List of definitions of terms and concepts used in baseball
Это алфавитный список избранных неофициальных и специализированных терминов, фраз и другого жаргона, используемых в бейсболе , вместе с их определениями, включая наглядные примеры для многих записей.
0–9
0
«О, и...» См. количество.
1
Цифра 1 в бейсболе обозначает позицию питчера, сокращенное обозначение броска первому игроку, одиночного удара и жеста фастбола.
1-2-3 иннинг
Иннинг, в котором питчер сталкивается только с тремя отбивающими, и ни один из них не достигает базы. «Три вверх, три вниз».
1-2-3 двойная игра
Двойная игра , в которой питчер (1) получает отбитый мяч и бросает его домой кэтчеру (2), который выводит из игры бегуна, продвигающегося с третьей базы. Затем кэтчер бросает первому бейсмену (3), чтобы вытеснить бэттера. Это почти всегда происходит, когда базы загружены.
1-6-3 двойная игра
Питчер (1) принимает отбитый мяч и бросает шортстопу (6), чтобы вытеснить бегуна, продвигающегося на вторую базу. Затем шортстоп бросает первому бейсмену (3), чтобы вытеснить бьющего.
2
Кэтчер (2) получает сигнал «Два!» для броска на вторую базу, «два-бэггер» — дабл, а номер 2 подает сигнал для крученого мяча.
2–2–2 (2 мяча, 2 страйка, 2 аута)
Смотрите дикие двойки.
Масштаб 20–80
Скауты MLB используют шкалу от 20 до 80 для оценки игроков: 50 — средний уровень (уровень MLB), 20 — очень низкий, а 80 — элитный. Применяется к общим способностям и конкретным навыкам, таким как скорость удара или подачи. [1]
3
Первый бейсмен (3) принимает броски с криками «Три!», останавливает бегунов, пытающихся сделать трипл («трибэггеры»), а номер 3 может подать сигнал слайдеру от питчера.
3-2-3 двойная игра
Первый бейсмен (3) принимает отбитый мяч и бросает его кэтчеру (2), который останавливает бегуна, продвигающегося с третьей базы, а затем бросает его обратно первому бейсмену, чтобы вытеснить бэттера. Это почти всегда происходит, когда базы загружены.
3-6 двойная игра
Первый бейсмен (3) получает отбитый мяч, наступает на первую базу (чтобы вытеснить бэттера), а затем бросает шортстопу (6), который выбивает бегуна. Другая возможность — это линейный драйв, пойманный первым бейсменом, который бросает шортстопу, который затем наступает на вторую базу для второго аута.
3-6-1 двойная игра
Первый бейсмен (3) получает отбитый мяч и бросает шортстопу (6), чтобы выбить бегуна на второй базе. Затем шортстоп бросает питчеру (1) (который теперь прикрывает первым, потому что первый бейсмен был занят игрой с мячом), чтобы выбить бьющего.
3-4-3 двойная игра
Первый бейсмен (3) принимает отбитый мяч и бросает второму бейсмену (4), чтобы выбить бегуна на второй базе. Затем второй бейсмен бросает мяч обратно первому бейсмену, чтобы выбить бьющего.
3-6-3 двойная игра
Первый бейсмен (3) получает отбитый мяч и бросает шортстопу (6), чтобы выбить бегуна на второй базе. Затем шортстоп бросает обратно первому бейсмену, чтобы выбить бьющего.
4
Второй игрок с базы, в стенографии.
Крик «Четыре!» означает, что мяч следует бросить на домашнюю базу.
«Четырехочковый» — это хоумран.
В контексте подачи мяча цифра 4 является общепринятым знаком (и прозвищем) смены игрока.
4-6-3 двойная игра
Второй бейсмен (4) принимает отбитый мяч и бросает его шортстопу (6), который выбивает бегуна на второй базе, а затем бросает его первому бейсмену (3), чтобы выбить отбивающего.
45-футовая линия
45-футовая линия в бейсболе обозначает зону, в пределах которой должен оставаться бегун, чтобы избежать наказания за помеху при движении к первой базе.
4 широких
Четыре последовательных подачи намеренно вдали от зоны страйка. Проповедник Роу резюмировал эту стратегию Стэну Мьюзиалу так: «Я бросаю ему четыре вдали и пытаюсь сначала его выбить». [2]
5
Третий игрок с базы, в стенографии.
5 лунок
Между ног игрока (в частности, кэтчера). От хоккейного термина, обозначающего способ, которым шайба проходит мимо вратаря («через пять лунок»).
5.6 отверстие
Пространство между третьим бейсменом (5) и шорт-стопом (6).
Прославился благодаря многолетнему чемпиону по отбиванию мяча Тони Гвинну из «Сан-Диего Падрес» , который описал, куда ему больше всего нравится бить по бейсбольному мячу. [3]
5-4-3 двойная игра
Третий бейсмен (5) принимает отбитый мяч и бросает второму бейсмену (4), чтобы выбить бегуна, выдвигающегося с первой базы. Затем второй бейсмен бросает первому бейсмену (3), чтобы выбить бьющего.
5-4-3 тройная игра
3-й бейсмен (5) получает сильный удар и выходит на третью базу для принудительного аута на R2 (6), затем бросает лазер 2-му бейсмену (4), чтобы вытеснить R1 (7) на второй. Наконец, 2-й бейсмен (4) бросает мяч 1-му бейсмену (3), чтобы завершить дабл-плей, выведя из игры бьющего (2).
Шортстоп (6) принимает отбитый мяч и бросает его второму бейсмену (4), который вытесняет бегуна, выдвигающегося с первой базы, а затем бросает мяч первому бейсмену (3), чтобы вытеснить отбивающего.
7
Левый защитник, в стенографии.
7-2, 8-2 или 9-2 дабл-плей
Мяч, летящий в воздухе, пойман аутфилдером, а бегущий пытается догнать его и набрать очки с третьей позиции, но его выбивает из игры кэтчер.
8
Центральный защитник, в стенографии.
9
Правый защитник, в стенографии.
9 к 0
Официальный счет отмененной игры в Высшей лиге бейсбола.
12–6
Разновидность крученого мяча, движение которого напоминает движение стрелок часов.
30-30 клуб
Игроки, которые совершили 30 хоумранов и украли 30 баз за один сезон.
клуб 40-40
Игроки, которые выбивают 40 хоумранов и украдут 40 баз за один сезон.
клуб 50-50
Игроки, которые совершили 50 хоумранов и украли 50 баз за один сезон.
55-футовый
Уничижительный термин для обозначения подачи, которая отскакивает ниже 60 градусов.+1 ⁄ 2 фута между питчерской резиной и пластиной.
90 футов
Когда бегун продвигается на одну базу, он «перемещается на 90 футов» — расстояние между последовательными базами. Бегун на третьей базе находится «в 90 футах» от очков.
«AA» также является аббревиатурой Американской ассоциации, которая была названием многочисленных профессиональных бейсбольных лиг: недолговечной высшей лиги XIX века, низшей лиги на протяжении большей части XX века и независимой низшей лиги , которая стала «партнерской лигой» Высшей лиги бейсбола в 2021 году.
«Игрок уровня Four-A» (альтернативно «игрок уровня Quadruple-A») — термин для игрока низшей лиги, который последовательно добивается успеха в высших низших лигах ( AAA ), но не может перевести это в успех на уровне высшей лиги. Плохое управление может быть причиной. [10] «AAAA» может также неформально относиться к высококачественным, но неаффилированным иностранным бейсбольным лигам за пределами Северной Америки , где игра считается менее конкурентоспособной, чем в MLB, но более конкурентоспособной, чем в AAA; это обычно ограничивается описанием NPB Японии . [11] [12] [ 13]
на борту
Когда бегун на базе. Когда бегуны находятся в безопасности на базе, есть «бегуны на борту».
туз
Лучший стартовый питчер в команде, который обычно первый в ротации питчеров.
продвигать бегуна
Чтобы безопасно переместить бегуна вперед на другую базу, часто сознательная стратегия команды, играющей в small ball. Если отбивающий делает аут, его появление на пластине будет менее негативным, если он все же вывел бегуна на позицию для набора очков; в определенных ситуациях отбивающие даже намеренно жертвуют собой.
впереди по счету
Термин, который обозначает, кто имеет преимущество в отбивающем, бьющий или питчер. Если питчер бросил больше страйков, чем мячей бьющему в отбивающем, питчер впереди по счету; и наоборот, если питчер бросил больше мячей, чем страйков, бьющий впереди.
Если питчер впереди по счету, то у бьющего увеличивается опасность выбить его. Если бьющий впереди, то у бьющего увеличивается опасность его уока.
нацелить мяч
Иногда, когда питчер пытается слишком тщательно контролировать место подачи, говорят, что он «нацеливает мяч» вместо того, чтобы бросать его. Это иное значение слова «нацеливать» по сравнению с ситуацией, когда питчер нацеливает подачу на отбивающего, пытаясь попасть в него.
Сленговое выражение, обозначающее ошибочный бросок филдера, который пролетает высоко над игроком, которому он намеревался бросить мяч. Например, если третий бейсмен бросает мяч над головой первого бейсмена и на трибуны, говорят, что он «отправил бросок по воздуху». «Но Чендлер отправила свой бросок третьему в блиндаж …»
алебастровый взрыв
Придуманный комментатором «Питтсбург Пайрэтс» Бобом Принсом, мяч при ударе «Балтимор» отскакивал выше обычного из-за необычайно твердого грунта на стадионе «Форбс-филд».
переулок
Также "gap" или "power alley", пространство между левым и центральным полевыми игроками или правым и центральным полевыми игроками. Если отбивающий бьет по мячу "вверх по аллее" с достаточной силой, у него больше шансов продвинуться дальше первой базы и получить дополнительный удар. Обычно это подходящий термин для описания линейного драйва или граунд-бола; летающие мячи, которые ударяются о стену, обычно так не описываются.
Финальная серия плей-офф сезона из семи матчей, которая определяет команду Американской лиги, которая выйдет в Мировую серию . ALCS, как и ее аналог NLCS , появилась в 1969 году. Победитель ALCS получает вымпел Американской лиги и титул чемпиона Американской лиги на этот сезон. Победители серии дивизионов Американской лиги встречаются в ALCS с 1995 года.
Серия Американской лиги дивизиона (ALDS)
Первый раунд плей-офф лиги. Победители трех дивизионов и победитель Wild Card Game соревнуются в двух сериях до трех побед, победители которых выходят в ALCS.
Энни Оукли
Бесплатный билет на посещение матча или на первую базу («бесплатный пропуск» или «база на мячи»).
апелляционная игра
Игра, в которой у защиты есть возможность получить благоприятное решение от судьи, обратившись к ошибке нападения или попросив другого судью. Апелляции требуют, чтобы защита устно обратилась к соответствующему судье, или, если ситуация, на которую подается апелляция, очевидна, игрок может указать на апелляцию жестом. Ответственность за подачу апелляции лежит на защите; судьи не будут объявлять о потенциальных ситуациях апелляции, таких как не коснувшиеся базы бегуны, несоответствующие порядку отбивания или неконтролируемые свинги, пока не будет подана апелляция.
Осенняя лига Аризоны (AFL)
Короткий сезон младшей лиги, в которой перспективные игроки высокого уровня из всех тридцати клубов Главной лиги бейсбола организованы в шесть команд, в которых игроки имеют возможность оттачивать и демонстрировать свои навыки для оценки тренерами, скаутами и руководителями. Такие команды называются «командами скаутов» и «тактическими отрядами».
рука
Метонимия для питчера («A's обменивает двух молодых людей в Канзас-Сити ...», [14] «... Антопулос просто накапливает оружие в попытке заманить на обмен ...» [15] ).
вокруг рога
Поищите информацию о Роге в Викисловаре, бесплатном словаре.
Практика инфилдеров бросать мяч друг другу после записи аута , при условии, что на базе нет бегунов. Цель такая же традиционная, как и все остальное, но она служит способом отпраздновать аут. Обычно, если аут сделан на первой базе, первый бейсмен бросает шортстопу , который бросает второму бейсмену , который бросает третьему бейсмену , который возвращает мяч питчеру . Схемы варьируются от команды к команде, но третий бейсмен обычно является последним инфилдером, который получает бросок, независимо от схемы.
Бросание мяча вокруг рога также выполняется после страйкаута без бегунов с базы. Кэтчер бросает мяч третьему бейсмену, который затем бросает его второму бейсмену, который бросает его шортстопу, который затем бросает его первому бейсмену. Некоторые кэтчеры, такие как Иван Родригес , предпочитают бросать мяч первому бейсмену, который затем начинает процесс в обратном порядке. Некоторые кэтчеры определяют, кому они будут бросать, основываясь на том, какой рукой играет отбивающий (первой для правши, потому что линия к первому бейсмену не заблокирована, и наоборот) или находится ли команда в овершифте, когда третий бейсмен будет играть близко к тому месту, где обычно играет шортстоп, и для его достижения потребуется более сильный бросок.
Дополнительным применением этого термина является ситуация, когда произошла двойная игра 5-4-3 , которая имитирует схему броска мяча вокруг рога.
