I need some advice...

I'm going to the Jays Rangers game this Sunday and I was wondering if I should bring a glove.

On one hand, it greatly increases my chances of catching a foul ball and decreases my chances of getting plunked and ending up on sportscenter.

On the other, for some reason, bringing a glove seems kind of 'childish' to me...catching a ball with your bare hands is much more macho. I don't want to be the only adult carrying a glove.

Any help would be appreciated.

Oh, and I'm sitting in section 130A, row 5.

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/ballpark/seating_pricing.jsp

Dude, take a glove. Attempting to catch a foul ball with your hands also increases your chances of getting your hand broken and landing you on Sportscenter. Don't be that guy.

Besides, plenty of adults take gloves to the ballpark. My best friend is also 22, and he always takes his glove when we go to games. He's a photographer, so he needs his hands intact. No shame in being safe.

Have fun!

Not being a native, I always assumed gloves were for kids, or at least Dads carrying them for their kids :) . But in the handful of games I have attended there are plenty of grown men carrying gloves.

The alternative is learn to catch without a glove, it is not *that* tricky and the girls are easily impressed at such Macho displays, although beware you do look kind off stupid if you fail to pull it off.

I'd have to say no to bringing a glove, i think there is a man law about turning 18 and not being allowed to take a glove to a game.

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On one hand, it greatly increases my chances of catching a foul ball and decreases my chances of getting plunked and ending up on sportscenter.

I see you're in line drive to the face territory. Unfortunately, like manox says, I think some sort of man law comes into play.

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No shame in being safe.

Sorry Whodey, but there most certainly is

Maybe for you dear, but we know you're not entirely normal.

Oy. Males.

rockhoppers wrote:

the girls are easily impressed at such Macho displays

Actually, we couldn't care less. 'Cause we're watching the game, same as you.

(Also, kind of insulting, the idea that that women have nothing better to do at a baseball game than goggle at some spectator's "manly" chest thumping.)

FACT: Enlightened women know that real men don't give a crap about "man laws" and do whatever the hell they want in such situations.

Seriously, if you want to take a glove, take a glove. No one cares. People are generally too self-absorbed to pay attention to what you're carrying. If you don't, then Mark is right, you better be damn sure you can make the catch without one, because people are not too self-absorbed to laugh at your ass when you get beaned.

Honestly,

I would take the glove because you are in the "hot shot into the stands" territory where a line drive could kill you. To hell with man laws on this one. The last couple of Cubs games I went (mind you it's been years since I've been) I sat in the upper deck on the 3rd base side and I always saw one of those screamers go blazing into the seats below me. I even saw a kid take one of them in the face by Moises Alou, not pretty. Take the glove, you'll be doing yourself a favor.

Besides, you could make it work for you. Carry your nachos in your glove, wear it on your head, do something fun with it, make it useful when you're not trying to catch foul balls. Just make sure you don't toss the nachos fifteen rows back when you're trying to get rid of them to get after the foul ball that's coming.

And that's why this enlightened woman adores her Whit.

Whoever would have guessed that I would go "Man Law" on something before Larry.

Here's the deal. Brian and Mark, you're right. Once you graduate high school or at least are enrolled in college, the glove is not allowed to come anymore unless you have a child with you. Those are the rules. As who dey said, do what you want, but for the baseball enthusiasts out there we do kind of snicker when we see an adult go to the game with a glove. Don't take offense, but I thought you were 18 or younger...but maybe that's jdburlin. If so, go for it.

Now on to the myth that bringing a glove to the game gives you a better chance to catch a fly ball. That's mostly false. If it's got a lofty high trajectory it's not going to be you be yourself trying to catch it (unless you are in Tampa Bay). You're going to need to get you hands dirty and be able to maneuver accordingly to catch the ball. A glove is going to limit your creativity to catch the ball with another 10 hands vying for it.

Larry's comment about saving your face with a glove is something I might put more stock into. However, if you are paying attention you should be able to dodge the bullet. Glove or no glove, you shouldn't be sticking your body out there for a straight line drive of an MLB'er's bat. If you aren't paying attention, I'm assuming one of two things: Either you aren't wearing the glove and it ends up not being any use for that time or you have it on the entire game (which can be annoying because you just awnt to put it down) and then still, the glove may not make a difference.

My other opinion is guys, and I think this is another reason why you are asking us, do not like to carry shit around with us to begin with. If we did we'd have purses, bags, and god knows what else we constantly are lugging around with us. Do yourself a favor and enjoy the game and don't worry/hope for a foul ball for nine innings. The Blue Jays are doing quite well this year despite losing Ted Lilly. Enjoy their efforts to finish ahead of the Yanks.

I'm all about the man laws and I follow many of them, but I'm not a supporter of this one. Call it less macho of me, but I'd be more about safety sitting in that particular section of the stands.

