# Could a MLB fielder wear gloves on both hands? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 29, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398 "2016-11-29T19:14:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/21 "2016-11-30T13:22:40Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Where is this ball going that a glove on their other hand is going to be the best tool? Over the fence? Throw one glove into the air, deflecting the ball, then catching it in the other glove? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/22 "2016-11-30T13:48:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Over the fence? > > Throw one glove into the air, deflecting the ball, then catching it in the other glove? 😃 Throwing a glove at a ball and striking it is an automatic award of three bases to all runners, unless the ball would have been a home run, in which case the home run is awarded. The two-glove thing would not be allowed simply because umpires have plenipotentiary authority to make a ruling on any matter not specifically addressed in the rules, and if a fielder came out with two gloves they’d just tell him to cut the crap. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/23 "2016-11-30T17:00:51Z")
> [@Hooleehootoo](#): > > A right-handed left fielder, running towards the foul line has to twist his body in a way that would be avoided if he had a glove on his right hand… That twisting of the body is just a back-handed catch. Professional outfielders do it all the time. Not nearly as awkward, for me at least, as trying to put a glove on my throwing hand and catch with it. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/24 "2016-11-30T19:54:00Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > If two gloves were permissible, no matter how impracticable, you would have seen it at some point in the 100+ years of MLB history. Wearing one shoe in a baseball game, or at any time really, is impracticable (and probably against rules, for safety reasons if nothing else), so the plural “shoes” is implied, even by “shoe.” Joe Jackson got away with wearing no shoes. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/25 "2016-11-30T20:35:20Z")
So we’re talking about mitts here, the big oversize fielders gloves. Are the fielders permitted to wear a regular old glove on their throwing hand? In freezing weather, due to injury, any permissible reasons? I can see it may be disallowed as some kind of advantage over the bare hand for catching a ball, though it probably decreases control when throwing. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/26 "2016-11-30T20:54:09Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Joe Jackson got away with wearing no shoes. Hmmm. Is “zero” singular or plural? ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/27 "2016-11-30T20:59:32Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Hmmm. Is “zero” singular or plural? Yes, zero _is_ singular or plural. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/28 "2016-11-30T21:45:24Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > So we’re talking about mitts here, the big oversize fielders gloves. Are the fielders permitted to wear a regular old glove on their throwing hand? In freezing weather, due to injury, any permissible reasons? I can see it may be disallowed as some kind of advantage over the bare hand for catching a ball, though it probably decreases control when throwing. Pitchers aren’t allowed to, as it could easily doctor the ball. Depending on weather conditions, the umps may allow a pitcher to blow into his hand or let him take his fingers to his mouth and touch his tongue. The umps have to give both teams the same opportunity, of course. If I recall correctly, it has to be relayed to both teams before the game starts, unless an unexpected rain falls or something. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/29 "2016-11-30T22:01:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Are the fielders permitted to wear a regular old glove on their throwing hand? In freezing weather, due to injury, any permissible reasons? Here’s a picture of [Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur](http://www.uni-watch.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2015-04-08-at-10.51.15-PM.png) wearing a batting glove (or something similar) during a cold-weather game in April of last year. [The site where I found that picture](http://www.uni-watch.com/2015/04/09/an-assortment-of-mlb-goodies/) (a site dedicated to documenting sports uniforms) has a brief discussion, in which they do question the strict legality of it. The quote also suggests that it’s apparently a rare thing. > [@](#): > > How cold was it last night in Philadelphia? So cold that Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur wore a batting glove on his throwing hand (and apparently laughed about it). Not sure I’ve ever seen that before. > > This raises lots of interesting questions: Is it legal? Should it be legal? What if a shortstop did it? What about a pitcher? Did people ask these same questions when players started wearing batting gloves? Or when football players started wearing gloves? Or when football quarterbacks started wearing gloves? (Yes, they did. Or at least I did.) Should basketball players be allowed to do it? Discuss. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/30 "2016-11-30T22:15:19Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I’d like to see an exhibition game that requires all fielders to wear two gloves while on defense. I’d like to see an exhibition game where fielders don’t use gloves, just to show that it can be done and is no big deal. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/31 "2016-12-01T03:05:54Z")
