Credit Tampa Bay Rays shortstop/first baseman Brad Miller with the best quote yet on the subject of batting gloves, equipment that no ballplayer at any level felt necessary within easy memory, but that is a near universal scourge now. Adjusting of batting gloves and general fidgeting and futzing about therewith probably add a half hour to average game times. (Nomar Garciaparra and his mittens amounted to a one-man rain delay — he took more time to set-up than the circus.) Miller is one of the few in the bigs to do without them, for which he should be commended.
Asked about this eccentricity by a Tampa Bay Times sportswriter, Miller said: “I’ve never worn ’em. I don’t like the feel. Batting gloves are cool. They look awesome. But personally I feel like I’m wearing oven mittens or something.”
Just so, Brad. And considering the stratospheric number of strikeouts in the game today, many players with well-padded paws look more like they’re baking cookies than hitting. The lack of gloves hasn’t seemed to have retarded Miller’s offensive game in any way. With a week and a half left in August, he already has 25 dingers.
