Why Wear Batting Gloves
The majority of baseball players, at any level of play, wear batting gloves. They are worn because they help increase the quality of the grip on the bat. Maintaining a tight and controlled grip is essential to successful hits. Even the slightest slip or variation in grip can cost the team greatly. They also act as a protector of the hand when one slides into a base. Batting gloves today are even worn by fielders because they say that they feel better in their glove. Another prime use for batting gloves, especially in younger leagues that permit aluminum bats, is shock protection. On a cold day, a bad or loose swing can fracture fingers.
In spite of the gloves' ubiquity, several Major League players bat gloveless:
- Homer Bailey
- Matt Carpenter
- Francisco Cervelli
- Brooks Conrad
- Luis Durango
- Vladimir Guerrero
- Jason Kendall
- Bobby Kielty
- John Mabry
- Doug Mientkiewicz
- Doug Mirabelli
- Jamie Moyer
- Jorge Posada
- Nate Schierholtz
- Randall Simon
Some older players who often didn't wear batting gloves:
- Jeff Blauser
- George Brett
- Mark Grace
- George Hendrick
- Keith Hernandez
- Tom Herr
- Ken Oberkfell
- Terry Pendleton
Read more about this topic: Batting Glove
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—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)