Those dang tiny ball gloves

[Amy in AZ.]

What people that haven't played don't realize is that the glove does not fit your hand. Inside a good glove is a thumb loop and a little finger loop. This is what closes the glove. If you can touch your little finger to your thumb, you can close any glove.

Yes, some time (maybe weeks/months) need put into breaking in the glove, but that is part of the fun. If a ball is 11 inches it isn't going to fit into a 10 inch glove. Most parents understand that.

I wish I had kept all of my gloves during the years. I remember one from the Sears catalogue. We never had little gloves available.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I make my players buy these size gloves for fielding. I call them "Baby Gloves." I have them use them when taking infield balls. It makes them use two hands to catch the ball instead of depending entirely on the glove. You don't drill the balls at them when they are wearing them. Hit them moderate speed grounders. As they take more reps with the small gloves you can see their mechanics get better and carry over when using a regular glove.

 

[josh]

The recommendations are too small, probably made by men playing baseball. The softball is just so much bigger. But I love a bigger glove myself so I don't haveto reach as far or bend as far... some days i feel old.

 

[CatchersDad97]

A 12" glove is WAY tooo big for a 6-8 year old! Hell, my DD is 16 and uses a 12" Vinci or A2000 at 3b. 13-14" gloves for infielders is just plain ridiculous IMHO. College coaches are even recommending them for their players and then they can't understand when a BB goes straight through it when it bends over backwards or they can't "find" the ball to get off a quick release. Teach the kids to follow the ball with their eyes "all the way" into the "pocket" of the glove on line drives and grounders and the web on fly balls and they will learn how to catch EVERYTHING. Buy the best quality glove you can afford, read stiff, and learn how to break the thing in. A "pre" broken in glove will turn into mush in no time and then that's what you're expecting you girl to play with, mush.