поджигатель
Неэффективный питчер-заменитель . Обычно питчер , который приходит в игру, когда на базе никого нет, но продолжает пропускать несколько ранов. Противоположность пожарному .
пепел
Старомодное слово, обозначающее бейсбольную биту, которая обычно изготавливается из древесины ясеня. «Хитрый менеджер заменяет быстрого бегуна на медленного и посылает отбивающего, когда человек, которого он выводит, так же хорош с ясенем, как и человек, которого он посылает». [16]
аспирин
Сленговое название фастбола, который особенно трудно отбить из-за его скорости и/или движения, в отношении сложности контакта с чем-то таким маленьким, как таблетка аспирина . Может также относиться к отбивающим, которые видят поданный мяч относительно меньше обычного, что может иметь психологический эффект на отбивающих, которые находятся в упадке . [17] [18]
помогать
Официальный счетный судья присуждает результативную передачу каждому игроку защиты, который отбивает или касается мяча (после того, как его отбил бьющий) до аута, даже если контакт был непреднамеренным. Например, если мяч ударяется о ногу игрока и отскакивает от него к другому полевому игроку, который берет бейсраннера, первому игроку засчитывается результативная передача.
Полевой игрок может получить только одну передачу за зафиксированный аут. Полевой игрок также получает передачу, если бы аут произошел, если бы другой полевой игрок не совершил ошибку.
ассоциированная команда
В бейсбольной лиге Negro League команда, которая не получила членство в лиге или не согласилась играть по расписанию лиги, но игры, сыгранные командами лиги против этой команды, все равно будут учитываться в турнирной таблице лиги.
звездочка
Сленговый термин для бейсбольного рекорда, который оспаривается в общественном мнении (т. е. неофициально) из-за восприятия того, что рекордсмен имел несправедливое преимущество в достижении рекорда. Он подразумевает, что рекорд требует сноски, объясняющей якобы несправедливое преимущество, при этом звездочка является символом, обычно используемым в типографике для обозначения сносок. В последнее время он широко использовался в следующих обстоятельствах:
Рекордсмен, как широко распространено мнение, использовал допинг , независимо от того, доказано или признано такое использование. Барри Бондса регулярно встречали баннерами и плакатами со звездочкой в течение сезона 2007 года, когда он побил рекорд Хэнка Аарона по хоумранам за карьеру. Мяч, который Бондс отбил для рекордного хоумрана, впоследствии был помечен звездочкой, прежде чем его отправили в Зал славы бейсбола.
Обладатель рекорда одного сезона достигал этого за более длительный сезон и, таким образом, имел дополнительные возможности побить рекорд. Известным примером этого является случай, когда Роджер Марис побил рекорд Бейба Рута по хоумранам за один сезон в последний день регулярного сезона из 162 игр в 1961 году, в то время как Рут установил предыдущий рекорд в сезоне из 154 игр в 1927 году; использование звездочки проиллюстрировано в названии фильма 61* , который был о стремлении Мариса побить рекорд Рута. Бейсбольный комиссар Форд Фрик заявил, что рекорд Мариса должен быть указан отдельно от рекорда Рута (вопреки распространенному мнению, в этом случае звездочка не упоминалась и не использовалась), решение, официально не отменявшееся до 1991 года.
Чемпионат Мировой серии Хьюстон Астрос 2017 года , который позже был омрачен обвинениями в использовании Астрос технологий для кражи знаков в течение всего сезона 2017 года. Болельщики команд-соперников, особенно Янкиз и Доджерс , часто используют использование звездочек, ссылаясь на сезон команды в 2017 году, часто насмешливо называя команду «Хьюстон Астерискс».
на их балу
или «атомный мяч»; сленговое название мяча, брошенного прямо в защитника.
Иногда отбивающий может находиться на пластине, когда третий аут иннинга делается против бегуна; в этом случае отбивающий начинает следующий иннинг с чистого счета страйков, и его прерванное появление на пластине не считается выходом на биту.
на буквы
Мяч, который пересекает пластину на высоте букв названия команды на футболке униформы отбивающего, называется «на уровне букв», «на уровне буквы» или «на уровне груди».
съел его
Сленговое выражение, обозначающее действие отбитого мяча, с которым полевому игроку трудно справиться.
съел мяч
Смотрите: съешьте мяч
атаковать зону удара
Сленговое выражение, обозначающее агрессивную подачу, выбрасывая страйки, а не пытаясь обмануть отбивающих, заставляя их делать броски из зоны страйка или пытаться «кусать углы» пластины. Эквивалентные фразы — «pound the strike zone» и «challenge the hitters».
автоматический двойной
Отбитый мяч на фэйр-территории, который отскакивает за пределы игры (например, на сиденья), дает право отбивающему и всем бегунам на базе продвинуться на две базы, но не дальше. Этот термин используется некоторыми комментаторами вместо основного правила double , которое относится к основным правилам, действующим на каждом бейсбольном поле.
автоматический удар
Страйк считается «автоматическим», когда питчер наносит удар (обычно при счете 3-0) с такой уверенностью, что отбивающий принимает подачу, не замахиваясь.
С 2023 года в Главной лиге бейсбола отбивающему автоматически засчитывается страйк, если он не находится в зоне отбивающего и не предупреждает питчера, когда на часах подачи остается не менее 8 секунд.
прочь
Подача за пределами зоны удара, с противоположной стороны пластины от отбивающего, называется «вне», в отличие от подачи, брошенной между пластиной и отбивающим, которая называется «внутри».
Сленговое название для аута. Например, иннинг с двумя аутами можно назвать «двумя аутами»; страйкаут можно назвать «выбиванием» бьющего.
Игры, сыгранные на домашнем поле соперника, называются «гостевыми играми». Команду гостей иногда называют «гостевой» командой.
Б
бэкдор ломает мяч
Breaking pitch, обычно slider , curveball или cut fastball , который из-за своего бокового движения проходит через небольшую часть зоны удара на внешнем крае пластины после того, как кажется, что он полностью промахнется мимо пластины. Он может не пересечь переднюю часть пластины, а только заднюю, и, таким образом, войти через «черный ход». Слайдер является наиболее распространенной версией, потому что слайдер имеет больше бокового движения, чем другие breaking pitch (он изгибается вниз и «скользит» по зоне).
подпорка
Ограждение позади домашней базы, предназначенное для защиты зрителей от нечестных или фоловых мячей.
Последовательный. Когда два последовательных отбивающих выбивают хоумраны, говорят, что они выбили хоумраны подряд . Или питчер может выдать уок подряд и т. д.
резервное копирование
Противоположность "backdoor". Обычно ошибка, подача , которая начинается внутри от домашней базы и возвращается обратно через базу. Подача, которая делает это, называется "backed up".
плохой игрок
Бэттер, который отлично бьет по мячу, находящемуся за пределами зоны страйка. Известные плохие отбивающие включают Йоги Берра и Владимир Герреро .
плохой прыжок
Мяч, который неожиданно отскакивает от игрока в инфилде, часто из-за несовершенств игровой поверхности или вращения мяча.
сумка
База. Также, тау-бэггер — это двойной или двухбазовый хит; три-бэггер — это тройной или трехбазовый хит; четыре-бэггер — это хоум-ран.
залог
Бэттер, увидев, что мяч летит ему в голову, может «выпрыгнуть» (удариться об пол).
Когда два полевых игрока приближаются к мячу, один из них может «выпрыгнуть», чтобы избежать столкновения с другим.
Запасной питчер может выйти на игру вместе с игроками на базе и выручить предыдущего питчера из затруднительного положения.
В то время как первые два примера аналогичны прыжкам с парашютом из самолета, последний сродни прыжкам с лодки, которая вот-вот затонет, или, возможно, вызволению кого-то из тюрьмы.
балка
Решение судьи против движения подачи, нарушающего правила, призванные не допустить, чтобы питчер нечестно обманывал бегуна. Когда объявляется болк, каждый бегун может свободно продвинуться на одну базу. В профессиональном бейсболе болк не приводит к мгновенному падению мяча. Если подача сделана, и все бегуны продвигаются на одну базу из-за попадания, игра продолжается, а болк игнорируется. Это случается редко, потому что когда объявляется болк, питчер обычно останавливает подачу, а судья объявляет мяч мертвым и присуждает базы. В непрофессиональном бейсболе (в средней школе и колледже) болк мгновенно приводит к падению мяча, и бегуны получают свои базы. Правила определяют, какие движения подачи являются незаконными. Обычно болками называют неспособность питчера занять позицию сета (или многократное прибытие в позицию сета) или неспособность сделать шаг в направлении базы, в которую он бросает. Суть болка заключается в том, что определенные движения означают, что питчер начал подачу, поэтому бегуна нельзя перехватить. Некоторые болки являются результатом ошибочных или неудачных движений, например, когда мяч выскальзывает из руки питчера. Гораздо реже встречается болк кэтчера , когда кэтчер движется из-за области пластины до того, как питчер начинает подачу (применимо только во время преднамеренного шага).
мяч
Подача, которая не попадает в зону страйка и не замахивается на отбивающего. (Что касается физического объекта, используемого в игре, см. бейсбол (мяч) .)
Мяч с силой ударяется о землю около домашней базы, отскакивая высоко над головой полевого игрока. [19] Это дает отбивающему время безопасно достичь первой базы, прежде чем мяч будет пойман. Важный элемент стратегии « внутреннего бейсбола » тренера Baltimore Orioles Джона Макгроу , эта техника была популяризирована в эпоху мертвого мяча в Главной лиге бейсбола , когда бейсбольные команды не могли полагаться на хоумран. [20]
Чтобы придать мячу Baltimore chop максимальный отскок, смотритель поля Orioles Том Мерфи плотно утрамбовал землю вокруг домашней базы, смешал ее с твердой глиной и оставил инфилд неорошаемым. [21] Быстрые игроки Orioles, такие как Макгроу, Джо Келли , Стив Броди и Вилли Килер , чаще всего практиковали и совершенствовали этот прием.
В современном бейсболе балтиморский чоп встречается гораздо реже, обычно он получается, когда отбивающий случайно замахивается над мячом. Результат иногда более выражен на тех ромбах с искусственным покрытием . Этот прием все еще используется в софтболе . [22]
стебель банана
Бита, сделанная из древесины низкого качества. [23] См. также #утреннийжурнал
картонная коробка
Бейсбольное поле с небольшими размерами, которое поощряет нападение, особенно хоумраны . «Коробка с крекерами». (см.: Бейсбольное поле Baker Bowl и Citizens Bank )
хлопнуть
Отмена игры из-за плохой погоды: «Я думал, нас разгромят, но мы отыграли пять иннингов».
Сильно ударить по мячу, особенно сделать хоумран. « Атли выбил решающий хоумран».
Игроки, получившие ушибы, считаются травмированными, но могут продолжать играть. Пример: «Поврежденные Braves готовы к реваншу плей-офф с Astros».
Игра -взрыв — захватывающая или близкая игра. Пример из спортивного заголовка: «A Real Bang-Up Finish».
Игра bang bang - это игра, в которой бегущего едва выбрасывают, очень близко, обычно на первой базе. Возможно, это отражает "бум" мяча в перчатке игрока на первой базе, за которым немедленно следует "бум" ноги бегуна, ударяющейся о мешок.
bang it inside — это когда питчер бросает мяч на внутреннюю часть пластины, а отбивающий не может достаточно вытянуть руки, чтобы ударить по мячу, который «бум» попадает в перчатку кэтчера. «Это было невероятное чувство, и я никогда его не забуду», — сказал Джиавотелла . « Шерцер пытался напасть на меня весь день. Он бил меня изнутри, а я не мог вытянуть руки. Думаю, в тот раз он промахнулся над пластиной, и я засунул руки внутрь и подбросил его, и он вылетел за пределы парка». [24]
банджо-хиттер
Бэттер, которому не хватает силы. Бэттер, играющий на банджо, обычно бьет синглы блуп, часто чуть дальше инфилд-грязи, и имеет низкий процент слаггинга. Говорят, что название произошло от звенящего звука биты при контакте, похожего на звук банджо . См. также Punch and Judy hitter .
голыми руками это
Означает ситуацию, когда полевой игрок ловит мяч рукой, не закрытой перчаткой.
бочка
Расширенная метрика, которая измеряет количество раз, когда отбивающий бьет по мячу под определенными углами запуска с определенными скоростями выхода. Баррели с большей вероятностью производят попадания, особенно внебазовые попадания, чем не-баррели.
баррель вверх
В современном бейсболе это означает сильный удар по мячу наиболее уязвимой частью бейсбольной биты.
См. золотую середину.
базовый удар
Смотри хит.
базовый стук
Одиночный. См. также стуки.
Бейсбол Энни
Женщина-" группи ", известная тем, что "легко" подходит бейсболистам. Сьюзан Сарандон сыграла такую роль, как персонаж Энни Савой в американском фильме 1988 года " Бык Дарем ".
Печально известная Рут Энн Стейнхаген была первой «Бейсбольной Энни». Она была одержима первым бейсменом «Кабс», а затем «Филлис» Эдди Вайткусом . Она выстрелила ему в грудь, едва не убив его в 1949 году. Эта история вдохновила на создание романа 1952 года « Естественный» .
