This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, and their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ...

See also English language idioms derived from baseball for common idioms that originated in baseball and baseball statistics for more formal definitions of some of the statistical concepts listed below. Paul Dickson says in his introduction to The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary, The influence of baseball on American English at large is stunning and strong. ... Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. ...

0–9

0-1 ("oh and one"), also, 1-0, 0-2, 1-1, 2-0, 1-2, 2-1, 3-0, 2-2, 3-1, 3-2

The possible instances of the "count," the number of balls and strikes currently tallied against a batter. Traditionally, the first number in the count corresponds to balls, and the second, strikes; Japanese and Korean baseball leagues use the opposite order, however (strikes followed by balls).

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ...

1

Scorekeepers assign a number from 1 to 9 to each position on the field in order to record the outcome of each play in a more or less uniform shorthand notation. The number 1 corresponds to the pitcher.

Also, a fielder may shout "One!" to a teammate to indicate that he should throw the ball to first base.

Finally, in the context of pitching, the number 1 is a common sign (and nickname) for the fastball.

1-2-3 inning

An inning in which a pitcher retires the first three batters consecutively.

1-6-3 double play

A double play in which the pitcher (1) throws the ball to the shortstop (6), who in turn throws to the first baseman (3). Typically, the shortstop and first baseman each retire a baserunner (often on a force play) after receiving the ball.

The scorekeeper uses such shorthand to record the result of every play. In this case, he makes a notation that the runner at first base was retired "1-6", but then makes a notation showing that the batter was retired "1-6-3", to account for every player who handled the ball on the play.

In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled (or forced) to vacate his time-of-pitch base--and thus try to advance to the next base--because the batter became a runner. ...

2

The catcher, in scorekeeping shorthand. Also, a shout of "Two!" indicates that the ball should be thrown to second base.

The number 2 is also a common sign for a curveball or other breaking pitch.

3

The first baseman, in scorekeeping shorthand. Also, a shout of "Three!" indicates that the ball should be thrown to third base.

The number three is also a common sign for a slider, changeup, or other pitch (generally, the pitcher's third best pitch).

3-2-3 double play

A relatively rare double play in which the first baseman fields a batted ball and throws to the catcher to retire a runner advancing from third. The catcher then throws back to the first baseman to retire the batter. This play most often occurs with the bases loaded, in which situation a force play exists at both home plate and first base, but it is possible for this double play to be executed with a tag of a runner at home.

The scorekeeper makes a notation that the runner at third base was retired "3-2", and the batter was retired "3-2-3".

One notable example of this play occured in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, when catcher Brian Harper and first baseman Kent Hrbek of the Minnesota Twins retired the Atlanta Braves' Lonnie Smith at home plate and Sid Bream at first.

The 1991 World Series was played from October 19 to October 27 between the Minnesota Twins (95-67) of the American League and the Atlanta Braves (94-68) of the National League. ... Brian David Harper (born October 16, 1959 in Los Angeles, California) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career (1979 - 1995). ... Kent Hrbek (born May 21, 1960 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is a former American Major League Baseball player. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) Central Division (1994-present) Current uniform Ballpark Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (1982-present) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 1991 â€¢ 1987 â€¢ 1924 AL Pennants (6) 1991 â€¢ 1987 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1933 1925 â€¢ 1924 Central Division titles (3) 2004 â€¢ 2003 â€¢ 2002 West Division titles (4... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3,21,35,41,42,44 Name Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Ballpark Turner Field (1997–present) Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (1966-1996) Milwaukee County Stadium (Milwaukee) (1953-1965) Braves Field (Boston) (1915-1952) Fenway Park... Lonnie Smith is an U.S. baseball player born December 22, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois. ... Sidney Eugene Sid Bream (born August 3, 1960 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania) is an American former Major League Baseball player. ...

3-6-3 double play

A double play in which the first baseman fields a batted ball and throws it to the shortstop, who retires a runner advancing to second base and then throws back to the first baseman, who completes the play by retiring the batter. The scorekeeper makes a notation that the runner at first was retired "3-6", and the batter was retired "3-6-3".

4

The second baseman, in scorekeeping shorthand. Also, a shout of "Four!" indicates that the ball should be thrown to home plate.

The number four is a less common pitch sign.

4-6-3 double play

A fairly common double play in which the second baseman fields a batted ball and throws to the shortstop, who retires a runner advancing to second base (usually a force play). The shortstop then throws to the first baseman, who completes the play by retiring the runner (again, usually a force play). The scorekeeper makes a notation that the runner at first base was retired "4-6", and the batter was retired "4-6-3".

5

The third baseman, in scorekeeping shorthand.

5-4-3 double play

A relatively common double play in which the third baseman fields a batted ball and throws to the second baseman, who retires a runner advancing to second base (usually a force play) and throws to the first baseman, who completes the play by retiring the batter (usually a force play). The scorekeeper makes a notation that the runner on first was retired "5-4" and the batter "5-4-3".

5 tool player

The ideal position player (non-pitcher); an athlete who excels at hitting for both high average and power, possesses good footspeed and baserunning skills, has a strong and accurate throwing arm, and plays above-average defense. Major league scouts and instructors observe and evaluate the development of these "tools" in their "prospects" (aspiring Major League ballplayers).

Some well-known "five-tool" players are Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Derek Jeter, and Torii Hunter.

In baseball, a five-tool player is a term used to define a complete performer, an athlete who excels at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability and fielding abilities. ... Willie Howard Mays Jr. ... Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter. ... Derek Sanderson Jeter (born June 26, 1974) is a seven-time All-Star shortstop for the New York Yankees, and is the teams leader and captain. ... Torii Kedar Hunter (born July 18, 1975 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who currently plays for the Minnesota Twins. ...

6

The shortstop, in scorekeeping shorthand.

6-4-3 double play

A very common double play in which the shortstop fields a batted ball and throws to the second baseman, who retires a runner advancing to second base (usually a force play) and then throws to the first baseman, who completes the play by retiring the batter (usually a force play). The scorekeeper makes a notation that the runner on first base was retired "6-4" and the batter "6-4-3".

This is the double play performed by "Tinker to Evers to Chance", the fabled Chicago Cubs' infielders of the early 20th century.

This article is being considered for deletion, in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Major league affiliations National League (1876–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Name Chicago Cubs (1902–present) Chicago Orphans (1898-1901) Chicago Colts (1890-1897) Chicago White Stockings (1870-1889) (a. ...

7

The leftfielder, in scorekeeping shorthand.

8

The centerfielder, in scorekeeping shorthand.

9

The rightfielder, in scorekeeping shorthand.

12-to-6

A curve ball, the motion of which evokes the hands of clock. The ball starts high (at "12-o'clock") and drops sharply as it reaches the strike zone ("6-o'clock"). Also known as "12-to-6 Downers" or a "12-to-6 Drop". Pitchers whose curveballs exhibit this motion include Barry Zito and Nolan Ryan.

Curveball Pitch Curveball Pitch The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that imparts forward spin to the ball. ... Barry William Zito (born May 13, 1978, Las Vegas, Nevada) is a pitcher with the Oakland Athletics baseball club. ... Nolan Ryan pitching in Atlanta on June 28, 1983 Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. ...

55-footer

A pejorative term for a pitch that bounces before it reaches the plate. The name derives from the fact that the pitch falls short of the 60' 6" between the pitching rubber and the plate.

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A

AA or A.A.

• "Double-A" (AA) is the second-highest level of minor league baseball (below AAA), and includes the Eastern League, the Southern League, and the Texas League.

• "AA" is also the abbreviation for the American Association, which has been the name of numerous professional baseball leagues: a short-lived major league of the 19th century, a minor league for much of the 20th century, and more recently an independent (e.g., not affiliated with a Major League club)minor league all used this name at various points in baseball history.

A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... There are at least two different possible meanings for Eastern League: Eastern League - A professional baseball minor league in the United States Eastern League - One of two professional baseball minor leagues in Japan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share... The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. ... The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. ... The American Association has been the name of at least two leagues of professional United States of America. ...

AAA

"Triple-A" is the highest level of minor league baseball. This level includes the Pacific Coast League, the International League, and the Mexican League.

A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a minor league baseball league operating in the West and Midwest of the United States. ... The International League (IL) is a minor league baseball league which operates in the eastern United States and Canada. ... The Mexican League is a AAA-level baseball minor league in Mexico. ...

AAAA player

"Four-A player" (alternatively, "Quadruple-A player") is a term for a minor-league player who is consistently successful in the high minor leagues (i.e., AAA), but cannot translate that into success at the major-league level. Often poor management is responsible.

A-Ball or "Single-A"

"Single-A" is the lowest grouping of modern affiliated minor league baseball, with sub-categories of "High-A," "Low-A," and "Short-Season A." The California League, Florida State League, and the Carolina League are categorized as "Single-A".

A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... The California League is a minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. ... The Florida State League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the state of Florida. ... The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic region of the United States. ...

air mail

Slang for a fielder's errant throw that sails high over the player to whom he intended to throw it. For example, if the third baseman were to throw the ball over the first baseman's head and into the stands, he is said to have "air mailed" the throw.

AL or A.L.

Abbreviation for the American League, the newer of the two existing Major Leagues.

American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ...

ALCS or A.L.C.S.

Abbreviation for the American League Championship Series, a best-of-seven playoff series that determines which American League team will advance to the World Series. The ALCS (and the NLCS) came into being for the 1969 series. The team that wins the ALCS wins the American League pennant and the title of American League Champions for that season. The winners of the American League Division Series have met in the ALCS since 1995.

In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series (ALCS), played in October, is a playoff round that determines the winner of the American League pennant. ... In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. ...

ALDS or A.L.D.S.

Abbreviation for the American League Division Series, the first round of the league playoffs. The winners of the three divisions and the second-place team with the best record are paired off in two best-of-five series, the winners of which advance to the ALCS.

In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. ...

ace

The best starting pitcher on the team.

In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ...

ahead in the count

A term that signifies whether the batter or pitcher possesses the advantage in an at-bat. If a pitcher has thrown more strikes than balls to a batter in an at-bat, the pitcher is ahead in the count; conversely, if the pitcher has thrown more balls than strikes, the batter is ahead.

If the pitcher is ahead in the count, the batter is in increasing danger of striking out. If the batter is ahead, the pitcher is in increasing danger of walking him.

See also: count.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

alley

(Also "gap" or "power alley".) The space between the leftfielder and the centerfielder, or the rightfielder and centerfielder. If a batter hits the ball "up the alley" with enough force, he has a stronger chance of advancing beyond first base and being credited with an extra-base hit (double, triple). Typically, this is an appropriate term for describing a line drive or ground ball; fly balls that hit the wall are not normally described this way.

appeal play

A play in which the defense has an opportunity to gain a favorable ruling from an umpire by addressing a mistake by the offense or seeking the input of another umpire. Some notable examples:

1. Since baserunners must touch all bases in order when advancing or in reverse order when retreating (tagging up), the defense may appeal if it appears a runner missed a base and continued on to the next one. This appeal must be made after the ball has been ruled dead; typically, the pitcher will step off the rubber and throw the ball to a teammate, who will then touch the appropriate base. If the umpire saw the runner miss the base, he will rule that runner out.

2. Because runners may not advance on a fly ball until it is caught, an appeal may be made in the same manner as above if a runner leaves his base too early or fails to return to it.

3. If a player bats out of order, the opposing team may bring it to the attention of an umpire. The offending batter is called out.

4. If a batter "checks" (stops) his swing at a pitch which is called a ball by the home plate umpire, the defense may appeal to either the first base umpire (for a right-handed batter) or the third base umpire (for a left-handed batter). If the umpire feels that the bat crossed the plate despite the batter's efforts to stop, the pitch is ruled a strike.

Appeals involve the defense literally making an appeal to an umpire. At no time before the appeal do umpires announce that, for example, a runner failed to touch a base.

In baseball, an appeal play occurs when a member of the defensive team calls the attention of an umpire to an infraction which he would otherwise ignore. ...

around the horn

The infielders' practice of throwing the ball to each other after recording an out (provided that there are no runners on base). The purpose is as much traditional as anything else, but it serves to keep the infielders' throwing arms warm. Typically, if an out is made at first base, the first baseman will throw to the second baseman, who throws to the shortstop, who throws to the third baseman, who returns the ball to the pitcher. Patterns vary from team to team, but the third baseman is usually the last infielder to receive a throw, regardless of the pattern.

An additonal application of this term is for a 5-4-3 double play, which mimics the pattern of throwing around the horn.

aspirin tablet

Slang for a fastball that is especially hard to hit due to its velocity and/or movement.

assist

The official scorer awards an assist (A) to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball (after it has been hit by the batter) prior to a putout, even if the contact was unintentional. For example, if a ball strikes a player's leg and bounces off him to another fielder, who tags the baserunner, the first player is credited with an assist.

A fielder can receive only one assist per out recorded. A fielder also receives an assist if a putout would have occurred, had not another fielder committed an error.

In baseball, an assist (denoted by A) is a defensive statistic, baseball being the rare sport in which the defensive team controls the ball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

at'em ball

Slang for a ball batted directly at a defender.

at bat

A plate appearance in which the batter a) hits safely, b) is retired, c) reaches on an error by a fielder, d) reaches base on a fielder's choice, e) is called out due to batter's interference, or f) reaches base on a passed ball or wild pitch that occurs with two strikes on the batter.

At-bats (or "times at bat") are used for the calculation of a player's batting average and slugging percentage.

In baseball statistics, an at bat (AB) is used to calculate other data such as batting average. ... In baseball, a fielders choice is the act of a fielder, upon fielding a batted ball, choosing to try put out one runner while in so doing allowing the batter to advance to first base. ... In baseball, a catcher shall be charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball which should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. ... In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged to a pitcher when a pitch is too high, too low, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to field capably, thereby allowing one or more runners to advance or to score. ... Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsmen, respectively. ... In baseball statistics, slugging average (SLG) is a measure of the power of a hitter. ...

ate him up

Slang expression of the action of a batted ball that is difficult for a fielder to handle.

attack the strike zone

Slang for pitching aggressively by throwing strikes, not by trying to trick hitters into swinging at pitches out of the strike zone.

away

Slang for "outs". If there are two out in an inning, players may say there are "two away".

Games played at an opponent's home field are "away games".

The visiting team is sometimes called the "away" team.

A pitch that is too low or high and too far outside the strike zone is "low and away" or "high and away".

B

backdoor breaking ball

A breaking pitch, usually a slider or cut fastball that, due to its lateral motion, passes through a small part of the strike zone away from the hitter after appearing it would miss the plate entirely.

In baseball, a slider, or nickel curve, is a pitch halfway between a curveball and a fastball, with less break but more speed than the curve. ... In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly as it reaches home plate. ...

backstop

The fence behind homeplate, designed to protect spectators from wild pitches or foul tips.

"Backstop" is also a slang word for catchers.

bad-ball hitter

A batter who excels at hitting pitches that are outside the strike zone. Notable bad-ball hitters include Yogi Berra and Vladimir Guerrero.

Yogi Berra on his 80th birthday Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925 in St. ... Vladimir Guerrero Alvino (born February 9, 1976 in Don Gregorio in the County of Nizao, Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball right fielder who plays for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. ...

bad hop

A ball that bounces in front of an infielder in an unexpected way, often as a result of imperfections in the field or the spin on the ball.

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bag

Slang for a base.

bail

• A batter who sees a pitch coming toward his head may "bail out" (hit the dirt).
• When two fielders are converging on a fly ball, one of them may "bail out" to avoid running into the other.
• A relief pitcher may come into the game with men on base and bail the previous pitcher out of a jam.

While the first two examples are analogues to bailing out of a plane via parachute, the last one is akin to bailing out a boat that's on the verge of being swamped, or perhaps bailing somebody who is in trouble out of jail.

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balk

A ruling made by an umpire against a pitching motion that violates rules intended to prevent the pitcher from unfairly deceiving a baserunner. When a balk is called, each runner can freely advance one base. The rules specify which pitching movements are illegal. The spirit of a balk is that certain movements mean that the pitcher has begun the pitch, so the runner cannot then be picked off. Some balks result from errant or unsuccessful motions, such as when the ball slips out of the pitcher's hand. Far more rare is a catcher's balk, when the catcher moves from behind the area of the plate before the pitcher starts his delivery.

In baseball, a pitcher may commit a number of illegal motions or actions which constitute a balk. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

ball in play

In sabermetrics, "ball in play" and "batting average on balls in play" (BABIP) have specific technical definitions that are used to determine pitchers' ability independently of the fielding defense of a team. In this definition, a home run is not a ball in play. See Defense Independent Pitching Statistics. Also see in play.

Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. ... In baseball, Defense Independent Pitching Statistics (DIPS) are statistics which measure a pitchers effectiveness based only on plays which are completely under his control: home runs allowed, strikeouts, hit batters and walks. ... In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... In baseball, Defense Independent Pitching Statistics (DIPS) are statistics which measure a pitchers effectiveness based only on plays which are completely under his control: home runs allowed, strikeouts, hit batters and walks. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Baltimore chop

A short downward swing intended to make the ball rebound off home plate or the packed dirt immediately in front of the plate. The goal is to produce a bounce high enough so that, even if the ball can be fielded by an infielder the batter will reach first for a base hit. This was a tactic of the Baltimore Orioles of the National League in the 1890s. John McGraw is supposed to have had the earth in front of home plate compacted for this purpose. When it happens in the modern game, it is more often simply a result of poor contact that just happens to aid the batter-runner.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Oriole Park at Camden Yards (1992-present) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 1983, 1970, 1966 AL Pennants (7) 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970 1969, 1966, 1944 East Division titles (8) 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974 1973... The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ... John McGraw on a 1909-1911 American Tobacco Company baseball card. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

bandbox

A ballpark with small dimensions that encourages offense, especially home runs. A crackerbox.

The Olympia Stadium: start and finish lines visible, defining the length of one stadium (in this case 192. ... In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

bang

• A baseball player's term for cancelling a game because of bad weather: "I thought we were gonna get banged but we got in 5 innings."
• To hit the ball hard, especially to hit a homer. "Utley banged the game-tying home run."
• Players who are banged up are injured, though may continue to play. Example: "Banged up Braves ready for playoff rematch with Astros."
• A bang-up game is an exciting or close game. Example from a sports headline: "A Real Bang-Up Finish."
• A bang bang play is one in which the runner is barely thrown out, a very close call, typically at first base. Perhaps reflecting the "bang" of the ball in the first-baseman's glove followed immediately by the "bang" of the baserunner's foot hitting the bag.

Chase Utley Chase Cameron Utley (born December 17, 1978 in Pasadena, California) is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. ...

banjo hitter

A batter who lacks power. A banjo hitter usually hits bloop singles, often just past the infield dirt, and would have a low slugging percentage. The name is said to come from the twanging sound of the bat at contact, like that of a banjo.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Old 6-string zither banjo For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument of African American origin, early or original examples sometimes being called the gourd banjo. One African banjo predecessor is called the Akonting. ...

base hit

See hit.

In baseball statistics, a hit (denoted by H), sometimes called a base hit, is credited to a batter when he safely reaches first base after batting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielders choice. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

base knock

A single. Also see knocks.

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bases loaded

Runners on first, second, and third base. Also known as "bases full," "bases packed," or "bases jammed."

basement

Last place, bottom of the standings. Also cellar.

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baserunner

A baserunner (shortened as "runner") is a player on the offensive team (i.e. the team at bat) who has safely reached base.

In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

basket catch

Catching a fly to the outfield with open glove near the belt level. The signature catch of Willie Mays.

Willie Howard Mays Jr. ...

bat

• A baseball bat is a smooth contoured round wooden or metal rod used to hit the ball thrown by the pitcher. A bat's diameter is larger at one end (the barrel-end) than at the other (the handle). The bottom end of the handle is the knob. A batter generally tries to strike the ball in the sweet spot near the middle of the barrel-end of the bat, sometimes referred to as the fat part of the bat or the meat end of the bat.
• The player who uses it to strike the ball — a batter, hitter, or batsman — can be said to bat the ball.

Rawlings SLLMP Liquidmetal Plasma Senior League Baseball Bat A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal rod used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. ... Rawlings SLLMP Liquidmetal Plasma Senior League Baseball Bat A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal rod used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

bat around

A team is said to have "batted around" after each of the nine players in the lineup makes a plate appearance and the hitter who led off the inning returns for a second at-bat in that inning.

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bat the ball

To hit the ball with the bat -- whether into fair territory or foul.

In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that has not yet become a foul ball, and that. ... In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that is not a foul tip, and that. ...

batter

The player who is at bat and tries to hit the ball with the bat. Also referred to as the "hitter" or "batsman."

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batter's eye

A solid-colored, usually dark area beyond the center field wall that is the visual backdrop for the batter looking out at the pitcher. It allows the batter to see the pitched ball against a dark and uncluttered background, as much for the batter's safety as anything. The use of a batter's background has been standard in baseball (as well as cricket) since at least the late 1800s.

One example of a batter's background is the black area in center field of Yankee Stadium. At one time, there were seats where the black area is now, but because of distractions the seats were removed and the area painted black.

The Batters Eye is a solid-colored, usually dark area beyond the centerfield wall that is the visual backdrop directly in the line of sight of a baseball batter, while facing the pitcher and awaiting a pitch. ... The position of the center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field - the baseball fielding position between left field and right field (e. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... The exterior of the Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is the home stadium of the New York Yankees, a major league baseball team. ...

batter's box

A rectangle on either side of home plate in which the batter must be standing for fair play to resume. Only a foot and a hand out of the box are required to stop fair play.

In baseball, softball, and similar sports and games, the batters box is the place where the batter stands when ready to receive a pitch from the pitcher. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

battery

• The pitcher and catcher considered as a single unit. Henry Chadwick coined the term, drawing from the military sense of the term artillery battery. It also suggests a play on words, as its activities center on the batter.
• A battery chucker is a fan who throws small batteries or other objects at the players from the stands.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Henry Chadwick (October 5, 1824 – April 20, 1908), often called the father of baseball, was a sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian. ... In military science, a battery is a group of artillery guns or rockets, so grouped in order to facilitate battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

batterymates

A pitcher and catcher from the same team.

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batting average

Batting average (BA) is the average number of hits per at-bat (BA=H/AB). A perfect batting average would be 1.000 (read: "one thousand"). A batting average of .300 ("three hundred") is considered to be excellent, which means that the best hitters fail to get a hit in 70% of their at-bats. Even the level of .400, which is outstanding and rare (last achieved at the major league level in 1941), suggests "failure" 60% of the time. This is part of the reason OBP is now regarded by "figger filberts" as a truer measure of a hitter's worth at the plate. In 1887, there was an experiment with including bases-on-balls as hits (and at-bats) in computing the batting average. It was effectively an early attempt at an OBP, but it was regarded as a "marketing gimmick" and was dropped after the one year. It eventually put Adrian Anson in limbo regarding his career hits status; dropping the bases on balls from his 1887 stats, as some encyclopedias do, put his career number of hits below the benchmark 3,000 total.

Batting average is a statistic in both baseball and cricket measuring the performance of baseball hitters and cricket batsmen, respectively. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Anson in 1888 Adrian Constantine Cap Anson (April 11, 1852, Marshalltown, Iowa - April 14, 1922, Chicago, Illinois) was a professional baseball player in the National Association and Major League Baseball for the Rockford Forest Citys, Philadelphia Athletics, and Chicago White Stockings/Colts. ...

batting practice

The period, often before a game, when players warm up or practice their hitting technique. Sometimes the term is used to describe a period within a game when one team's hitters have so totally dominated a given pitcher that the game resembles a batting practice session. Referred to colloquially as well as abbreviated as BP.

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bazooka

A strong throwing arm. A gun, a cannon, a rifle.

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beanball

A pitch intentionally thrown to hit the batter if he does not move out of the way, especially when directed at the head (or the "bean" in old-fashioned slang).

