Allen Maki of the Globe & Mail says of Rawlings’ new top-of-the-line Primo mitt, “If I paid $400 for a baseball glove, I’d want it with Italian leather and a GPS system. I’d want it complete with a CD player and plenty of head space. Come to think of it: it should also come with four wheels and good gas mileage.” Alexander Portnoy could tell Maki a thing or two about varied uses for a baseball glove that no GPS system can match, but perhaps the latter can figure that out during a lonely moment.

According to its stats, the Primo features rich “Italian leather hand-sewn into an advanced three-layer design” that can be broken on to suit various positions ” infield, outfield, bench warmer.

Rawlings notes that the Primo takes two days to make and that only 3,000 models will be constructed this year.

The irony, according to a report in Fortune magazine, is that not one of Rawlings’ big-name major-league clients is willing to wear the Primo in an actual game. Derek Jeter won’t. Alex Rodriguez won’t. Jose Reyes and Albert Pujols won’t.

There are three pitchers using them but one ” Jake Peavy of the San Diego Padres ” has asked Rawlings to remake his old glove with Italian leather.

At $400 a pop, maybe Hanley Ramirez should consider wearing one on each hand?