базы загружены
Бегуны на первой, второй и третьей базах. Также известны как « базы полны », « базы упакованы », « базы зажаты », « базы сжаты », «базы выжаты», « базы выброшены » или « базы пьяны ». Это дает отличную возможность для очков для отбивающей команды, но также дает легкую возможность двойной игры для защиты . Заставить базы стать загруженными называется загрузкой баз . Бэттера часто намеренно выводят из игры , когда на 2-й и 3-й базе есть бегуны, чтобы облегчить защите задачу записать больше одного аута.
Ситуация с загруженными базами — это единственный случай, когда сила присутствует на домашней базе .
Когда хоумран выбит при загруженных базах, это называется гранд слэм . Он приносит четыре очка, что является наибольшим количеством очков, которые можно набрать за одну игру.
подвал
Последнее место, дно турнирной таблицы. Тоже подвал.
бегун
Бейсраннер (сокращенно «бегун») — игрок нападающей команды (т. е. команды, отбивающей мяч), который благополучно достиг базы .
корзина для сбора
Ловля летящего мяча перчаткой, расположенной на уровне талии, а не руками, расположенными выше плеч.
летучая мышь
Бейсбольная бита — это гладкий контурный круглый деревянный или металлический стержень, используемый для удара по мячу, брошенному питчером . Диаметр биты больше на одном конце ( бочкообразный конец ), чем на другом ( ручка ). Нижний конец ручки — это набалдашник . Бэттер обычно старается ударить по мячу в сладкое место около середины бочкообразного конца биты, иногда называемое толстой частью биты или мясистым концом биты .
Игрок, который использует его для удара по мячу — отбивающий, бьющий или бэтсмен — может считаться отбивающим мяч.
Игрок, известный как хороший отбивающий, может быть назван имеющим хорошую биту . Заголовок: «Шортстоп сочетает золотую перчатку с прочной битой». [25] Игрок, который искусен как в отбивании, так и в игре в поле, может быть назван имеющим хорошую биту и хорошую перчатку. Заголовок «Уэслианский шортстоп Уинн имеет биту и перчатку» [26] не означает, что Уинн владеет битой и перчаткой, это означает, что он очень искусен как в отбивании, так и в игре в поле.
О команде с большим количеством хороших отбивающих можно сказать, что у нее много «летучих мышей» (имея в виду игроков, а не инструмент). «Это потрясающе, когда мы все так работаем», — сказал Мерфи . «У нас в составе так много отбивающих, что нас трудно победить, если мы продолжим отбивать». [27]
летучая мышь вокруг
Согласно The Dickson Baseball Dictionary , команда «отбивает», когда каждый из девяти отбивающих в составе команды сделал выход на биту, и первый отбивающий снова подходит в течение одного иннинга. [28] Dictionary.com , однако, определяет «отбивающий» как «когда каждый игрок в составе по очереди выходит на биту в течение одного иннинга». [29] Это не официальная статистика. Мнения расходятся относительно того, должны ли девять отбивающих получить выход на биту, или же первый отбивающий должен снова выйти на биту, чтобы «отбивающий» имел место. [30]
падение летучей мыши
Физическое свойство биты, выражаемое (обычно) отрицательным числом, равным весу биты в унциях минус ее длина в дюймах. Например, бита длиной 34 дюйма (86 см) и весом 31 унция (880 г) имеет падение биты –3. В целом, биты с большим падением биты (т. е. более легкие) легче замахивать, а биты с меньшим падением биты (т. е. более тяжелые) могут давать более высокую скорость мяча, хотя эти результаты зависят от способностей отбивающего.
переворот битой
Празднование, при котором отбивающий, который только что сделал хоум-ран, драматично подбрасывает/бросает биту, а не просто бросает ее, когда начинает бежать. Практика спорная - некоторые игроки, такие как Тим Андерсон и Хосе Баутиста, подвергались ответным действиям со стороны команды противника, когда они подбрасывали биту после хоум-рана против них. [31]
бить по мячу
Ударить по мячу битой — независимо от того, находится ли он на фэйр -территории или на фоле .
тесто
Игрок, который отбивает мяч битой и пытается ударить ею по мячу. Также называется «бьющим» или «бэтсменом».
глаз бьющего
Однотонная, обычно темная область за центральной стеной поля , которая является визуальным фоном для отбивающего, смотрящего на питчера . Она позволяет отбивающему видеть поданное мяч на темном и незагроможденном фоне, отчасти для его безопасности. Она сравнима с экраном для наблюдения в крикете . Использование глаза отбивающего было стандартным в бейсболе по крайней мере с конца 1800-х годов.
Одним из примеров глаза бэттера является черная зона в центре поля первого стадиона «Янки» . Когда-то в этой секции были сиденья, но из-за отвлекающих факторов их убрали, а зону покрасили в черный цвет.
коробка для теста
Прямоугольник по обе стороны от домашней базы, в котором должен стоять отбивающий, чтобы возобновилась честная игра. Ноги и руки за пределами поля недостаточно, чтобы остановить игру (хотя питчеры обычно уважают желание отбивающего выйти за пределы поля). Судья должен предоставить отбивающему тайм-аут до остановки игры.
батарея
Питчер и кэтчер рассматриваются как единое целое, их также можно назвать batterymen [32] или batterymates друг друга. Использование этого слова было впервые придумано Генри Чедвиком в 1860-х годах в отношении огневой мощи питчерского состава команды и вдохновлено артиллерийскими батареями, которые тогда использовались в Гражданской войне в США . [33] Позже термин эволюционировал, чтобы указать на объединенную эффективность питчера и кэтчера. [33]
товарищи по батарее
Питчер и кэтчер из одной команды. См. "battery".
средний показатель отбивания
Средний показатель отбивания (BA) — это среднее количество попаданий за один выход на биту (BA=H/AB). Идеальный средний показатель отбивания будет равен 1,000 (читается: «одна тысяча»). Средний показатель отбивания .300 («триста») считается превосходным, что означает, что лучшие отбивающие не могут нанести удар в 70% своих выходов на биту. Даже уровень .400, который является выдающимся и редким (последний раз достигнутый на уровне высшей лиги в 1941 году), предполагает «провал» в 60% случаев. Базы на мячах не учитываются при расчете среднего показателя отбивания. Это одна из причин, по которой OBP теперь рассматривается «figger filberts» как более верная мера ценности отбивающего на пластине. В 1887 году был проведен эксперимент с включением баз-он-болов в качестве попаданий (и как выходов на биту) при расчете среднего показателя отбивания. Фактически, это была ранняя попытка OBP, но ее посчитали «маркетинговым трюком» и от нее отказались через год. В конечном итоге это поставило Кэпа Энсона в неопределенность относительно его статуса хитов в карьере; исключение баз по мячам из его статистики 1887 года, как это делают некоторые энциклопедии, поставило его количество хитов в карьере ниже контрольного показателя в 3000.
практика отбивания
Период, часто перед игрой, когда игроки разминаются или отрабатывают технику удара. Иногда относится к периоду в игре, когда отбивающие одной команды настолько полностью доминируют над данным питчером, что игра напоминает тренировку по отбиванию мяча. Называется в разговорной речи, а также сокращенно BP.
боевой
Когда отбивающий ведет подсчет, проявляя терпение или, возможно, намеренно уклоняясь от ударов, на которых он не может хорошо сыграть, его называют «сражающимся».
Линейный драйв, удар которого был настолько силен, что полевому игроку было трудно его поймать. Ссылка на выстрел из пневматического ружья .
«BB» — это сокращенное обозначение для счета , иначе известное как « база на мячах ». Прогулки записываются в колонке «BB» в таблице результатов .
ББКОР
Аббревиатура для коэффициента восстановления отбитого мяча , стандарта, которому должны соответствовать все недеревянные биты (как металлические, так и композитные ), чтобы быть одобренными для использования в большинстве любительских бейсбольных лиг, таких как бейсбольная лига колледжей США . [34]
фасоль
Умышленно брошенный мяч, чтобы попасть в отбивающего, если он не уберётся с пути, особенно когда он направлен в голову (или «боб» на старомодном сленге). Слово « боб » также может использоваться как глагол, как в следующем заголовке: « Пьяцца говорит, что Клеменс намеренно ударил его по голове». [35]
выбить
Кевин Пиллар (справа) отбивает бросок на первую базу.
Когда бегун добирается до первой базы до броска, он отбивает бросок или отбивает его . Сродни выносу ноги. «Бросок Грина на первую базу стаскивает Гонсалеса с мешка, и Норрис Хоппер достаточно быстр, чтобы отбить его до того, как Гонсалес успевает снова поставить ногу на мешок». [36]
победить рэп
Происходит, когда отбивающий бьет по мячу на земле, когда бегун находится на первой базе и менее двух аутов. Если игра имеет потенциал быть дабл-плей , отбивающий может избежать наказания, если он достигнет первой базы до броска от полевого игрока, который зафиксировал аут на второй базе. Результат игры становится выбором полевого игрока.
отстает в счете
Противоположно опереженному счету. Для отбивающего: когда счет содержит больше страйков, чем мячей. Для питчера: наоборот.
Если питчер отстает в счете, он все больше рискует пройти мимо бьющего. Если бьющий отстает, он все больше рискует вылететь. «Хотя он пропустил только три хита, он прошел пять и подал сзади в счете». [37]
пояс
Сильно ударить по мячу в аутфилд или за пределы парка, честно или нечестно. «Джонс бьет глубоко влево ... но просто нечестно».
Фактически пояс, который игрок носит как часть формы, обычно упоминается в отношении места подачи или мяча в игре. «Бенард принимает фастбол, внешний угол на поясе, называется страйком» или «Резко приземлившись в лунку на короткой дистанции справа от себя, Аурилия ловит подпрыгивание на уровне пояса и стреляет в первую; две прочь».
лавка
«Скамейка запасных» — это место, где игроки сидят в блиндаже, когда они не выходят на биту, в круге на палубе или на поле.
«Скамейка запасных» может также относиться к игрокам , которые не входят в состав, но все еще имеют право выйти на игру. «Скамейка запасных ЛаРуссы опустела из-за всех обязанностей по отбиванию и бегу, которые ей пришлось выполнять сегодня вечером».
жокей на скамейке запасных
Игрок, тренер или менеджер, обладающий талантом раздражать и отвлекать игроков соперника и судей из землянки своей команды словесными репликами . Особенно полезен против тех, у кого кроличьи уши. Словесный поединок часто называют «ездой»; поэтому «ездок» из землянки становится «жокеем на скамейке запасных». Считается [ кем? ], что езда на игроках соперника в достаточной степени, чтобы нервировать их, но не настолько, чтобы разозлить их и спровоцировать драку , быстро исчезает в игре 21-го века. Игрокам Главной лиги бейсбола, находящимся в списке травмированных, разрешено находиться на скамейке запасных, но им не разрешается заниматься жокеем на скамейке запасных. [38]
бендер
Крутой мяч.
большой как грейпфрут
Когда игрок видит поле настолько хорошо, что оно кажется больше своего реального размера, он может описать мяч как «большой, как грейпфрут». «После того, как Микки Мэнтл сделал хоум-ран на 565 футов, он сказал: «Я только что увидел мяч, большой, как грейпфрут». Во время спада Джо «Даки» Медвик из St. Louis Cardinals сказал, что он «замахнулся на аспирин». [39]
большая муха
Хоумран.
большой иннинг
Противоположный менталитет смоллбола, если команда думает о "большом иннинге", они фокусируются на наборе очков строго через попадания в базу и хоумраны, в отличие от бантов или других жертв. В более общем смысле, "большой иннинг" - это иннинг, в котором нападение набирает большое количество очков, обычно четыре или больше.
Взмах битой, который приводит к хоумрану. «Пинч-раннер Эрнан Перес пришел вместо Мартинеса , а Перес прошел Диркса , подготовив почву для большого взмаха Авилы ». [40]
большие
Большие лиги, главные лиги , "Шоу". Если ты в больших, ты игрок большой лиги, игрок главной лиги.
бингл
Сингл. Базовый хит, который заканчивается тем, что отбивающий оказывается на первой базе. «Браун попытался растянуть бингл в дабл, и оказался в ауте, Монте Ирвин Фрэнку Остину». [41] (Редкое использование в наши дни.)
Места на трибунах (сокращенно, трибуны ) — это открытые места, которые обычно представляют собой многоярусные скамейки или другие недорогие места, расположенные в аутфилде или в любой зоне за главной трибуной. Термин происходит от предположения, что скамейки выгорают на солнце. «Туалеты» — это сокращение от первоначально использовавшегося термина «отбеливающие доски». Болельщиков на местах на трибунах иногда называют бездельниками на трибунах или созданиями на трибунах .
кровопускатель
Слабо отбитый граунд-бол, который идет на удар по базе. Скретч-хит. «Данн пошел, чтобы поднять Морру, который прыгнул на первую подачу, которую увидел, и ударил истекающего кровью, который не покинул инфилд, загоняя Градволя». [42]
волдыри
Мяч, который ударили так сильно, что он, кажется, сам вырабатывает тепло, можно назвать вздутым. « Затем Чепмен вздул мяч в направлении левого центра, а Кноблаух помчался назад, двигаясь плавно, и поймал его вытянутой рукой». [43]
заблокировать пластину
Кэтчер (слева) падает на оба колена, чтобы заблокировать мяч от бегуна соперника во время бейсбольного матча в японской старшей школе.
