another mode of conditioning to the field: yoga.

The practice of yoga as a form of physical exercise has been established in the United States for several decades now. The set of poses with the promise of a strengthened core, improved balance and greater flexibility still has a connection to the ancient Eastern path to enlightenment.

It's not hard to see similarities between baseball and yoga

But while the quest for spiritual awareness may be lost on most participants, body awareness is definitely in. Once known for the meditative and peaceful qualities of the practice, yoga's resulting relaxation has given way to the popularity of the sweat-soaked workout.

Certain poses (called asanas by purists), when done correctly, utilize the body's own musculature to further build muscle. It can also correct imbalances, increase lateral mobility and loosen tight hips and shoulders.

Yoga has found its way into training for every type of athlete. Yoga for runners, yoga for golfers, for surfers, for cyclists. And now, yoga for baseball.

Mike Piazza, Al Leiter and Jeff Conine have been outspoken proponents of yoga as enhancing their games. And it shouldn't surprise any fan to learn Orlando Hernandez routinely does yoga poses to stretch his otherworldly hamstrings.

"Power Yoga for Baseball" features a 35-minute yoga workout tailored for developing essential skills in baseball players. The DVD focuses on exercises that young players can use for the rest of their careers to improve mental concentration and physical strength, giving them an edge over their competition. It is intended to help players gain flexibility and power for every position on the field.

Gwen Lawrence, of Mahopac, N.Y., a registered yoga teacher since 1998, leads a class of actual players through the program. Husband and former minor league catcher Ted Lawrence offers coaching tips. Each Power Yoga position corresponds to movements on the field. Stretches that imitate motions a baseball player makes during a game are the basis of this targeted workout.

"Yoga increases speed, flexibility, breath control, strength and focus," Gwen Lawrence says. She claims a client list that includes members of the Yankees, as well as college and high school teams.

"My coach has always said that in baseball you need to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations," says Henry Odum, a high school third baseman in New York. "In yoga, when we are being asked to hold a position for several minutes, we have to deal with being uncomfortable, and we use that experience when we are in a high-pressure situation during a game."

The DVD package includes a wall poster with photographs and instructions of the yoga techniques demonstrated in the program, plus a workout card that can be carried to practice and games.

For more info and to purchase the DVD, go to www.poweryogaforbaseball.com.

—PHILLIP DAQUILA

Now you'll have no excuse if your holiday gift for mom lacks creativity.

Because of high demand for Louisville Slugger's pink bats during May's Going To Bat Against Breast Cancer promotion—and because October was breast cancer awareness month—Slugger has made its pink bats available to the public.

Louisville Slugger's pink bats have proven popular with the public

Slugger began selling the bats in October, but they'll be available through the holiday season. These personalized pieces of memorabilia are the perfect gift idea for all the baseball-mad Nelly Kellys in your life—from mom to aunt to niece to daughter.

Louisville Slugger unveiled the bats on Mother's Day this season, and sales of the bats raised more than $200,000 for breast cancer awareness, screening, treatment and research efforts. More than 2,100 pink personalized bats have been sold since May, with $10 from each bat going to support Major League Baseball breast cancer charities.

"When we initiated the pink bat promotion with Major League Baseball on Mother's Day, the intent was to create awareness of breast cancer and encourage women to get an exam," Hillerich & Bradsby Co.'s vice president of communications Rick Redman said. Hillerich & Bradsby has manufactured Louisville Slugger bats for major league players since 1884, when Pete Browning of the Louisville Eclipse collected three hits using a Slugger bat. "We also hoped to raise a lot of money for research by working with MLB.com to auction game-used and autographed bats and team signed bats."

Personalized versions of the pink Louisville Slugger bats were used by more than 100 major league players on Mother's Day.

"We never intended to make the pink bats available to the public," Redman said, "but once fans saw the bats used by MLB players, they started calling and e-mailing us, asking if they could buy personalized ones to honor loved ones who had battled breast cancer. How could we say no?"

Customers are not permitted to get the names of major league players or teams engraved on their personalized bats because they are registered trademarks, but the bats will share the same quality and craftsmanship of the versions used on the field. The pink bats retail for $65.

"October is breast cancer awareness month, so we wanted to remind everyone of the importance of breast cancer screening and treatment once again with the personalized pink bats," Redman said. "It's a wonderful gift and it supports a great cause. We'll continue to contribute $10 from every pink bat we sell to fight breast cancer."

Louisville Slugger pink personalized bats are available by calling 877-775-8443, by ordering online from sluggergifts.com or by visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory Bat Store in Louisville.

If you're shopping for the baseball fan you think has everything, think again. Then get online and hurry to everythingbaseballcatalog.com for a truly unique experience.

Within moments of searching through Everything Baseball's enormous Website (at EverythingBaseballCatalog.com), you'll realize that even the greatest of baseball enthusiasts couldn't possibly have everything . . . at least, not in this lifetime.

BA photographer (and my father) Carl Kline is an Everything Baseball believer. He and his wife Kim travel all over the country seeing games each year, and since reading about EB's catalog several years ago in one of our Holiday Gift Guides, the Klines have picked up more than quite a few belongings. Nine conversations out of 10 with him usually include references to Everything Baseball.

My dad is a certified baseball nut—Kim, not so much—but Everything Baseball has always been able to find a way to satisfy him, and its offerings seem to have everything a baseball nut could possibly ever want.

From men's and women's apparel to baby items to decorative pieces for your home, office or vehicle, to collectibles, DVDs, CDs, books and all sorts of jewelry, Everything Baseball has something for everyone.

The Kingston, Mass., company was created in 2000 by Andrea and Mike Hum to become a one-stop-shopping experience for baseball enthusiasts. Today, the Hums have established Everything Baseball as the No. 1 source of baseball gifts for the entire family.

And they're constantly expanding their inventory, which makes the EB Website a must-see while shopping for your favorite baseball fan this holiday season.

Among the new items include a Waterford figurine of a batter on a solid crystal base standing nine inches tall, Waterford crystal home plates, expanded mouse pads of the Mets and Yankees, as well as floor mats for your car or truck available in every major league team.

The company always features a full line of holiday-themed gift items, including everything from baseball Christmas and holiday cards to tree ornaments—and includes Easter, Halloween . . . even Valentine's Day.

And it's not just baseball anymore. The company has also reached out with unique items from football, basketball, hockey, soccer, golf, softball, tennis—even hunting and fishing.

Everything Baseball offers a 60-day absolute guarantee on all items. If for whatever reason you aren't satisfied with an item, they'll replace it or offer a refund with no questions asked.

Gift wrapping and gift certificates are available, which is good news for me—I have shopping to do and need to stay one step ahead of Carl's Everything Baseball purchases. Maybe that gift card is the way to go after all.

—CHRIS KLINE