Beanball is a colloquial sports term for a ball thrown at an opposing player with the intention of striking him such as to cause harm, often connoting a throw at the players head. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

beat out

When a runner gets to first base before the throw, he beats the throw or beats it out. Akin to leg out. "Using his great speed, Baldelli beat it out."

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behind in the count

See count.

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belt

To hit a ball hard to the outfield or out of the park, fair or foul. "Pujols belted that one . . . just foul."

bench jockey

A player, coach or manager with the talent of annoying and distracting opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout with verbal repartee. Especially useful against those with rabbit ears.

A bench jockey is a slang term in American baseball to describe a player, coach or manager with the talent of annoying and distracting opposition players and umpires from his teams dugout with verbal repartee. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Look up Wit in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wit is a form of intellectual humor, based on manipulation of concepts; a wit is someone who excels in witty remarks, typically in conversation and spontaneously, since wit carries the connotation of speed of thought. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

bender

A curveball.

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big fly

A long home run.

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big inning

The opposite mentality of small ball, if a team is thinking "big inning" they are focusing on scoring runs strictly through base hits and home runs, as opposed to bunts or other sacrifices.

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big leagues

Major League Baseball

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bigs

The big leagues, major leagues, "the Show." If you're in the bigs you're a big leaguer, a major leaguer.

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bleacher seats

Bleacher seats (in short, bleachers) are uncovered seats that are typically tiered benches or other inexpensive seats located in the outfield or in any area past the main grandstand. The term comes from the assumption that the benches are sun-bleached. "Bleachers" is short for the term originally used, "bleaching boards". Fans in the bleacher seats are sometimes called bleacher bums.

block the plate

A catcher who puts a foot, leg, or whole body between home plate and a runner attempting to score, is said to "block the plate." Blocking the plate is a dangerous tactic, and may be considered obstruction (Official Rules of Baseball, Rule 2.00 (Obstruction)).

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blooper

A blooper or bloop is a weakly hit fly ball that drops in for a single between an infielder and an outfielder.

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blow

• To blow a game is to lose it after having the lead. "We had the game in hand and we blew it."
• To blow a save is to lose a lead or the game after coming into the game in a "save situation." This has a technical meaning in baseball statistics.
• A hit, typically a home run: "Ortiz's Blow Seals Win."
• A blow-out is a game in which one team wins by many runs. Headline: "Penny Shines as Dodgers Blow Out Giants."

To save in a sport means to stop a goal or to maintain the lead. ... In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

blown save

A blown save (BS) is charged to a pitcher who enters a game in a save situation but allows the tying run (and perhaps the go-ahead run) to score. If the pitcher's team does not come back to win the game, the pitcher will be charged with both a loss and a blown save. The blown save is not an officially recognized statistic by Major League Baseball. But analysts and sportscasters count blown saves to characterize the "record" of closers in a way that's analogous to won-loss records of starters. "Jones has made 31 out of 34 saves" or "Jones has 31 saves and 3 blown saves."

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blowser

Rhymes with "closer". A closer who seems to get more blown saves than saves.

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Blue

A term commonly used by players to address an umpire, referring to the typical dark blue color of the umpire's uniform. Usually when complaining about a call: "Oh, come on, Blue!"

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bomb

A home run.

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

bonehead play

A bonehead play or "boner" is a mental mistake that changes the course of a game dramatically. See "Merkle's boner".

Frederick Charles Merkle (December 20, 1888 – March 2, 1956) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball. ...

bonus baby

A young player who received a signing bonus.

A bonus baby was the not-particularly-complimentary term used to describe a Major League Baseball player receiving a particularly large signing bonus upon turning professional. ...

bonus baseball

Extra innings. Also called "bonus cantos" by Yankees announcer Michael Kay.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Yankee Stadium (1923-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

bottom (of an inning)

The second half or "last half" of an inning, during which the home team bats, derived from its position in the line score.

An innings, or inning, is a segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which a side takes its turn to bat. ... In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. ...

box

The vicinity of the pitcher's mound. Baseball announcers will sometimes refer to a batted ball going back through the pitcher's mound area as having gone through the box, or a pitcher being removed from the game will be said to have been knocked out of the box. In the early days of the game, there was no mound; the pitcher was required to release the ball while inside a box drawn on the ground. Even though the mound has replaced the box, this terminology still exists.

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box score

The statistical summary of a game. The line score is an abbreviated version of the box score, duplicated from the field scoreboard. Invention of the box score is credited to Henry Chadwick.

In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Henry Chadwick (October 5, 1824 – April 20, 1908), often called the father of baseball, was a sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian. ...

BP

• batting practice.
• Devotees of baseball research also sometimes refer to Baseball Prospectus as BP.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Baseball Prospectus, sometimes abbreviated as BP, is a think-tank focusing on the statistical analysis of the sport of baseball, which is also known as sabermetrics. ...

BR

Bats right; used in describing a player's statistics, for example: John Doe (TR, BR, 6', 172 lbs.)

bread and butter

A player's greatest skill.

break

The Break is the "All-Star Break", the 3-day period roughly halfway through the regular season during which the all-stars of the American League play a game against the all-stars of the National League. It's also a common reference point for comparing a player's statistics: before the break vs. after the break; the first half vs. the last half of the season (even though the "last half" is shorter than the "first half" — about 45% of the games remain to be played).

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic or Midsummer Night Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager for pitchers and...

breaking ball

Any pitch that markedly deviates from a "straight" or expected path due to a spin used by the pitcher to achieve the desired effect. Some examples are the curveball, the slider and the screwball.

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break one off

To throw a curveball.

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bring

To pitch; often used for a fastball: bring the gas, bring the heat, bring it.

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brush-back

A pitch intentionally thrown close to a batter to intimidate him, i.e. to "brush him back" from the plate. Also a purpose pitch or chin music. A batter targeted by such a pitch is sometimes said to get a close shave. 1950s pitcher Sal Maglie was called "the Barber" due to his frequent use of such pitches. A sportswriting wag once stated that its "purpose" was "to separate the head from the shoulders".

In baseball, a brushback pitch is one thrown in such a way that the batter must move back to avoid it. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Salvatore Anthony Maglie (April 26, 1917 - December 28, 1992) was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Giants, Cleveland Indians, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, and St. ...

buck and change

A player batting between .100 and .199 is said to be batting "a buck and change" or, more specifically, the equivalent average in dollars (bucks) and cents (change). Example: A batter batting .190 is said to be batting "a buck ninety". See also Mendoza line.

The Mendoza Line is an informal term used in baseball for a batting average of around . ...

bullpen

• The area used by pitchers and catchers to warm up before taking the mound when play has already begun. This area is usually off to the side along either the left or right base line, or behind an outfield fence. It is almost never in fair territory, presumably due to the risk of interference with live action. A rare exception was at New York's Polo Grounds where the bullpens were in the deep left and right center field quarter-circles of the outfield wall.
• A team's relief pitching corps (so named because the relievers are in the bullpen during games).

While the game goes on, a relief pitcher warms up in the bullpen, beyond the outfield fence In baseball, the bullpen is the area where pitchers warm-up before entering a game. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The position of the catcher Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in cricket. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in New York City used by Major League Baseballs New York Giants from 1883 until 1957, New York Metropolitans from 1883 until 1885, the New York Yankees from 1912 until 1922, and by the New York Mets in... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

bunt

To deliberately bat the ball weakly to a particular spot on the infield by holding the bat nearly still and letting the ball hit it. Typically, a bunt is used to advance other runners and is then referred to as a sacrifice or a sacrifice hit or a sacrifice bunt. When done correctly, fielders have no play except, at best, to throw the batter-runner out at first base.

Speedy runners also bunt for base hits when infielders are playing back. In such a situation, left-handed hitters may use a drag bunt, in which they start stepping towards first base while completing the bunt swing. Even the great slugger Mickey Mantle would drag bunt once in a while, taking advantage of his 3.1 second speed from home to first base. Currently, Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals is notable in that he is a right-handed hitter who uses drag bunts successfully.

A bunt is a special type of offensive technique in baseball or fastpitch softball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Mickey Mantle on a 1953 cover of Time Magazine Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ... Ryan Zimmerman (Born September 28, 1984 in Washington, NC) was the first first-round draft pick of the Washington Nationals. ... Major league affiliations National League (1969–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Name Washington Nationals (2005–present) Montreal Expos (1969-2004) Ballpark RFK Stadium (2005–present) Hiram Bithorn Stadium[3] (San Juan) (2003-2004) Olympic Stadium (Montreal) (1977-2004) Jarry Park (Montreal) (1969-1976) [3] The Expos played twenty...

bush league

A slang term used to describe play that is of minor league or unprofessional quality. The "bushes" or the "sticks" are small towns where minor league teams may operate, the latter term also used in the acting profession, famously in the Variety headline of July 17, 1935, "Sticks nix hick pix", meaning small towns reject motion pictures about small towns.

Bush league is a general term used to describe an action or thing as being amateur, inferior or crude. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Variety is a daily magazine for the entertainment industry. ...

C

Cactus League

The group of teams that conduct their pre-season spring training exhibition games in Arizona where the cactus grows in abundance. See also Grapefruit League.

A Grapefruit League game at the LA Dodgers camp in Vero Beach, Florida Spring training in Major League Baseball is a series of exhibition games which precedes the regular season. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  Ranked 6th  - Total 113,998 sq mi (295,254 km²)  - Width 310 miles (500 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 0. ... This article is about the plant family. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

called up

A Major League team may call up or promote a player from the minor leagues during the season to take a spot on its roster, often to replace a player who has been sent down to the minor leagues or else placed on the disabled list. Players who have been in the major leagues previously (and were sent down) may be said to be recalled rather than called up. After August 31^st, several minor leaguers may be called up to take a spot on the expanded roster.

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campaign

A season. The "2006 campaign" is the 2006 Major League season.

can of corn

An easily-caught fly ball. Supposedly comes from a general store clerk reaching up and dropping a can from a high shelf. Frequently used by Chicago White Sox broadcaster Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) Central Division (1994-present) Current uniform Ballpark U.S. Cellular Field (1991-present) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 2005 â€¢ 1917 â€¢ 1906 AL Pennants (6) 2005 â€¢ 1959 â€¢ 1919 â€¢ 1917 1906 â€¢ 1901 Central Division titles (2) [1] 2005 â€¢ 2000 West Division titles (2... Kenneth Smith Hawk Harrelson (born September 4, 1941 in Woodruff, South Carolina), nicknamed The Hawk, due to his distinctive profile, is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who currently serves as a broadcast announcer for the Chicago White Sox. ...

Captain Hook

A manager who often takes a pitcher out of the game at the first sign of trouble. See hook.

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catbird seat

A desirable or auspicious situation. Popularized by Red Barber, longtime broadcaster for the Brooklyn Dodgers. James Thurber wrote in his short story of the same title: "[S]itting in the catbird seat" means sitting pretty, like a batter with three balls and no strikes on him. The catbird is said to seek out the highest point in a tree to sing his song, so someone in the catbird seat is high up.

Walter Lanier Red Barber (February 17, 1908 - October 22, 1992) was an American sportscaster. ... For the 1930s NFL team, see Brooklyn Dodgers (football). ... James Grover Thurber (December 8, 1894–November 2, 1961) was a U.S. humorist and cartoonist. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Binomial name Dumetella carolinensis Linnaeus,, 1766 The Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis, is a medium-sized perching bird of the Mimid family, the only member of genus Dumetella. ...

catcher's interference

It is catcher's interference when the catcher physically hinders the batter's opportunity to swing at a pitch. Play continues, and after continuous playing action ceases, the umpire calls time. The penalty is that the batter is awarded first base, any runner attempting to steal is awarded that base, and all other runners advance only if forced. The catcher is charged with an error. This is one of many types of interference call.

Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ...

caught napping

A baserunner who is tagged out because he wasn't paying attention to what the defensive players were doing is "caught napping." Often this involves a pickoff play in which the infielder sneaks up behind the runner and takes a throw from the pitcher, or, less often, the catcher.

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cellar

Last place, bottom of the standings. A team that spends too much time in last place, especially over a stretch of years, tends to acquire the unflattering title of cellar dweller. SYNONYM: basement.

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chair, the

Specifically regarding a batter: A seat on the bench, as opposed to reaching base or remaining in the batter's box. As in, "throw him the chair." The expression is an encouragement to the pitcher to strike out the batter, sending him back to the dugout, thus "throwing him the chair"--forcing him to sit down.

changeup

A changeup or a change is a pitch meant to look like a fastball, but with less velocity; short for change of pace. A variety of this pitch is the circle change, where a circle is formed using the thumb and pinky on the last third of a ball. This causes the ball to break inside and down to right-handed batter from a right-handed pitcher, frequently resulting in ground balls. Also, a straight change, made famous by Pedro Martínez of the New York Mets, can be utilized. The grip requires all fingers to be used in holding the ball, resulting in more friction, thus slowing the ball down tremendously.

This article is about a type of pitch in the sport of baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Pedro Jaime Martínez (born October 25, 1971 in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic) is a baseball pitcher who plays for the New York Mets. ...

charging the mound

• Charging the mound refers to a batter assaulting the pitcher after being hit by a pitch. The first incidence of a professional charging the mound has not been identified but the practice certainly dates back to the game's early days. Charging the mound is often the precipitating cause of a bench-clearing brawl.

• In the famous Pine Tar Game, George Brett charged home plate to protest the umpire's ruling that his apparent 2-run home run was hit with an illegal bat. Brett was tossed from the game.

Charging the mound refers to the practice, in baseball, of a batter assaulting the pitcher after being hit with a beanball. ... Charging the mound refers to the practice, in baseball, of a batter assaulting the pitcher after being hit with a beanball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A bench-clearing brawl is a form of ritualistic fighting that occurs in baseball games in which both teams leave their dugouts and bullpens and charge the field in order to fight one another. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Brett batting George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953 in Glen Dale, West Virginia) is a former American baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. ...

chase

To chase (or chase after) is to swing at a pitch well outside of the strike zone.

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check the runner

When the pitcher looks in the direction of a runner on base, and thereby causes him to not take as large of a lead as he would otherwise have taken.

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check swing

A batter checks a swing by stopping it before the bat crosses the front of home plate. If he fails to stop it in time, the umpire will call a "strike" because he swung at the pitch. Often the umpire's view of the swing is obstructed. If the umpire calls the pitch a "ball," then a defensive player such as the catcher or pitcher can appeal the call and the home plate umpire will ask another umpire to tell him whether the batter swung at the pitch. In such a case, the home plate umpire always accepts the judgment of the other umpire.

In sports, an umpire is an official appointed to rule on plays and procedure. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

cheese

A fastball. Also high cheese.

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chin music

A high and tight, up and in pitch meant to knock a batter back from home plate in lieu of being hit on the chin. Also known as a brush-back or purpose pitch.

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Chopper

A chopper refers to a batted ball that imeediately strikes the hardened area of dirt directly infront of home plate. This causes the ball to jump fairly high into the infield air. Fast batters can convert such choppers into base hits.

choke up

A batter "chokes up" by sliding his hands up from the knob end of the bat to give him more control over his bat. It reduces the power and increases the control. Prior to driving in the Series-winning hit with a bloop single in the 2001 World Series, Luis Gonzalez choked up on the bat. Thus he came through, and did not "choke" in the clutch.

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chuck

Throw. A pitcher is sometimes referred to as a chucker or someone who can really chuck the ball. A fan who throws objects from the stands onto the field may be a battery chucker.

circus catch

An outstanding catch, usually one a fielder has to leave his feet or go through contortions to make, resembling a circus acrobat in the process.

cleanup hitter

The fourth batter in the lineup, usually a power hitter. The strategy is to get some runners on base for the cleanup hitter to drive home. In theory, if the first three batters of the game were to load the bases, the #4 hitter would ideally "clean off" the bases with a grand slam home run.

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climbing the ladder

A tactic where a pitcher delivers a succession of pitches out of the strike zone, each higher than the last, in an attempt to get the batter to swing at a pitch "in his eyes."

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closer

A relief pitcher who is consistently used to "close" or finish a game by getting the final outs. Closers are often among the most overpowering pitchers, and sometimes even the most erratic. Alternatively, they might specialize in a pitch that is difficult to hit, such as the splitter or the knuckleball.

In baseball, a closer is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing games, i. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

clutch

Good performance under pressure when good performance really matters. May refer to such a situation (being in the clutch), or to a player (a good clutch hitter or one who "can hit in the clutch"), or to specific hits ("that was a clutch hit"). Most baseball fans believe that clutch hitting exists, but there is significant disagreement among statheads whether clutch hitting is a specific skill a player can possess or instead just somnthing that good hitters in general do. An old synonym for clutch is pinch, as in Christy Mathewson's book, Pitching in a Pinch.

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collar

Symbol of going hitless in a game, suggested by its resemblance to a zero, along with the implication of "choking"; to wear the collar. "If Wright doesn't get a hit here, he'll be wearing an 0 for 5 collar on the day."

comebacker

A ball batted directly back to the pitcher.

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command

The ability of a pitcher to throw a pitch where he intends to. More than just the ability to throw strikes, it is the ability to hit particular spots in or out of the strike zone. Also see location.

Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ...

complete game

A complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A complete game can be either a win or a loss. Note: A complete game can be awarded to a pitcher even if he pitches less than (or more than) nine-innings. Also, a pitcher will not be awarded a complete game even if he pitches for nine (or more) innings and has to be relieved say, in the 10th.

In baseball, a complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. ...

contact hitter

A hitter who does not strike out often. Thus, he's usually able to make contact with the ball and put it in play. This doesn't mean he's necessarily a pitty-patty slap hitter. He may hit for power, with lots of doubles and triples. One of the best examples: Pete Rose.

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corked bat

A bat in which cork (or possibly rubber or some other elastic material) has been inserted into the core of the wooden barrel for the purpose of transferring additional energy to a batted ball and causing it to fly farther. Although modifying a bat in this way may help to increase bat speed or control by making the bat lighter, it does not actually impart more energy to the batted ball.^[1] A batter could achieve a similar effect by choking up on the bat or using a shorter bat. A player who is caught altering his bat illegally is subject to suspension or other penalties. The last such case in Major League Baseball involved the slugger Sammy Sosa.

In baseball, a corked bat is a specially modified baseball bat that has been filled with cork or similar light, less dense substances to make the bat lighter without losing much power. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A cork stopper for a wine bottle Champagne corks Varnished cork tiles can be used for flooring, as a substitute for linoleum or tiles. ... Rubber is an elastic hydrocarbon polymer which occurs as a milky colloidal suspension (known as latex) in the sap of several varieties of plants. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Samuel (Sammy) Sosa Peralta (born November 12, 1968 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic) is a right fielder in Major League Baseball in free agency. ...

corner outfielder

The left fielder and right fielder are corner outfielders.

An outfielder moves in to catch a fly ball Outfielder is a collective term including left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, the three positions in baseball farthest from the batter. ... The position of the left fielder A left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder in the sport of baseball who plays defense in left field. ... The position of the right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in right field (e. ...

cornerman

A third baseman.

The position of the third baseman Third base redirects here. ...

cornucopia

Texas Rangers TV announcer Bill Land once called an easily-caught fly ball in a game incorrectly by stating, "It's a cornucopia!" In the background, you could hear color commentator, Tom Grieve mumbling "can..of..corn.." It is not uncommon to hear fans in the lower rows of Section 15 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington yelling "CORNUCOPIA!"

Major league affiliations American League (1961-present) West Division (1972-present) Current uniform Ballpark Ameriquest Field in Arlington (1994-present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) None AL Pennants (0) None West Division titles (3) [1] 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 Wild card berths (0) None [1] - In 1994, a players... A color (or colour) commentator, sometimes known as a color analyst, is a member of the broadcasting team for a sporting event who assists the play-by-play announcer by filling in any time when play is not in progress. ... Tom Grieve - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Ameriquest Field in Arlington is a baseball stadium located in Arlington, Texas, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. ...

count

The number of balls and strikes a batsman has in his current at bat. Usually announced as a pair of numbers, for instance "3-0", with the first number being the number of balls and the second being the number of strikes. A 3-2 count – one with the maximum number of balls and strikes in a given at bat – is referred to as a full count. A count of 1-1 or 2-2 is called even. A batter is said to be ahead in the count (and a pitcher behind in the count) if the count is 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, or 3-1. A batter is said to be behind in the count (and a pitcher ahead in the count) if the count is 0-1, 0-2, or 1-2.

In baseball, the count refers to the number of balls and strikes a batsman has in his current at bat. ...

covering a base

• Part of the infielders' job is to cover bases. That is, they stand next to a base in anticipation of receiving the ball thrown from another fielder, so that they may make a play on an opposing baserunner who is approaching that base. On a force play or an appeal play, the fielder covering the base stands with one foot on that base when he catches the ball.
• When a fielder goes to make a play at a base that is not his position (usually because the fielder for that base is unavailable to catch the ball at that base because he is busy fielding the batted ball). A common example is when the first baseman fields a batted ground ball, but is too far from the base to put the runner out. The pitcher runs over to "cover" first base to take the throw from the first baseman.

In baseball, part of the infielders job is to cover bases. ... In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled (or forced) to vacate his time-of-pitch base--and thus try to advance to the next base--because the batter became a runner. ... In baseball, an appeal play occurs when a member of the defensive team calls the attention of an umpire to an infraction which he would otherwise ignore. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

crack of the bat

This is the sound produced by a well-hit strike of the "sweet spot" of the bat against the ball. Outfielders often use the sound of bat-meeting-ball as a clue to how far a ball has been hit. As physicist Robert Adair has written,"When a baseball is hit straight at an outfielder he cannot quickly judge the angle of ascent and the distance the ball will travel. If he waits until the trajectory is well defined, he has waited too long and will not be able to reach otherwise catchable balls. If starts quickly, but misjudges the ball such that his first step is wrong (in for a long fly or back for a short fly), the turn-around time sharply reduces his range and he will again miss catchable balls. To help his judgment, the experienced outfielder listens to the sound of the wooden bat hitting the ball. If he hears a 'crack' he runs out, if he hears a 'clunk' he runs in."[1]

Similarly, with metal bats, the outfielders have to learn to distinguish a "ping" from a "plunk".

crackerbox

A small baseball field considered to be friendly to power hitters and unfriendly to pitchers. A bandbox.

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Crackerjack

A crackerjack player or team is exceptionally good.

crooked number

A number other than a zero or a one, referring to the appearance of the actual number. A team which is able to score two or more runs in an inning is said to "hang a crooked number" on the scoreboard or on the pitcher.

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crossed up

When a catcher calls for the pitcher to throw one type of pitch (e.g., a fastball) but the pitcher throws another (e.g., a curveball), the catcher has been crossed up. This may lead to a passed ball, allowing a runner on base to advance.

In baseball, a catcher shall be charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball which should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. ...

crowding the plate

When a batter sets his stance extremely close to the plate, sometimes covering up part of the strike zone. This angers pitchers and, if done repeatedly, can lead to a brush-back pitch or even a beanball being thrown at the batter to clear the plate.

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crush the ball

A batter who hits a ball extremely hard and far might be said to crush the ball, as if he had destroyed the baseball or at least changed its shape. Related expressions are crunched the ball or mashed the ball. Indeed, a slugger is sometimes described as a masher. Illustration: "Though the 25-year-old has impressed with two homers in five games, he's more of a pure hitter than a masher".

Other types of baseball destruction include knocking the stuffing out of the ball and knocking the horsehide [cover] off the ball.

cup of coffee

A short time spent by a minor league player at the major league level, often for a 10-day contract. The idea is that the player was only there long enough to have a cup of coffee.

The following is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, and explanations of their meanings. ... A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

curtain call

A player who has excited the fans because of a great play or hit may come back onto the field or out of the dugout to wave or tip his cap to the crowd. A term obviously derived from the theater.