Кэтчер, который помещает ступню, ногу или все тело между домашней базой и бегуном, пытающимся набрать очки, считается «блокирующим базу». Блокирование базы является опасной тактикой и может считаться помехой ( Официальные правила бейсбола, правило 2.00 (Препятствование) ).
кривая блупа
Eephus pitch ( qv ); трюковая подача, брошенная как медленная подача в софтболе, с высокой дугообразной траекторией и очень маленькой скоростью (около 40-55 миль в час или меньше). В частности, такая подача, брошенная якобы как curwball .
ляп
Блупер или блуп — это слабо отбитый мяч, который падает для сингла между инфилдером и аутфилдером. Также известен как «блуп-сингл», умирающий перепел или утиный фырканье.
Странная или забавная игра, например, когда питчер бросает мяч кэтчеру после того, как отбивающий вышел из своей зоны и был объявлен тайм-аут, — возможно, попадание мяча в голову кэтчера. [45]
дуть
Проиграть игру — значит проиграть ее, имея преимущество. «У нас была игра в руках, и мы ее просрали».
Пропустить подачу («мимо» отбивающего) — значит бросить мяч так быстро, что отбивающий не успевает (за ним).
Проиграть сейв — значит потерять преимущество или игру после того, как вы вошли в игру в «ситуации сейва». Это имеет техническое значение в статистике бейсбола .
Удар, как правило , хоумран : « Удар Ортиса запечатывает победу».
взорвать
Получить преимущество в игре, возможно, после того, как игра была очень напряженной или счет оставался равным или близким. « Пираты забили поздно, чтобы открыть близкую игру против Стоуни-Брук ». [46]
взорван сохранить
Проваленный сейв ( BS ) начисляется питчеру-реливеру, который входит в игру в ситуации сейва, но позволяет ничейному забегу набрать очки. Если питчер далее позволяет победному забегу набрать очки, ему начисляется как проигрыш, так и проваленный сейв. Если после провала сейва команда питчера восстанавливает лидерство, питчеру также может быть засчитана победа. Проваленный сейв не является официально признанной статистикой Главной лиги бейсбола, но признается премией Rolaids Relief Man Award , которая начисляет два очка на рекорд реливера за проваленную возможность сейва. Это часто используется в трансляциях, чтобы охарактеризовать «рекорд» замыкающих, аналогичный рекордам побед-поражений стартеров. «Джонс сделал 31 из 34 сейвов» или «У Джонса 31 сейв и три проваленных сейва».
воздуходувка
Рифмуется с «closer». Closer, который, кажется, делает больше проваленных сейвов, чем сейвов.
синий
Судья, ссылаясь на типичный темно-синий цвет униформы судьи. Иногда используется в насмешливом смысле в профессиональном бейсболе, например, при жалобе на решение, например: "О, да ладно, Синий!"
бомбить
Хоумран .
стояк
Промах — это психологическая ошибка, которая кардинально меняет ход игры.
Сделал ошибку, ударил ногой — обычно это относится к неправильной игре с мячом, брошенным с земли. « Мигель Кабрера отбил мяч, брошенный с земли, Алексу С. Гонсалесу , который отбил мяч ногой. Если бы Гонсалес правильно отбил мяч, «Кабс» могли бы закончить половину иннинга дабл-плей ». [47]
нижняя часть иннинга
Вторая половина или «последняя половина» иннинга , во время которой отбивает домашняя команда, определяется по ее положению на линии счета .
из него выпало дно
Иногда говорят о синкере или дроп-болле, подразумевая, что подача внезапно переместилась вниз, как будто через люк . В идеале питчер бросает с той же привычной скоростью руки и точкой выпуска, только чтобы в последний момент «низ выпал», оставив отбивающего гадать, что произошло. [48]
коробка
Окрестности холма питчера. Комментаторы бейсбола иногда говорят, что отбитый мяч, возвращающийся через область холма питчера, прошел через коробку , или что питчер, удаленный из игры, был выбит из коробки . В ранние дни игры холма не было; питчер должен был выпустить мяч, находясь внутри коробки, нарисованной на земле. Несмотря на то, что холм заменил коробку, эта терминология все еще существует.
Также, batter's box , область, в которой стоит batter при ударе. Чтобы питчер мог сделать питч, batter должен находиться в box.
оценка по ящику
Статистическое резюме игры. Линейный счет — это сокращенная версия табло, дублируемого с игрового табло. Изобретение табло приписывается Генри Чедвику .
Любители бейсбольных исследований иногда называют Baseball Prospectus аббревиатурой BP.
БР
Отбивает мяч справа; используется при описании статистики игрока, например: Джон Доу (TR, BR, 6 футов, 172 фунта).
совершенно новая игра с мячом
Когда команда набирает очки, которые сравняли счет, говорят, что это «совершенно новая игра в мяч». Фраза была популяризирована комментатором Зала славы Доджерс Вином Скалли .
ломающийся мяч
Любой питч, который заметно отклоняется от "прямого" или ожидаемого пути из-за вращения, используемого питчером для достижения желаемого эффекта. Некоторые примеры - кервбол, слайдер и скрюбол.
сломать один
Бросить крученый мяч.
взломать игру
Когда команда получает преимущество в несколько очков, возможно, в одном розыгрыше, который увеличивает их преимущество, игру можно назвать «взломанной». « Падрес » сломали игру, сделав пять очков в пятом периоде, благодаря трем ошибкам Кабс , которые проиграли 12 из 14» . [49]
приносить
Подавать; часто используется для быстрого мяча: привнести газ , привнести жар , привнести его .
сломанная бита
Прилагательное, обозначающее игру, которая начинается с того, что отбивающий ломает биту при контакте с мячом.
Бронкс Бомберс
Прозвище, данное команде « Нью-Йорк Янкиз» за их способность играть на стадионе, благоприятном для отбивающих.
приветствие бронкса
Саркастический крик толпы: «малина».
просмотр
Бэттер, который выбивает, глядя, особенно если бэттер вообще не двигал битой. Этот термин в основном используется спортивными комментаторами.
щетка назад
Подача, намеренно брошенная близко к отбивающему, чтобы запугать его, т. е. «отбросить его» от пластины. Также целенаправленная подача или музыка для подбородка. Архаичное использование: «вынос мяча». [50]
доллар и изменение
Игрок, отбивающий от .100 до .199, считается отбивающим "a buck and change" или, точнее, эквивалентное среднее значение в долларах (баксах) и центах (сдача). Пример: отбивающий, отбивающий .190, считается отбивающим "a buck nine". Игроки высшей лиги с таким низким средним показателем отбивания, скорее всего, будут понижены до AAA для выдержки или даже полностью уволены. См. также Mendoza line .
жук на ковре
Фраза, придуманная комментатором «Питтсбург Пайрэтс» Бобом Принсом в 1970-х. Бейсхит, который пролетел через зазор, особенно на искусственном газоне.
Изменение Багза Банни
Подача с изменением, которая, кажется, прибывает на домашнюю базу так медленно, что отбивающий может сделать три замаха и промахнуться за один бросок. Виф-виф-виф, три страйка, и отбивающий выбывает. Отсылка к Багзу Банни , анимированному персонажу мультфильма, который изображен использующим такую подачу в мультфильме Baseball Bugs . Когда подача Тревора Хоффмана превратилась в оружие по всему миру, его товарищи по команде были в восторге от нее, как и многие отбивающие. Им это так понравилось, что они дали ей прозвище. Они назвали ее подачей Багза Банни. «Вы могли замахнуться на нее три раза, и она все равно не попала бы в перчатку», — сказал Энди Эшби , вызывая в памяти образ известного мультфильма. «Клянусь, он мог сказать им, что мяч приближается, и они все равно не смогли бы его отбить». [51]
Зона, используемая питчерами и кэтчерами для разминки перед взятием насыпи, когда игра уже началась. Эта зона обычно находится в стороне вдоль левой или правой базовой линии или за ограждением аутфилда . Она почти никогда не находится на территории fair , предположительно из-за риска вмешательства в живое действие. Редким исключением был стадион Polo Grounds в Нью-Йорке , где буллпены находились в глубоких левых и правых центральных четвертькругах поля стены аутфилда.
Корпус резервных питчеров команды (названный так потому, что реливеры находятся в буллпене во время игр).
Существуют различные теории происхождения термина, более подробно обсуждаемые в основной статье.
КПЗ комитетом
Стратегия, при которой клуб не назначает питчеров-реливеров на определенные роли, такие как «closer», «setup» или «long relief», а вместо этого может использовать любого реливера в любой момент времени. На уровне высшей лиги эта стратегия обычно используется, когда клоузер клуба недоступен.
игра в буллпене
Игра, в которой клуб использует запасных питчеров вместо использования одного из своих стартовых игроков.
сессия буллпена
Регулярное занятие для начинающих питчеров в течение сезона.
буллпеннинг
Редко используемая стратегия, которая подразумевает использование ряда запасных питчеров (некоторые из которых в этой стратегии могут быть питчерами, чаще используемыми в качестве стартеров) в периодах не более двух иннингов вместо того, чтобы полагаться на одного питчера для работы в большинстве иннингов. [52]
ударяться
Горка питчеров. «Кто сегодня на подъеме?»
бант
Намеренно слабо отбить мяч в определенную точку на инфилде, держа биту почти неподвижно, одной рукой за точкой удара (см. ниже бита) и позволяя мячу удариться об нее. Обычно бант используется для продвижения других бегунов и тогда его называют жертвой или жертвенным хитом или жертвенным бантом . Если все сделано правильно, у полевых игроков нет возможности играть, за исключением, в лучшем случае, выбросить бегущего-бэттера на первой базе.
Скоростные бегуны также делают бант для ударов по базе, когда инфилдеры отыгрывают назад. В такой ситуации левые отбивающие могут использовать дрэг-бант , в котором они начинают шагать по направлению к первой базе, завершая замах банта. Даже великий отбивающий Микки Мантл время от времени делал дрэг-бант, пользуясь своей скоростью в 3,1 секунды от дома до первой базы. В настоящее время Райан Циммерман из Nationals примечателен тем, что он правша, который успешно использует дрэг-бант.
кустовая лига
Сленговое выражение для игры, которая относится к низшей лиге или непрофессиональному качеству. «Кусты» или «палки» — это небольшие города, где могут играть команды низшей лиги. «Бушер» относится к кому-то из «буш-лиги»: см. подзаголовок первой книги Ринга Ларднера « You Know Me Al: A Busher's Letters» .
бизнесмен специальный
Дневная игра в будний день.
арестовать его
Бросить фастбол в руки отбивающему. Также: связать его на кухне.
мясник
Очень плохой полевой игрок.
мальчик-мясник
Стратегия, при которой отбивающий сначала показывает, что он намерен сделать бант, отводит биту назад, когда питчер начинает подачу, и делает быстрый взмах на подаче. Обычно используется более слабыми отбивающими, такими как питчеры. Грег Мэддакс был известен тем, что эффективно использовал эту тактику в начале своей карьеры в Chicago Cubs и Atlanta Braves.
жужжит башня
Бросить мяч высоко вверх и внутрь отбивающему, как правило, с намерением отбросить отбивающего с площадки или сделать заявление. См. также brushback и purpose pitch.
С
Лига Кактусов
Группа команд, которые проводят предсезонные весенние тренировочные показательные игры в Аризоне , где кактусы растут в изобилии. См. также Грейпфрутовая лига.
кэдди
Единственная функция кэдди — выходить на замену в конце иннинга неравной игры, чтобы заменить в защите стареющего сильного нападающего или перехватить мяч.
позвонил
Команда высшей лиги может вызвать или повысить игрока из низшей лиги в течение сезона, чтобы занять место в своем составе, часто для замены игрока, который был отправлен в низшую лигу или иным образом помещен в список инвалидов. Игроки, которые были в высшей лиге ранее (и были отправлены), могут быть отозваны, а не вызваны. После 31 августа несколько игроков низшей лиги могут быть вызваны, чтобы занять место в расширенном составе .
пушка
Сильная рука. А также пистолет .
Сильно бросить. Комментатор после розыгрыша, в котором шорт-стоп ловит мяч, отбитый с земли, и сильно бросает первому: «Гильен бросает и ловит его».
банка кукурузы
Высокий, легко ловимый мяч, летящий в аутфилд. Говорят, что эта фраза возникла в девятнадцатом веке и относится к старому методу бакалейщика доставать консервы с высокой полки. Используя палку с крючком на конце, бакалейщик мог наклонить банку так, чтобы она упала для легкой ловли в его фартук. Одна из теорий использования кукурузы в качестве консервированного товара в этой фразе заключается в том, что банка кукурузы считалась самой легкой «улицей», поскольку кукуруза была самым продаваемым овощем в магазине и поэтому была в большом количестве размещена на самых нижних полках. Другая теория заключается в том, что кукуруза относится к практике в самые ранние дни бейсбола называть аутфилд «кукурузным полем», особенно в раннем любительском бейсболе, где аутфилд мог быть фермерским полем. Часто используемая Редом Барбером вариация «БАНКА № 8 ЗОЛОТОГО БАНТАМ» была любимой Бобом Принсом , комментатором «Питтсбургских пиратов». Эту фразу также использовали комментатор Yankee Фил Риззуто , комментатор Red Sox, а затем White Sox Кен «Ястреб» Харрельсон и комментатор Blue Jays и бывший менеджер Бак Мартинес, озвучивая их в популярной видеоигре Triple Play 2000. Также эта фраза используется для обозначения чего-то не вызывающего. Неформально can of corn может использоваться как фраза для описания легкого волнения, личного признания или признания значимости.
