Pitchers are not permitted to wear batting gloves while pitching. According to the MLB website, while it is not clearly stated in the Official Rules, a pitcher is not permitted to wear a golf glove under his throwing glove. Most major-league ballparks also have a policy that prohibits pitchers from wearing batting gloves.
The rule against wearing batting gloves while pitching is used primarily as a safety measure. If a batter hits the ball with a club and it happens to get caught in the golfer's glove or mitt, then he or she will not be able to remove the glove or mitt without allowing an automatic throw at first base. This could lead to serious injury if the batter has a gun on him or her. Pitchers often wear thick leather batting gloves for protection when they do not have a baseball bat in their hand.
There are two schools of thought regarding this issue. Some believe the rule should be enforced, while others think that since there is no chance of getting hit by a thrown ball if you aren't swinging any bats, then there is no reason to prevent people from wearing them. After all, they are only gloves. No one wants to see a pitcher get hurt so we should allow anyone to put anything in their hands. This argument certainly has merit but it cannot be ignored that baseball is a very dangerous game.
It's a good idea to wear a batting glove below your fielding glove if you prefer the feel of a batting glove underneath your fielding glove. However, if the batting glove impairs your ability to field a baseball, wearing a batting glove under your glove is not advised. The main purpose of a batting glove is to provide protection for your hand while hitting ball games.
There are two types of batting gloves: hard and soft. Hard balls hit toward the middle of the box with your fist will wear out faster than those that are hit with open hands. Soft balls hit with the flat of the hand or lobbed up into the air with a swing will last longer because there's less force involved. Of course, you can also buy separate batting gloves for each hand to suit your needs.
So, should you wear a batting glove under your glove? That depends on how you plan to use them. Wearing a batting glove under your glove does not affect your ability to field balls in any way; therefore, you can take it off when needed.
The only disadvantage to wearing a batting glove is that it may be difficult to put on your hand (if you have thick hair you may need a hat to help you). But once you get used to doing it, it's not that difficult.
While there are no laws prohibiting it, playing without a glove is not encouraged and is exceedingly rare in professional baseball. Baseball gloves have two functions: they protect the fielder and they make catching a fast-moving ball simpler. In order for this to be done effectively, a glove must be used. Fielding balls with the bare hand is dangerous because it is difficult to see the ball while it is moving at high speeds and low heights, and also because the hand can be injured by spikes or rocks hidden in the grass.
The only time I've seen someone catch a ball barehanded was in Japan when I played there in 1998. The catcher on that team was 35 years old and he had been wearing gloves but decided not to wear them one day during practice. He caught about 20 balls barehanded and there were no problems except for some bruises from hitting the bench hard after making catches.
In conclusion, it is illegal to use a softball glove in a baseball game because it's unnecessary. But one day maybe in Japan they'll let that cat catch balls barehanded as long as he doesn't hurt himself!
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc.