Curtain Call: The Hits will be Eminems fifth major label release. ...

curveball

A pitch that curves or breaks from a straight or expected flight path toward home plate.

Curveball Pitch Curveball Pitch The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that imparts forward spin to the ball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

cut fastball

A cut fastball or cutter is a fastball that has lateral movement. A "cut fastball" is another name for a slider that has more speed than lateral movement.

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

cut-off

A defensive tactic where a fielder that moves into a position between the outfielder that has fielded the batted ball and the base where a play can be made. This fielder is said to "cut off" the throw or to be the "cut-off man". This tactic is taught for two reasons: it increases accuracy over long distances and shortens the time required to get a ball to a specific place. Missing the cut-off (man) is considered a mistake by an outfielder (though not scored as an error) because it may allow a runner to advance or to score.

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cut-off man

A fielder that "cuts off" a long throw to an important target. Often the shortstop or second baseman will be the "cut-off man" for a long throw from the outfield to third base or home plate. "Hit the cut-off man" is a common admonition from a coach.

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D

daisy cutter

Old-fashioned term for a hard-hit ground ball, close enough to the grass to theoretically be able to lop the tops off any daisies that might be growing on the field.

dark one

A pitch that is difficult to see, much less hit. "Throw him the dark one," is an encouragement to the pitcher, typically given with two strikes, to throw a strike past the batter.

dead ball

The ball becomes "dead" (i.e., the game's action is stopped) in cases of fan or player interference, umpire interference with a catcher, and several other specific situations. When the ball is dead, no runners may advance beyond bases they are entitled to, and no runners may be put out. The ball becomes "live" again when the umpire signals that play is to resume.

In baseball, when the ball is dead, no runners may advance beyond bases they are entitled to, and no runners may be put out. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... In baseball, when the ball is dead, no runners may advance beyond bases they are entitled to, and no runners may be put out. ...

Dead Ball Era

The period between 1903 and 1918, just prior to the Live Ball Era, when the composition of the baseball along with other rules tended to limit the offense, and the primary batting strategy was the inside game. In this case the ball literally was "dead", relatively speaking. Hitting a home run over the fence was a notable achievement.

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dead red

If a batter is "sitting/looking dead red" on a pitch, this means he was looking for a pitch (Typically a fastball), and received it, usually hitting a home run or base hit. Also see "shooting the cripple."

deal

Delivery of a pitch, commonly used by play-by-play announcers as the pitcher releases the ball, e.g. "Smith deals to Jones".

Pitching effectively, e.g. "Smith is really dealing tonight".

A player trade, or exchange (a common term to all American team sports).

In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. ...

defensive indifference

When the defense allows a baserunner to advance. The runner then does not get credit for a stolen base because the base was "given" not "stolen." The defense may allow this in the ninth inning with two outs, where the focus is on inducing the batter make the final out.

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deliver

• To deliver is to pitch. Announcer: "Koufax delivers. . . . Strike three!!!"
• Delivery refers to the basic arm angles of pitchers, e.g., overhand delivery, sidearm delivery. This is in contrast to cricket, in which the term "delivery" is akin to type of pitch in baseball.

Pitch may refer to: Pitch is the property of a sound or musical tone measured by its perceived frequency Pitch, or tone of voice, refers to variation of tone in tonal language, and in languages with melodic accent Pitch, a throw of a baseball by a pitcher Pitch, part of... A baseball pitcher delivers the ball to home plate In baseball, pitching is the act of throwing the baseball from the pitchers mound toward the catcher with the goal of retiring a batter who attempts to make contact with it, or draw a walk. ... Bold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textBold textA delivery or ball in cricket is a single action of bowling a...

designated hitter

In the American League, the designated hitter (DH) is a player who permanently hits in the place of a defensive player (usually the pitcher) and whose only role in the game is to hit. The National League does not usually use designated hitters. However, in interleague play, when American League and National League teams face off against one another, the DH rule is used by both teams when the game is played in an American League ballpark, and by neither team when the game is played in a National League ballpark.

A designated hitter (often shortened to DH), is an official position adopted by Major League Baseballs American League in 1973 that allowed teams to boost sagging offensive performances by designating a player to bat in place of the pitcher. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ... Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played with teams in different leagues, introduced in 1997. ...

deuce

A curveball, because the catcher's sign is usually made by extending the first two fingers. From playing cards, where the "2" card is conventionally called the "deuce".

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Some typical Anglo-American playing cards from the Bicycle brand Set of 52 playing cards A playing card is a typically hand-sized piece of heavy paper or thin plastic used for playing card games. ... Deuce can refer to several things: The number two. ...

deuces wild

When a large quantity of the number "2" appears on the scoreboard at the same time: 2 baserunners, 2 outs, 2 balls and 2 strikes on the batter. Derived from poker term "deuces are wild". Often used by Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully.

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dial long distance

To hit a home run. Headline: "Sox Sluggers Dial Long Distance — Ramirez, Ortiz Each Crank Two-Run Homers".

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

diamond

The layout of the four bases in the infield. It's actually a square 90 feet (27 m) on each side, but from the stands it resembles a parallelogram or "diamond".

A baseball field is a playing field used for baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

dig it out

To field a ball on or near the ground. Usually a first baseman taking a low throw from another infielder.

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dinger

A home run.

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disabled list

Major league teams may remove injured players from their active roster temporarily by placing them on the "disabled list." Another player can then be called up as a replacement during this time.

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dish

• Home plate. "The catcher settles in behind the dish."
• A pitch, particularly a good one. "Here comes the dish" (the pitch), or "He's really dishing it tonight" (pitching well).

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DL

The disabled list. Sometimes used as a verb, as in "Woods was DL'ed yesterday."

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doctoring the ball

Applying a foreign substance to the ball or otherwise altering it in order to put an unnatural spin on a pitch. Examples: By applying Vaseline or saliva (a spitball), or scuffing with sandpaper, emory board (an emery ball), or by rubbing vigorously to create a shiny area of the ball (a shineball). All of these became illegal beginning in the 1920 season, helping to end the Dead Ball Era. ((Official Rules of Baseball, Rule 8.02(a))

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double

A hit where the batter makes it safely to second base before the ball can be returned to the infield. Also a two-base hit.

In baseball, a double is the act of a batter safely reaching second base by striking the ball and getting to second before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

doubleheader

When two games are played by the same two teams on the same day. When the games are played late in the day, they are referred to as a "twilight-night" or "twi-night" doubleheader. When one game is played in the afternoon and one in the evening (typically with separate admission fees), it is referred to as a "day-night" doubleheader. In minor league baseball, doubleheader games are often scheduled for 7 innings rather than the 9 innings that is standard for a regulation game.

According to the Dickson dictionary, the term is thought to derive from a railroading term for a train using two joined engines (a "double header") to pull an exceptionally long train.

Doubleheader is the term used to describe two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

double play

• A play by the defense where two offensive players are put out as a result of continuous action resulting in two outs. A typical example is the 6-4-3 double play.
• The double play combination (or DP combo) on a team consists of the shortstop and the second baseman, because these players are the key players in a 6-4-3 or 4-6-3 double play. They are also sometimes called sackmates, a reference to the fact that they play either side of second base (also known as second sack).

After stepping on second base, the fielder throws to first to complete a double play In baseball, a double play (denoted on statistics sheets by DP) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... DP combo, in the sport of baseball, is a slang term for a shortstop and second basemen combination, as primary executors of double plays. ...

double play depth

A defensive tactic that positions the middle infielders to be better prepared for a double play at the expense of positioning for a hit to the third-base side.

Normal depth In baseball, while there are nine named fielding positions, players may move around freely. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

doubles hitter

A gap hitter

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down

Put out. "One down" means one out has been made in the inning (two more to go in the inning). "One up (and) one down" means the first batter in the inning was out. "Two down" means two outs have been made in the inning (one more to go). "Two up (and) two down": the first two batters of the inning were retired (made outs). "Three up, three down": side retired in order.

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down the line

On the field near the foul lines, often used to describe the location of batted balls.

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down the middle

Over the middle portion of home plate, used to describe the location of pitches. Also referred to as down the pipe, down Main Street, down Broadway, and, in Atlanta, down Peachtree. Very different from up the middle.

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DP combo

A slang term for a shortstop and second baseman combination, as primary executors of double plays. They are also occasionally referred to as sackmates. Generally speaking, only the best sets of middle infielders get called DP combos.

DP combo, in the sport of baseball, is a slang term for a shortstop and second basemen combination, as primary executors of double plays. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

drilled

Hit by a pitch, plunked.

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drive

• A line drive (noun).
• To hit a line drive (verb). "Magglio drove the ball to center."
• To make hits that produce RBI's. "Tejada drove him home from second." "Ramirez drove in three."

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Magglio Ordóñez Delgado [or-DOH-nyez] (born January 28, 1974 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter who has played for the Chicago White Sox (1997-2004) and the Detroit Tigers (2005-). Hes exactly six feet tall and weighs 215 lbs. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Miguel Odalis Tejada (born May 25, 1976) is currently the shortstop of the Baltimore Orioles Major League Baseball team. ... Manuel Arístides (Manny) Ramírez Onelcida [ra-MEE-res] (born May 30, 1972) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who has played for the Boston Red Sox since 2001. ...

drop ball

• A sinkerball. Also known as a dropper or el droppo.
• Some extreme 12-to-6 curveballs are also referred to as "drop balls," since they start high and dive as they reach the plate.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Orlando Hernández Pedroso (born October 11, 1965 in Villa Clara, Cuba), also nicknamed El Duque, is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

drop off the table

Used to describe a pitched ball, usually a curveball, that breaks extremely sharply.

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duck snort

A softly hit ball that goes over the infielders and lands in the outfield for a hit. Originally called a "duck fart" because it was assumed that a duck's feathers would make its farts as soft (or quiet) as the hit. Changed to a "snort" for use in polite company.

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ducks on the pond

runners at second and third, but especially when the bases are loaded. "He doesn't hit when there are ducks on the pond."

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due

A batter is said to be "due" when he's been in a hitting slump.

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dugout

The dugout is where a team's bench is located. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the away team. With the exception of relief pitchers in the bullpen, and the first and third base coaches, active players who are not on the field watch the play from the dugout. The term dugout refers to the area being slightly depressed below field level, as is common in professional baseball. There is typically a boundary, often painted yellow, defining the edges of the dugout, to help the umpire make certain calls, such as whether an overthrown ball is considered to be "in the bench" or not. The rules book still uses the term bench, as there is no requirement that it be "dug out" or necessarily below field level. The original benches typically were at field level, with or without a little roof for shade. As ballpark design progressed, box seats were built closer to the field, lowering the height of the grandstand railing, and compelling the dugout approach to bench construction.

Cincinnati Reds dugout, 1991 In baseball, the dugout is where a teams bench is located. ... Look up dugout in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

duster, dust-off pitch

A pitch, often a brush-back, thrown so far inside that the batter drops to the ground ("hits the dust") to avoid it. Somewhat contradictorily, on the same play the pitcher may be said to have "dusted off" the batter.

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dying quail

A batted ball that drops in front of the outfielders for a hit, often unexpectedly (like a shot bird).

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E

Eephus

A very slow pitch with a high arcing trajectory. Invented by 1930s Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Rip Sewell, it is not a part of any current pitcher's repertoire, but some do throw it very rarely to fool a hitter's timing. It is best used sparingly, because it can be very easy to hit without the element of surprise. Ted Williams said that the game-winning home run that he hit off of Sewell in the 1946 All-Star Game was his greatest thrill in baseball.

An Eephus pitch in baseball is a junk pitch which has nothing on it—very little velocity and catches the hitter off-guard. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,4,8,9,20,21,33,40 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882-1889) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers Stadium... Truett Banks Rip Sewell (May 11, 1907 – 1989) was a professional baseball pitcher, known to be one of the greatest junk pitchers. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service as a Marine Corps pilot, with the Boston Red Sox. ...

early innings

The first, second and third innings of a regulation nine-inning game.

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earned run

Any run for which the pitcher is held accountable (i.e., the run did not score as a result of a fielding error or a passed ball). Primarily used to calculate the earned run average.

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earned run average

The average number of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. Abbreviated as ERA.

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ejected

A player or coach who is disqualified from the game by an umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct. SYNONYMS: tossed, thrown out, banished, given the thumb, given the heave-ho, kicked out, booted, sent to the clubhouse.

In sports, an ejection is a disqualifying action assessed to a player or coach by a game official (such as a referee or umpire), usually for unsportsmanlike conduct. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Unsportsmanlike conduct is a term used in most professional sports to refer to a particular player or team who have acted inappropriately and/or unprofessionally in the context of the game. ...

elephant ear(s)

When the lining of a player's pockets are sticking out of the pockets.

emergency starter

When a pitcher who is normally a reliever or in the minor leagues is called on to start the game on short notice because the originally scheduled starter is injured or ill. Recent illustrations: "With Chan Ho Park sidelined indefinitely by what was diagnosed as anemia, Mike Thompson is expected to get the call yet again as the emergency starter, arriving via Portland, where he has spent the past 10 days with the Triple-A Beavers." "Thompson continues to be the model of consistency for a young guy always on call as an emergency starter."

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ... Chan Ho Park (born June 30, 1973 in Kongju, South Korea) is a Korean baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Major League Baseball Texas Rangers. ...

ERA

See earned run average.

In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

erase

A runner who is already safely on a base is "erased" by being thrown out.

error

An error is an act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when that advance could have been prevented by ordinary effort by the fielder. An error is also charged when a fielder fails to catch a foul fly ball that could have been caught with ordinary effort. The term error can also refer to the play in which an error was committed.

In baseball, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or runner to reach one or more additional bases, on a play that would normally be completed successfully with ordinary effort. ... In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field and to send this official record of the game back to the league offices. ...

even count

1-1 or 2-2. See count.

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everyday player

• A position player, as opposed to a pitcher who may play only every few days. Sometimes a talented prospect who is a good pitcher but an outstanding hitter will be encouraged to focus on playing another position and thereby become an everyday player to take advantage of his hitting.
• A position player who's a regular in the starting line-up in virtually every game, as opposed to either:

• a platoon player who plays only against pitchers of the opposite hand.
• a substitute who begins most games on the bench or only occasionally starts games to spell the regular starting player at his position. Sometimes these players are referred to as bench players or role players. They may also take on pinch hitting or pinch running assignments.

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excuse me swing

When a batter inadvertently makes contact during a check swing. Contrast with swinging bunt.

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expand the strike zone

When a pitcher gets ahead in the count, he "expands the strike zone" because the hitter will be more likely to swing at a pitch that's at the edge or out of the strike zone or in some other location where he can't hit it.

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expanded roster

A major league term for the larger roster of players that can be used under specific circumstances, such as when major league rosters can expand from 25 to up to 40 players on September 1.

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extra bases

Any bases gained by a batter beyond first base on a hit. So doubles count for one "extra base," triples for two, and home runs for three. These kinds of hits are referred to as "extra base hits" and improve a batter's slugging percentage.

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extra innings

Additional innings needed to determine a winner if a game is tied after the regulation number of innings (typically 9, though sometimes 7). Also known as bonus baseball or free baseball because paying spectators are witnessing more action than normal.

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F

Fall Classic

The World Series -- the championship series of Major League Baseball, in which the champion of the American League faces off against the champion of the National League. Typically, this series takes place in October, so playing in October is the goal of any major league team. Reggie Jackson's moniker "Mr. October" indicates that he played with great distinction in the World Series for the Yankees. Another Yankee, Derek Jeter, picked up the nickname "Mr. November" after he hit a walk-off home run in Game 4 of the 2001 World Series just after midnight local time on November 1. By comparison, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's dubbing another of his players (Dave Winfield) "Mr. May" expressed his disappointment with that player's performance in the Fall Classic.

The one time the Fall Classic was actually played in the summer was 1918, when the season was curtailed due to World War I and the Series was played in early September. Jeter's walk-off homer was the first plate appearance in the month of November in MLB history; the 2001 season was delayed for several days following 9/11, eventually pushing the start of the World Series into the last week of October.

For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ... Reginald Martinez Jackson (born May 18, 1946), nicknamed Mr. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Yankee Stadium (1923-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927... Derek Sanderson Jeter (born June 26, 1974) is a seven-time All-Star shortstop for the New York Yankees, and is the teams leader and captain. ... In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run which ends the game. ... The 2001 World Series (the November Series) took place between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees and is considered one of the most exciting World Series in recent memory. ... EDT (shown in yellow) is UTC-4 The Eastern Time Zone of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of Northern America and the west coast of South America. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... George Steinbrenner, The Boss George Michael Steinbrenner III (born July 4, 1930 in Rocky River, Ohio) often known as The Boss, is the principal owner of the New York Yankees. ... David Mark Winfield (born October 3, 1951 in St. ... Combatants Allied Powers: United Kingdom France Italy Russia United States Serbia Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Nicholas II Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Reinhard Scheer Franz Josef I Conrad von Hötzendorf Ä°smail Enver Ferdinand I Casualties... The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly targeting civilians, carried out on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. ...

fan

• A strong supporter of a player, a team, or the game in general. This term originated in 19th century England as "the fancy" to refer to those who followed or "fancied" boxing. "The fancy" was shortened to "the fance," then "the fans" was adopted into baseball (replacing the 19th century term "kranks" or "cranks"). Its use was reinforced by its apparent connection to the word "fanatics."
• To "fan" a batter is to strike him out, especially a swinging strike three.

Fan may refer to the following: Fan (aficionado) (the bracketed word being the Spanish translation), someone who has an intense liking of a sporting. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Professional boxing bout featuring Ricardo Domínguez (left) versus Rafael Ortíz Boxing, also called Western Boxing, prizefighting (when referring to professional boxing) or the sweet science (a common nickname among fans), is a sport and martial art in which two participants of similar weight fight each other with their... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

fan interference

When a fan or any person not associated with one of the teams alters play in progress (in the judgment of an umpire), it is fan interference. The ball becomes dead, and the umpire will award any bases or charge any outs that, in his judgment, would have occurred without the interference. This is one of several types of interference calls in baseball.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In sports, an umpire is an official appointed to rule on plays and procedure. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ...

fencebuster

A slugger.

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fastball

A pitch that is thrown more for high velocity than for movement; it's the most common type of pitch. Also known as smoke, a bullet, a heater (you can feel the heat generated by the ball), or a hummer (the ball can't be seen, only heard).

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

fat pitch

A pitch that is located exactly where the hitter is expecting it. The ball may look bigger than it actually is, and the batter may hit it a long way.

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feed

• To throw the ball carefully to another fielder in a way that allows him to make an out. A first-baseman who has just fielded a ground ball will "feed the ball" to the pitcher who is running over from the mound to make the force out at first base. An infielder who has fielded a ground-ball will feed the ball to the player covering second base so that the latter can step on the base and quickly throw to first base to complete a double play.
• To draw energy from the fans. A newly-hired manager might say "I really think we can feed on the excitement that's already here."

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field

• A baseball field or baseball diamond upon which the game of baseball is played.
• A ballfield, ballpark, or stadium (e.g., Dodger Stadium, Wrigley Field, Comerica Park).
• To field the ball is to capture or make a play on a ground ball or to catch a fly ball.
• To take the field means that the defensive players are going to their positions, while the other team is on the offense or at bat. "The Reds have taken the field, and Jose Reyes is leading off for the Mets."

A baseball field is a playing field used for baseball. ... Dodger Stadium, in Los Angeles, California, has been the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball team since 1962. ... It has been suggested that Eamus catuli be merged into this article or section. ... Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

fielder

• Any defensive player (as opposed to a batter).
• Often, defensive players are distinguished as either pitchers or position players. Position players are further divided into infielders and outfielders.

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In baseball, a position player is a player who on defense plays as an infielder, outfielder, or catcher. ... An infielder is a baseball player who plays on the infield, the dirt portion of a baseball diamond between first base and third base. ... An outfielder moves in to catch a fly ball Outfielder is a collective term including left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, the three positions in baseball farthest from the batter. ...

field manager

The head coach of a team is called the manager (more formally, the field manager). He controls team strategy on the field. He sets the line-up and starting pitcher before each game as well as making substitutions throughout the game. In modern baseball the field manager is normally subordinate to the team's general manager (or GM), who among other things is responsible for personnel decisions, including hiring and firing the field manager. However, the term manager used without qualification almost always refers to the field manager.

In baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager (or more formally, the field manager); this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

fielder's choice

A fielder's choice (FC) is the act of a fielder, upon fielding a batted ball, choosing to try to put out a baserunner and allow the batter-runner to advance to first base. Despite reaching first base safely after hitting the ball, the batter is not credited with a hit but would be charged with an at-bat.

In baseball, a fielders choice is the act of a fielder, upon fielding a batted ball, choosing to try put out one runner while in so doing allowing the batter to advance to first base. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

figger filbert

An old-fashioned and more colorful way of saying "numbers nut", for a fan with a near-obsessive interest in the statistics or "figures" of the game. The first true "figger filbert" was probably Ernest Lanigan, who was the first historian of the Baseball Hall of Fame and prior to that was one of the first, if not the first, to publish an encyclopedia of baseball stats, in the 1920s. In the modern era, Bill James could be said to be the iconic "figger filbert". He is also a founding father of the field of baseball research called sabermetrics.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. ...

fireballer

A pitcher who throws primarily fastballs. A flamethrower.

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fireman

A team's top relier pitcher who is often brought in to end an offensive rally and put out the fire.

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first-ball hitter

A hitter who likes to hit the first pitch in an at bat.

Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

five o'clock hitter

A hitter who hits really well during batting practice, but not so well during games. These were formerly known as "ten o'clock hitters" back when there were no night games.

Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ...

FL or F.L.

Abbreviation for Federal League, a major league that existed from 1914 to 1915.

The Federal League was the last major attempt to establish a third major league in baseball in the United States in direct competition with and opposition to the established American and National Leagues in 1914 and 1915. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... See also: 1913 in sports, 1915 in sports and the list of years in sports. Baseball April 22 - Baltimore Orioles Babe Ruth, age 19, pitches his first professional game Football (Australian Rules) Victorian Football League Carlton wins the 18th VFL Premiership (Carlton 6. ... See also: 1914 in sports, 1916 in sports and the list of years in sports. Football (Australian Rules) Victorian Football League - Carlton wins the 19th VFL Premiership (Carlton 11. ...

flamethrower

A fireballer.

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flare

A fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield. "Pudge hit a flare just out of the shortstop's reach."

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fly ball

A ball hit high in the air. See also pop fly, infield fly, and ground ball.

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force play

When a runner must advance (after a hit) or retouch (after a fly out), a tag on the baserunner is not required. A fielder can merely touch the base with the ball in hand to force out a baserunner. A batter-runner can always be forced out at first base. (Official Rules of Baseball, Rules 2.00 (Force Play) and 7.08(d))

In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled (or forced) to vacate his time-of-pitch base--and thus try to advance to the next base--because the batter became a runner. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

fork ball

A split-finger fastball or splitter.

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foul lines

Two straight lines drawn on the ground from home plate to the outfield fence to indicate the boundary between fair territory and foul territory. These are called the left-field foul line and the right-field foul line. The foul poles on the outfield walls are vertical extensions of the foul lines.

Despite their names, both the foul lines and the foul poles are considered to be in fair territory. Any fly ball that strikes the foul line (including the foul pole) beyond first or third base is a fair ball.

Note that while the foul lines in baseball are in fair territory, just like the side- and end-lines of a tennis court, in basketball or American football the sidelines are considered out of bounds. In other words, hitting the ball "on the line" is good for the offensive player in baseball and tennis, but stepping on the line is bad for the offensive player in basketball and American football. The situation is slightly different in international football (American "soccer"): the sideline and the goal line are inbounds, and the ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed the side line (touch line) or the goal line, whether on the ground or in the air.

