Baseball rules question - base runner equipment

[Pivotonian]

Guys,

Sorry if wrong forum, I've had a poke around on Goolge but not got any loving, just wondering if anyone can help a non-American understand baseball a bit better.

What is the requirement of base runners with regard to the equipment they were wearing when batting? It seems runners often take off shin/elbow guards when they reach first, but hang onto gloves, and a couple of times in the post season I've seen runners ditch the helemt when they pass third.

Can anyone either clarify this for me or point me in the direction of the official rules or another source of this info?

Cheers.

[yeotaJMU]

a helmet must be worn at all times... any shin guards/elbow pads/ batting gloves are optional. Once they get on base batters will take off their shin and elbow guards because they inhibit running. batting gloves are a preference i usually take mine off and put them in my back pockets but some players will wear them or hold them.

as far as runners "taking their helmet off" while crossing third (im assuming this is manny ramirez)this is something that just happens when they are running hard and sometimes the helmet starts to fall off and becomes annoying if not removed.

[Pivotonian]

Thanks yeota,

The helmet thing was partially in reference to Manny, though I thought I had seen it happen at least once more recently, someone hit a walk-off home run, and when they rounded third it looked like they just flipped off the helmet before being mobbed at home plate by the rest of their team.

[dlk9s]

Yeah, you'll see people toss their helmets in celebration on a walk-off homer. That's not a problem.

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks yeota,

The helmet thing was partially in reference to Manny, though I thought I had seen it happen at least once more recently, someone hit a walk-off home run, and when they rounded third it looked like they just flipped off the helmet before being mobbed at home plate by the rest of their team.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is because usually on a walk off homer the rest of the team will be waiting at home to greet the player rounding 3rd.. and then when he gets there they all jump up and down and pat the guy on the head, pretty hard i guess. it hurts if you still have your helmet on. ortiz learned the hard way for his first walk off homer i believe.

[ItalianFX]

[ QUOTE ]

as far as runners "taking their helmet off" while crossing third (im assuming this is manny ramirez)this is something that just happens when they are running hard and sometimes the helmet starts to fall off and becomes annoying if not removed.

[/ QUOTE ]

While Manny was rounding 3rd last night, he actually physically flipped his helmet off while running. It had nothing to do with him running too hard - he's slow anyways - he was thrown out at home by a mile. He has flipped off his hat in the outfield before too while running down a fly ball.

Manny is just Manny (read: jackass). God, I can't stand that stupid thing he does when he hits a homerun! Did you see him get the "longest RBI single in the history of baseball?" What an idiot. If he wasn't busy showboating, he would have been on 2nd.

[youtalkfunny]

We're used to it. We're OK with it. We realize that it's part of the Manny Package. We take the bad with the good, because the bad isn't really all that bad.

[metsandfinsfan]

i love manny

i hope you guys sign arod and trade manny to us

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
We're used to it. We're OK with it. We realize that it's part of the Manny Package. We take the bad with the good, because the bad isn't really all that bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd take Manny on my team in a heartbeat... hell he could even throw his hands in the air and flip his bat in celebration after he struck out.