Maybe they should play baseball with lacrosse sticks, fielding, throwing and catching the ball with the stick and using the (properly weighted) handle as the bat. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/32 "2016-12-01T03:25:03Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > That twisting of the body is just a back-handed catch. Professional outfielders do it all the time. Not nearly as awkward, for me at least, as trying to put a glove on my throwing hand and catch with it. Which leads to the inevitable question. Professional tennis players hit backhand shots all the time. Is it permissable for them to use a racket in each hand? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/33 "2016-12-01T03:56:06Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Which leads to the inevitable question. Professional tennis players hit backhand shots all the time. Is it permissable for them to use a racket in each hand? No. [RULES OF TENNIS 2016 - RULE 4. THE RACKET](http://www.itftennis.com/technical/publications/rules/rackets/overview.aspx) Case 5: Is a player allowed to use more than one racket at any time during play? Decision: No. This would also mean you couldn’t change racquets during a point. Also, while it would be legal, I am unaware of any ranked professional who has played by switching hands and hence always playing forehand or backhand strokes. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/34 "2016-12-01T04:34:42Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > I’d like to see an exhibition game where fielders don’t use gloves, just to show that it can be done and is no big deal. Cricket. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/35 "2016-12-01T05:20:17Z")
😉 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/36 "2016-12-01T05:35:47Z")
Fly Slip, Backward Square Leg, Silly Mid On, Cow Corner, they have some oddly named fielding positions in cricket. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/37 "2016-12-01T14:37:47Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Cricket. Watch a cricket match. It proves it can’t be done. The fielding in cricket wouldn’t pass muster in a high school baseball game. You’ll see some remarkable plays, but the percentage of plays made just isn’t high enough to conduct a proper baseball game, and cricket doesn’t have the potential complexity of plays seen in baseball. Interestingly enough, _cricket doesn’t track this_. In top level matches you can find game by game accounts, but you cannot find a central repository of a given player’s fielding percentage. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/38 "2016-12-01T14:41:54Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Here’s a picture of [Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur](http://www.uni-watch.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2015-04-08-at-10.51.15-PM.png) wearing a batting glove (or something similar) during a cold-weather game in April of last year. > > [The site where I found that picture](http://www.uni-watch.com/2015/04/09/an-assortment-of-mlb-goodies/) (a site dedicated to documenting sports uniforms) has a brief discussion, in which they do question the strict legality of it. The quote also suggests that it’s apparently a rare thing. So it has happened. I can see the umps allowing an exception in cold weather, although it seems a fielder can keep his hand warm other ways without a glove, especially outfielders. Infielders need to keep their hand out ready to play far more often. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/39 "2016-12-01T15:11:56Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Watch a cricket match. It proves it can’t be done. The fielding in cricket wouldn’t pass muster in a high school baseball game. The father of a friend of mine was, until recently (he retired – he _is_ in his late 70s), the coach of a fairly well-regarded cricket team in Dublin. He had spent some time studying American baseball, and used it to teach some fielding techniques to his players (even without gloves). His teams have done pretty well, so maybe there’s something to that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398/40 "2016-12-01T15:57:17Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > I’d like to see an exhibition game where fielders don’t use gloves, just to show that it can be done and is no big deal. > [@Muffin](#): > > Cricket. Another option is traditional rules “base ball”. With the space in the name. See [http://vbba.org/](http://vbba.org/) or [http://perfectos.vintagenine.com/](http://perfectos.vintagenine.com/) as examples. Fielders play(ed) without gloves. Ref **penultimate thule** , that proves it’s possible. But it also changes the game play a bunch; modern fans will be seeing something very different for the first time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-mlb-fielder-wear-gloves-on-both-hands/773398.md?page=3)