There is a strange superstition among MLB players that involves urinating on themselves. Moises Alou and Jorge Posada are among the MLB legends whose names have come up in connection. It’s designed to make the bat easier to grip as opposed to batting gloves, which some players do not use.
Batting gloves are pretty common, but there are notable players who haven’t used them. Alou and Posada were among them, and it stands to reason that they might use any one of the other methods of keeping the bat gripped in their hands.
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Mike Salvatore tweeted:
“Fun fact: Moisés Alou never wore batting gloves during his career, but he would regularly p**s on his hands to help improve his grip.”
So, is that true? Did Alou and the former New York Yankees catcher do so?
Did MLB players Moises Alou and Jorge Posada forego batting gloves in favor of urine?
Yes, Moises Alou and Jorge Posada did urinate on themselves, but on their hands only. It was a method of keeping the bat grip firm and other things, but it is true. As far-fetched as it seems, this is a factual thing.
ESPN writer Jim Caple said long ago:
“Moises Alou says he urinates on his hands to alleviate calluses. So does Jorge Posada. ‘In spring training only,” Posada told the Newark Star-Ledger. ‘You don’t want to shake my hand in spring training before the game. After the game, it’s OK.’
Naturally, it’s because their hands were not clean. Alou claimed to do it for callouses, which certainly were not helped by not using batting gloves. The wooden bat can hurt hands, but Alou preferred to treat if after the fact.
This is also not exclusive to former MLB players. Current Chicago Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon said when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was open to it. After a cut to his finger, he was willing to go to great lengths to fix it (via Business Insider):
“I said if it helps, I’ll put a sign-up sheet and everyone can come and pee. I don’t care. I just want it to go away.”
Other players have admitted to doing it from time to time, and it’s evidently not as uncommon as it might seem.
