Softball v. Baseball Glove?

[Tmatthews19]

I wouldn’t recommend a girl using a baseball glove. You are correct in glove size but the finger stalls are way different.

 

[jmdub]

The frustrating part, is not even all fastpitch gloves are similar in size. There are "high end" fp gloves that I wouldn't dream of buying my daughter because there is zero pocket. Softball is not baseball....not even close. Why the concept of a smaller glove must mean my player is "better" is pretty ridiculous. So you really will have to have some trial and error in finding what works for your player.

And catchers mitts are definitely not the same. 1b shouldn't be the same but a lot of manufacturers use a BB pattern for the fp mitt to save tooling costs.

 

[Travis Lassiter]

We need @ANNASDAD for this thread. It alot of cases, not all, softball gloves just aren't made as good as baseball gloves. My daughter uses a 12" baseball pattern (Rawlings Pro206) when she's playing infield. Glove is great, made extremely well....and not too big. It also swallows a softball, pocket is plenty large enough for a softball. This pattern has been used by many DD's here on the forums.

 

[_MIA_]

The frustrating part, is not even all fastpitch gloves are similar in size. There are "high end" fp gloves that I wouldn't dream of buying my daughter because there is zero pocket. Softball is not baseball....not even close. Why the concept of a smaller glove must mean my player is "better" is pretty ridiculous.

If you know how to play IF 3/4 of the balls you handle you don’t even need
a pocket if you actually know how to field a GB. OF different story obviously.

My 12 YO (mainly MI) uses a 12” Rawlings Pro 206

 

[Liv47]

Reading through the "Help DD needs a new glove" posts, I've been surprised by references to gloves made for baseball popping up. Most of those I've seen are at least 12"+ gloves. At what point is a baseball glove a good softball glove? My daughter mainly uses a catcher's mitt, so that's easy, but I've seen baseball gloves being suggested for both fielders gloves and 1st base mitts. Is there no difference between a baseball and a softball glove once you get to a certain size?

I have a mizuno that I love, I don’t see the need spending 200+ dollars on a glove, my mizuno is 70 dollars and it works great for me and it is good quality!!

 

[jmdub]

If you know how to play IF 3/4 of the balls you handle you don’t even need
a pocket if you actually know how to field a GB. OF different story obviously.

My 12 YO (mainly MI) uses a 12” Rawlings Pro 206

but not every ball handled by an infielder is a ground ball.

 

[_MIA_]

but not every ball handled by an infielder is a ground ball.

Line drives,pop ups, forehands, and back hands make up what percent? I assumed 25 percent. Any relays and double play turns should be deflected. Go take a look at P5 college IF and what most use.Glove to hand transfer is cleaner with a smaller glove.

12” baseball gloves are big enough for softball IF. Grace Lyons actually told my DD she prefers a 11.75” baseball glove.

 

[karnog]

DD is 16U 2B/SS and got a Rawlings Pro1000 last year. She loves it! Adjust the laces to the closer set of holes on the wrist and you're good to go. She does not have especially big hands for fingers and no issues whatsoever for her.

 

[JayW]

Next time you’re in a big box store, check a basic glove like the Wilson A800 in softball v. baseball models. Everything is the same - pocket, finger stalls, web. The only difference is that they charge more for the softball glove.

14U DD has a Vinci RV1961-L baseball glove. Plays P, 1B and OF. We broke in the pocket using a 12” softball and a glove mallet. Therefore the pocket fits a softball. Finger stalls are not too loose because DD is the only one who wears the glove. The main difference between softball gloves and baseball gloves is that the baseball gloves are better constructed IMO.

 

[ronaldos]

Baseball and Softball glove models are designed differently to accommodate the size of the game ball. For example, a baseball is only 9 inches in size and a baseball glove is designed to catch and hold that size, whereas a softball could be 11 or 12 inches, so these gloves have a larger pocket.