Sitting in the upper deck or behind home plate or even out in the bleachers, I wouldn't bring the glove. Quite a bit of a lesser chance I won't be able to stop a 200 mph line drive with the ten fingers God gave me. Some of those moments can't be avoided no matter what, but I'd rather take my chances with the glove than without it.

Besides, I feel like a kid when I got to a baseball game. So who gives a shit if I brought my glove, I'm here to have a good time and it is adding to my fun. Plus, I'm 6'0" and weigh over 300 pounds, let's see somebody talk shit to me.

Again, I've never seen the glove save anyone. Do whatever you want Brian, but that's my two cents. I feel a little proud about being narrow minded on this one since I'm usually not like this.

And Larry, it doesn't mean I'd still not snicker....

He'd just wait until your back was turned.

Snicker all you want,

I think that bringing the glove is evidence alone that I could care less what everyone else thinks.

I've grown up caring about things other people have given me shit for (KISS, Cubs, Wrestling, etc), so I'm used to being the butt of the joke.

Like Simmons said Brian, do what you want. I'd take the glove for safety reasons sitting in that particular section of stands you're gonna be sitting in and for just the overall fun factor bringing my mitt would give me personally.

I know when I went to my first ball game (I was in my 20's - well I do live a long way away) I was dead envious of all these folks with gloves. Admittedly in those days I had the typical Brit / Cricketers first comment of "Why do the players wear gloves pathetic" :)

I have never taken a glove to a ball park, hell I don't own a baseball glove, but when Jack makes his first visit across rest assured I will be carrying his glove.

So Whody (or Isa or Hyacinth ) are girls not impressed by our macho testosterone fuel feats, is it just at the ball park - where we know girls go on the lookout for men didn't you tell us that - or is it in life in general

Machoness has no bearing on my reasons on my opinions here.

Knowing Larry, I think he'd be annoyed he had to have ahold of that glove for a good 3-4 hours. But maybe not....

I'd probably forget it in a mad scurry out the door hoping I remembered my tickets and sutff like that.

Having the glove probably wouldn't be annoying until after the game when I have to carry it all over going out to eat or to the bar to hang out. Being constantly worried about leaving it somewhere would annoy me. Pre-game probably wouldn't be an issue because I'd excited about going to the game that I'd wear it one way of the other (head or hand).

Oh Mark, that's not about testosterone-fueled feats. That's just about hot guys!

We secretly giggle about the chest-thumping bit. Don't misunderstand me here; it's very cute, when a guy pulls something off the he thinks is awesome and he gets that big smile like he just singlehandedly disarmed North Korea. Ultimately, it's not that important to us past "Aww!-level" conversation fodder over drinks with the girls. But if it makes you feel like a million bucks, you knock yourself out.

(And if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, only one person around here gets to call me Isa. )

You guys all make some good points, but I think I'm going to stick to the unwritten man laws and skip on the glove. Like Ryan said, it's not like I'm going to be bombarded with foul balls. And carrying around a glove the whole game is a pain in the ass.

Thanks again for the tremendous response.

P.S. Keep Lilly. Thanks to his departure, we found 3 young arms (who don't get into fights with the manager) that will make the Jays rotation the best in the league in 2-3 years. Mua ha hah ha.

That's what confuses me about Ted Lilly in Toronto. Watching this guy (I've been to nine games this year, I love living close to Wrigley) I can't imagine how this guy was labeled a clubhouse wrecker. He's about te most laid back guy on the entire Cubs team. I really wonder what went on between him and the manager, because Lilly must have really been passionate over his disagreements with him.

Ho buddy! Turn your back for 12 hours and you miss all the fun :)

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Carry your nachos in your glove, wear it on your head

Take the nachos out first.

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Snicker all you want

Snicker.
Tee me up for an ass whippin', but there's something EXTRA funny about seeing the grown man with a glove if he's over 300 lbs. Maybe it's cause the glove looks so small? I dunno. Don't beat me.

And I certainly don't buy the safety thing. The glove would hurt you more than help. It's a false sense of security! Here comes a line drive right at you, but worry not! You have a glove! Stand your ground and make the amazing catch! Miss. Face. Hospital.

Move!

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I really wonder what went on between him and the manager, because Lilly must have really been passionate over his disagreements with him.

It wasn't really an on-going thing, just that one incident where Lilly wouldn't give the ball to Gibby when he allowed 7 runs. Then they supposedly got into a scuffle in the tunnel. (Gibb ended up with a bloody nose) Gibby's been known to get into fights with his players (Shea Hillenbrand?) so I can't put 100% of the blame on Lilly.

Supposedly they were fine with each other after, but I doubt it since Lilly packed up his things and left for Chicago even though the Jays offered him the exact same deal.

I also heard that he suffers from depression, and wonder if it might have had something to do with the incident.