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foul off

Purposely batting a pitch foul with two strikes in order to keep the at-bat going, in part to tire the pitcher and in part to get another, different pitch that might be easier to hit. Luke Appling was said to be the king of "fouling them off."

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foul pole

A pole located on each foul line on the outfield fence or wall. The left-field foul pole and right-field foul pole are used by umpires to determine whether a batted ball is a home run or a foul ball. The foul pole is a vertical extension of the foul line. The term "foul pole" is actually a misnomer, because the "foul pole" (like the foul line) is in fair territory and a fly ball that hits the foul pole is considered to be a fair ball (and a home run).

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that is not a foul tip, and that. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that has not yet become a foul ball, and that. ...

four-bagger

A home run. Never mind that the 4th "bag" is actually a plate.

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

frame

• As a noun, a frame is a half of an inning (either the top or the bottom). Announcer: "Two hits, and two runs scored so far in this frame." A bowling term, and suggested by the resemblance of an inning-by-inning scoreboard to a bowling scoresheet.
• As a verb, to frame a pitch is to adjust the position of a catcher's mitt to mislead the umpire into thinking that the ball was caught within the strikezone.

Bowling ball and two pins Ten-pin bowling lane Bowling is a game in which players attempt to score points by rolling a ball along a flat surface to knock down objects called pins. ...

free baseball

Slang for extra innings.

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free pass

A base on balls. "Free" because the batter doesn't have to hit the ball to get on base.

In baseball statistics, a base on balls (BB), also called a walk, is credited to a batter and against a pitcher when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. ...

frozen rope

A hard-hit line drive.

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full count

A count of 3 balls and 2 strikes; another strike will result in a strikeout, while another ball will result in a walk.

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full house

• Three of a kind (3 balls), and two of a kind (2 strikes): a full count. From the term used in poker. Sometimes called full boat. Instead of holding up fingers indicating the count, the umpire may hold up closed fists, implying "full".
• Capacity crowd; all seats filled in the stadium. From the theatrical term.

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fungo

A fly ball hit for fielders to practice catching.

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fungo bat

A lightweight bat with a triangular or flat barrel used to hit fungoes. It is not a legal or safe bat to use with live pitching, because it is too light.

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G

gap

The space between outfielders. Also alley. A ball hit in the gap is sometimes called a gapper.

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gap hitter

Hits with power up the alleys and tends to get a lot of doubles. A doubles hitter.

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gas

A fastball. "Give him (the batter) the gas"; as in stepping on a car's gas pedal to accelerate.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ...

general manager

The general manager (GM) runs the organization of a baseball team (personnel, finance, and operations). Normally distinct from the field manager and the club owner.

In Major League Baseball, the General Manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players. ... Human Resources has at least two meanings depending on context. ... Finance studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses and organizations raise, allocate and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects. ... Business operations are those activities involved in the running of a business for the purpose of producing value for the stakeholders. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

get on one's horse

When a fielder (usually an outfielder) runs extremely fast towards a hard hit ball in an effort to catch it.

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get good wood

To hit a ball hard. A batter who "gets good wood on the ball" or who "gets some lumber on the ball" hits it hard.

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get off the schneid

To break a scoreless or hitless or winless streak (i.e. a schneid). According to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term "schneid" comes to baseball via gin rummy, and in turn comes from German / Yiddish "schneider," one who cuts cloth, i.e., a tailor.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... // Gin rummy (or Gin for short) is a simple and popular two-player card game created by Elwood T. Baker in 1909. ...

GIDP

Statistical abbreviation for grounded into double play.

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glove

• A baseball glove or mitt is a large padded leather glove that players on the defensive team wear to assist them in catching and fielding balls hit by a batter or thrown by a teammate. Different positions require different shapes and sizes of gloves. The term "mitt" is officially reserved to describe the catcher's mitt and the first-baseman's mitt. By rule, fielders other than the first-baseman and the catcher can only wear conventional gloves (with individual finger slots), not mitts. There is no rule requiring fielders to wear a glove or mitt, but the nature of the game normally renders it a necessity. A fielder may have to catch a ball bare-handed, if he loses his glove in pursuit of a ball, or otherwise finds himself at the wrong angle to use it. A video clip from 1989, that was included in several "amazing plays" videos, showed Kevin Mitchell of the San Francisco Giants catching a ball over-the-shoulder and barehanded.
• Most batters nowadays wear leather batting gloves to improve their grip on the bat and provide a small amount of padding. This practice began in the 1960s when some batters began wearing golf gloves. Hawk Harrelson pioneered this practice. Additionally, some base-stealing artists, especially those who practice the head-first / hands-first slide, will wear specialized sliding gloves. All-time base-stealing record holder Rickey Henderson often used sliding gloves.

Players will generally keep batting and sliding gloves in their pants pockets when not in use, and set their fielding gloves on a shelf or other convenient place in the dugout. At one time, it was common practice to leave the fielding glove on the playing field. After that practice was outlawed due to risks to other fielders and possible interference with a live ball, players would sometimes carry their gloves in their pants pockets. That fact illustrates (1) how much larger and baggier the uniforms were at the time and (2) how much smaller the gloves were. The old adage "two hands while you're learning" was a necessity in the early years, when the glove was mostly used simply to absorb the shock of the hit or thrown ball. The glove has since evolved into a much more effective "trap", so the rules have very specific limitations on the size and shape of gloves. One-hand catches are now commonplace, although the occasional fielding gaffe by one-handers brings the old adage to mind.

Jokes used in movies and cartoons notwithstanding, throwing the glove to try to "catch" or slow down a batted ball is forbidden by the rules. When the umpire calls it, the batter is awarded an automatic triple (meaning that all runners ahead of him are allowed to score freely) and it is also a live ball, so the batter-runner has the option of trying for home if possible. Similarly, it is against the rules to take off one's cap to use it as an alternate "glove", as "All the Way Mae" (Madonna) was shown doing in A League of Their Own.

Glove front (top) shows catching surface with baseball bat. ... Glove front (top) shows catching surface with baseball bat. ... Kevin Darnell Mitchell (born January 13, 1962 in San Diego, California) is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder and third baseman who played for the New York Mets (1984, 1986), San Diego Padres (1987), San Francisco Giants (1987-91), Seattle Mariners (1992), Cincinnati Reds (1993-94, 1996), Boston... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3,4,11,24,27,30,36,44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... Baseball equipment and clothing The baseball is the most fundamental piece of equipement in the game. ... Kenneth Smith Hawk Harrelson (born September 4, 1941 in Woodruff, South Carolina), nicknamed The Hawk, due to his distinctive profile, is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who currently serves as a broadcast announcer for the Chicago White Sox. ... Rickey Henderson Rickey Henley Henderson (born December 25, 1958) is baseballs major-league all-time leader in stolen bases, by a very wide margin [1]. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s his on-base percentage and high stolen-base totals made him one of baseballs premier leadoff hitters. ... Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (born August 16, 1958), better known worldwide by only her first name, is an iconic American pop singer, songwriter, musician, record and film producer, dancer, actress, and author whose level of fame and success has earned her superstar status for over two decades. ... A League of Their Own is a 1992 film which tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. ...

GM

An abbreviation for general manager.

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going yard

To "go yard" is to hit a home run, i.e., to hit the ball the length of the baseball field or "ball yard".

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Golden Sombrero

One who strikes out four times in one game is said to have gotten a "Golden Sombrero".

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golfing

Swinging at an obviously low pitch, particularly one in the dirt. Also used to describe actual contact with a pitch low in the zone.

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gone

• A ball hit over the wall, a home run. Announcer: "That ball is gone." That's a reduction of the timeless phrase, "Going . . . going . . . gone," and of the way famed Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell would say it: "That ball is loooong gone." It wasn't necessary to pronounce the words "home run".
• Conversely, a batter who has just been struck out, especially by a power pitcher. Used frequently by Chicago White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson, as in, "He gone!"
• An announcer may simply announce "one gone" or "two gone" to indicate how many outs have been made in the inning. This has the same meaning as "one away" and "two away."

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... William Earnest Ernie Harwell (born January 25, 1918 in Washington, Georgia, USA) is a former Major League Baseball play-by-play announcer. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) Central Division (1994-present) Current uniform Ballpark U.S. Cellular Field (1991-present) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 2005 â€¢ 1917 â€¢ 1906 AL Pennants (6) 2005 â€¢ 1959 â€¢ 1919 â€¢ 1917 1906 â€¢ 1901 Central Division titles (2) [1] 2005 â€¢ 2000 West Division titles (2... Kenneth Smith Ken Harrelson (born September 4, 1941 in Woodruff, South Carolina), nicknamed The Hawk, due to his distinctive profile, is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a broadcast announcer. ...

good hit, no field

Said to have been the world's shortest scouting report, and often quoted in reference to sluggers such as Dick Stuart and Dave Kingman, who were notoriously poor fielders.

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goose egg

A zero on the scoreboard.

gopher pitch

A gopher pitch (or gopher ball) is a pitch that leads to a home run, one that the batter will "go for". Illustration from an on-line chat: "He was always that guy who'd go in and throw the gopher pitch in the first inning and he'd be two down." A game in which several home runs have been hit by both teams may also sometimes be described as "gopher ball."

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

grab some pine

Go sit on the bench, used as a taunt after a strikeout. Popularized by Giants sportscaster Mike Krukow.

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grand slam

Home run hit with the bases loaded. A "grand salami."

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Grapefruit League

The group of major league teams that conduct Spring Training in Florida, where grapefruit trees grow in abundance.

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green light

Permission from the manager for a batter or runner to be aggressive. Examples include permission for the batter to swing away on a 3-0 count or for a runner steal a base.

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ground ball

A ball hit on the ground so that it bounces in the infield. Also grounder. A bunt is not considered a "ground ball."

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ground ball with eyes

A ground ball which barely gets between two infielders for a base hit, seeming to "see" the only spot where it would be unfieldable.

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ground rules

Rules that are specific to a particular ballpark (or grounds) due to unique features of the park and where the standard baseball rules may be inadequate. See ground rules for some examples.

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guess hitter

A hitter who may not be the best at reading what kind of pitch is coming toward him so he guesses what the next pitch is going to be.

gun

• A strong arm.
• To throw strongly. Announcer following a play in which the shortstop fields a ground ball and throws hard to first: "Guillen guns and gets him."

gun down

To throw out a runner. "Alfonso gunned him down when he tried to stretch his single to a double."

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H

Hall of Fame

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Abbreviated HOF.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, United States, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests that serves as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in North America, the display of baseball-related... The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, located at 62 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, is a semi-official museum operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of baseball-related... For a list of other places, see Cooperstown (disambiguation). ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  Ranked 27th  - Total 54,520 sq mi (141,205 km²)  - Width 285 miles (455 km)  - Length 330 miles (530 km)  - % water 13. ...

hammer

• To hit the ball hard, typically for extra bases. "Aaron hammered that pitch."
• The nickname of Henry Aaron — Hank "The Hammer" Aaron — the all-time Major League career leader in home runs.
• A curve ball, usually of the 12 to 6 variety.

Henry Louis Hank Aaron (born February 5, 1934), baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, is best known for setting the record for most home runs in a career (755), surpassing the previous mark of 714 by Babe Ruth. ...

handcuff

• A hard-hit ground ball that bounces directly at an infielder may be difficult for him to get his hands up in time to grab. He may appear to be handcuffed in that situation.
• A pitch thrown high and inside may handcuff a batter because he can't get his hands far enough away from his body to swing the bat.

Hiatts Speedcuffs in holster, as used by UK police A model wearing handcuffs, waist chain, and thumbcuffs Old handcuffs Handcuffs are restraints designed to secure an individuals wrists close together. ... Hiatts Speedcuffs in holster, as used by UK police A model wearing handcuffs, waist chain, and thumbcuffs Old handcuffs Handcuffs are restraints designed to secure an individuals wrists close together. ...

handle

Often it's said of a player who has not fielded a batted ball cleanly that he "couldn't find the handle on it." This suggests the fanciful notion that the baseball would be easier to hold onto if there were a handle attached to it.

A handle is a part of, or attachment to, an object that can be moved or used by hand. ...

hang

• A breaking ball that does not break, and so is easy to hit. A hanging curveball.
• A pitcher may be hung with a loss if he is responsible for his team falling behind in runs and the team never recovers the lead.
• A runner may be hung up if he is caught in a rundown.
• A runner may be hung out to dry if he gets picked off at first base, or if a hitter misses a hit-and-run sign and the runner is easily tagged out at second base. A player may be hung out to dry if his team treats him in an unexpected or disappointing way. (Story: "The Mets got what they needed from pitcher Al Leiter yesterday. Unfortunately, Leiter was hung out to dry again, done in by his team's anemic offense.")

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hard hands

A tendency to mishandle fielded balls. Also stone fingers.

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hat trick

To strike out three times. Used jokingly, as the same term means to score three times in hockey and other sports.

In sports, a hat-trick (more often rendered in North America as hat trick, without the hyphen) is associated with achieving something in a group of three. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In sports, a hat-trick (more often rendered in North America as hat trick, without the hyphen) is associated with achieving something in a group of three. ...

HBP

A shorthand term used to abbreviate Hit By Pitch.

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headhunter

a pitcher who throws beanballs.

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heat

Also heater. A fastball.

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helping his own cause

Said of a pitcher who knocks in runs as a hitter, thereby helping himself to earn credit for a win.

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hidden ball trick

A very rare feat in which a fielder has the ball and hides it from a runner, trying to trick him into believing that some other fielder has it or that it has gotten away from them. One example would be if the pitcher throws to first to force a runner back to the base, and the first baseman pretends to throw the ball back to the pitcher. If the runner starts to lead off again right away, he could be tagged out. Another example would be for the fielder to spin around, "looking" for a hit or thrown ball that has "eluded" him, while actually carrying it in his glove. There is no rule against this kind of deception. The exception is that once the pitcher toes or stands astride the rubber, he must have the ball in his possession, or else a balk will be called. Any baserunner victimized by a hidden ball trick play is liable to be ribbed endlessly by his teammates for having been caught napping.

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high and tight

A location pitch thrown above the strike zone and close to the batter.

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high cheese

A fastball thrown high in the strike zone.

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high, hard one

a fastball thrown high in, or above the strike zone.

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high heat

A strike thrown high in the strike zone.

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hill

The pitcher's mound.

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hit

• The act of safely reaching first base after batting the ball into fair territory. Abrreviated as H. See also base hit, single, double, triple, home run, extra base hit, error, fielder's choice.
• The act of contacting the ball with the bat. "The batter hit the ball right at the second baseman."
• When a batter is touched by a pitch. See hit by pitch
• The term sacrifice hit is used by scorekeepers to indicate a sacrifice bunt. It is typically an out, not a base hit (unless the batter beats the throw to first).

In Major League Baseball history, Ty Cobb had a record 4,191 hits by 1928; Pete Rose would surpass it 57 years later, and finish with 4,256 career hits. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

hitter

batter

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hitter's count

When a batter is way ahead in the count (3-0, 3-1, 2-0) he's likely to anticipate that the next pitch will be thrown down Broadway -- in the middle of the plate.

hitter's park

A baseball park in which hitters tend to perform better than average. This may be a result of several factors, including the dimensions of the park (distance to the outfield fences, size of foul territory behind the plate and down the lines), prevailing winds, temperature and relative humidity, and altitude. Whether a park is a hitter's park or a pitcher's park (in which hitters perform worse than average) is determined statistically by measuring Park Factors, which involves comparing how well hitters perform in a given park compared with how they perform in all other parks. This measure is regularly reported and updated for Major League Baseball parks by ESPN.com. In addition, Baseball Reference and other baseball research organizations also report park factors for major league parks. Baseball Prospectus and other baseball researchers calculate park factors for minor league parks to help in adjusting the statistics of baseball prospects.

Whether a park is a hitter's park or pitcher's park may change from day to day. For example, when the wind is blowing "out" at Wrigley Field, it is typically rendered a "hitter's park", and double-digit scores for one or both teams are not unusual.

Batting Park Factor, also simply called Park Factor or BPF, is a baseball statistic that indicates the difference between runs scored in a teams home and road games. ... It has been suggested that Eamus catuli be merged into this article or section. ...

hit and run

An offensive tactic whereby a baserunner (usually on first base) starts running as if to steal and the batter is obligated to swing at the pitch. Contrast this to a run and hit, where the runner steals, and the batter (who would normally take on a straight steal) may swing at the pitch.

A hit and run is a play in baseball where the baserunners are put in motion before the ball is hit. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

hit by pitch

When a pitch touches a batter in the batter's box, the batter advances to first base. Abbreviated as HPB. Colloquially, a batter who is hit by a pitch may be said to be plunked, drilled, nailed, plugged, or beaned.

In baseball, being hit by a pitch refers to the batter being hit in some part of the body by a pitch from the pitcher. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

hit 'em where they ain't

Said to be the (grammatically-casual) response of turn-of-the-20th-century player Willie Keeler to the question, "What's the secret to hitting?" in which "'em" or "them" are the batted balls, and "they" are the fielders.

Willie Keeler on a 1909-1911 American Tobacco Company baseball card (White Borders (T206)). William Henry Keeler (March 3, 1872 - January 1, 1923), nicknamed Wee Willie, was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1892 to 1910, primarily for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas in the... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

hit for the cycle

To hit a single, double, triple and home run in the same game. To accomplish this feat in order is termed a "natural cycle."

Eric Davis hit for the cycle in 1989 Hitting for the cycle is a baseball accomplishment characterized by a player hitting a single, a double, a triple and a home run in the same game, though not necessarily in that order. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

hit the ball on the screws (on the button)

To hit the ball even center with measured force, often resulting in a loud crack of the bat. A slumping batter might be comforted by "hitting the ball on the screws" when not getting a hit.

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hitting behind the runner

An offensive tactic where the batter intentionally puts the ball in play to the right side with a runner on second. The intent is to advance the baserunner to third, where a sacrifice fly by the next hitter can score a run.

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hold

A hold (abbreviated as H) is awarded to a relief pitcher if he enters in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without having relinquished that lead. To receive a hold, the pitcher must not finish the game (thus becoming the closing pitcher) or be the winning pitcher.

Unlike saves, more than one pitcher can earn a hold in a game. It is also not necessary for the pitcher's team to win the game in order to achieve a hold; they merely have to be in the lead at the time the pitcher exits.

The hold was invented in 1986 to give credit to non-closer relief pitchers. Holds are most often accredited to setup pitchers, as they usually pitch between the starter and the closer. Holds are (as of 2006) an official Major League Baseball statistic.

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hole

• One of the 9 places in the batting lineup. The lead-off hitter in the first inning is the player in the "one hole." In the four hole, the cleanup hitter is hoping to get to the plate in that inning.
• Also see in the hole.

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hole in his glove

A tendency to drop fly balls, usually after they hit (and seem to go through) the fielder's glove.

hole in his swing

A scouting report phrase describing a batter who can't hit strikes in a particular location.

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home field advantage

Teams playing home games have a small advantage over visiting teams. In recent decades, home teams have tended to win about 53.5% of their games.[2] Because teams play the same number of games at home as they do away during the regular season, this advantage tends to even out. In play-off series, however, teams hope to gain from home-field advantage by having the first game of the series played in their home stadium.

In team sports, a team representing a city or a region is to be that areas home team. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

home game

A game played at the home stadium or ballpark of a baseball club. When the Yankees play in Yankee Stadium, they're playing a home game. The team that is hosting the game is referred to as the home team.

In team sports, a team representing a city or a region is to be that areas home team. ... The New York Yankees are a Major League baseball team based in The Bronx, New York City. ... The exterior of the Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is the home stadium of the New York Yankees, a major league baseball team. ...

home team

The "home team" is the one in whose stadium the game is played against the "visiting team." The home team bats in the bottom half of the inning. In case a game is played at a neutral site, the "home" team is usually determined by coin toss.

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home plate

See plate.

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home run

A home run (or homer) is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself.

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

homer

• A home run.
• Also, a derisive term for a dedicated, almost delusional, fan. Especially used for a broadcaster, in any sport, whose team "can do no wrong". Johnny Most of the Boston Celtics was a notorious "homer". In a somewhat more humorous example, Bert Wilson used to say, "I don't care who wins, as long as it's the Cubs!"

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... John M. “Johnny” Most (June 15, 1923 – January 3, 1993) was an American sports announcer known primarily as the raspy radio voice of the Boston Celtics basketball team from 1953 to 1990. ... The Boston Celtics are a professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Bert Wilson was a broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs from the mid-1940s to mid-1950s. ...

homestand

A series of home games. See also road trip.

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hook

• When a manager leaves the dugout with the obvious intention of replacing the pitcher with a reliever, he may be said to be carrying a hook. "Here comes Sparky, and he's got the hook." Such a usage may have come from the large hooks that were sometimes used in Vaudeville to yank unsuccessful acts off the stage if they were reluctant to leave on their own. When he was manager of the Cincinnati Reds, Sparky Anderson's heavy reliance on relief pitching earned him the nickname "Captain Hook", a reference both to the standard usage and to the Peter Pan villain.

• A pitcher is said to be "on the hook" when he leaves the game with his team behind because of runs that he gave up — a hook on which he may be hung with the loss.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Vaudeville is a style of multi-act theatre which flourished in North America from the 1880s through the 1920s. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,5,8,10,18,20,24 Name Cincinnati Reds (1876–present) (Referred to as Redlegs 1953-1958) Ballpark Great American Ball Park (2003–present) Riverfront Stadium (1970-2002) a. ... Sparky Anderson (left) with George W. Bush and Yogi Berra George Lee Sparky Anderson (born February 22, 1934 in Bridgewater, South Dakota) is ranked fourth all-time for career managerial wins in Major League Baseball (behind Connie Mack, John McGraw and Tony La Russa) and is the only manager in... Captain Hook as seen in the Disney version of Peter Pan. ... Peter Pan is a fictional character created by British novelist and playwright, James Matthew Barrie (1860–1937), as well as the title of a stage play and novel based on the character. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

hook foul

When the batter pulls the ball down the line, starting fair but ending foul, resulting in a foul ball. See also slice foul.

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horsehide

• The ball (a baseball) used in the game of baseball.
• The leather cover on the baseball (which is now usually made of cowhide, not horsehide). A slugger may be said to "knock the horsehide off the ball." Horsehide was the cover of choice for decades, as it was less prone to stretching than cowhide. This was necessary in part because in the early days, they tried to play the entire game with a single ball, or as few as possible. That became moot in the 1920s, but horsehide continued to be used until the 1980s or so, when horsehide became prohibitively expensive and cowhide was finally adopted as the standard cover for a baseball.

A baseball is a ball used primarily in the sport of the same name, baseball. ...

hot box

The area between two fielders during a rundown.

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hot corner

The area around third base and the third baseman, so called because right-handed batters tend to hit line drives down the third base line. The third baseman is sometimes called a "cornerman."

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Hot Stove League

An old fashioned term for a "Winter league" with no games, just speculation, gossip, and story-telling during the months between the end of the World Series and the beginning of Spring training, presumably conducted while sitting around a hot stove. One of Norman Rockwell's well-known baseball paintings is a literal illustration of this term.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Norman Rockwell Norman Percevel Rockwell (February 3, 1894 – November 8, 1978) was a 20th century American painter. ...

humpback liner

A term frequently used to describe a ball hit deep in the infield that has a trajectory in between that of a fly ball and a line drive. They would often fall in for hits, but the extra topspin on the ball makes them take a dive before they can get to the outfield. While not the hardest hit, these types of balls can be hard for infielders to get to if they are not in double-play depth.

hurler

A pitcher.