Капитан Крюк
Менеджер, который часто выводит питчера из игры при первых признаках неприятностей. Спарки Андерсон был, пожалуй, лучшим примером «капитана Хука» на уровне высшей лиги. См. Хук.
делить
Когда питчер быстро расправляется с отбивающим тремя или четырьмя подачами, которые тот не замечает, можно сказать, что питчер «разрезал отбивающего» — как шеф-повар, разделывающий индейку. Заголовок: «Как Бюэрле разрезал Tampa Bay всего одним броском на скорости 90 миль в час». [53]
наличные в
Чтобы выбить бегуна, который уже находится на базе. «Затем Лорен Роребек обналичила обоих бегунов хоумраном через левое ограждение поля, сравняв счет 7–7 за два иннинга до конца игры». [54]
сиденье для кошки
Желательная или благоприятная ситуация. Популяризировано Редом Барбером , давним комментатором Brooklyn Dodgers . Джеймс Тербер написал в своем коротком рассказе с тем же названием: «[С]итти в кресле кошачьей птицы» означает сидеть красиво, как отбивающий с тремя мячами и без страйков на нем. Говорят, что кошачья птица ищет самую высокую точку на дереве, чтобы спеть свою песню, поэтому кто-то в кресле кошачьей птицы находится высоко.
догнать фастбол
Как если бы отбивающий бежал наперегонки с фастболом, говорят, что он «догоняет» фастбол, если его время реакции и скорость биты достаточно быстры, чтобы отбить фастбол, поданным мощным питчером. «Наши отчеты разведки показывают, что он все еще может отбивать и догонять фастбол. Пока он может догнать фастбол, он получит деньги». [55]
вмешательство кэтчера
Вмешательство кэтчера происходит, когда кэтчер физически препятствует возможности отбивающего сделать замах на питче. В профессиональном бейсболе игра продолжается, и после того, как непрерывное игровое действие прекращается, судья объявляет тайм. Наказание заключается в том, что отбивающему присуждается первая база; любому бегуну, пытающемуся украсть мяч, присуждается эта база, а все остальные бегуны продвигаются вперед только в том случае, если их вынудили. Менеджер нападающей команды имеет возможность сохранить результат игры. Судьи не предоставят ему такой возможности, и он должен явно объявить об этом до продолжения игры после присуждения баз. Кэтчеру присуждается ошибка. Это один из многих типов объявления о вмешательстве .
пойман за просмотром
Термин, используемый, когда третий страйк объявляется отбивающему, не пытаясь отбить мяч. [56]
застигнутый врасплох
Бегун, которого вывели из игры, потому что он не обращал внимания на действия игроков защиты, «застукан дремлющим». Часто это включает в себя розыгрыш пик-оффа, в котором инфилдер подкрадывается сзади бегуна и принимает бросок от питчера или, реже, от кэтчера.
подвал
Последнее место, дно турнирной таблицы. Команда, которая слишком долго находится на последнем месте, особенно в течение ряда лет, как правило, приобретает нелестное звание « жителя подвала» . СИНОНИМ: подвал.
бетономешалка
Бейсбольный мяч, брошенный с намерением вырваться из зоны страйка, но не пробившийся и в итоге зависший в зоне страйка; непреднамеренный медленный фастбол с боковым вращением, напоминающий вращающуюся бетономешалку с фиксированной осью, которая не транслируется.
центральный разрез
Из bronxpinstripes.com: Мясной термин для обозначения лучшего куска говядины. На бейсбольном жаргоне это фастбол по центру.
стул
Конкретно в отношении бэттера: место на скамейке, в отличие от достижения базы или пребывания в зоне бэттера. Как в "бросьте ему стул". Выражение является поощрением питчера выбить бэттера, отправив его обратно в блиндаж, таким образом "бросив ему стул" — заставив его сесть.
вызов нападающему
Когда питчер агрессивен и бросает страйки, возможно, его лучший фастбол, можно сказать, что он «бросает вызов бьющему». Это похоже на то, как если бы он бил по зоне страйка или атаковал зону страйка. «У Джареда выдающиеся способности», — сказал Ми. «Единственное, что я хотел бы увидеть, это бросать больше страйков и бросать вызов бьющим. У него много способностей, и когда он впереди по счету, его очень трудно отбить». [57]
изменить уровень глаз
Питчер «меняет уровень глаз» отбивающего, бросая мячи на разной высоте в зоне удара. Это делается для того, чтобы отбивающий не чувствовал равновесия или дискомфорта. «Изменение уровня глаз отбивающего важно, потому что по мере продвижения вперед вам будет все сложнее заставить отбивающего переместить ноги в зоне отбивающего — даже если вы делаете подачу внутри — поэтому следующим вариантом будет перемещение глаз отбивающего». [58]
изменение
Changeup или change — это подача, которая должна выглядеть как fastball, но с меньшей скоростью — сокращение от change of pace . Разновидностью этой подачи является circle change , где круг формируется с помощью большого и указательного пальцев на последней трети мяча. Это заставляет мяч ломаться внутрь и вниз к праворукому отбивающему от праворукого питчера, что часто приводит к граундболам. Также можно использовать straight change — ставший знаменитым благодаря Педро Мартинесу . Захват требует использования всех пальцев для удержания мяча, что приводит к большему трению, тем самым значительно замедляя мяч.
заряжать
Когда игрок инфилда бежит к мячу, летящему по земле, вместо того, чтобы ждать, пока он прилетит к нему.
Говорят, что очки «засчитываются» питчеру, который изначально позволил набравшему очки бегуну занять базу.
зарядка кургана
Нападение на холм относится к нападению бьющего на питчера после попадания броска или в некоторых случаях после того, как он едва избежал удара. Первый случай профессионального нападения на холм не был идентифицирован, но практика, безусловно, восходит к ранним дням игры. Нападение на холм часто является причиной драки за расчистку скамейки запасных и, скорее всего, приведет к выдворению бьющего .
гнаться
Преследовать (или гнаться) — значит замахиваться на мяч, находящийся далеко за пределами зоны удара.
Пичер, которого менеджер удалил из игры за то, что он пропустил слишком много очков, считается «выгнанным из игры» или «выгнанным с горки» отбивающими противника. « Петитта выгнали из игры в седьмом иннинге после сингла RBI Вилли Тавераса и тройного RBI Казуо Мацуи ». [59]
Игрок или тренер, которого судья выгнал из игры, может считаться преследуемым. « Мартин был выброшен судьей Ли Вейером в четвертой игре серии 1976 года , через семь лет после того, как Уивера преследовал Шаг Кроуфорд в четвертой игре в 1969 году». [60]
болтовня
Вербально бросать вызов или насмехаться, чтобы отвлечь отбивающего соперника. Болельщики и игроки одинаково участвуют в болтовне. «Heybattabattabatta» — пример обычной бейсбольной болтовни.
Ущелье Чавеса
Прозвище стадиона «Доджер» . Стадион был построен в конце 1950-х годов в бывшем жилом районе под названием Чавес Равин.
дешевый пробег
Забег, который происходит благодаря удаче или небольшим усилиям со стороны атакующей команды. Заголовок: «Дешевый забег для Rays». История: « Карлу Кроуфорду повезло с этим ляпом в конце линии; это был неплохой бросок от Джейми Мойера ». [61]
проверить бегун
Когда питчер или инфилдер, принимающий мяч, смотрит в сторону бегуна на базе и тем самым заставляет его не получить такое большое преимущество, какое он мог бы получить в противном случае.
проверенный свинг
Бэттер проверяет замах, останавливая его до того, как бита пересечет переднюю часть домашней базы. Если он не остановит его вовремя, судья объявит страйк, потому что он замахнулся на питче. Часто обзор замаха для судьи затруднен. Если судья называет питч мячом, защитник, такой как кэтчер или питчер, может попросить судью домашней базы спросить другого судью, замахнулся ли бэттер на питче. В таком случае судья домашней базы всегда принимает решение другого судьи. «По сути, «Тигры» связали « Сокс» узлами всю игру — иначе у них не было бы столько остановленных замахов, сколько было. Или столько страйков, которые они пытались продать судьям, как мячи». [62]
чеддер
См. сыр.
сыр
Fastball, особенно тот, который трудно отбить. Fastball высоко в зоне страйка также называется high cheese, а низко в зоне можно назвать cheese at knees. «Easy Cheese» относится к, казалось бы, легкому движению питчера, когда он бросает fastball на очень высокой скорости. [63]
музыка для подбородка
Высокий и плотный, направленный вверх и в сторону питч, предназначенный для того, чтобы отбить бэттера от домашней базы, чтобы избежать удара по подбородку. Также известен как brush-back или target pitch .
Китайский хоумран
Старый термин для хоумрана, часто высоко летящего мяча, который едва перелетает через забор в той части аутфилда, которая ближе всего к пластине. Он часто использовался в отношении таких ударов на Polo Grounds , бывшем домашнем стадионе New York Giants , который имел печально известные короткие линии фола. Его использование сократилось с тех пор, как этот стадион был снесен, и даже больше, поскольку он был воспринят как этнически оскорбительный. [64]
Вторичное значение — это мяч, летящий в дальнем полете, обычно тот, который летит назад от домашней базы. Такое использование, по-видимому, ограничивается играми в мяч на песчаной площадке в Новой Англии , где оно могло произойти от предполагаемого «хоумрана Чейни», обратного фола игрока с таким именем, который в конечном итоге выиграл игру для команды, отбивающей мяч, когда последний доступный мяч не был найден. Затем судья постановил, что другая команда не предоставила достаточное количество мячей и, таким образом, проиграла игру. [64]
чинкер
Ляп; умирающая перепелка; истекающая кровью.
измельчитель
Чоппером называют отбитый мяч, который немедленно ударяется о затвердевшую область грунта прямо перед домашней базой, заставляя его отскакивать высоко в инфилд. Бэттеры, которые быстро бегают, могут превратить такие чопперы в базовые хиты. Также отбитый мяч, который отскакивает несколько раз, прежде чем будет пойман инфилдером или достигнет аутфилда. Бывший комментатор Braves Скип Кэрей часто иронично называл отбивающих на третьей базе, когда Атланта была в защите, «чоппером Чиппера» в отношении давнего третьего бейсмена Braves Чиппера Джонса .
захлебнуться
Джоуи Вотто подавился битой во время игры в 2015 году
Бэттер «задыхается», скользя руками вверх от конца биты, чтобы получить больше контроля над ней. Это снижает силу и увеличивает контроль. Перед тем, как нанести победный удар в серии с синглом bloop в Мировой серии 2001 года , Луис Гонсалес задохнулся от биты. [ необходима цитата ] Таким образом, он прошел через это, и не « задыхался » в сцеплении.
патрон
Бросать. Питчера иногда называют челкой или тем, кто действительно может бросить мяч. В Сан-Франциско фанатов иногда называют челками батарей , ссылаясь на несколько инцидентов, когда многие фанаты бросали батареи на поле. Эти инциденты датируются по крайней мере началом нулевых в Сан-Франциско, хотя был по крайней мере один более ранний инцидент с участием фанатов Филлис. [65]
круг
Круг на палубе , официально известный как место следующего отбивающего.
цирковой улов
Выдающийся прием, обычно для которого игроку приходится отрываться от земли или совершать различные трюки, напоминая при этом циркового акробата.
чистый удар
Когда отбивающий бьет мячом через инфилд, не касаясь его полевым игроком, можно сказать, что у него «чистый удар». Аналогично, если отбивающий бьет мячом над головой аутфилдера, у него может быть «чистый удар». « Трис действительно любила бить и всегда получала острые ощущения, когда получала «чистый» удар, который пролетал над головой аутфилдера». [66]
чистый иннинг
Когда питчер допускает ноль хитов, уоков или ранов, а защита не совершает ошибок. «Я хочу видеть чистые иннинги», — сказал Купер . «Это время, когда мы должны их видеть — четкие, чистые иннинги. Тем не менее, мы бьем парней, [которые] пытаются бантить, уоков на четырех питчах ... Это не молодые ребята делают это. Это смешно. Мне все равно, кто это. Этого не должно происходить. Мы должны это убрать. Я хотел бы увидеть несколько чистых иннингов рано или поздно. Мы должны бросать страйк один, страйк два, делать несколько питчей. Мы повсюду. Мы даже близко не находимся к зоне страйка». [67]
нападающий, наносящий удар
Четвертый отбивающий в составе, обычно мощный отбивающий. Стратегия заключается в том, чтобы вывести несколько бегунов на базу, чтобы отбивающий, делающий ставку, забил мяч домой. Теоретически, если бы первые три отбивающих в игре должны были заполнить базы, отбивающий № 4 в идеале «зачистил бы» базы с помощью гранд-слэма .
