Position Specific Glove in 10u?

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Apr 30, 2018
349
43
DD(9) currently has a Bradley 11.75" Fastback I post glove.

https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.c...ts/11-75-h-web-fastback-2018-next-play-series

She started travel ball this spring and it looks like she is going be playing a fair bit of outfield. Would it provide any noticeable improvement going to a 12.5" H web or 6 finger web geared for outfielders? Is 12.5" going to be too big of a glove for a small 9 year old? I don't mind spending the money if it will help her, but don't want to waste the money either if it would only help 0.5% of the time or worse be too big and cause problems.

Thinking about this one

https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.c...web-next-play-series-ii?variant=5034432659483

Or this one

https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.com/products/12-5-modified-trap-web-next-play-series



Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
That trap you linked is a Modified trap, not a Six-Finger. Between the two you linked I’d buy the H-web. 12.5” seems huge for a 9 year old, is she a big girl for her age?

You got me all interested talking about a Six-Finger trap for a young player, love a true S-F web! Looks like a 11.25” is the largest they make which makes no sense to me? I assume your DD is using an 11” ball? Does Bradley make custom gloves? At her age and playing outfield, a 12.25” S-F glove sounds perfect! See if Bradley can make a 12.25” version of this......or even a 12”?
https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.c...niter-series-black-label-dark-brown-and-black
 
Apr 30, 2018
349
43
She is using an 11" ball. By your reaction I'm assuming you think it would help her getting an outfield specific glove. Is it really that big of a difference going from a 11.75 I post to a 12" Trap or Modified Trap? Bradley has this one on the web site, but only ones left are for lefties.

https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.c...cts/copy-of-12-oryx-trap-web-next-play-series

I haven't called Bradley, but another user posted that they talked with Bradley. Bradley indicated that in about a month they were going to have some new models and new inventory coming in. I'll call them later this week if I can get a break from work.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
My DD is 2nd year 12U. Plays pitcher and SS mostly, some 3B and OF. She only has one glove, an 11.75" Mizuno. I know outfield gloves are usually bigger, but she doesn't play there enough to justify a special glove, and I haven't noticed her having any trouble with the one she has. Even when she's played 1B she's preferred to use the one she's used to and hasn't had any trouble. I'm sure there are advantages to position specific gloves and in some positions you really want one. But we haven't found it to be necessary where she plays, anyway.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
She is using an 11" ball. By your reaction I'm assuming you think it would help her getting an outfield specific glove. Is it really that big of a difference going from a 11.75 I post to a 12" Trap or Modified Trap? Bradley has this one on the web site, but only ones left are for lefties.

https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.c...cts/copy-of-12-oryx-trap-web-next-play-series

I haven't called Bradley, but another user posted that they talked with Bradley. Bradley indicated that in about a month they were going to have some new models and new inventory coming in. I'll call them later this week if I can get a break from work.

The trap you linked is a Japanese style trap web, think a Ichiro Mizuno. A true Six-Finger trap glove is an American style trap like the Nokona I linked and this Rawlings PRO-T.
https://www.ballgloves.com/rawlings...n-prot-baseball-glove-12-75-right-hand-throw/

And to answer your question, do I think there’ll be a difference between her 11.75” I-post (is it a I-web or single post?) and a 12” Six-Finger trap glove? Absolutely!! And a 12.25” would make even more of a difference!

Just the way the trap collapses around the the ball from both sides and the top of the ball on a stretched out running play, it truly “traps” the ball. I always played infield, specifically SS, never owned a trap glove of any kind, never had a reason to own one. It took me being an adult and to start playing with and collecting gloves to learn and realize there’s nothing out there that forms a better pocket than a Six-Finger trap glove! Just ask Mike Trout & Griffey Jr.:cool:.

As much as I like that trap for outfield, don’t discount an H-web glove either, it would be my second choice pattern for an OF glove, of course this is just my opinion, so take that with a grain of salt. It’ll probably be easier to find an H-web glove in the size you need for your DD. I know if Anna was 9 through 12 years old and wanted to concentrate on playing outfield only........I’d work with her using a Six-Finger trap glove, two in the pinky (TIP), with index finger inside!

This Bradley H-web glove looks nice.
https://www.bradleybaseballgloves.com/products/12-25-open-back-fp-bandito-series-softball-glove
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
These pics are not that great, literally snapped them walking out the door. This is my 12” Pro12TC, for a 12” baseball glove, this things just eats up a 12” softball.
 

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May 21, 2014
155
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I'm going to murky the waters for you a little bit. I would be a little nervous with a 6 finger trap because of the tendency of young girls not always catching it in the pocket. I would think an h-web or mod trap would be better for balls caught toward the finger tips. Also, I would make sure she will like the feel of an open back after using a fast back. My daughter kept giving me grief about new gloves until I realized it was the feel of a closed vs open back. I personally am a believer in giving a young girl the biggest glove she can handle because the more she catches the more confident she becomes and the more confident she is the better she will play. I had an 8u daughter using a 12.5" basket weave and could snag anything thrown to her. Maybe she wasn't the fastest in transfers on ground balls but who cares at that age?

I think if I were looking for a glove for your kid I would lean toward a rawlings liberty advanced 12.5" with finger shift. Smaller hand stalls and TIP will let her snag everything and still have a glove that feels tight on her hand. The back of that glove looks more like a fast back than open back too.

https://www.rawlings.com/product/P-...r_P-RLA125FS-15WNS_throwingHand=Right#start=6
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Nothing murky there ^^^^^ all great points!
[MENTION=11043]jmdub[/MENTION]
That’s actually a misconception about the Six-Finger web.....if laced properly, the fingertips are reinforced plenty to hold a snowcone catch. But I understand your concern! What I meant about laced properly, the fingertips and top of the web are laced a little tighter than the base of the web at the pocket, to form a “triangle” with the point up top if that makes sense?

But don’t worry, I used to feel and think exactly as you do in your post. And you may be right.......an H-web may work better for a younger fielder? All this depends on the players skill set!
 
Last edited:
Feb 19, 2016
280
28
Texas
This looks interesting, a little pricey, and odd for me as I NEVER recommend Nokona!

Nice gloves. Good People. I took the wife and kids to the Nokona factory a couple of spring breaks ago. Yeah, I'm that dad. We don't own a Nokona, but seeing how it's all done and walking through the tiny factory and seeing the made by hand process really was fascinating. Even the skeptical spouse found it interesting.
 

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