I really don't find it to be much like baseball. In fact, I'd prefer to play actual baseball over any form of softball. The 12" league down here, I'm not sure how it is anywhere else, starts each AB with a strike and a ball already against you. I hate that. I just think that 16" is way more fun. I'm biased though, I grew up playing it. Well yeah, I'm not trying to say it's as good as the real thing. But choosing between 16" with no gloves and playing 12" with gloves I'll take the chance to play actual defense, as well as being able to hit the ball some distance(I'm not a power hitter so I can't fall in love with the long ball).