очистить базы
Бэттер, который загоняет всех бегунов на базу, не набирая очков сам, считается «очищающим базы». «Тройной очистной баз Дикито привел в неистовство толпу болельщиков «Фалконс». [68]
восхождение по лестнице
Тактика, при которой питчер делает ряд подач из зоны страйка, каждая из которых выше предыдущей, пытаясь заставить отбивающего замахнуться на подачу «у него на глазах».
Когда игрок делает необычно высокий прыжок, чтобы поймать мяч, брошенный с высокой линии , как будто он взбирается по невидимой лестнице, чтобы сделать прием
клиника
Доминирующее выступление одного человека или команды. «Дэвид Прайс действительно устроил мастер-класс, выбивая соперника».
ближе
Пичер-заменитель, который постоянно используется для «закрытия» или завершения игры, получая финальные ауты. Пичеры-закрывающие часто являются одними из самых сильных питчеров, а иногда даже самыми непредсказуемыми. В качестве альтернативы они могут специализироваться на подаче, которую трудно отбить, например, сплиттер или кат-фастбол .
закрыть книгу
Можно «закрыть книгу» на питчере, которого заменили, когда его статистика за игру становится окончательной. Если питчер-заменитель входит в игру с одним или несколькими унаследованными бегунами , и эти бегуны в конечном итоге набирают очки, они все равно влияют на статистику питчера, который допустил их на базу (например, средний заработанный забег). Как только все бегуны, назначенные конкретному питчеру, набирают очки или выбывают, или третий аут сделан в иннинге, его статистика больше не может измениться (за исключением его статуса питчера записи), и его «книга» «закрывается».
бельевая веревка
См. «натянуть бельевую веревку».
клубный дом
Раздевалка команды , которая может также включать в себя помещения для питания, развлечений и тренировок, особенно на самом высоком профессиональном уровне. Термин «клубный дом» также часто используется в таких видах спорта, как гольф и скачки чистокровных лошадей.
схватить
Хорошая игра под давлением, когда хорошая игра действительно важна. Может относиться к такой ситуации (находиться в затруднительном положении ) или к игроку (хороший отбивающий в затруднительном положении , или тот, кто «может ударить в затруднительном положении»); или к конкретным ударам («это был удар в затруднительном положении»). Большинство поклонников бейсбола считают, что удар в затруднительном положении существует, но среди статистиков существуют значительные разногласия относительно того, является ли удар в затруднительном положении особым навыком или же это просто то, что делают хорошие отбивающие в целом. Старый синоним для слова «затруднение» — « pinch» , как в книге Кристи Мэтьюсона «Pitching in a Pinch» .
мишень
Высокий, очень удобный фастбол, обычно по центру пластины. Как использовал Боб МакКлур, бывший тренер по питчингу Red Sox: «Когда вы бросаете фастбол с петухами чуть выше пояса, прямо по центру, вы надеетесь, что они не замахнутся. Зачастую такой мяч вылетает за пределы бейсбольного поля». [69]
воротник
Символ отсутствия хитов в игре, на который указывает его сходство с нулем, а также подтекст «удушения»; носить воротник : «Если Райт не нанесет удар здесь, он будет носить воротник 0 из 5 в этот день». Также, брать воротник : « Кэмерон Мейбин взял воротник в своем дебютном матче в высшей лиге, дважды выбив мяч». [70] Кроме того, Боб Старр (спортивный комментатор) , который был комментатором бейсбольных матчей Высшей лиги в течение 25 лет (1972-97), ограничил свое использование термина «носит воротник» только по отношению к игрокам, которые выбивали мяч 4 раза за игру .
камбэкер
Мяч, отбитый по линии или по земле, отправляется обратно питчеру.
команда
Продвинутый навык способности питчера бросать мяч туда, куда он намеревается. В отличие от контроля, который является просто способностью бросать страйки; команда — это способность попадать в определенные точки в зоне страйка или за ее пределами . Также см. местоположение.
полная игра
Полная игра (обозначается CG) — это действие питчера, подающего всю игру самостоятельно, без помощи питчера-заменителя. Полная игра может быть как победой, так и поражением. Полная игра может быть присуждена питчеру, даже если он подает меньше (или больше) девяти иннингов, при условии, что он подает всю игру.
полная игра закрыта
Полная проигрышная игра (CGSO) происходит, когда питчер бросает полную игру и не позволяет другой команде набрать очки.
контактный нападающий
Отбивающий, который не часто выбивает мяч. Таким образом, он обычно способен войти в контакт с мячом и ввести его в игру. Это не значит, что он обязательно отбивающий слэп-питти. Он может бить с силой, но обычно с большим количеством даблов/триплов вместо хоумранов. Пит Роуз , Тони Гвинн и Уэйд Боггс — все это прекрасные примеры контактных отбивающих.
контактный питчер
См. контактную информацию.
контактная игра
Когда тренер приказывает бегуну на третьей базе попытаться набрать очки, как только он услышит, что бита касается подачи, не дожидаясь, пока узнает, какой именно контакт был сделан (фэйр-бол или фол-бол, флай-бол или граунд-бол). В таком случае бегуну говорят «бежать по контакту». Такая игра обычно происходит, когда игра близка или базы загружены. В более общем смысле, «бегуны по контакту „бегут по контакту“, когда есть два аута, так как терять нечего, если мяч пойман или бьющий выбит». [71]
художник управления
Пичер, который отдает очень мало баз на мячах или отлично владеет своими подачами. Также известен как питчер-контролер .
печенье
Подача, которую легко отбить. И наоборот, в случае, когда первая подача — страйк, а вторая — бол, вторая может быть результатом того, что питчер промахнулся; питчер отвечает, бросая печенье, чтобы вернуть себе контроль. [72]
Куперстаун
Метоним для Зала славы , расположенного в Куперстауне, Нью-Йорк. Игрок или менеджер «на пути в Куперстаун» — это тот, кому суждено попасть в Зал славы.
Когда бегуны находятся «в углах», они находятся на первой и третьей базе на бейсбольном поле, при этом на второй базе бегунов нет.
«Углы пластины» — это внутренние и внешние края домашней пластины. Некоторые питчеры живут на углах или просто пощипывают их. Другие искусны в «рисовании углов».
Угловой инфилдер или инфилдер, играющий на третьей или первой базе.
считать
Количество мячей и страйков, которые бэтсмен имеет в своей текущей бите. Обычно объявляется парой чисел, например, «3–0» (произносится как «три и о»), где первое число — это количество мячей, а второе — количество страйков. Счет 3–2 — с максимальным количеством мячей и страйков в данной бите — называется полным счетом . Счет 1–1 или 2–2 называется четным , хотя считается, что питчер имеет преимущество при подаче 2–2, потому что он все еще может бросить еще один мяч без последствий, тогда как еще один страйк означает, что бьющий выбывает. Говорят, что бьющий впереди по счету (а питчер позади по счету), если счет 1–0, 2–0, 2–1, 3–0 или 3–1. Говорят, что отбивающий отстает по счету (а питчер опережает по счету), если счет составляет 0–1, 0–2 или 1–2.
двоюродный брат
Пичер, которого легко ударить определенному отбивающему. [ необходима цитата ]
покрывающий базу
Часть работы инфилдеров — прикрывать базы. То есть стоять рядом с базой в ожидании получения мяча от другого полевого игрока, а затем делать ход на бегущего по базе, который приближается к этой базе. В форс-игре или апелляционной игре полевой игрок, прикрывающий базу, стоит одной ногой на этой базе, когда ловит мяч.
Когда полевой игрок идет делать розыгрыш на базу , которая не является его позицией (обычно потому, что полевой игрок этой базы не может поймать мяч на этой базе, поскольку он занят игрой с отбитым мячом). Типичным примером является ситуация, когда первый бейсмен ловит отбитый мяч, но находится слишком далеко от базы, чтобы вывести бегуна из игры . Питчер бежит, чтобы «прикрыть» первую базу , чтобы принять бросок от первого бейсмена (игра будет оценена как «3-1», что означает от первого бейсмена к питчеру).
треск биты
Звук удара биты по мячу. Термин используется в бейсболе в значении «немедленно, без колебаний». Например, бегун может начать бежать «по щелчку биты», а не ждать, куда полетит мяч.
Аутфилдеры часто используют звук удара биты по мячу как подсказку о том, как далеко был отбит мяч. Как писал физик Роберт Адэр , «Когда бейсбольный мяч попадает прямо в аутфилдера, он не может быстро оценить угол подъема и расстояние, которое пролетит мяч. Если он ждет, пока траектория не будет четко определена, он ждет слишком долго и не сможет дотянуться до мячей, которые иначе можно было бы поймать. Если он начинает быстро, но неправильно оценивает мяч, так что его первый шаг оказывается неправильным (вход для длинного полета или возврат для короткого полета), время поворота резко сокращает его диапазон, и он снова пропускает мячи, которые можно поймать. Чтобы помочь своему суждению, опытный аутфилдер слушает звук удара деревянной биты по мячу. Если он слышит «треск», он выбегает, если он слышит «стук», он вбегает». [75]
Аналогично, с металлическими битами игроки аутфилда должны научиться отличать «пинг» от «плинк».
крекербокс
Небольшое бейсбольное поле, считающееся благоприятным для мощных отбивающих и неблагоприятным для питчеров. Картонная коробка. (см.: Baker Bowl )
крутяк
Игрок или команда, обладающие силой и исключительным мастерством.
Удар по мячу для получения дополнительных баз, обычно хоумрана. « Джитер забил хоумран влево, доведя счет до 6–5». [76] Также эвфемизм начала века (XIX век) для зрителей бейсбола, относящийся к закручиванию турникетов, когда они проходят на бейсбольное поле.
крушение
Метод защиты от банта, при котором первый и третий игроки базы атакуют отбивающего, чтобы поймать мяч, второй игрок базы прикрывает первую базу, а шортстоп — вторую или третью, в зависимости от того, куда направляется ведущий бегун. Может также относиться в более общем смысле к действию любого инфилдера, который атакует отбивающего во время банта.
кривое число
Число, отличное от нуля или единицы, относящееся к внешнему виду фактического числа. О команде, которая способна набрать два или более очков в иннинге, говорят, что она «повесила кривое число» на табло или на питчера.
существо
Хоум-ран, который явно уходит в аут сразу после удара. Его так называют, потому что он беспокоит питчера, как некое существо.
пересек вверх
Когда кэтчер требует, чтобы питчер сделал один тип подачи (например, фастбол), но питчер делает другой (например, кервбол), кэтчер был перехвачен. Это может привести к пропущенному мячу , что позволит бегуну на базе продвинуться вперед. « Пропущенный мяч Барретта позволил последнему из трех ранов набрать очки в пятом, поскольку Reds увеличили свое преимущество до 7–2. Подача Уильямса пересекла его. «Я искал синкер, но он оторвался от меня», — сказал Барретт. «У меня была игра на пластине, но мой щиток застрял в траве. Это был разочаровывающий день». [77]
Когда отбивающий был настроен на определенный тип подачи, но вместо этого получает другой, он может столкнуться с помехой, что может привести к слабому удару по мячу или замаху и промаху.
толпа нападающий
Когда питчер бросает мяч по направлению к внутренней части площадки, он, возможно, пытается «зажать» отбивающего, мешая ему вытянуть руки и сделать полный замах при подаче.
толпа на тарелке
Когда отбивающий занимает позицию очень близко к пластине, иногда закрывая часть зоны удара. Это злит питчеров и, если это повторяется, может привести к тому, что в отбивающего броском назад или даже броском в виде бобового мяча , чтобы он выбил пластину. «Я полностью осознаю, что когда вы тесните пластину, вы получите высокий хетеринг». [78]
раздавить мяч
Бэттер, который бьет по мячу очень сильно и далеко, может быть назван раздавившим мяч, как будто он уничтожил бейсбольный мяч или, по крайней мере, изменил его форму. Связанные выражения — раздавил мяч или раздавил мяч . Действительно, отбивающего иногда называют раздавившим мяч . Иллюстрация: «Хотя 25-летний игрок впечатлил двумя хоумранами в пяти играх, он скорее чистый отбивающий, чем раздавивший мяч».
Другие виды разрушений в бейсболе включают выбивание набивки из мяча и сбивание конской шкуры [покрытия] с мяча .
удар по мячу
Когда мяч отбивается концом биты, можно сказать, что отбивающий «отбивает мяч» (как если бы он отбил его бильярдным кием ) . « Кендрик занял третье место после граунд-аута сломанной битой и набрал очки после граунд-аута на первой базе, выполненного Райаном Шили ...» [79]
чашка кофе
Короткое время, проведенное игроком низшей лиги на уровне высшей лиги . Идея заключается в том, что игрок находился там только для того, чтобы выпить чашку кофе. Также может использоваться для описания очень короткого пребывания (менее сезона) в клубе высшей лиги.
крученый мяч
Подача, которая изгибается или ломается от прямой или ожидаемой траектории полета к домашней базе. Также называется просто «кривая».
резать
Взмах битой.
Быть исключенным из состава или из команды.