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

I

ice cream cone

Colorful term used to describe the appearance of a baseball caught in the tip of the webbing of a glove. The partially protruding white ball contrasted with the tan-colored glove resembles a large waffle cone. More usually called a "snow cone."

in the batter's eyes

A high fastball, usually at or near the batter's eye level. Above the strike zone, so a ball, and hard to hit, but also hard to lay off.

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Infield Fly Rule

The umpire calls the batter out when (a) there are less than two outs in the inning, and (b) the batter hits a fly ball that can be caught by an infielder in fair territory, and (c) there are runners on first and second or the bases are loaded.

The batter is automatically called out in this situation whether or not a fielder attempts to catch the fly ball, but assuming that the ball stays in fair territory. The rule states that the umpire is supposed to announce, "Infield fly, if fair". If the ball will be almost certainly fair, the umpire will likely yell, "Infield fly, batter's out!" or just "Batter's out!"

This rule is intended to prevent the fielder from intentionally dropping the ball and getting force outs on the runners on base. The rule is a little mystifying to casual fans of the game, but it has been a fundamental rule since 1895, allegedly to prevent the notoriously tricky Baltimore Orioles from intentionally dropping the ball.

In baseball, the infield fly rule is a special case designed to prevent the defense from gaining an unfair double play by intentionally allowing an easy fly ball to drop to the ground. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that has not yet become a foul ball, and that. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Oriole Park at Camden Yards (1992-present) Major league titles World Series titles (3) 1983, 1970, 1966 AL Pennants (7) 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970 1969, 1966, 1944 East Division titles (8) 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974 1973...

infielder

First baseman, second baseman and third baseman, plus the shortstop, so called because they are positioned on the infield dirt. The pitcher and catcher are typically not considered infielders, but instead as the battery. However, for purposes of implementing the Infield Fly Rule, the catcher and pitcher are included as infielders.

An infielder is a baseball player who plays on the infield, the dirt portion of a baseball diamond between first base and third base. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

inning

An inning consists of two halves. In each half, one team bats until three outs are made. A full inning consists of six outs, three for each team; and a regulation game consists of nine innings. The first half-inning is called the top half of the inning; the second half-inning, the bottom half. The break between the top and bottom halves is called the middle of the inning. The visiting team is on offense during the top half of the inning, the home team is on offense during the bottom half.

An innings, or inning, is a segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which a side takes its turn to bat. ... In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

inside baseball

An offensive strategy that focuses on teamwork and good execution. It usually centers on tactics that keep the ball in the infield: walks, base hits, bunts, and stolen bases. This was the primary offensive strategy during the Dead Ball Era. Inside baseball is also a common metaphor in American politics to describe background machinations. The equivalent modern term is small ball.

Inside baseball refers to conversations or dialog that refers to subject matter, the details of which the average member of the public would have no way of being privy to, and often concerning obscure matters that would only be of interest to the participants, leaving viewers or an audience mystified... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Inside baseball refers to conversations or dialog that refers to subject matter, the details of which the average member of the public would have no way of being privy to, and often concerning obscure matters that would only be of interest to the participants, leaving viewers or an audience mystified... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

inside-the-park home run

A play where a hitter scores a home run without hitting the ball out of play.

In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run is a play where a hitter scores a home run without hitting the ball out of play. ... In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

insurance run

A run that is scored in the late innings when the leading team is only ahead by one or two, providing a margin of safety against a rally.

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intentional pass

Same as intentional walk.

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intentional walk

A walk given by the pitcher throwing four straight balls well outside of the strike zone. Usually the catcher will not crouch in the catcher's box, but will instead stand, extending a hand away from the batter as an obvious sign. (Although the pitcher's "intention" is to walk the batter, if he does not take care to pitch far enough outside, the batter may still be able to hit the ball safely, which would be rare but legal.) Often an "intentional walk" will occur with first base open since then the walk doesn't dramatically benefit the offense, and opens the possibility of a double play. An "intentional walk" is seen as both a compliment to the batter being walked, and an insult to the batter on deck, who is considered to be an easier out. See also pitch around.

In baseball statistics, an intentional base on balls (denoted by IBB), often called an intentional walk, is used in baseball to count the number of times a walk was issued with no intent of ever allowing a hit. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

interference

Interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. Interference might be committed by players on the offense, players not currently in the game, catchers, umpires, or fans; each type of interference is covered differently by the rules. See the Wikipedia article on interference for details on the varieties of interference calls.

Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ...

in the books

The game is over. "This game's in the books [the records]."

in the hole

• The spaces between the first and second basemen and between the shortstop and the third baseman, one of the usual places where a ground ball must go for a hit. Infielders try to field balls hit into the hole. "Ozzie went deep in the hole to get that one" does not mean that Ozzie went under ground to get the ball. Despite Ozzie's best efforts, the ball may "find a hole" through the infield and into the outfield. See also up the middle and down the line.
• Due up to bat after the on-deck batter. Probably derived from from boating, where it was originally "in the hold," the place prior to being "on deck."
• Used to describe an unfavorable count. A pitcher would be "in the hole" 3-0 and a batter would be "in the hole" 0-2.

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in play

• A game is in play when the umpire declares "play ball" at the beginning of the game or after a time-out.
• Any batted ball is "in play" until either the play ends, the umpire calls the ball foul, or there is fan interference or some other event that leads to a dead ball. A ball hit into foul territory but in the air is in play in that a fielder may attempt to catch the ball for an out and a runner may attempt to advance after such a catch, but if it then falls to the ground or hits the fence in foul territory it would then be called foul and no longer be in play.
• In sabermetrics, a special definition of "ball in play" is used to calculate a "batting average on balls in play" (BABIP), which excludes homeruns even though they are fair balls.

In sports, an umpire is an official appointed to rule on plays and procedure. ... In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that is not a foul tip, and that. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. ... In baseball, Defense Independent Pitching Statistics (DIPS), also known as DIPS ERA (dERA), is a sabermetric statistic which measures a pitchers effectiveness based only on plays which are completely under his control: home runs allowed, strikeouts, and walks. ... In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run, with no errors on the play that result in the batter achieving extra bases. ...

J

jack

A home run or to hit a home run. "Hitting a jack" or "Jacking one out of here."

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jam

• To pitch far enough inside that the batter is unable to extend while swinging. "The pitcher jammed the batter". The batter was "handcuffed" or "shackled" by the pitch.
• When runners are in scoring position with less than two outs and good hitters coming up. "The pitcher is in a jam."
• "Bases are jammed" means "bases are full." There is no more room there.

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Junior Circuit

The American League, so-called because it is the younger of the two major leagues.

American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ...

junk

• breaking balls and knuckleballs, pitches that are difficult to hit due to movement rather than velocity.
• A pitcher who throws junk is a junkball pitcher or a junkballer.

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junkball pitcher

a pitcher who throws predominantly junk, usually due to a weak (or slow) fastball.

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K

K

The traditional abbreviation for a strikeout. A backwards K is often used to denote a called strikeout. Invented by Henry Chadwick by taking the "most prominent" letter of "struck" and reinforced by inference of "knockout" or "K.O." That connotation still exists, when the announcer says the pitcher "punched out" the batter, a play on words that also refers to "punching" a time clock.

In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K, K-S, or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Henry Chadwick (October 5, 1824 – April 20, 1908), often called the father of baseball, was a sportswriter, baseball statistician and historian. ... Knockout (also referred to as a K.O. or knock), is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai and others sports involving striking. ...

keep the line moving

reference to a series of batters reaching base, alluding to an assembly line

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 1913 Ford Model T assembly line. ...

keystone sack

Second base. Like the keystone of an arch, second base is the key to both scoring (a runner on the base is in scoring position) and defense (with strength up the middle).

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Keystone could mean: Keystone (train) Keystone (architecture) Keystone Aircraft Corporation Keystone (software) - A parser and front-end for ISO C++ Keystone, Colorado - a town and ski resort Keystone Resort - ski resort in Keystone, Colorado Keystone Studios - movie studio, also see Keystone Kops Keystone (beer) - a Coors product This is a... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

knocks

• To score an RBI. "The cleanup hitter knocked in 3 runs."
• A hit, as in "two-base knock."
• Hard hits or extra base hits, not necessarly producing RBI's or referring to a specific type of hit. "Curtis had some solid knocks today."

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knuckleball

A pitch thrown with no spin, traditionally thrown with the knuckles, but also with the fingertips. It tends to flutter and move suddenly on its way to the plate. Also refers to a batted ball that flutters "like a knuckleball."

A knuckleball (or knuckler for short) is a baseball pitch thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

L

lace

To hit the ball very hard, typically a line drive. "Monroe laced it to left field."

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late innings

The seventh, eighth and ninth innings of a regulation nine-inning game.

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Lawrence Welk

A (rare) 1-2-3 double play ("...and a one, ana 2, ana 3")

Lawrence Welk during a taping of The Lawrence Welk Show Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was a musician, accordion player, bandleader, and television impressario. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

lead

• When a baserunner steps off of a base before a pitch is thrown in order to reduce the distance to the next base he takes a lead.
• The player who is first in the batting order for a given team in any given inning is said to lead off the inning.
• The team with more runs is said "to lead" the game.

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lead-off hitter

• The first batter listed on a team's line-up card (in the 1-hole or the "lead-off spot" on the line-up card). When the announcers read the starting line-up they might say, "Leading off, and playing short-stop, is Sammy Speedyrunner. Batting second, playing second base, Carlos Contacthitter. Batting third, in the pitcher's spot, is designated hitter Burt "Biggie" Brokenleg. Batting clean-up, playing left field, Thor Thunderbat. . . ."
• The first batter in an inning (who could be in any hole on a team's line-up card).

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leaning

A baserunner is said to be "caught leaning" or "leaning the wrong way" when he is (picked off) a base while shifting his weight toward the next base.

Pickoff attempt on runner (in red) at first base A pickoff is an act by a pitcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder would tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base. ...

leather

Referring to a fielder's glove, a player with good leather is a good defensive player (typically an infielder). Flashing the leather means making an outstanding defensive play.

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left on base

Baserunners that are still on base when the third out is made. The total number for a team and a player is usually published in the box score. Abbreviation: LOB.

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left-handed specialist

A left-handed relief pitcher specializing in getting one out, often in critical situations.

In baseball, a left-handed specialist (also called, somewhat derisively, a LOOGY or Lefty One Out Guy) is a left-handed relief pitcher who specializes in getting left-handed batters out. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

leg out

To run hard to get safely on base.

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line drive

• A line drive or liner is a batted ball that is hit hard in the air and has a low arc. See also rope.
• A line drive may also be said to be "hit on a line."
• A batter may be said to have "lined out" if the liner was caught by a fielder.

In baseball, a batted ball can be called one of several various things, depending on how it comes off the bat and where in the field it lands. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

lineup

The batting order.

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lineup card

• A form kept by each manager listing the starting players and all other players who are on the active roster and available to play in the game. Typically this form will be taped to the wall inside the dugout for the manager and coaches to consult when they need to make substitutes during a game.
• Before the game starts the manager hands a line-up card of the starting players to the home plate umpire. This line-up will change throughout the game as players starting players are removed and substitutes inserted.

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Live Ball Era

The time since 1919 or 1920 when several rule changes favored the strategy of the power game over the time-honored inside game, ending the Dead Ball Era.

The Live Ball Era, also referred to as the Lively Ball Era, is the period in Major League Baseball beginning in 1920. ... See also: 1918 in sports, other events of 1919, 1920 in sports and the list of years in sports. Baseball The Black Sox scandal -- Seven members of the Chicago White Sox take bribes to throw the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds The Florida State League is founded with teams... See also: 1919 in sports, other events of 1920, 1921 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Baseball (Major League) January 3 - Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sells Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $125,000 and a $350,000 loan, beginning the Curse of... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

load the bases

A succession of plays that results in base runners on first, second, and third bases. See also bases loaded or bases full.

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LOB

Abbreviation for left on base.

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locate

A pitcher's command is reflected in his ability to locate the ball – to throw it to an intended spot. A pitcher with "good location" not only has command but makes the right choices about where to throw the ball against particular batters.

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lollipop

A soft, straight pitch with a lot of arc.

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long ball

A home run. A team is said to "win by the long ball" after a walk off home run or the team hits several home runs to win.

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long reliever

A type of relief pitcher. Long relievers enter early in a game (generally before the 5th inning) when the starting pitcher cannot continue, whether due to ineffective pitching, lack of endurance, rain delay, or injury.

In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required (such as extra innings or when the starter is pulled early in the game). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

LOOGY

A mildly derogatory nickname for a left-handed specialist. An acronym for "Lefty One Out GuY."

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Lord Charles

A slang term for a "12-to-6" curveball. Similar to Uncle Charlie.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Curveball Pitch Curveball Pitch The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a grip and hand motion that imparts forward spin to the ball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

lose a hitter

When a pitcher gives up a walk, especially when he gets ahead in the count or has a full count but gives up a walk, he is said to have "lost the hitter."

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loss

An entire team receives a "loss" on its record if it scores fewer runs than the opposing team. But which pitcher gets pinned with the loss (an L) on his record? See win for the answer to this quiz.

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lumber

A baseball bat. Sometimes used in reference to a powerful offensive showing, "The Yankees busted out the lumber tonight with a 10-0 victory."

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M

make-up call

When an umpire makes a bad call on a pitch, he may implicitly acknowledge it on a later pitch by making another bad call to "make up" for the first. For example, say an umpire mistakenly calls a strike on a pitch that is out of the strike zone; he may later call a ball on a pitch that's in the strike zone so that the hitter gets back what was initially taken away. (This entry was posted just minutes after Joe Buck referred to it on the NLCS broadcast of October 18, 2006.) Umpires typically, and understandably, deny that there is any such thing as a "make-up call".

Joe Buck For the fictional character, see Midnight Cowboy. ... In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to baseballs championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. ...

manager

See field manager. Different from the general manager.

In baseball, the head coach of a team is called the manager (or more formally, the field manager); this individual controls matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

manufacturing runs

Producing runs one at a time, piece by piece, component by component by means of patience at the plate, contact hitting, advancing runners, taking advantage of errors. In other words: small ball. As this entry is being written, the writer's favorite team just manufactured 4 runs. Bottom of 7th inning, Tigers come up to bat leading Twins 4-3. The manufacturing process went as follows.

Two patient AB’s lead to two walks against a relief pitcher who rarely gives up walks. Sacrifice bunt advances runners to 2nd and 3rd. 1 away. Flare single to right. Two runs score, while batter reaches 2nd after brief bobble by right fielder. Intentional walk puts runners on 1st and 2nd to set up double play situation. Though next hitter hits ground ball, the throw gets runner at 2nd but batter hustles to beat throw and reach 1st on fielder’s choice. Two outs, men on 1st and 3rd. Walk to next hitter fills bases. Next hitter pulls sharp ground single through the hole between 1st and 2nd base. Two more runs score. Last hitter flies out to left to end inning. Summary: 4 runs scored on 2 singles, 1 sacrifice bunt, 1 error, 3 bases on balls, 1 intentional walk. Score at end of 7th: 8-3.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Binomial name Panthera tigris (Linnaeus, 1758) Tigers (Panthera tigris) are mammals of the Felidae family, one of four big cats that belong to the Panthera genus. ... Fraternal twin boys in the tub The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and usually, but not necessarily, born on the same day. ...

masher

A home-run hitter. See crush the ball.

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matchsticks

A string of 1's on the scoreboard (the shape of matchsticks), indicating successive innings in which 1 run was scored.

A match is a simple and convenient means of producing fire under controlled circumstances on demand, typically a wooden or stiff paper stick coated at one end with a material -- often containing the element phosphorus -- that will ignite from the heat of friction if rubbed (struck) against a suitable surface. ...

meat

• A rookie, popularized by the baseball movie, Bull Durham; implying more brawn than brain.
• An easy out, typically evident during a strikeout.
• A baserunner easily thrown out at a base.
• A fielder's throwing hand, typically used for the pitcher; “Bonderman started to reach for the ball with his meat hand but then thought better of it.”

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bull Durham is a 1988 American movie about love and baseball. ... In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K, K-S, or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ...

meatball

An easy pitch to hit — down the middle of the plate.

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Mendoza line

A batting average of .200. Named for Mario Mendoza, a notoriously poor hitter of the 1970s who still managed to have an 8-year career.

The Mendoza Line is an informal term used in baseball for a batting average of around . ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Mario Mendoza (born December 26, 1950 in Chihuahua, Mexico) is a former Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1974-78), Seattle Mariners (1979-80) and Texas Rangers (1981-82). ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ...

men in blue

The umpires.

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middle infielders

The second baseman and shortstop.

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middle innings

The fourth, fifth and sixth innings of a regulation nine-inning game.

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middle of the inning

The time between the top half and bottom half of an inning when the visiting team takes the field and the home team prepares to bat. No gameplay occurs during this period and television and radio broadcasts typically run advertisements. See also seventh-inning stretch.

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miscue

An error. A word from billiards, when the cue stick slips or just brushes the cue ball thereby leading to a missed shot.

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mistake

A "mistake" is poor execution, as distinguished from an error. It could be throwing to the wrong base, missing the cut-off, running into an obvious out, or throwing a pitch into the batter's "hot zone" instead of where the catcher set up for it.

Perhaps one of the most over-used excuses in baseball. Manager says: "Weaver pitched great. He just made a few mistakes." Translation: "Weaver threw some bad pitches and lost the game." Sometimes the pitcher may try to absolve himself for his mistakes, but his manager might have a different opinion. After giving up two home runs to Phillies slugger Ryan Howard, and losing the game 3-2 as a result, Marlins pitcher Scott Olsen remarked: "Except for a couple of pitches to Ryan, I pitched a good game. He's got 56 home runs for a reason." Marlins manager Joe Girardi had a different view: "We've talked about not letting him beat us," Girardi said. "Ollie made some mistakes to one guy. He's one guy in the league right now you can't afford to make mistakes to. All I'm going to say is we didn't execute the way we were supposed to."

There may be such a thing as a mistake hitter, a mediocre hitter who occasionally gets a pitch that he can drive. But a "mistake pitcher" doesn't usually last long in the big leagues.

When asked how the mighty Yankees lost the 1960 World Series, Yogi Berra remarked, "We made too many wrong mistakes."

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Ryan James Howard (born November 19, 1979 in St. ... Major league affiliations National League (1993-present) East Division (1993-present) Current uniform Ballpark Dolphin Stadium (1993-present) Major league titles World Series titles (2) 2003 â€¢ 1997 NL Pennants (2) 2003 â€¢ 1997 East Division titles (0) None Wild card berths (2) 2003 â€¢ 1997 The Florida Marlins are a Major League... Scott M. Olsen (b. ... Joseph Elliot Girardi, commonly known as Joe Girardi, was a Major League Baseball catcher from 1989-2003. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Yankee Stadium (1923-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927... Yogi Berra on his 80th birthday Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925 in St. ...

mistake hitter

A batter who isn't adept at hitting good pitches that are located well but can take advantage of a pitcher's mistakes.

mitt

"Mitt" (derived from "mitten") can refer to any type of baseball glove, though the term is officially reserved to describe the catcher's mitt and the first-baseman's mitt. Those mitts (like a mitten) have a slot for the thumb and a single sheath covering all the fingers, rather than the individual finger slots that gloves have. By rule, mitts are allowed to be worn only by the catcher and the first baseman. See the entry on glove.

Glove front (top) shows catching surface with baseball bat. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

MLB

Major League Baseball: the organization that operates the two North American major professional baseball leagues, the American League and the National League. This organization also seeks to control the rights to all commercial products based on Major League Baseball team and player achievements, although its claimed right to limit the use of player statistics for fantasy baseball and computer simulation games has been challenged in court.[3] MLB presents a lot of information (as well as innumerable promotional efforts) in its electronic portal at MLB.com, which is managed by MLB's subdidiary MLB Advanced Media.

Although minor league baseball is closely linked to (and governed by) major league baseball, the official portal for minor league baseball is found elsewhere on the internet as MiLB.com, which is also operated by MLB Advanced Media.

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... American League The American League (or formally the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs) is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States of America and Canada. ... The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ... Fantasy baseball is a game whereby players manage imaginary baseball teams based on the real-life performance of baseball players, and compete against one another using those players statistics to score points. ... A simulation game, or sim game, (also known as a game of status or mixed game) is a game that contains a mixture of skill, a chance and strategy to simulate an aspect of reality, such as a stock exchange. ... Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P., is a subsidiary of Major League Baseball, and is the internet and interactive branch of the league. ... Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P., is a subsidiary of Major League Baseball, and is the internet and interactive branch of the league. ...

Moneyball

An often misused term. It refers to Michael Lewis's 2002 book. "Moneyball player" most often refers to one who has a high on-base percentage, and does not steal a lot of bases. However, the essence of the book is about running an organization effectively by identifying inefficiencies and finding undervalued assets in a given market. As an example, the so-called Moneyball teams have shifted their focus to defense and speed instead of OBP which is no longer undervalued. "Moneyball" is often seen as the antithesis of "smallball", where teams take chances on the basepaths in an attempt to "manufacture" runs. In more traditional baseball circles, evoking Moneyball to describe a player or team can be a term of derision.

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is a book by Michael M. Lewis in 2003 about the general manager of the Major League Baseball team Oakland Athletics, Billy Beane, and his teams approach to running the organization. ... Michael Lewis, born in New Orleans, is an American contemporary non-fiction author. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

moonshot

• A home run hit so high and deep that it is said to travel toward the moon.

• When the Dodgers first moved out to Los Angeles and played in the L.A. Coliseum, home runs hit by Wally Moon over the short left-field fence (251 feet down the left-field line, a 42-foot high fence) were also headlined in the newspapers as "Moon Shots". Moon didn't hit many home runs in the Coliseum. That these were opposite-field home-runs, however, brought more attention to them.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bulk composition of the Moons mantle and crust estimated, weight percent Oxygen 42. ... The text below is generated by a template, which has been proposed for deletion. ... For other uses, see Memorial Coliseum (disambiguation) and Coliseum. ... Wallace Wade Moon (born April 3, 1930 in Bay, Arkansas) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

mop up

A mop-up pitcher comes in after the outcome of the game is all but certain. Sometimes other position players also come in to mop up in the last inning, and give the regulars a rest.

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mound

The pitcher's mound is a raised section in the middle of the diamond where the pitcher stands when throwing the pitch. In Major League Baseball, a regulation mound is 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter, with the center 59 feet (18.0 m) from the rear point of home plate, on the line between home plate and second base. The front edge of the pitcher's plate or rubber is 18 inches (45.7 cm) behind the center of the mound, making it 60 feet 6 inches (18.4 m) from the rear point of home plate. Six inches (15.2 cm) in front of the pitcher's rubber the mound begins to slope downward. The top of the rubber is to be no higher than ten inches (25.4 cm) above home plate. From 1903 through 1968 this height limit was set at 15 inches, but was often slightly higher, sometimes as high as 20 inches (50.8 cm), especially for teams that emphasized pitching, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were reputed to have the highest mound in the majors.

A baseball field is a playing field used for baseball. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890-present) West Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Dodger Stadium (1962-present) Major league titles World Series titles (6) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1955 NL Pennants (21) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1978 â€¢ 1977 1974 â€¢ 1966 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1955 â€¢ 1953 1952 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 â€¢ 1941...

movement

Deviations from the expected flight of a pitch that make the ball harder to hit. Can be used to refer to both fastballs and breaking balls.

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muff

To make an error, typically on an easy play. "He muffed it. The ball went right through his legs."

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mustard

Refers to a high amount of velocity on a throw or pitch. A player may be exhorted to "put some (extra) mustard on it," with "it" usually referring to a pitcher's fastball or fielder's throw.

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ...

N

NA or N.A.

National Association. This may refer to the

• (NABBP) - the 1857-1870 first governing body of baseball, the National Association of Base Ball Players
• (NA) - the 1871-1875 first professional league (in any sport), the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
• (NAPBL) - the 1901-to-date trade association of minor leagues, the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues --officially renamed Minor League Baseball in 1999 [4].

