I have a pair of gloves I keep in my back pockets when I bat. Is it right to have the umpire to tell me to tuck them in?

gruberted,
Allowable equipment should be worn properly.
Back pockets are not the customary place for gloves.

If, when at bat, your gloves are hit by pitch, please continue at bat, because your improper equipment was all that was hit, much like an untucked jersey.

Similarly, if you are are tagged on your gloves or your untucked jersey, please head to the dugout.

If you simply put the gloves in your pocket, this all goes away.

Have a good game. ;)
mick

gruberted,

Being a feeble-minded coach, I am incapable of discerning any moral dimension in your question. But, if the umpire so instructs you, <b>just do it</b>! Trust me on this.

In case no one ever explained this to you, those are typically worn on your <b>hands</b> when batting, and placed in your pockets at other times.

Thank you for your entertaining post.

JM

The hecklers at the college games in my town have this to say when an opposing player comes to the plate with batting gloves hanging out of their pockets:

THERE'S A MAN CRAWLING OUT OF YOUR PANTS!

Funny stuff.

My favorite is the sign that reads:

Dear Mom,
Be home soon. Can't throw strikes. Going to lose my scholarship.
Love,
[ pitchers name ]

Sorry for getting so off topic :)

[Edited by moorg on Apr 21st, 2005 at 08:43 AM]

Nope,
 

"Being a feeble-minded coach . . . "

And I do not believe ANY part of that statement.

As a former college player, I know exactly why you want to keep them dangling out of your pockets. The gloves are sweaty and dangling them out allows the gloves to blow in the breeze and air out. It also gets you style points and that is important for a young person :D

However, some umpires have nothing better to do than go on a power trip. It is best to indulge them in their fantasies and tuck the gloves in immediatley upon request. Failure to immediately indulge a certain type of umpire on a power trip might result in your strike zone being larger.

Many players give the gloves to the base coach after they get on base. This keeps them out of their pockets where they might rot in all of the dampness.

Peter

Peter,
Gruberted puts his on <U>after</U> he gets on base
[<I>ala Willie Mays Hayes, sliding gloves</I>].

Or, he just keeps 'em in his pocket. ;)

mick

it is right and proper for the umpire to tell you anything :)

Ive told pitchers to remove dangling batting gloves from their back pockets, but I could care less if any other position does that.

[Edited by LMan on Apr 21st, 2005 at 10:36 AM]

Who cares???? If he wants to wear them or put them in his pocket. Why would an umpire say anything to the batter about his batting gloves? Is there somewhere in the rulebook that prohibits this?

Mick, you are right. If the gloves are HBP then we stay here. If he is tagged on gloves, he is out. That is the end of it.

It's preventative officiating. Telling a batter to tuck in his gloves prevents the inevitable argument that will occur if he his gloves are touched by a pitched ball and he is put back into the box or if he is called out for being tagged on the gloves.

The thing is I have two pairs one for batting and another for base running. It's also for style points as well. Is there an official rule though?

Yes, the official rule is that you have too many pairs of gloves. I'm not sure how having something black hanging from your butt adds style, but maybe I'm just old-fashioned.

Seriously, though. There's no specific rule against it, but is this a battle you really want to fight with the umpire? Put them all the way in your pocket and bat.

Who cares if there is? What, are you going to tell the umpire "You can't make me -- there's no such rule?"

And the umpire, in all codes, has authority to rule on anything not covered in the rules. So if you need a rule, that's the one.

preventative? Argument? I guess if you want to say something that is your choice, but I could care less if the batter wants to have gloves in his pocket.

If a coach wants to come out and discuss why I did not give his batter first, then come on down.

Alright thats all I needed to know. But what about the pockets players hang out now?

Same thing?