вырезать фастбол
Cut fastball или cutter — это fastball, который имеет боковое движение. « Cut fastball » похож на слайдер, который более примечателен своей скоростью, чем боковым движением.
срубить его на качелях
Когда отбивающий уменьшает амплитуду своего замаха, либо подавляя биту, либо просто начиная свой замах не так далеко за головой, он «сокращает свой замах», тем самым помогая себе быстрее вести биту. Также «сокращает свой замах». « Герреро так сильно замахнулся во вторник вечером, когда он отыграл 0 из 5, что казалось, он вот-вот выскочит из своих шипов. Поэтому Хэтчер предложил в среду, чтобы Герреро немного расширил свою стойку, что заставляет отбивающих немного сократить свой замах». [80]
отрезать мяч
Когда мяч попадает в зазор между аутфилдерами, полевому игроку часто приходится делать выбор, бежать ли к забору, чтобы поймать или вернуть мяч, или бежать к мячу и попытаться поймать его до того, как он пролетит мимо него и достигнет забора. В последнем случае говорят, что он «отрезает мяч», потому что он пытается сократить путь мяча. «Когда Грандерсон дрейфовал к левому центру поля во время драйва Карлоса Пеньи в пятом иннинге, он не направлялся в том направлении, чтобы поймать мяч. Он готовился поймать его на отскоке. «Я на самом деле выходил на позицию, чтобы отрезать мяч», — сказал Грандерсон после проигрыша «Тайгерс » со счетом 11–7 команде «Рэйс» в понедельник днем. «Я не думал, что у меня будет шанс поймать его». [81]
отрезать
Защитная тактика, при которой полевой игрок занимает позицию между аутфилдером, который отбил мяч, и базой , где можно сделать розыгрыш. Говорят, что этот полевой игрок «отрезает» бросок или является « кат-офф-меном ». Эта тактика увеличивает точность на больших расстояниях и сокращает время, необходимое для того, чтобы доставить мяч в определенное место. Она также дает кат-офф-мену выбор выставить отстающего бегуна, пытающегося продвинуться на бросок, если он считает невозможным сделать розыгрыш дома. Пропуск кат-оффа (человека) считается ошибкой аутфилдера (хотя и не засчитывается как ошибка), потому что это может позволить бегуну продвинуться или набрать очки.
человек, отрезавший путь
Полевой игрок, который «отрезает» длинный бросок к важной цели. Часто шортстоп , второй бейсмен или первый бейсмен будет «кат-оффменом» для длинного броска из аутфилда на третью базу или домашнюю пластину. «Бей кат-оффмена» — это распространенное наставление тренера .
цикл
См. хит для цикла.
Д
резак для ромашек
Старомодный термин, обозначающий мяч, сильно ударенный по земле, достаточно близко к траве, чтобы теоретически срезать верхушки любых ромашек, которые могут расти на поле.
танец
Неровное движение хорошо брошенного наклбола . «Надеюсь, его наклбол не будет танцевать и немного повиснет, иначе у нас будут проблемы».
темный
Подача, которую трудно увидеть, не говоря уже о том, чтобы ударить. «Брось ему темного» — это поощрение питчера, обычно даваемое с двумя страйками, чтобы он бросил страйк мимо отбивающего.
мертвая рука
Когда обычно эффективный или доминирующий питчер, кажется, не может бросать так сильно, как обычно, можно сказать, что у него «мертвая рука». «Если вы следили за радаром, когда Карлос Самбрано делал питчинг в этом месяце, вы знаете, что что-то не так. Проблема, сказал в субботу правша Кабс, в том, что он проходит через фазу «мертвой руки». [82]
мертвый мяч
Мяч становится «мертвым» (т. е. действие игры останавливается) после фола и в случаях вмешательства болельщика или игрока , вмешательства судьи в ловца и в ряде других особых ситуаций . Когда мяч мертв, ни один бегун не может продвигаться дальше баз, на которые он имеет право, и ни один бегун не может быть выведен из игры. Мяч снова становится «живым», когда судья дает сигнал о возобновлении игры.
эпоха мертвого мяча
Период между 1903 и 1918 годами, как раз перед эрой Live Ball, когда состав бейсбола вместе с другими правилами, как правило, ограничивал нападение, а основной стратегией отбивания была внутренняя игра. Выбить хоумран через забор было заметным достижением.
мертвый пулл-хиттер
Pull hitter — это отбивающий , который обычно бьет по мячу в ту же сторону, в которую он отбивает. То есть, правша , который бьет с левой стороны пластины, отбьет мяч в левое поле. Отбивающих часто называют dead pull, если они редко делают что-либо, кроме pull мяча. Современным примером dead pull hitter является Джейсон Джиамби .
мертво-красный
Если отбивающий «сидит/выглядит мертвенно-красным» на подаче, это означает, что он искал подачу (обычно фастбол) и получил ее, обычно выбив хоумран или удар по базе.
иметь дело
Подача мяча , обычно используемая комментаторами в прямом эфире, когда питчер выпускает мяч, например, «Смит подает Джонсу».
Эффективная подача, например: «Смит сегодня действительно хорош».
решил в последнем ударе
Игры команды, "решенные в последнем иннинге на отбивающем", - это те, в которых победившая команда набирает очки или выигрывает ран в своем последнем иннинге нападения. В этом случае "на отбивающем" - это время команды на пластине, составляющее три аута (не путать с отдельным отбивающим). См. также walk-off.
глубоко в счете
Всякий раз, когда объявляется третий мяч (счет 3-0, 3-1 или 3-2), ситуация благоприятствует отбивающему. «В своем четвертом старте после двухмесячного отсутствия после операции на локте Робертсон … глубоко вошел в счет против многих отбивающих, но пропустил всего пять хитов и два заработанных очка за пять иннингов». [83]
защитник
См. полевой игрок.
рейтинг эффективности защиты
Концепция саберметрики : скорость, с которой мячи, введенные в игру, превращаются в ауты защитой команды. [84] Аналогичная концепция используется при анализе других командных видов спорта, включая баскетбол и футбол. В бейсболе она вычисляется следующим образом: 1-(((H+ROE)-HR)/(PA-(SO+HBP+HR))), где H=разрешенные попадания, ROE=достигнутая командой соперника база из-за ошибки, HR=разрешенные хоумраны, PA=количество появлений команды соперника на пластине, SO=страйкауты команды при питчинге, а HBP=попадания питчера за подачу.
оборонительное безразличие
Когда защита позволяет бегуну продвинуться на одну или несколько баз. Бегун тогда не получает зачет за украденную базу, потому что база была "отдана", а не "украдена". Защита может позволить это в девятом иннинге с большим отрывом, где фокус делается на том, чтобы побудить последних отбивающих сделать ауты .
Доставка - это основные углы рук питчеров , например, доставка сверху, доставка сбоку. Это контрастирует с крикетом, в котором термин " доставка " сродни типу подачи в бейсболе.
назначенный для назначения
Процесс, позволяющий исключить игрока из состава его команды, состоящего из 40 человек.
назначенный отбивающий
Назначенный бьющий (DH) — игрок, который постоянно отбивает вместо защитника (обычно питчера) и чья единственная роль в игре — отбивать. Американская лига использует DH с 1973 года, в то время как Национальная лига не принимала эту роль на постоянной основе до 2022 года.
двойка
Кривбол, потому что жест кэтчера обычно делается путем вытягивания первых двух пальцев.
Двойная игра.
Из игральных карт , где карта «2» традиционно называется «двойкой».
дикие двойки
Когда на табло одновременно появляется большое количество цифр "2": 2 бегуна, 2 аута , 2 мяча и 2 страйка у отбивающего. Происходит от покерной фразы " deuces are wild ". Часто используется комментатором Зала славы Вином Скалли .
Чтобы сделать хоум-ран . Заголовок: «Сокс Слаггеры набирают дальние дистанции — Рамирес , Ортис каждый заводят двухрановых хоум-ранов». [85] Иногда фразу формулируют как «Наберите 9 для дальних дистанций».
набранный
Относительно фастбола. «Он набрал обороты в этой подаче».
алмаз
Расположение четырех баз в инфилде . На самом деле это квадрат со стороной 90 футов (27 м), но с трибун он напоминает параллелограмм или «ромб».
умереть
Говорят, что летящий мяч умирает, если он пролетает меньшее расстояние от домашней базы, чем изначально ожидалось, из-за ветра или других аэродинамических факторов. Не путать с мертвым мячом.
выкопать это
Подавать мяч на землю или около нее. Обычно игрок первой базы, принимающий низкий бросок от другого инфилдера. «Вытаскивать его из грязи».
Пробежать с силой через первую базу в ходе близкой граунд-игры в попытке обойти бросок.
вдавленный (вверх)
Травмированный; часто используется в отношении постоянных незначительных травм.
дингер
Хоумран.
грязевой ворс
Споткнуться или упасть в аутфилде или на базовых дорожках. Проваленный сейв также может называться dirt-nap.
список отключенных
Способ, с помощью которого команды Высшей лиги могут временно удалять травмированных игроков из своего активного состава . Затем в это время может быть вызван другой игрок в качестве замены. Термин «список инвалидов» был заменен на «список травмированных» до сезона MLB 2019 года.
блюдо
Бэттер (отбивающий) стоит за пределами тарелки [Домашняя тарелка].
Подача, особенно хорошая. «Вот и блюдо (подача)» или «Сегодня вечером он действительно хорошо подает».
ныряние над тарелкой
Когда отбивающий имеет тенденцию наклоняться к пластине, чтобы ему было легче ударить по мячу, который находится за пределами зоны страйка, говорят, что он «ныряет над пластиной» или «ныряет за питчем». Чтобы защитить зону страйка, питчер может ответить на это, подавая мяч внутрь, возможно, «целевым питчем». «Теперь у Главина есть эквалайзер с его резаком. Он может просверлить его в руки правшей, чтобы они не ныряли над пластиной безнаказанно на его синкер и чейндж-ап». [86]
ДЛ
Список отключенных. Иногда используется как глагол, как в "Вуд был вырублен вчера".
подделывание мяча
Нанесение постороннего вещества на мяч или иное его изменение с целью придания неестественного вращения мячу. Примеры: нанесение вазелина или слюны ( spitball ), или царапание наждачной бумагой, пилочкой ( spitball ) или энергичное трение для создания блестящей области мяча ( shineball ). Все это стало незаконным, начиная с сезона 1920 года, что помогло положить конец эпохе мертвых мячей . ( Официальные правила бейсбола, правило 8.02(a) ). На практике существуют неясности относительно того, какие действия питчер может совершать на законных основаниях. [87]
Ряд известных случаев подделки биты также произошел в Высшей лиге. См. закупоренная бита .
донг
Хоумран.
точка
Сленговое выражение, обозначающее удар питчера по отбивающему мячом (нокдаун-питч), намеренно или случайно. Если игрок «показывает» питчера (тратит много времени на то, чтобы обойти базы, или чрезмерно празднует хоум-ран), если важный игрок команды поражен питчем или игрок нарушает одно из неписаных правил бейсбола , нарушивший игрок может ожидать, что его «поставят точками» в следующий раз, когда он будет на бите, в качестве формы запугивания или исправления предполагаемого нарушения. Еще одно из «неписаных правил» заключается в том, что «подача точек» питчером должна быть ниже уровня груди отбивающего, чтобы свести к минимуму риск получения травмы, поскольку более высокая подача может привести к травмам рук или даже головы. Более высокая подача известна как «охота за головами» или «жужжание башни» и подвергает питчера риску фактического насилия со стороны другой команды.
Когда питчер наносит страйки по углам страйк-зоны, говорят, что он расставляет точки по углам.
двойной
Удар, при котором отбивающий безопасно добирается до второй базы, прежде чем мяч может быть возвращен в инфилд. Также удар с двух баз.
двойное сцепление
Когда полевой игрок (обычно инфилдер или кэтчер) дважды отводит руку назад перед броском, говорят, что он «двойной захват». Такая задержка часто приводит к задержке или позднему броску, что позволяет бегунам продвинуться на базу. Термин заимствован из метода переключения передач на автомобиле.
двойной паркинг
Пичер, который получает много быстрых аутов. Подразумевает, что он припарковал свою машину в неположенном месте и пытается вернуться к ней, избежав штрафа, и именно поэтому он стремится быстро выйти из игры.
двойная игра
Игра защиты, при которой два игрока нападения выбиваются из игры в результате непрерывных действий, что приводит к двум аутам. Типичным примером является дабл-плей 6-4-3.
Комбинация дабл -плей (или DP-комбо) в команде состоит из шортстопа и второго бейсмена, потому что эти игроки являются ключевыми игроками в дабл-плей 6-4-3 или 4-6-3. Их также иногда называют сэкмейтами , потому что они играют по обе стороны от второй базы (также известной как второй сэк).
«Roll a bump» — разговорное сленговое выражение на восточном побережье, обозначающее поворот дабл-плей 1-6-3 или дабл-плей 1-4-3.
двойная глубина игры
Защитная тактика, при которой центральные инфилдеры располагаются так, чтобы быть лучше подготовленными к дабл-плей за счет позиционирования для удара в сторону третьей базы .