The second meaning for "NA" is most common by far, as suggested by the nonexistence of the more complete abbreviation "NAPBBP" outside the Wikipedia. There are two reasons why the 1871-1875 league is most common. First, in that sense NA is a league abbreviation akin to NL and AL, and there is far more baseball writing and talk about leagues than about higher associations. Second, the league is included in most major league baseball encyclopedias, digital and print, despite that MLB does not recognize the NA as a major league.

The National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) was founded in 1857 by sixteen baseball clubs located in the New York metropolitan area. ... The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP), or simply the National Association (NA), was founded in 1871 and lasted through the 1875 season. ... A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... A Class A California League game in San Jose, California (1994) Minor baseball leagues are North American professional baseball leagues that compete at a level below that of Major League Baseball. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Whether to cover the National Association as a major league is a recurring and crucial matter of difference in historical work on American baseball —that is, among historians, encyclopedists, database builders, and others who work on the facts of baseball history on the playing field. ...

nailed

• Hit by a pitch, drilled, plunked.
• The last pitches or last play of a winning game nail down the win.
• To throw a runner out. "Sizemore nailed him at the plate."

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nickel curve

A slider.

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NL or N.L.

Abbreviation for National League, the older of the two major leagues.

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

NLCS or N.L.C.S.

Abbreviation for National League Championship Series: the final, best 4 out of 7, playoff series to determine the National League champion. The winners of the National League Division Series play in this series. The winner of the NLCS is the winner of the National League pennant and advances to the World Series against the pennant winner from the American League.

In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to baseballs championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. ... In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ...

NLDS or N.L.D.S.

Abbreviation for National League Division Series: the first round of the league playoffs, to determine which two teams advance to the National League Championship Series (NLCS). This round pits the winners of each of the three league divisions plus the winner of the wild-card slot (the team that wins the most games in the regular season without winning a division) in two pairings, each of which plays a best 3 out of 5 game series to determine who advances to the NLCS.

In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. ... In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series (NLCS) determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to baseballs championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. ...

no decision

Any starting pitcher who earns neither a win (W) nor a loss (L) is said to have a "no decision." A "no decision" has no special meaning in official baseball statistics. But regardless whether a pitcher earns a W, a L, or a "no decision," it has become conventional in recent years to note how well a starting pitcher performed by recording whether he made a quality start.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Quality Start is a relatively new baseball statistic developed by John Lowe. ...

no-hitter

A game in which one team does not get any hits, a rare feat for a pitcher, especially at the major league level. Also given the childlike nickname "No-No". If no batter reaches base by any means (walk, error, etc.) the pitcher is said to have pitched a perfect game, which is much rarer than a "normal" no-hitter.

It is a superstition that when a pitcher is in the middle of throwing a no-hitter none of his teammates or coaches will speak to him, or if they do they will not say anything about the no-hitter. Most play-by-play on-air announcers will also avoid mentioning the no-hitter until either an opposing batter gets a hit or the no-hitter is completed.^[2]

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no man's land

• The area of the outfield between the middle infielders and outfielders, where a flyball can fall for a hit (a Texas leaguer).
• A baserunner caught in a pickle is said to be in "no man's land".

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no room at the inn

Sometimes said by a play-by-play announcer when the bases are loaded and the pitcher cannot afford to walk the batter. All the spaces are taken.

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no-no

A no-hitter, typically also a shut-out. Thus no hits, no runs.

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nubber

A batted ball that travels at low speed, and not very far, often due to hitting the ball on the very end of the fat part of the bat.

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O

OBP

On-base percentage.

In baseball statistics, on base percentage (OBP) (sometimes referred to as on base average (OBA)) is a measure of how often a batter gets to first base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielders choice. ...

O-fer

A batter who goes hitless in a game, as in "0 for 4" (spoken as "oh for four"). Also wears the collar.

O-fer is a slang term in sports indicating accomplishing nothing in several tries. ... Barry Bonds batting Photo:Agência Brasil In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for ones team. ...

official game

A game that can be considered complete. If more than half the game has been played before being called by an umpire, it is considered "official" and all records from the game are computed in the players' and teams' statistics. For a 9-inning game, five innings need to be played. A game that cannot be considered complete can either be suspended or replayed from the first inning.

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official scorer

The official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field and to send this official record to the league offices.^[3] The official scorer never goes on the field during a game (but typically watches from the press box). The official scorer's judgments do not affect the progress or outcome of the game but they do affect game and player statistics. For example, only umpires call balls and strikes, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a hit is a home run, and whether runners are safe or out. But it's the official scorer who determines whether a pitch that gets by the catcher is a wild pitch or a passed ball or whether a batted ball is a hit or an error (or a combination of the two), and who gets credited with an error, put-out, or assist.

In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field and to send this official record of the game back to the league offices. ... Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

OFP

Overall Future Potential (OFP) is a scouting assessment of a young player's potential as a future major leaguer, scored from 20 to 80. The criteria are different for pitchers and position players. See also tools.

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Ol’ Number One

The fastball. From the sign the catcher gives for that pitch.

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ...

Olympic Rings

When a batter strikes out five times in a game. This same dubious achievement may also merit a Platinum Sombrero.

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On-base percentage (OBP)

Percentage of at-bats where a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielder's choice.

In baseball statistics, on base percentage (OBP) (sometimes referred to as on base average (OBA)) is a measure of how often a batter gets to first base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielders choice. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

on-deck

The next batter due to bat after the current batter. The area designated for the on-deck batter is a circle 5 feet (1.5 m) in diameter, officially called the "next batter's box" and commonly called the "on-deck circle." Ironically, the on-deck batter rarely stands in the on-deck circle.

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on the black

1. The black edge of home plate.

2. A pitch that just nicks the edge of the zone for a called strike.

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on the board

A team is "on the board" (i.e., the scoreboard) when it has scored one or more runs. "After being shut out for 6 innings, the Sox are finally on the board." White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson also uses the phrase as part of his home run call: "You can put in the booooard... YES!"

Kenneth Smith Hawk Harrelson (born September 4, 1941 in Woodruff, South Carolina), nicknamed The Hawk, due to his distinctive profile, is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who currently serves as a broadcast announcer for the Chicago White Sox. ...

on the "interstate"

A player batting between .100 and .199 is said to be "on the interstate." The term refers to the fact that a batting average in the .100s can resemble a "spur" interstate name (e.g. .195 resembles I95), especially on older scoreboards where the numeral "1" appears identical to the uppercase letter "I" (with no serifs). A hit to put an average above .200 gets a batter "off the interstate." See also Mendoza line.

This article is about the year. ... The lowercase i redirects here. ... The Mendoza Line is an informal term used in baseball for a batting average of around . ...

one-hitter

A game in which one team was limited to one hit, a great feat for a pitcher. Batters may have reached base via walks, errors, or being hit by a pitch. See also no-hitter and perfect game.

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one-two-three inning

Side retired in order. Three up, three down.

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"Onion"

Derisive nickname of the short-lived Union Association.

The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted only for one season in 1884. ...

opposite field hit

A hit to the "opposite" side of the field from the direction of a player's natural swing, i.e., a left-handed batter who hits to left field or a right-handed batter who hits to right field. Also known as going the other way. See pull hitter.

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OPS (On-base Plus Slugging)

A term recently invented by statheads to measure of a batter's ability to produce runs. Obtained by adding slugging average and on-base percentage.

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outfielder

An outfielder is a player whose position is either left field, center field, or right field. See position.

An outfielder moves in to catch a fly ball Outfielder is a collective term including left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, the three positions in baseball farthest from the batter. ... An outfielder moves in to catch a fly ball Outfielder is a collective term including left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, the three positions in baseball farthest from the batter. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

outside corner

The location of a strike that travels over the far edge of home plate from the batter.

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P

to paint

To throw pitches at the edges of the strike zone. A pitcher who can "paint" consistiently may be referred to as Rembrandt or Picasso, and can be said to paint the black or paint the corner.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the Dutch painter. ... A young Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso, formally Pablo Ruiz Picasso, (October 25, 1881 - April 8, 1973) was one of the recognized masters of 20th century art. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

park

To hit a home run. "He parked a three-run homer." The term implies hitting the ball into the parking lot.

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park effects

See hitter's park and Batting Park Factor.

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passed ball

A catcher is charged with a passed ball (abbreviated PB) when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball which, in the opinion of the official scorer, should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, and which permits a runner or runners to advance at least one base; and/or permits the batter to advance to first base, if it's a third strike with first base unoccupied. A run that scores because of a passed ball is not scored as an earned run. Neither a passed ball nor a wild pitch is charged as an error. It is a separately-kept statistic.

In baseball, a catcher shall be charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball which should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

patient hitter

Doesn't do a lot of first-pitch swinging, swing at pitches out of the strike zone, or swing even at strikes that he can't hit because of their location. Generally gets a lot of walks.

payoff pitch

A pitch thrown with a full count. The implication is that much effort has gone into reaching this point (this is at least the sixth pitch of the at-bat), and the pitch will either pay off for the pitcher (a strikeout) or the batter (a hit or a walk). However, a foul ball can extend the at-bat. The term is most often used when a hit will score a run and a strikeout will end the inning.

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PCL (Pacific Coast League)

A AAA minor league.

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pea

A pitched ball thrown at high speed. "Clem can really fling that pea."

pearod

A hard line drive batted back at the pitcher.

PECOTA

A system for forecasting pitcher and hitter performance developed by Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus. A player's "PECOTA" may be the forecasted range of his performance on a variety of indicators for the current or future seasons.

PECOTA, an acronym for Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm, is a sabermetric system for predicting Major League Baseball player performance. ... Nate Silver is Executive Vice-President of Baseball Prospectus. ... Baseball Prospectus, sometimes abbreviated as BP, is a think-tank focusing on the statistical analysis of the sport of baseball, which is also known as sabermetrics. ...

pen

The bullpen.

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perfect game

A special, very rare no-hitter where each batter is retired consecutively, allowing no baserunners via walks, errors, or any other means. A "perfect game" could involve multiple pitchers with one pitcher relieving another, but in the major leagues they all have been completed by a single pitcher.

Since 1991, a perfect game has been defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a complete game victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposition player reaches first base. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

pick up the pitch

A batter's ability to see what kind of pitch is being thrown. "The Tigers are having a hard time picking up Saenz's slider." When they don't pick up the pitch, batters are likely to swing and miss.

pickle

A rundown.

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pickoff

A quick throw from the pitcher (or sometimes the catcher) to a fielder covering a base when the ball has not been hit into play. Normally done to catch a runner off-base, it may also keep the runner's lead in check. The pitcher must either first step off the pitching rubber with his push-off foot, or clearly step towards the base he is throwing at with his lifted leg in order for the move to not be ruled a balk.

Pickoff attempt on runner (in red) at first base A pickoff is an act by a pitcher, throwing a live ball to a fielder so that the fielder would tag out a baserunner who is either leading off or about to begin stealing the next base. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

pinch hitter

A substitute batter. Often brought in during a critical situation (a "pinch") to replace a weak batter (usually the pitcher, in the National League).

// Baseball In Baseball, a Pinch hitter is a common term for a substitute batter. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ...

pinch runner

A substitute baserunner. Often brought in during a critical situation (as with a pinch hitter), typically to replace a slower runner in hopes of stealing a base.

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pine tar

A sticky substance used by batters to improve their grip on the bat.

• See also George Brett's famous 1983 Pine Tar Incident.

While pine tar is most widely known as the sticky substance baseball players use on their bats to improve grip, it has many, lesser-known uses. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Brett batting George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953 in Glen Dale, West Virginia) is a former American baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. ... Brett batting George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953 in Glen Dale, West Virginia) is a former American baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. ...

pitch

A baseball delivered by the pitcher from the pitcher's mound to the batter as defined by the Official Rules of Baseball, Rule 2.00 (Pitch) and Rule 8.01.

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pitch around

Not throwing a batter a hittable pitch, but also not walking him intentionally and hoping to get him to chase bad pitches.

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pitch count

The total number of pitches a pitcher has thrown in a given game. 100 is considered the point at which a starter who has been pitching well may start to lose his effectiveness, often dramatically.

In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ...

pitcher

The fielder responsible for pitching the ball. Defensive position 1. The term "pitch" (which literally means "to place") comes from the early days when an underhand delivery was required, as with "pitching" horseshoes. The original rules specified that the ball was to be "pitched, not thrown to the bat." Overhand throwing by the pitcher has been legal since 1884, but the term pitcher and its variants remain in the language of the game.

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pitcher of record

The pitchers who receive the win (W) and the loss (L) are the "pitchers of record." A starting pitcher who is neither the winner nor the loser "earns" a "no decision". The pitchers of record are designated by the official scorer in accordance with the scoring rules. Also see win.

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pitcher's best friend

A double play, which helps to bail a pitcher out of a threatening situation. Headline and story: "PITCHER'S BEST FRIEND. The Twins on Sunday turned five double plays in a game for the first time since 1995."

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pitcher's park

A park in which pitchers tend to perform better than they perform on average in all other parks. This in the inverse of being a hitter's park. See hitter's park and park factor for further information.

For example, when the wind is blowing "in" at Wrigley Field, it is typically rendered a "pitcher's park", and low scores for one or both teams are not unusual. Under those circumstances, no-hitters also become possible at a park many fans normally think of as a "hitter's park".

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pitchout

A defensive tactic used to pick off a baserunner, typically employed when the defense thinks that a stolen base play is planned. The pitch is thrown outside and the catcher catches it while standing, and can quickly throw to a base. A pitchout is typically always a called "ball" (unless the batter vainly tries to hit it) and if a stolen base is indeed "on", the runner is almost certainly going to be thrown out. If no steal is on, it's just another called ball. Obviously, a pitchout is not done when the batter already has a count of 3 balls.

In baseball, a pitchout is a play that may be used if the defensive team believes that a baserunner is going to attempt a steal, or that a hit and run play is on. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

PL or P.L.

Abbreviation for Players' League, a one-year (1890) major league.

The Players League, also known as The Brotherhood, was an attempt to establish a third major baseball league in 1890. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ...

plate

• "The plate" usually connotes home plate, though a baseball field also has a pitcher's plate, more commonly referred to as the rubber. Home plate has five sides, unlike the other bases, which are square. Also unlike the other bases, home plate is hard, usually a slightly flexible hard plastic with beveled edges that rises only slightly above ground level. Home plate is the last base that a runner must touch safely in order to score a run. Thus, his route around the bases both starts and ends "at home."
• To plate a run is to score a run. "The pitcher started getting behind in the count and as a result the opponents were able to plate a couple."

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plate appearance

Any turn at bat is considered a plate appearance for computing stats such as on base percentage, and for determining whether a batter has enough of them (minimum 3.1 X number of scheduled games) to qualify for the batting average championship. Plate appearances consist of standard at-bats plus situations where there is no at-bat charged, such as a base on balls or a sacrifice. However, if the batter is standing in the batter's box and the third out is made elsewhere (for example, by a caught-stealing or by an appeal play), then it does not count as an appearance, because that same batter will lead off the next inning.

In baseball statistics, a player has a plate appearance (denoted by PA) every time he: Has an at bat (AB) Receives a base on balls (BB) Receives a hit by pitch (HBP) Hits a sacrifice fly (SF) Hits a sacrifice bunt (SH) Reaches base because of interference A batter does... In baseball statistics, on base percentage (OBP) (sometimes referred to as on base average (OBA)) is a measure of how often a batter gets to first base for any reason other than a fielding error or a fielders choice. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Platinum Sombrero

A batter who strikes out five times in one game is said to have gotten the Platinum Sombrero. Alternatively, he may be awarded Olympic Rings.

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platoon

The practice of assigning two players to the same defensive position during a season, normally to complement a batter who hits well against left-handed pitchers with one who hits well against righties. Individual players may also find themselves marked as a platoon player, based on their hitting against righties vs. against lefties. Casey Stengel brought some attention to the system by using it frequently during his New York Yankees' run of five consecutive World Series champions during 1949-1953.

The term "platooning" sometimes refers to the in-game strategic replacement of batters in the line-up based on the handedness of a newly inserted relief pitcher, or conversely the strategic insertion of a relief pitcher to face a batter of the same hand. This is the logic behind having a LOOGY on the roster, for example. The LOOGY is to pitching what a pinch-hitter is to batting: put into the line-up for short-term strategic advantage.

The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position -- usually one right-handed and one left-handed. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Casey Stengel, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers Charles Dillon Casey Stengel (born July 30, 1890 and died September 29, 1975) was a famous baseball player and manager. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Yankee Stadium (1923-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

platter

Home plate.

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play by the book

To follow the conventional wisdom in game strategy and player use. For example, when to bunt or when to bring in the closer.

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player to be named later

When two baseball clubs make a trade, part of the publicly announced deal may involve an unspecified "player to be named later" who is not one of the headline players in the deal.

players' manager

A manager who is close to his players and who the players may consider a peer and a friend. The knock on players' managers is that they tend not to be tough disciplinarians and that out of concern for losing the sympathy of the players they find it difficult to make tough decisions that are in the best interests of the team. Thus, the term is not especially complimentary. Most managers (in business in general, as well as baseball) find they must maintain some aloofness in order to be effective. Casey Stengel used to say that the secret to managing was "to keep the guys who are neutral about you away from the guys that hate your guts."

Casey Stengel, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers Charles Dillon Casey Stengel (born July 30, 1890 and died September 29, 1975) was a famous baseball player and manager. ...

playing in

When the infield is shallower than normal in order to attempt to throw out a runner on third-base on a ground ball. This does not allow the infielders to cover as much ground however, and can turn a routine ground ball into a base hit.

playing back

The usual position depth taken by infielders when they're not anticipating a bunt or setting up for a double play.

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plunked

Hit by a pitch.

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plus player

A player with above-average major league skills. A term from baseball scouting and player evaluation. See tools.

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pop

The term has two usages that are of opposite meanings in terms of batting success and failure.

• A pop-up is a batted ball that is hit very high and stays in the infield. Called a pop-foul when it falls or is caught in foul territory.

• "Rondini popped it foul out of play" implies that Rondini hit a pop-up or pop-foul that went into the stands where a defender couldn't reach it.
• Brendan C. Boyd and Fred C. Harris, in their impish commentary in The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book, discussed a player who was known for hitting sky-high popups and said that "he could have played his career in a stovepipe".
• The term "high pop" is short for "high pop-up".

• However, a batter with "pop" has exceptional bat speed and power.

• "Reggie popped one" implies that Reggie hit a home run.

There is the unrelated meaning of "pop" as a beverage sold in mass quantities at the ballpark on hot summer days; also known as "soda pop", "soda", "sodie", etc. (On the geography of the terms soda, pop, and coke, see the Pop vs. Soda Page.)

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position

• One of the nine defensive positions on a baseball team, consisting of (in scorekeepers' numerical order): (1) pitcher, (2) catcher, (3) first baseman, (4) second baseman, (5) third baseman, (6) shortstop, (7) left fielder, (8) center fielder, (9) right fielder. Positions 3 through 6 are normally called infield positions. Positions 7, 8, and 9 are outfield positions. The pitcher and catcher are the battery. However, for purposes of implementing the Infield Fly Rule, the pitcher and catcher are counted as infielders, and such a broader definition of infielders is commonly used, if only to differentiate them from outfielders. Players in positions 2 through 9 — all positions except the pitcher — are position players.
• A defensive player also positions himself differently — sets up in a different location on the field while playing his position — depending on who is pitching, who is at bat, whether there men on base, the number of outs, and the score of the game.

There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. ... There are 9 fielding positions in baseball. ... In baseball, the infield fly rule is a special case designed to prevent the defense from gaining an unfair double play by intentionally allowing an easy fly ball to drop to the ground. ... Normal depth In baseball, while there are nine named fielding positions, players may move around freely. ...

position player

A non-pitcher.

In baseball, a position player is a player who on defense plays as an infielder, outfielder, or catcher. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

power hitter

A powerful batter who hits many home runs and extra base hits, but who may not have a high batting average, due to an "all or nothing" hitting approach. See also slugger and slugging percentage.

In baseball, a slugger is a powerful batter with a high percentage of extra base hits, but may not have a high batting average. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

pow wow

A meeting on the mound between a coach and players to discuss strategy.

pull hitter

A batter who often hits the ball ("pulls") towards the "natural" side of the field (e.g., a right-handed hitter hitting to left field).

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pull the string

To throw a pitch that breaks sharply and perphaps late. A pitcher has only "pulled the string" if the batter is fooled into swinging where the pitch was going, not where it ends up, therefore striking him out. The image is of a marionette jerking to one direction as a string is pulled hard.

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punch a hit

To hit the ball to the opposite field. The term implies that instead of taking a full swing, the hitter took a short swing at the ball. "With speedster Willy Taveras pinch running at first, Berkman punched a hit to right."

Punch and Judy hitter

A hitter with very little power. The first use of the term is attributed to former L.A. Dodgers manager Walter Alston who, when asked about a home run by Giants' slugger Willie McCovey, said: "When he belts a home run, he does it with such authority it seems like an act of God. You can't cry about it. He's not a Punch and Judy belter."

A stained glass illustration of Punch by Professor Ignorant Punch and Judy is a popular glove-puppet show for children (although the earliest shows used marionettes), featuring Punch and his wife Judy. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890-present) West Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Dodger Stadium (1962-present) Major league titles World Series titles (6) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1955 NL Pennants (21) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1978 â€¢ 1977 1974 â€¢ 1966 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1955 â€¢ 1953 1952 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 â€¢ 1941... Walter Emmons Alston (December 1, 1911 - October 1, 1984) was an American baseball player and manager. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3,4,11,24,27,30,36,44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... Willie Lee McCovey (born January 10, 1938 in Mobile, Alabama), nicknamed Big Mac and Stretch, is a former slugger and first baseman who played Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics between 1959 and 1980. ...

punch-out

A strikeout.

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purpose pitch

A brushback.

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Q

quality start

When a starter pitches at least 6 complete innings and allows 3 or fewer earned runs. A pitcher can perform well yet not be involved in the win-loss "decision". This statistic was developed by sportswriter John Lowe to capture an aspect of pitcher performance that is not part of the standard statistics collected by Major League Baseball. It is catching on among baseball players and management, but also has some skeptics. Former Houston Astros manager Jimy Williams was said to hate this statistic. "Quality start?" he would harumph. "Quality means you win."

Quality Start is a relatively new baseball statistic developed by John Lowe. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962-present) Central Division (1994-present) Current uniform Ballpark Minute Maid Park (2002-present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) None NL Pennants (1) 2005 Central Division titles (4) 2001 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1997 West Division titles (2) [1][2] 1986 â€¢ 1980 Wild card berths... James Francis Jimy Williams (born October 4, 1943 in Santa Maria, California) is a former manager in Major League Baseball. ...

quick pitch

An illegal pitch where the ball thrown is before the batter is set in the batter’s box. (Official Rules of Baseball, Rule 8.05(e))

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R

rabbit ears

Indicates a participant in the game who hears things perhaps too well for his own good. A player who becomes nervous or chokes when opposing players or fans yell at or razz him is said to have "rabbit ears". Also, an umpire who picks up on every complaint hurled at him from the dugouts is described this way.

Cincinnati Reds dugout, 1991 In baseball, the dugout is where a teams bench is located. ...

rainbow

A curveball with a high arc in its path to the plate

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rally cap

A cap worn backwards, sideways, or inside-out by fans or players to bring a "rally." Said to have originated during the 1986 World Series when the New York Mets were losing the game and the series to the Red Sox, until the Mets players in the dugout started wearing their caps inside-out and the team rallied to win the game and the series.

