when players wear their gloves, how come they stick their index fingers out?
474217
The put the finger on the outside just to protect it a little bit.  The index finger is right next to the pocket of the glove and often takes a beating from hard ground balls or hard throws.  Some players prefer to put both the pinky and ring finger in the pinky finger of the glove and move the middle and index finger into the next two fingers of the glove so that the index finger of the glove is empty.  This moves the index finger further from the pocket.
341221
They want to show that they are part of the team.  It was tradition for managers to also play for their teems at the same time they coached them.  Also MLB rules state that only uniformed players are allowed on the field.  (From MLB rule 3.15: No person shall be allowed on the playing field during a game except players and coaches in uniform, managers, news photographers authorized by the home team, umpires, officers of the law in uniform and watchmen or other employees of the home club.)
417854
No, if he uses his hands it's a penalty and a kick is awarded, more then likely a direct kick.  He can only use his hands if it touches an opposing player or is played back from his teammates head.
584721
Tape the lower part of the bat at the knob, then lower your hand on the bat so your pinky is curled under the bat this cocks your wrist and increases bat speed as you get used to it you will enetually drop a seconed finger you will be surprised. many pro's do same
450326
You get sticky fingers.
795079
I have never heard of a maxium glove size in baseball, but it may be different for different leagues.  Its usually not to your advantage using a softball glove in baseball because the deep pocket makes it hard to get the ball out fast.  If you are just using it to play catch or rec ball, its not a big deal.  Also it depends on how big it is too.  I know they make smaller softball gloves.  If it happens to be a 11" or 12" its not that big anyways.
1001198
It's just tradition. When they do it, it's a way of telling "I admire you" to the other player.
898448
Players Strike/Lock-out
507805
The protective padding is to protect players from everything they come into contact with:  the ice, the boards, the puck, other players, the occasional stick and (not that *I've* ever done it *eyelash bat*) elbow or fist.\n\nEven with the padding, you come away from games bruised.  Everything moves fast... you, the puck, the action.  When you hit something (or it hits you), you hit hard.  Without the padding people would get seriously injured all the time:  cracked elbows from hitting the ice and boards, broken wrists from the (of course accidental) stick chop, broken ribs from the slap shot you caught in the chest when you had a moment of delusion and thought (despite being a right wing) that you're Patrick Roy.\n\nHelmets protect you (most of the time) from concussions you'd get slamming into everything from the boards to the ice to the goal post.  Gloves protect your fingers from getting cut open with sticks, broken against the glass when you're crushed into it -- you getting the idea here?\n\nYou'd get thrashed -- even more than you do normally, which for a lot of pro players is a significant amount.  \n\nMost players only have one set of gear, which isn't leather -- not anymore unless they're 70 and hanging onto their old gear for some reason -- but made of a combination of materials like plastic and fabric and padding.  The gear soaks up your sweat, and although there's ways to clean it, most of us make do with taking it out of the bag and leaving it out to dry.\n\nDespite that, eventually it smells.  \n\nMost of us are used to it, don't think about it, and honestly I kind of like the smell.  It means fun, it means hard f'n work, it means good guys I like to hang around with, and it's not like we don't all shower before we go drink beer at the bar.
229968
as above but with many keepers it is habitual...\n\nyou'll see them do it with even a brand new pair of gloves...
1061394
They only need to wear a glove on the hand that's mainly used for grip. When going into a swing, the gloved hand is the hand that would have the most friction between the hand and the club as it slides or turns in the upswing. Micheal Jackson's one handed glove theme was purely marketing and image.
480119
It's called a sleeve.  Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson and Lebron James and some other players wear them too.  They are used to keep muscles warm to prevent injury.  Lately though, ever since Kobe started to wear them, a lot of players wear them and it is now considered more fashion than a safety precaution and they will probaly be banned from the league next season.
372346
They don't intentionally put on their helmet, the put it on their bats, and then adjust their helmet with the same hand.  Some baseball players are really grimy and don't get new helmets very often.  You would think they could afford new helmets or a tip to the bat boy to clean it off.
1176952
I asked my husband this question once; he said those cups are annoying, so they need lots of adjusting. Maybe Mannys cup fits worse than most, or he is just more sensitive than some guys. Lots of players fiddle with theirs, too, not just Manny.
144337
an extension of the bottom one,\n\nis the ratio of thumb to index finger the same for everyone.
905792
This is news to me....  I would assume to get a bit more stick on the ball when they set.  But Ive played for 20 years and never seen a college/professional player do that.  We mostly just file our finger tips down so we can get a bit more feel.  Setters hands need more feeling rather then grip.
356299
u can weaken the leather and when u go to cath a really hard hit ball the glove breaks and the ball hit u in ur face \n\nput a ball in the pocket... tie a rope around the glove forhget the glove come back in a couple days/week and ur good to go