VIDEO: Yasiel Puig Brilliantly Explains the Art of Licking a Baseball Bat
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig's on-field antics can't always be explained, but he has just broken down one of his most famed rituals: the bat lick. Enjoy this version of poetry from the MLB slugger.
Puig says he licks the bat and thinks of it like ice cream.
"Sometimes it tastes like vanilla."
But Puig claims either way he knows he has given love to his bat and that something good will come out of it.
This in-between pitch tradition may seem pretty weird, but is it really that much worse than any other sports superstition or ritual? Plus, by now it's become part of his brand. What would an at-bat look like for Puig if he didn't lick his bat? It would be pretty strange, in fact, and it might even hurt his swing.
While there are a lot less bizarre rituals in sports, this has worked for Puig thus far, so it's probably best not to question his process at this point.