A Rally Cap The Rally Cap is the act of turning the baseball cap inside out while trying to will your team into a rally late in the game. ... A baseball cap worn with the bill at the front, shading the eyes A baseball cap is a type of soft cap with a long, stiffened and curved peak and it is worn by men, women and children. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Name New York Mets (1962–present) Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Major league titles World Series titles (2) 1969 â€¢ 1986 NL Pennants (4) 1969 â€¢ 1973 â€¢ 1986 â€¢ 2000 East Division titles (5) 1969 â€¢ 1973 â€¢ 1986 â€¢ 1988  2006  Wild... The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Boston, Massachusetts. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

range

A fielder's ability to move from his position to field a ball in play.

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RBI

• An RBI or "run batted in" is a run scored as a result of a hit; a bases-filled walk or hit-by-pitch or awarding of first base due to interference; a sacrifice; or a single-out fielder's choice (not a double play).
• Official credit to a batter for driving in a run.

RBI is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, including Reserve Bank of India Run batted in, in baseball Radio Berlin International This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

RBI situation

Runners in scoring position.

RBI is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, including Reserve Bank of India Run batted in, in baseball Radio Berlin International This page concerning a three-letter acronym or abbreviation is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

regulation game

A standard baseball game lasts nine innings, although some leagues (such as high school baseball) use seven-inning games. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. If the home team is ahead after eight-and-a-half innings have been played, it is declared the winner, and the last half-inning is not played. If the home team is trailing or tied in the last inning and they score to take the lead, the game ends as soon as the winning run touches home plate; however, if the last batter hits a home run to win the game, he and any runners on base are all permitted to score.

If both teams have scored the same number of runs at the end of a regular-length game, a tie is avoided by the addition of extra innings. As many innings as necessary are played until one team has the lead at the end of an inning. Thus, the home team always has a chance to respond if the visiting team scores in the top half of the inning; this gives the home team a small tactical advantage. In theory, a baseball game could go on forever; in practice, however, they eventually end (although see Longest professional baseball game). In addition to that rule, a game might theoretically end if both the home and away team were to run out of players to substitute.

A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium II St. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The longest professional baseball game ever played was a 33-inning minor league baseball affair between the Rochester Red Wings and the Pawtucket Red Sox that took place on April 18, 1981, at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. ...

relay

A defensive technique where the ball is thrown by an outfielder to an infielder who then throws to the final target. This is done because accurate throws are more difficult over long distances and the ball loses a considerable amount of speed the farther it must be thrown. Also cut-off.

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relief pitcher

A relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher brought in the game as a substitute for (i.e., "to relieve") another pitcher.

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retire the runner

To throw the runner out at a base, after which he retires to the bench.

retire the side

See side retired.

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rhubarb

An argument or fight in a baseball game. Hence, Rhubarb, a novel by H. Allen Smith.

H. Allen Smith was an American humorist whose books were popular in the 1940s and 1950s. ...

ribbie, ribeye

Slang for a run batted in (RBI).

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rifle

• A very strong arm. A canon, a bazooka, a gun. Also used as a verb, "He rifled the ball home to catch the runner."
• A batter can also be said to rifle a ball when he hits a hard line drive. "Pierzynski rifles the ball . . . foul, just outside first base."

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ring him up

A strikeout.

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rip

• To hit a hard line drive, as in "He ripped a single through the right side."
• A hard swing, usually one that misses the ball: "Reyes took a good rip at that pitch."

RISP

Acronym for Runners In Scoring Position. See runners in scoring position.

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road game

A game played away from a baseball club's home stadium. When a team plays away from home, it's on a "road trip" and is the "visiting team" at the home stadium of another team.

road trip

A series of road games or away games occurs on a road trip, a term derived from the days when teams indeed traveled from one town to another by roadway.

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ROOGY

A derogatory acronym for a right-handed relief specialist. Stands for "Righty One Out GuY".

rookie

Conventionally, rookie is a term for athletes in their first year of play in their sport. In Major League Baseball, special rules apply for eligibility for the Rookie of the Year award in each league. To be eligible, a player must have accumulated, prior to the current season:

Fewer than 130 at bats and 50 innings pitched in the major leagues or

Fewer than 45 days on the active rosters of major league clubs (excluding time on the disabled list or any time after rosters are expanded on September 1).

In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is given to the best first-year players in the American and National Leagues. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The expanded roster in Major League Baseball refers to teams being able to increase the number of available players for each game from 25 players to 40 players on September 1. ...

room service

A ball that's hit right to a fielder, so he hardly has to move to get it.

rope

A hard line drive. Also see "frozen rope".

In baseball, a batted ball can be called one of several various things, depending on how it comes off the bat and where in the field it lands. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

roster

The official list of players who are eligible to play in a given game and to be included on the lineup card for that game. Major League Baseball limits the regular-season active roster to 25 players during most of the season, but additional players may be on disabled list, and the roster can be expanded to as many as 40 active players after August 31^st.

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rotation

A starting pitcher in professional baseball usually rests three or four days after pitching a game before pitching another. Therefore, most professional baseball teams have four or five starting pitchers on their roster. These pitchers, and the sequence in which they pitch is known as the rotation. In modern baseball, a five-man rotation is most common.

In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ...

rubber

The rubber, formally termed the pitching plate, is a white rubber strip the front of which is exactly sixty feet six inches (18.4 m) from the rear point of home plate. A pitcher will push off the rubber with his foot in order to gain velocity toward home plate when pitching.

A baseball field is a playing field used for baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

rubber arm

A pitcher is said to have a "rubber arm" if he can throw many pitches without tiring. Livan Hernandez may have the ultimate rubber arm, having eclipsed 200 innings seven times in his ten-year career.

Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera (born February 20, 1975 in Villa Clara, Cuba), better known as Liván Hernández [lee-VAHN er-NAN-deth], is a right-handed starting pitcher who plays with the Washington Nationals. ...

rubber game

A term used for the third game of 3-game series, the fifth of a best-of-five series, and the seventh of a best-of-seven series, when the two teams have split the first two, four, or six games, respectively. Originally a card-playing term. (Ask Yahoo!).

rundown

A play in which a runner is stranded between two bases, and runs back and forth to try to avoid fielders with the ball. The fielders (usually basemen) toss the ball back and forth, to prevent the runner from getting to a base, and typically close in on him and tag him. Also called a hotbox or a pickle. Sometimes used as a baserunning strategy by a trailing runner, to distract the fielders and allow a leading runner to advance.

A rundown is a situation in the game of baseball that occurs when the baserunner is stranded in between two bases and is in jeopardy. ... In a baseball game, the hotbox is another name for a rundown. ...

runners at the corners

runners on 1st and 3rd, with 2nd base open.

runners in scoring position

Batting average with runners in scoring position (RISP) is used as an approximation of clutch hitting. Game announcers are apt to put up and comment on the latter statistic during a broadcast to set the stage for an at bat. A good hitter is expected to have a higher batting average when there are runners in scoring position.

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Ruthian Blast

A home run that travels very far.

George Herman Babe Ruth, Jr. ...

S

sabermetrics

Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. The term is derived from the SABR – the Society for American Baseball Research. The term was coined by Bill James, an enthusiastic proponent and its most notable figure.

Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. ... Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. ... Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. ... The XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW), also referred to as the Selectable Assault Battle Rifle, is a highly advanced new assault rifle / grenade launcher system slated to replace certain M-16 assault rifles with M203 underslung grenade launcher. ... SABR redirects here; for Selectable Assault Battle Rifle (S.A.B.R.) see XM29 OICW The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York in August of 1971. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

sack

• Synonymous with bag — 1st, 2nd, or 3rd base.
• A player who plays a particular base might be called a sacker. Most often this term is used to describe the second sacker (second baseman). Together the second sacker and the short-stop may be referred to as sackmates. See double play.

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sacrifice bunt

A sacrifice bunt (also called a sacrifice hit or simply a "sacrifice") is the act of deliberately bunting the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base, while the batter is himself put out. If the sacrifice is successful, the batter is not charged with an at bat (AB). But he is credited with a SAC or S or SH.

In baseball, a sacrifice hit is the act of deliberately striking the ball in a manner that allows a runner on base to advance to another base, while the batter is himself put out. ...

sacrifice fly

When a batter hits a fly ball to the outfield which is caught for an out, but a runner scores from 3rd base after tagging up or touching the bag following the catch. The batter is credited with an RBI and is not charged with an at bat. Also referred to as "sac fly," abbreviated as SF.

In baseball, a batted ball is considered a sacrifice fly (denoted by SF) if the following four criteria are met: There are fewer than two outs. ...

safety squeeze

A squeeze play in which the runner on third waits for the batter to lay down a successful bunt before breaking for home. Contrast this with the suicide squeeze.

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salad

An easily handled pitch.

salami

A grand slam.

In baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all the bases occupied, thereby scoring 4 runs, which is the most possible on a single play. ...

Sally League

The South Atlantic League ("SAL"), a Class A minor baseball league with teams located mainly in the southeastern United States.

The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league which operates mostly in the southeastern United States, although it now has teams in New Jersey and Ohio. ...

sandwich round

In the MLB Draft, a round of drafts that occurs between the first and second rounds, and again between the second and the third, comprised solely of compensatory drafts granted to teams that failed to sign their first or second round draft picks of the year before.

The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is held every year in June by conference call among the 30 Major League clubs. ... The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is held every year in June by conference call among the 30 Major League clubs. ...

save

In baseball statistics the term save (abbreviated SV, or sometimes, S) is used to indicate the successful maintenance of a lead by a relief pitcher, usually the closer, until the end of the game. A save is credited to a pitcher who fulfills the following three conditions:

1. The pitcher is the last pitcher in a game won by his team;
2. The pitcher is not the winning pitcher (for instance, if a starting pitcher throws a complete game win or, alternatively, if the pitcher gets a blown save and then his team scores a winning run while he is the pitcher of record, sometimes known as a "vulture win");
3. The pitcher fulfills at least one of the following three conditions:
   1. He comes into the game with a lead of no more than three runs, and pitches at least one full inning.
   2. He comes into the game with the potential tying run being either on base, at bat, or on deck.
   3. He pitches effectively for at least 3 innings after entering the game with a lead and finishes the game.

If the pitcher surrenders the lead at any point, he cannot get a save, even if his team comes back to win. No more than one save may be credited in each game.

If a relief pitcher satisfies all of the criteria for a save, except he does not finish the game, he will often be credited with a hold.

The third rule can be contentious, as it is subject to the judgment of the official scorer.

For more discussion see Save (sport).

To save in a sport means to stop a goal or to maintain the lead. ... Statistics are very important to baseball, perhaps more than any other sport. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In baseball, a closer is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing games, i. ... In baseball, a pitcher is credited with a win (or W) when, in a game won by his team, he is the teams pitcher at the time that his team takes a lead that it does not relinquish for the remainder of the game. ... A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher if he enters in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the game without having reliquished that lead. ... In the game of baseball, the official scorer is a person appointed by the league to record the events on the field and to send this official record of the game back to the league offices. ... To save in a sport means to stop a goal or to maintain the lead. ...

save situation

Generally, a save situation is when a pitcher enters the game with a lead of three runs or fewer and finishes the game. Most of the time, the saving pitcher pitches one or more innings.

scoring position

A runner on 2nd or 3rd base is in scoring position, as he is presumed to have a good chance to score on a base hit to the outfield.

screwball

A pitch that curves to the same side as the side it was thrown from. For a right-hand pitcher, the ball would break to the right -- it would break "in" to a right-hand hitter. SYNONYMS: reverse curve, fadeaway, fader, screwgie, scroogie, reverse curveball.

seal the win

See nailed and shuts the door. "Gagne came on in the last inning to seal the victory."

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seamer

• 2 seamer - a "two seam fastball" where the ball is held by the pitcher such that, when thrown, its rotation only shows two seams per revolution
• 4 seamer - like a 2 seamer, but the rotation shows 4 seams per revolution of the ball. Batters count the number of visible seams to help judge the kind of pitch by its rotation.

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ...

seeing-eye ball

A batted ground ball that just eludes capture by an infielder, just out of infielder's range, as if it could "see" where it needed to go. Less commonly used for a ball that takes an unusual lateral bounce to elude an infielder.

Senior Circuit

The National League, so-called because it is the older of the two major leagues.

The National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, or simply the National League, is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. ...

sent down

A major league player may be sent down or demoted to a minor league team either before or during the season. When this occurs during the season, another player is usually called up or promoted from the minor leagues or placed on the active roster after being removed from the disabled list.

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series

A set of games between two teams. During the regular season, teams typically play 3- or 4-game series against one another, with all of the games in the series played in the home park of one of the teams. The set of all games played between two teams during the regular season is referred to as the season series. For games played between teams in a single league, the regular season series includes an equal number of games in the home parks of each team.

In the playoffs, series involve games played in the home stadiums of both teams, but these series cannot (mathematically) have an equal number of games in the home parks of each team. As a result, teams hope to gain from having a home field advantage by playing the first game(s) in their own ballpark.

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set the table

To get runners on base ahead of the power hitters in the lineup.

setup pitcher

A relief pitcher who is consistently used immediately before the closer.

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seventh-inning stretch

The period between the top and bottom of the seventh inning, when the fans present traditionally stand up to stretch their legs. A sing-along of the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" has become part of this tradition, a practice most associated with Chicago broadcaster Harry Caray. Since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, "God Bless America" is sometimes played in addition to, or in lieu of, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the attacks, especially at home games of the New York Yankees and New York Mets. This occurs on Opening Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, September 11th, Sundays and during the All-Star Game, and post-season including the World Series. In Milwaukee fans often sing "Roll Out the Barrel" after the traditional song.

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An innings, or inning, is a segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably baseball and cricket – during which a side takes its turn to bat. ... Take Me Out to the Ball Game is an early-20th century Tin Pan Alley song which became the unofficial anthem of baseball. ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois Counties Cook, DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837 Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area    - City 606. ... Harry Caray Harry Caray (March 1, 1914 — February 18, 1998), born Harry Christopher Carabina in St. ... The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly targeting civilians, carried out on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. ... God Bless America is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918 and revised by him in 1938. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) East Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Yankee Stadium (1923-present) Major league titles World Series titles (26) 2000 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1996 1978 â€¢ 1977 â€¢ 1962 â€¢ 1961 1958 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1953 â€¢ 1952 1951 â€¢ 1950 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 1943 â€¢ 1941 â€¢ 1939 â€¢ 1938 1937 â€¢ 1936 â€¢ 1932 â€¢ 1928 1927... Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Name New York Mets (1962–present) Ballpark Shea Stadium (1964–present) Major league titles World Series titles (2) 1969 â€¢ 1986 NL Pennants (4) 1969 â€¢ 1973 â€¢ 1986 â€¢ 2000 East Division titles (5) 1969 â€¢ 1973 â€¢ 1986 â€¢ 1988  2006  Wild... Relatives and others traditionally place flags near veterans headstones on Memorial Day Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (most recently observed May 29, 2006). ... It has been suggested that Statehood Day be merged into this article or section. ... Labour Day (or Labor Day) is an annual holiday that resulted from efforts of the labour union movement, to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ...

shade

verb, where a player(s) (usually an outfielder) positions oneself slightly away from their normal spot in the field based on a prediction of where the batter might hit the ball.

shift

Where all infielders and/or outfielders position themselves clockwise or counter-clockwise from their usual position. This is to anticipate a batted ball from a batter who tends to hit to one side of the field. Also shade. In the case of some batters, especially with left-handed batters and the bases empty, managers have been known to shift fielders from the left side to the right side of the diamond. The most extreme case was the famous "Ted Williams shift" (also once called the "Lou Boudreau shift"). Cleveland Indians manager Boudreau moved 6 of 7 fielders (including himself, the shortstop) to the right of second base, leaving just the leftfielder playing shallow, and daring Teddy Ballgame to single to left rather than trying to "hit it where they ain't" somewhere on the right side. Williams saw it as a challenge, a game within The Game, and seldom hit the ball to left on purpose in that circumstance.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service as a Marine Corps pilot, with the Boston Red Sox. ... Louis Boudreau (July 17, 1917 - August 10, 2001) was a Major League Baseball player and the American League MVP Award winner in 1948. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901-present) Central Division (1994-present) East Division (1969-1993) Major league titles World Series titles (2) 1948 â€¢ 1920 AL Pennants (5) 1997 â€¢ 1995 â€¢ 1954 â€¢ 1948 1920 Central Division titles (6) [1] 2001 â€¢ 1999 â€¢ 1998 â€¢ 1997 1996 â€¢ 1995 Wild card berths (0) None [1] - In...

shoestring catch

When a fielder, usually an outfielder, catches a ball just before it hits the ground ("off his shoetops"), and remains running while doing so.

An outfielder moves in to catch a fly ball Outfielder is a collective term including left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, the three positions in baseball farthest from the batter. ...

shoot the cripple

When the pitch count is 3 balls and no strikes, the pitcher is presumed to need to pitch inside in order to obtain a strike. The name comes from the belief that the next pitch will be easy to hit; since the pitcher has to throw a strike in order to pull close in the count, getting a hit will be as easy as "shooting a cripple".

short hop

A ball that bounces immediately in front of an infielder. If the batter is a fast runner, an infielder may intentionally "short hop the ball" (take the ball on the short hop) to hasten his throw to first base.

shot

• A home run, as in "Ryan Howard's 2-run shot gives him 39 home runs for the year."
• A good chance, within reach, as in "The Red Sox have a shot at taking over 1st place."

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

the Show

The major leagues. Particularly "in the Show." Or in "the Bigs" (big leagues, major leagues).

shut out

According to the Dickson dictionary, the term derives from horseracing, in which a bettor arrives at the window too late to place a bet, due to the race already having started, so the bettor is said to be "shut out" (this specific usage was referenced in the film The Sting).

• A team shuts out its opponent when it prevents them from scoring any runs in a given game.
• "Santana shut out the Royals with a 3-hitter" means that the Royals went scoreless as Santana pitched a complete-game shutout. The pitcher or pitchers on the winning team thus get statistical credit for an individual shutout or a combined-to-pitch-shutout, respectively.

This article is about the 1973 film involving con artists. ...

shuts the door

Term used to describe when a pitcher, generally the closer, finishes the ballgame with a save or makes the last out.

side retired

When the third out of an inning is called, the "side is retired" and the other team takes its turn at bat. A pitcher or a defensive team can be said to have "retired the side." The goal of any pitcher is to face just three batters and make three outs: to "retire the side in order," have a "one-two-three inning," or have "three up, three down."

sidearmer

A pitcher who throws with a sidearm motion, i.e. not a standard overhanded delivery.

This article is about the method of throwing. ... In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. ...

sign

A catcher is said to call the game by sending signs to the pitcher calling for a particular pitch. After he moves into his crouch, the catcher gives the sign by placing his non-glove hand between his legs and using his fist, fingers, wags, or taps against his inner thigh to tell the pitcher what type of pitch to throw (fastball, curve, etc.) as well as the location. A pitcher may wave off (shake his head "no" to) the initial sign or nod in agreement when he receives the sign that he wants before going into his windup. If there is a runner on second base, a catcher may change the location of his glove (from his knee to the ground, for example) to signal the pitcher that he is using an alternate set of signs so that the runner won't be able to steal the sign.

This article is about the Signs Signs, see Signs (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

single

A one-base hit.

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sinker

A pitch, typically a fastball, that breaks sharply downward as it crosses the plate. Also see drop ball.

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

sitting on a pitch

A batter who is waiting for a particular type of pitch before swinging at it. He may be sitting in waiting for, say, a curveball or a change-up, or a pitch thrown in a certain location, and he won't swing at anything else even if it's down the middle of the plate. Sometimes hitters who know a pitcher's pattern of pitches, or what type of pitch he likes to throw in a given count, sit on that particular pitch. This approach stems from the advice Rogers Hornsby gave to Ted Williams, telling him that the secret to hitting was simply to "wait for a good pitch to hit".

Rogers Hornsby (April 27, 1896 in Winters, Texas - January 5, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois), nicknamed The Rajah, was a second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career in St. ... Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service as a Marine Corps pilot, with the Boston Red Sox. ...

skipper or skip

A manager. Taken from the boating term skipper, the captain or commanding officer of a ship.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A skipper is a man who has command of a boat or ship. ...

slap hitter

A hitter who sacrifices power for batting average, trying to make contact with the ball and "hit it where they ain't". Prime examples: Ty Cobb, Tony Gwynn, Rod Carew, and Ichiro Suzuki.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Tyrus Raymond Ty Cobb (December 18 1886 – July 17 1961), nicknamed the Georgia Peach, was a Hall of Fame baseball player. ... Anthony Keith Gwynn (known as Tony Gwynn, born May 9, 1960 in Los Angeles, California,) is a former Major League Baseball player often considered one of the best hitters in baseball history. ... Carew, Time, 1977 Rodney Cline Carew (born October 1, 1945 in Gatun, Panama) was a Major League Baseball player for the Minnesota Twins and California Angels in the 1970s and 1980s. ... Ichiro Suzuki ), often known simply as Ichiro ), born October 22, 1973 in Toyoyama, Nishikasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is the right fielder for the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team. ...

slice foul

When a fly ball or line drive starts out over fair territory, then curves into foul territory due to aerodynamic force caused by spinning of the ball, imparted by the bat. A slice curves away from the batter (ie: it curves to the right for a right-handed batter and to the left for a left-handed batter).

slide

• A slide is when a player drops to the ground when going into a base, to avoid a tag and (in the case of second or third base) as a means of stopping, so as not to overrun the base and risk being put out. Players also sometimes slide head-first into first base. If former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher and Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean had seen something like that, he'd probably have said the player never should have "slud into first".
• A team having a losing streak is in a slide or on the skids.

Ty Cobb sliding into first base at Comiskey Park in 1913. ... Major league affiliations National League (1892–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,2,6,9,14,17,20,42,45,85 Name St. ... Jay Hanna Dizzy Dean (January 16, 1910–July 17, 1974) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. ...

slider

A relatively fast pitch with a slight curve in the opposite direction of the throwing arm.

In baseball, a slider, or nickel curve, is a pitch halfway between a curveball and a fastball, with less break but more speed than the curve. ...

slug

To hit with great power.

slugger

Any person who commonly hits with great power, but sometimes used in reference to a child to boost their ego.

slugging average

A measure of the power of a hitter, calculated as total bases divided by at bats. Often abbreviated as SLG or SA. Just as a "perfect" batting average would be 1.000 (read "one thousand") a "perfect" slugging average would be 4.000 (read "four thousand").

In baseball statistics, slugging average (often abbreviated SLG or SA) is a measure of the power of a hitter. ...

slump

An extended period when player or team is not performing well or up to expectations. A dry spell or drought.

small ball

A strategy by which teams attempt to score runs using station-to-station, bunting and sacrifice plays; usually used in a situation where one run will either tie or win the game; manufacturing runs; close kin to inside baseball.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

smoke

A pitcher who "throws smoke" throws so hard that the batter is likely only to see the ball's smoke trail.

smoked

When a play-by-play reporter exclaims "That ball was smoked!" he implies that it was hit so hard that all you could see of the ball is its (imaginary) smoke trail.

snow cone

Descriptive of a catch made with the ball barely caught in the tip of the webbing. Variant on "ice cream cone".

soft hands

A fielder's ability to cradle the ball well in his glove. Contrast hard hands.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

soft tosser

A pitcher who doesn't have a really fast fastball. "Jones, a soft tosser when compared to the Tigers’ other hard throwers, struck out Posada, retired Cano on a soft fly, and got Damon to fly out."

solo home run

A home run hit when there are no runners already on base. The batter circles the bases solo.

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

sophomore jinx

The tendency for players to follow a good rookie season with a less-spectacular one. (This term is used outside the realm of baseball as well.) Two of the most notorious examples are Joe Charboneau and Mark Fidrych. The statistical term for the sophomore jinx is "regression to the mean".

The sophomore jinx, in baseball, refers to the tendency for a player to follow a good season in his rookie year with a disappointing season. ... Joseph Charboneau (born June 17, 1955 in Belvidere, Illinois) was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and is one of the most often-cited examples of baseballs fabled sophomore jinx. ... Mark Steven The Bird Fidrych (born August 14, 1954 in Worcester, Massachusetts) was a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers. ... A graph of a bell curve in a normal distribution showing statistics used in educational assessment, comparing various grading methods. ... In statistics, regression toward the mean is a principle stating that of related measurements, the second is expected to be closer to the mean than the first. ...

southpaw

Left-hander, especially a pitcher. Most baseball stadiums are built so that home plate is in the west and the outfield is in the east, so that when the sun sets it is not in the batter's eye. Because of this, a left-handed pitcher's arm is always facing south when he faces the plate. Thus he has a "southpaw."

Southpaw is a term used to describe left-handed people, particuarly within sports and in the United States. ...

speed merchant

A fast player, often collecting stolen bases, bunt singles and/or infield hits.

The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1985 In baseball statistics, stolen bases (denoted by SB) is a count of the number of bases successfully stolen by a player. ...

spike

A runner can "spike" an infielder by sliding into him and causing an injury with the spikes of his shoes.

spitter

A spitball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance.

A spitball is a baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance. ...

split-finger

A fastball that breaks sharply toward the ground just before reaching the plate due to the pitcher's grip; his first two fingers are spread far apart to put a downward spin on the ball. Also called a splitter or a forkball.

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ...

spray hitter

A batter who hits line drives to all fields. Not a pull hitter.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training consists of work-outs and exhibition games that precede the regular season. It serves the purpose of both auditioning players for final roster spots and giving players practice prior to competitive play. The managers and coaches use spring training to set their opening-day 25-man roster.

A Grapefruit League game at the LA Dodgers camp in Vero Beach, Florida In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of exhibition games which precedes the regular season. ...

squeeze play

A tactic used to attempt to score a runner from third on a bunt. There are two types of squeeze plays: suicide squeeze and safety squeeze.

In baseball, a squeeze play is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third and fewer than two outs. ...

squibber

A nubber.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

starting pitcher

The starting pitcher (or "starter") is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A starter is expected to pitch at least five innings, in contrast with relievers who often pitch just three, two or one or even fractional innings. In fact, by the scoring rules, a starter must complete five innings in order to qualify as the winning pitcher in the game, though he need face only a single batter to become the losing pitcher if his team immediately falls behind and stays behind for the remainder of the game.

In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher, often abbreviated as starter, is the pitcher who pitches the first pitch to the first batter of a game. ...

station-to-station

Oddly enough, this term can mean completely different things. It can be referred to as a close relative of inside baseball, where hit-and-runs and base-stealing are frequent. It can also mean its exact opposite, where a team takes fewer chances of getting thrown out on the bases by cutting down on steal attempts and taking the extra base on a hit; therefore, the team will maximize the number of runs scored on a homer.

stathead

Statheads use statistical methods to analyze baseball game strategy as well as player and team performance. They use the tools of sabermetrics to analyze baseball. See Evolution of baseball player evaluation.

A graph of a bell curve in a normal distribution showing statistics used in educational assessment, comparing various grading methods. ... Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball through objective evidence, especially baseball statistics. ... Evolution of baseball player evaluation has taken place over many years. ...

stats

Short for "statistics", the numbers generated by the game: runs, hits, errors, strikeouts, batting average, earned run average, fielding average, etc. Most of the numbers used by players and fans are not true mathematical statistics, but the term is in common usage.

A graph of a bell curve in a normal distribution showing statistics used in educational assessment, comparing various grading methods. ...

stealing signs

When a team that is at bat tries to see the sign the catcher is giving to the pitcher (indicating what type of pitch to throw), the team is said to be stealing signs. This may be done by a runner who is on base (typically second base) watching the catcher's signs to the pitcher and giving a signal of some kind to the batter. (To prevent this, the pitcher and catcher may change their signs when there is a runner on second base.) Sometimes a first-base or third-base coach might see a catcher's signs if the catcher isn't careful. In unusual cases, the signs may be read through binoculars by somebody sitting in the stands, perhaps in center field, and sending a signal to the hitter in some way.

When a hitter is suspected of peaking to see how a catcher is setting up behind the plate as a clue to what pitch might be coming or what the intended location is, then the pitcher will usually send the hitter a message: stick it in his ear.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

stick it in his ear

"Stick it in his ear!" is a cry that that may come from fans in the stands, appealing to the home team pitcher to be aggressive (throw the ball at the opposing batter). The line is attributed originally, however, to Leo Durocher.

Leo Ernest Durocher (July 27, 1905 - October 7, 1991), nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. ...

stolen base

In baseball, a stolen base (or "steal") occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate. In baseball statistics, stolen bases are denoted by SB. If the catcher thwarts the stolen base by throwing the runner out, the event is recorded as caught stealing (CS). Also see uncontested steal.

The all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1985 In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

stone fingers

A player who misplays easy ground balls. Also see hard hands. Pittsburgh Pirates first-baseman Dick Stuart was given the label "Stone Fingers" (a reference to the James Bond movie Goldfinger) as well as the nickname "Dr. Strangeglove" (a reference to the movie Dr. Strangelove).

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Major league affiliations National League (1887–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1,4,8,9,20,21,33,40 Name Pittsburgh Pirates (1891–present) Pittsburgh Innocents (1890) (Also referred to as Infants in 1890) Pittsburg Alleghenies (1882-1889) Ballpark PNC Park (2001–present) Three Rivers Stadium... Richard Lee Dick Stuart (November 7, 1932 - December 15, 2002) was a Major League Baseball first baseman from 1958 to 1969. ... Goldfinger is the third film in the EON Productions James Bond series, and the third to star Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent, Commander James Bond 007. ... Strangelove redirects here. ...

stopper

This term originally referred to a team's best starting pitcher, who would be called upon to stop a losing streak. Now it refers to the a team's top relief pitcher.

strand the runner

To leave a runner on base, especially in scoring position, is to "strand the runner." This phrase is often used when a runner reaches base with no outs or one out but the rest of the offense fails to get him home. A lead-off hitter who hits a triple but does not score is one of most disappointing examples of stranding a runner. The odds favor his scoring in this situation. On average when a team has a runner on third with no outs, it scores 1.5 runs, and the team scores at least 1 run 86% of the time.[5][6]

stretch

• To stretch a hit is to take an additional base on a hit, typically by aggressive running. "Damon stretched that single to a double with his hustle." "Glaus got caught trying to stretch a double to a triple."
• To pitch from a stretch is to begin the pitching motion by facing sideways relative to home plate, raising one's arms at the elbow and bringing the glove hand and pitching hand together in a full stop, then hurling the ball toward the plate. This is the usual pitching motion when there are men on base, so that the pitcher can check on the runners before throwing home. Sometimes, however, pitchers use a stretch even when the bases are empty.

strike

When a batter swings at a pitch, but fails to hit the ball within the baselines or when a batter does not swing and the pitch is thrown within the strike zone, or when the ball is hit foul and the Strike Count is less than 2 (a batter cannot strike out on a foul ball, however he can fly Out)

In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that is not a foul tip, and that. ... In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that is not a foul tip, and that. ...

strike out the side

A pitcher is said to "strike out the side" when he retires all three batters in a half inning by striking them out, not necessarily in a row

strike zone

An imaginary box used to call strikes (see image here). The Rules Book definition is that the strike zone "is that area over home plate the upper limit of which is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants, and the lower level is a line at the hollow beneath the kneecap. The strike zone shall be determined from the batter's stance as the batter is prepared to swing at a pitched ball." When, in the plate umpire's judgment, the ball passes through the strike zone and the batter does not swing, one strike is called (a called strike as opposed to a swinging strike).

The formal definition of the upper limit of the strike zone is sometimes reduced to "the letters", i.e., the area of the uniform shirt where the team's name usually appears; or, as some plain-speaking types say, "the nipple line". (Taking the anatomical comparisons further, the ever-earthy Ted Williams used to describe certain good pitches to hit as being "at cock level").

Despite the formal rules, umpires differ in the strike zones that they recognize. Major League Baseball has experimented in recent years with the QuesTec system, which uses laser light technology to standardize the zone and to measure umpires' personal strike zones. But balls and strikes are still called by umpires, not machines. Whether a pitch is a ball or a strike is typically the focal point of arguments during a game. The rules prohibit managers from leaving the dugout to protest ball-and-strike calls, the penalty for which is ejection.

Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... Strike zone boundaries (MLB) Definition In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual rectangular area over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing. ... Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002), nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 19 seasons, twice interrupted by military service as a Marine Corps pilot, with the Boston Red Sox. ... In sports, an umpire is an official appointed to rule on plays and procedure. ... QuesTec is a digital media company known mostly for its controversial Umpire Information System (UIS) which is used by Major League Baseball (MLB) for the purpose of providing feedback and evaluation of big league umpires. ...

struck out looking

A batter called out on strikes without swinging on the third strike is said to have "struck out lookin'."

stuff

Suppose a pitcher has three excellent pitches (fastball, slider, and change-up), a high-90 mph fastball, great command, excellent location, a rubber arm. Bound for stardom, right (assuming no injury)? Only if he has "stuff." Stuff means that his pitches have "something extra" to them: a sudden and timely movement that makes his pitches elusive so that hitters miss them or hit them weakly. In "Amadeus" both Salieri and Mozart could write good music, but only Mozart had "stuff."

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. ... The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. ... Command has multiple meanings: An order. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Amadeus is the title of a stage play written in 1979 by Peter Shaffer, loosely based on the lives of the composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. ...

submariner

A pitcher who throws with such a severe sidearm motion that the pitch comes from below his waist, sometimes near the ground. (A submariner does not throw underhanded, as in fastpitch softball.) See submarine.

This article is about the method of throwing. ... Softball is a team sport in which a ball, ten to eleven inches (28 to 30. ... In baseball, a submarine is a pitch delivered with a three-quarter sidearm or underhand motion. ...

subway series

When two teams from the same city or metropolitan area play a series of games, they are presumed to be so near to one another that they could take the subway to play at their opponent's stadium. Mets vs. Yankees would be (and is) called a subway series; a Cubs vs. White Sox series would be an "L" series; and a series between the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants would be (and was) the "BART" series. However, a series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim would not be a subway series, because there is no subway or other rail service between Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium of Anaheim (not even the fabled line between "Anaheim, Azusa and Cuc...amonga").

The New York Mets are a Major League Baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City. ... The New York Yankees are a Major League baseball team based in The Bronx, New York City. ... Cubs may refer to The Chicago Cubs baseball team The Wolf Cubs; the junior age group of the Scouting movement This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... The L is the principal urban heavy rail and metro serving Chicago, Illinois in the United States. ... Oakland Athletics American League AAA Sacramento River Cats AA Midland RockHounds A Stockton Ports Kane County Cougars Vancouver Canadians R Phoenix Athletics The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) West Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 3,4,11,24,27,30,36,44 Name San Francisco Giants (1958–present) New York Giants (1885-1957) New York Gothams (1883-1885) Ballpark AT&T Park (2000–present) a. ... The San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) is a public rapid-transit system that serves parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Daly City, Richmond, Fremont, Hayward, Walnut Creek, and Concord. ... Major league affiliations National League (1890-present) West Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Dodger Stadium (1962-present) Major league titles World Series titles (6) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1955 NL Pennants (21) 1988 â€¢ 1981 â€¢ 1978 â€¢ 1977 1974 â€¢ 1966 â€¢ 1965 â€¢ 1963 1959 â€¢ 1956 â€¢ 1955 â€¢ 1953 1952 â€¢ 1949 â€¢ 1947 â€¢ 1941... Major league affiliations American League (1961-present) West Division (1969-present) Current uniform Ballpark Angel Stadium of Anaheim (1966-present) Major league titles World Series titles (1) 2002 AL Pennants (1) 2002 West Division titles (5) 2005 â€¢ 2004 â€¢ 1986 â€¢ 1982 1979 Wild card berths (1) 2002 The Los Angeles Angels... Dodger Stadium, in Los Angeles, California, has been the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball team since 1962. ... Angel Stadium of Anaheim (originally Anaheim Stadium and later Edison International Field of Anaheim) is a baseball stadium located in Anaheim, California, and home to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of the American League. ...

suicide squeeze

A squeeze play in which the runner on third breaks for home on the pitch, so that, if the batter does not lay down a bunt, then the runner is an easy out (unless he steals home). Contrast this with the safety squeeze.

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Summer Classic

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game. These annual games pit the all-stars of the National League against the all-stars of the American League. A game designed only to acknowledge and showcase the achievements of the best players in each league. Since 2003 it has been a bit more important than an exhibition game, however, because the winning league gets home-field advantage in the World Series.

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the Midsummer Classic or Midsummer Night Classic, is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by fan vote for the starting position players and by the manager for pitchers and... An Exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no gain or loss from whether the competitors are victorious are not in any competition. ... For other events named World Series, see World Series (disambiguation). ...

sweep

To take all the games in a series between two teams, whether during the regular 162-game season or during the league championships or World Series. During the regular season, pairs of teams typically square off in several 3- or 4-game series at the home parks of each team. It is also thus possible for one team to sweep a 3- or 4-game series, the "home series" (all the games a team plays at its home field against another given team), the "road series," or the "season series" between two teams.

switch hitter

A player who can hit from both sides of the plate, i.e., he bats both left-handed and right-handed. The reason many natural right-handers learn to either bat left-handed exclusively or to switch-hit, is to give them an advantage at the plate, due to (1) the fact that most pitchers (like most humans) are naturally right-handed and (2) it can boost their ability to hit for power. A right-handed pitcher's natural throwing motion tends to bring the ball "in" toward a left-hand batter, and "away" from a right-hand batter. Thus, a player who hits well in general, and about equally well either way, is considered an asset because he is not subject to platooning of left-hand vs. right-hand pitchers. Most, if not all, switch-hitters are natural right-handers. While it would be possible for a left-hander to learn to bat right-handed, there is considered to be little strategic advantage to it. Very few switch-hitters are truly ambidextrous.

Batting opposite-handed is effectively hitting "backhanded". The hand at the knob of the bat is the "power" hand, and the hand above it is the "control" hand. The key to batting opposite-handed is learning control of the swing. And with the naturally-stronger right hand now being the power hand, along with the fact (especially in the "classic" era of baseball) that the right field fences tend to be closer than the left field fences, natural right-handers can often hit with greater power as left-hand batters than as right-hand batters.

One of the best-known "singles-hitting" switch hitters was Pete Rose, although later in his career the naturally right-handed Rose became exclusively a left-hand batter. Probably the most famous switch-hitting slugger was the natural right-hander Mickey Mantle, whose power at the plate was especially notable batting opposite (left) handed. In contrast, there is the old joke told by Joe Garagiola, about a nameless switch-hitter who could bat "three ways: right-handed, left-handed... and seldom!"

Peter Edward Pete Rose, Sr. ... Mickey Mantle on a 1953 cover of Time Magazine Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ... Joseph Henry Garagiola, Sr. ...

T

tablesetter

• a player placed high in the batting order for his tendency to hit for average and steal bases is said to "set the table" for the power hitters behind him in the lineup.
• an unexpected event early in a ball game, such as a defensive error or a hit batsmen, can be called a "tablesetter" for the outcome of the game.

tag

• To hit the ball hard, typically for an extra-base hit. "McCovey tagged that one into the gap."
• A tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielder's hand holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy. "Helton was tagged out at second" implies that a defensive player touched him with the ball before he reached second base.

In baseball a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielders hand holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy. ...

take sign

A sign given to a batter to not swing, or "take", at the next pitch. Sometimes when a new pitcher or reliever comes in, batters are given a general instruction to take the first pitch. Most often, they are told to take a pitch when the count is 3-0.

take the field

When the defensive players go to their positions at the beginning of an inning the defense takes the field.

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take-out slide

A slide performed for the purpose of hampering the play of the defense. A runner from first to second base will often try to "take out" the fielder at the base to disrupt his throw to first base and "break up the double play." Although the runner is supposed to stay within the base-paths, as long as he touches second base he has a lot of leeway to use his body. Runners in this situation usually need to slide in order to avoid being hit by the throw from second to first; but whether they do a "take-out slide" or come into the base with their spikes high in the air depends as much on their personal disposition as it does the situation. The title of a biography of Ty Cobb — "The Tiger Wore Spikes" — said something about how he ran the basepaths.

Ty Cobb sliding into first base at Comiskey Park in 1913. ... Tyrus Raymond Ty Cobb (December 18 1886 – July 17 1961), nicknamed the Georgia Peach, was a Hall of Fame baseball player. ...

tap

To hit a slow or easy ground ball, typically to the pitcher: "Martinez tapped it back to the mound." A ball hit in this way is a tapper.

tape measure home run

An especially long home run. The term originated from a 1956 game in which Mickey Mantle hit a ball out of Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. The distance the ball flew was measured and the next day a picture of Mantle with a tape measure was published in the newspaper. A play-by-play announcer may also call a long home run a tape measure job. Although fans have always been interested in how far home runs may travel and in comparing the great home runs of the great and not-so-great home run hitters, the science of measuring home runs remains inexact.[7][8].

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on... Mickey Mantle on a 1953 cover of Time Magazine Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player who was inducted into to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. ... Griffith Stadium was a sports stadium that stood in Washington, D.C. from 1911 to 1965, at the corner of Georgia Avenue and W Street, NW. An earlier wooden baseball park that stood on the site, National Park, was built in 1891, was destroyed by a fire in March 1911... Self-retracting pocket tape measure A tape measure or measuring tape is a ribbon of cloth, plastic, or metal with linear-measure markings, often in both imperial and metric units. ...

tater

A home run. The term started to appear in the 1970s, specifically as "long tater". The ball itself has been known as a "potato" or "tater" for generations. A long ball is thus a "long tater", shortened to just "tater" for this specific meaning.

In baseball, a home run is a base hit in which the batter is able to circle all the bases, ending at home plate and scoring a run himself (along with a run scored by each runner who was already on base), with no errors by the defensive team on...

tattoo

To hit the ball very hard, figuratively to put a tattoo from the bat's trademark on the ball.

tee off

Easily hittable pitches are likened to stationary baseballs sitting on batting tees (or possibly golf tees, since this term is also part of the lexicon of golf), and therefore batters hitting such pitches are said to be 'teeing off'.

A tee is a stand used to support a stationary ball so that the player can strike it, particuarly in golf, Tee Ball, American football, and rugby. ... A tee is a stand used to support a stationary ball so that the player can strike it, particuarly in golf, Tee Ball, American football, and rugby. ...

Terminator

A pitcher’s “out pitch” (usually his best pitch; as a result, it is the pitch upon which he relies to get batters out).

Texas Leaguer

A Texas Leaguer (or Texas League single) is a weakly hit fly ball that drops in for a single between an infielder and an outfielder. These are now more commonly refered to as flares. See blooper.

An infielder is a baseball player who plays on the infield, the dirt portion of a baseball diamond between first base and third base. ... An outfielder moves in to catch a fly ball Outfielder is a collective term including left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, the three positions in baseball farthest from the batter. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

third of an inning

Line stat credited to a pitcher retiring one out of a full inning. For convenience in print, however, a pitcher who goes 4 and one-third innings might be shown in the box score as completing 4.1 innings, as compared with a pitcher who goes four and two-thirds innings for whom the box score would show 4.2.

In baseball, the statistical summary of a game is reported in a box score. ...

three-bagger

A triple.

In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base by striking the ball and getting to third before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ...

three-base hit

A triple.

In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base by striking the ball and getting to third before being made out, without the benefit of a fielders misplay (see error) or another runner being put out on a fielders choice. ...

three true outcomes

The three ways a plate appearance can end without fielders coming into play: walks, home runs, and strikeouts. Baseball Prospectus coined the term in homage to Rob Deer, who excelled at producing all three outcomes. Traditionally, players with a high percentage of their plate appearances ending in one of the three true outcomes are underrated, as general managers often overestimate the harm in striking out, and underestimate the value of a walk.

Baseball Prospectus, sometimes abbreviated as BP, is a think-tank focusing on the statistical analysis of the sport of baseball, which is also known as sabermetrics. ... Robert George Deer (born September 29, 1960 in Orange, California) is a former baseball player. ...

three up, three down

To face just three batters in an inning. Having a "three up, three down inning" is the goal of any pitcher. See also: side retired, 1-2-3 inning.

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

through the wickets

When a batted ball passes through the legs of a player in the field it's often said, "That one went right through the wickets." The term refers to the metal hoops (called wickets) used in the game of croquet through which croquet balls are struck. Letting the ball through his legs makes a baseball player look (and feel) inept, and the official scorekeeper will typically record the play as an error.

Winslow Homer: Croquet, 1864 Croquet is a recreational game and, latterly, a competitive sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops embedded into the grass playing arena. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

tipping pitches

When a pitcher is giving inadvertent signals to the hitters concerning what kind of pitch he's about to throw, he's said to be "tipping his pitches." It may be something in his position on the rubber, his body lean, how he holds or moves his glove when going into the stretch, whether he moves his index finger outside his glove, or some aspect of his pitching motion. Akin to what is called a tell in poker: a habit, behavior, or physical reaction that gives other players more information about your hand.

Coaches and as well as players on the bench make a habit of watching everything an opposing pitcher is doing, looking for information that will allow them to forecast what kind of pitch is coming. When pitchers go through a bad spell, they may become paranoid that they're tipping their pitches to the opposing batters. A pitcher and coaches are likely to spend a lot of time studying film of the games to learn what the pitcher might be doing that tips his pitches.

Pitchers will try to hide their grip even while delivering the ball. Rick Sutcliffe used to wind up in such a way that his body concealed the ball from the batter almost until the moment of release. In contrast, relief ace Dennis Eckersley, playing a psychological game, would hold the ball up in such a way that he purposely showed off the type of grip he had on it, essentially "daring" the batter to hit it.

In poker, a tell is a detectable change in a players behavior that gives clues to that players assessment of their hand. ... Richard Lee Sutcliffe (born June 21, 1956 in Independence, Missouri) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher and current television sportscaster. ... Dennis Lee Eckersley (born October 3, 1954 in Oakland, California), nicknamed Eck, was a Major League Baseball player elected to Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 (his first year of eligibility). ...

tools

Tools are a position player's abilities in five areas: hitting for average, hitting for power, running, fielding, and throwing. Baseball scouts evaluate prospects based on their current skills and likely further development in each of these areas. The scouts also make an overall judgment of a player's tools, and they assign an Overall Future Potential (OFP) score to each player; but the OFP is not computed in any formal way from numeric assessments of the players in the specific skill areas. An analogous scouting assessment of pitchers refers to a variety of pitching skills as well as to the pitcher's OFP. The OFP scale for pitchers and position players ranges from 20 to 80. A player with an OFP of 50 is thought to have the potential to play at an average major league level. A score of 60 is also called a "plus," and a score of 70 is also called a "plus-plus"; thus, plus and plus-plus players are viewed as having the potential to become above-average major leaguers. This language can also be applied to the specific tools of a player, as in: "He still projects as a plus hitter with plus power and plus-plus speed." Or "Verlander came into his rookie season with a plus change-up, a plus curve, and a plus-plus fastball."

Also see 5 tool player.

In baseball, a position player is a player who on defense plays as an infielder, outfielder, or catcher. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

tools of ignorance

A catcher's gear.

toolsie

A player with a lot of tools who hasn't yet developed into a mature player: "Granderson is not just a toolsie player trying to learn how to convert his excellent tools into usable baseball skills. He's already well down the road of converting them."

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Tommy John surgery

A type of elbow surgery for pitchers named after Tommy John, a pitcher and the first professional athlete to successfully undergo the operation. Invented by Dr. Frank Jobe in 1974 and known medically as an ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.