двойная кража
Два бегуна одновременно пытаются украсть базу. Обычно это происходит, когда бегуны, находящиеся на первой и второй базе, пытаются украсть вторую и третью. Другой распространенный пример — когда бегун на первой базе крадет вторую, побуждая кэтчера сделать бросок на вторую базу, чтобы бегун на третьей базе мог украсть базу.
двойной переключатель
Двойной переключатель — это тип замены игрока, который позволяет менеджеру сделать замену питчера и замену защитника (защитника), в то же время улучшив состав команды в нападении (отбивающего). Это наиболее эффективно использовать, когда питчера нужно заменить, пока его команда защищается, и его очередь отбивать приближается в следующей попытке нападения его команды. Вместо того, чтобы заменить питчера другим питчером, игрок позиции (тот, кто недавно отбивал в последней попытке нападения его команды) заменяется новым питчером, а уходящий питчер заменяется игроком, способным играть позицию уходящего игрока позиции. Затем двое запасных меняются своими естественными защитными ролями, но сохраняют позиции в порядке отбивания тех, кого они заменили, так что когда команда в следующий раз выйдет отбивать, именно недавно замененный игрок позиции отбивает во время хода освобожденного питчера, и новому питчеру не нужно отбивать, пока снова не придет очередь уходящего игрока позиции. Двойной переход в основном используется лигами, которые не используют назначенных отбивающих , например, Центральная лига Японии или Национальная лига до 2022 года.
удвоить
Когда бегун становится вторым аутом в дабл-плей, можно сказать, что он был дабл-ап (или дабл-офф). Это может быть отбивающий, который попал в дабл-плей, или бегун, которого поймали за пределами базы, когда полевой игрок ловит мяч и бросает его за бегуна полевому игроку, который касается базы, чтобы завершить дабл-плей (отсюда «дабл-ап» бегуна).
Команда, которая выигрывает даблхедер, может быть описана как удвоившая преимущество своего противника: « Royals удваивают преимущество Blue Jays ». [88] Также относится к победе с разницей в ровно в два раза большее количество очков, чем у противника, например, со счетом 8–4 или 6–3.
даблхедер
Когда две игры проводятся одними и теми же двумя командами в один и тот же день. Когда игры проводятся в конце дня, их называют даблхедером «сумерки-ночь» или «двухножка». Когда одна игра проводится днем, а другая вечером (обычно с отдельной платой за вход), это называется даблхедером «день-ночь». Даблхедер также может называться Twinbill. В младшей лиге и студенческом бейсболе игры даблхедера часто планируются на семь иннингов, а не на стандартные девять для основной игры.
Согласно словарю Диксона, этот термин, как полагают, произошел от железнодорожного термина, обозначающего использование двух соединенных локомотивов («двойной локомотив») для тяги исключительно длинного состава.
двойной отбивающий
Игрок, набирающий очки.
"вниз"
Выведен из игры. «Один даун» означает, что в иннинге был сделан один аут (осталось еще два в иннинге). «Один ауп (и) один даун» означает, что первый отбивающий в иннинге был выведен из игры. «Два дауна» означает, что в иннинге было сделано два аута (осталось еще один). «Два ауп (и) два дауна»: первые два отбивающих в иннинге были выведены из игры (выведены из игры). «Три ауп, три дауна»: сторона выбыла из игры по порядку.
вниз по линии
На поле около линий штрафных бросков, часто относится к расположению отбитых мячей.
вниз по центру
Над средней частью домашней площадки , часто относится к расположению питчей. Также называется down the pipe , down the pike , down Main Street , down Broadway и, в Атланте , down Peachtree . Очень отличается от up the middle.
вниз по участку
Когда команда приближается к концу сезона в погоне за вымпелом или чемпионатом, она движется вниз по прямой. Возможно, это происходит от скачек или автомобильных гонок, в которых участники выходят из последнего поворота трассы и направляются вниз по домашней прямой к финишной черте. « Детройт предоставил более чем достаточно нападения для Фистера , который был великолепен на дистанции после того, как «Тигры» приобрели его в обмен на «Сиэтл» незадолго до крайнего срока 31 июля». [89]
ДП комбо
Сленговый термин для комбинации шорт-стопа и второго бейсмена, как основных исполнителей дабл-плей. Их также иногда называют сэкмейтами. Вообще говоря, только лучшие наборы центральных инфилдеров называются комбинациями DP.
перетащить бант
Бант, в котором левша-бьющий кладет бант вне досягаемости питчера и в сторону правой стороны инфилда, в надежде, что он благополучно достигнет первой базы. Часто такой бант имеет элемент неожиданности, чтобы воспользоваться скоростью бьющего и тем фактом, что первый и второй бейсмен отыгрывают свои позиции назад. Бэттер может даже сделать шаг в сторону первой базы, когда он делает бант по мячу, тем самым создавая видимость того, что он тащит мяч за собой, когда бежит к первой базе.
рисовать
Иногда говорят, что отбивающий, которого называют «боллами», «вытянул мяч» или «вытянул прогулку». «После короткой паузы, чтобы ввести в игру специально помеченные бейсбольные мячи, Бондс вытащил мяч один и мяч два — под градом криков на ВанденХерка — перед тем, как был объявлен первый страйк. Затем фастбол со скоростью 96 миль в час исчез — драйв оценивается в 420 футов». [90]
втянутый в
Когда аутфилд играет ближе к инфилду, чтобы не допустить падения мячей между ними и инфилдерами, говорят, что они "втянуты". Это обычно происходит, когда игра близка к последнему иннингу, и меньше двух аутов, и защищающаяся команда хочет помешать нападению получить удары по базе, которые могли бы принести победный забег (при этом допуская, что длинный мяч может принести забег, даже если мяч пойман в аутфилде).
Инфилд также может быть зачислен в игру, если на третьей базе находится бегун с менее чем двумя аутами, так что инфилдеры могут поймать граунд-бол и попытаться выбить бегуна на пластину.
Один игрок инфилда, обычно третий или первый игрок с базы, также может играть «в игре», когда предполагается, что отбивающий попытается сделать жертвенный бант.
дриблер
Плохо ударенный граунд-удар , который набирает небольшое расстояние и состоит из нескольких прыжков; иногда используется как синоним таппера [91]
просверленный
Попадание под мяч, удар.
водить машину
Линейный привод (существительное).
Ударить по линии (глагол). « Маглио направил мяч в центр».
Чтобы делать удары, которые приносят RBI. « Техада загнал его со второго». « Рамирес забил три».
Победить другую команду — значит также выбить ее из игры. Заголовок: « Доджерс» одержали одну победу, обеспечив себе место в плей-офф после поражения от Nationals ». [93]
Падение летучей мыши.
бросок мяча
Синкербол. Также известен как дроппер или эль дроппо .
Некоторые экстремальные крученые мячи 12-6 также называются «дроп-болами», поскольку они начинаются высоко и ныряют по достижении пластины.
сбрасывать со стола
Поданное мячом, обычно крученым, которое резко падает.
отброшен третий удар
Третий страйк, который был пропущен, происходит, когда кэтчер не может чисто поймать подачу, которая является третьим страйком (либо потому, что отбивающий делает замах и пропускает его, либо потому, что судья называет это). Подача считается не чисто пойманной, если мяч касается земли до того, как его поймали, или если мяч роняется после того, как его поймали. При третьем страйке, который был пропущен, страйк объявляется (и питчеру засчитывается страйк-аут), но судья устно указывает, что мяч не был пойман, и не объявляет отбивающего в ауте. Если первая база в это время не занята (или, при двух аутах, даже если первая база занята), отбивающий может попытаться достичь первой базы до того, как его поймают или выведут в аут. Учитывая это правило, питчер может записать более трех страйк-аутов за иннинг.
утиное фырканье
Мяч, отбитый мягким ударом, который пролетает над инфилдерами и приземляется в аутфилде для удара. Первоначально назывался «утиным пуком», [ нужна цитата ] термин был популяризирован комментатором White Sox Хоуком Харрельсоном , чтобы сделать его более семейным.
утки на пруду
Бегуны на второй или третьей базе, но особенно когда базы загружены. «Его средний показатель отбивания составляет .350, когда на пруду есть утки».
должный
Говорят, что бэттер "должен", когда у него спад в отбивании, но обычно он бьет на среднем уровне или лучше. Пример: " Сегодня у Пола Конерко 0 из 3, он должен отбить". Это бейсбольная версия ошибки игрока .
Землянка — это место, где находится скамейка запасных игроков. За исключением сменных питчеров в буллпене, активные игроки, которые не находятся на поле, наблюдают за игрой из землянки. Землянка — это область, слегка пониженная ниже уровня поля, как это принято в профессиональном бейсболе. Обычно есть граница, часто окрашенная в желтый цвет, определяющая края землянки, чтобы помочь судье делать определенные решения, например, считать ли опрокинутый мяч «находящимся на скамейке» или нет. В своде правил по-прежнему используется термин « скамья » , поскольку нет требования, чтобы она была «вырыта» или обязательно находилась ниже уровня поля. Первоначальные скамейки обычно располагались на уровне поля, с небольшой крышей для тени или без нее. По мере развития дизайна бейсбольных стадионов ложи строились ближе к полю, что снижало высоту перил трибун и вынуждало использовать землянку при строительстве скамеек.
свалка
Игрок, который делает бант, может быть назван сбрасывающим бант. «Поланко сбрасывает бант на третью базовую линию». См. также «ложь». Правша-бьющий сбрасывает бант на третью базу и толкает бант на первую базу. Левша-бьющий тащит мяч на первую базу и толкает бант на третью базу
пыльник, смола для удаления пыли
Подача, часто браш-бэк, брошенная так далеко внутрь , что бэттер падает на землю («ударяет в пыль»), чтобы избежать ее. Несколько противоречиво, в той же игре питчер может быть сказан, что «отряхнул пыль» бэттера.
умирающий перепел
Отбитый мяч, который падает перед игроками аутфилда для удара, часто неожиданно (как подстреленная птица). Также известен как блупер, лил лупер, чинкер, бледер или горк.
Э
ЭРА
См. среднее количество пропущенных очков.
ранние иннинги
Первые три иннинга обычной игры из девяти иннингов.
заработанный пробег
Любой забег, за который питчер несет ответственность (т. е. забег не был засчитан из-за ошибки в игре или паса). В первую очередь используется для расчета среднего заработанного забега. При определении заработанных забегов ошибка, приписываемая питчеру, рассматривается точно так же, как ошибка, приписываемая любому другому полевому игроку. Некоторые питчеры, в частности Эд Линч , называли заработанные забеги «earnies».
средний заработанный пробег
В бейсбольной статистике средний заработанный ран — это среднее значение заработанных ранов, пропущенных питчером за девять иннингов. Он определяется путем деления количества заработанных ранов, разрешенных питчером, на количество иннингов, сыгранных питчером, и умножения на девять. Раны, полученные в результате ошибок защиты, регистрируются как незаработанные раны и исключаются из расчетов ERA.
эрни
Заработанный забег. «Неудачливым неудачником был Карсон Уиллер, который отдал шесть заработков за один с лишним иннинг работы». [94]
легкий выход
Напоминание команде защиты, что когда есть два аута, нужен только один, чтобы закончить иннинг, и поэтому они должны получить максимально легкий аут. «Давайте D, два аута, получаем легкий аут». Легкий аут также слабо бьющий бэттер, обычно в конце очереди.
съесть мяч
Действие по отбиванию отбитого мяча (обычно чисто или почти чисто), но удержание его вместо попытки сделать бросок на базу, чтобы вывести бегуна из игры. Обычно это делается, потому что полевой игрок считает, что мало шансов вывести бегуна из игры, и что было бы предпочтительнее позволить бегуну достичь одной базы без сопротивления, чем рисковать совершить ошибку, которая может позволить бегуну продвинуться на дополнительные базы. Фраза обычно используется только для описания действий инфилдера, кэтчера или питчера. «Этот медленный роллер не прошел мимо ныряющего Скутаро , но он решил съесть мяч, а не рисковать броском, чтобы схватить быстро бегущего Гарднера ». Также часто используется в прошедшем времени. «Атакующий третий бейсмен Кабрера съел мяч после того великолепного банта от Хуана Пьера ». [ требуется цитата ]
Эфус
Очень медленная подача с высокой дугообразной траекторией. Изобретенная игроком Pittsburgh Pirates 1930-х годов Рипом Сьюэллом , она является частью репертуара питчера Phillies Хосе Контрераса; бросается очень редко, чтобы обмануть отбивающего. Лучше всего использовать ее экономно, потому что ее очень легко отбить без элемента неожиданности. Тед Уильямс сказал, что победный хоумран, который он отбил от Сьюэлла в Матче всех звезд 1946 года, был его самым захватывающим моментом в бейсболе.
выталкивать
Игрок или тренер, дисквалифицированный судьей за неспортивное поведение . Синонимы: выброшенный, выброшенный, изгнанный, преследуемый, получивший большой палец, получивший (старый) отпор, выгнанный, выгнанный, отправленный в клуб.
слоновье ухо
Когда подкладка карманов игрока торчит из карманов.
аварийный взлом
Поздний и часто неловкий защитный удар по мячу, который обычно выглядит как мяч, но поздно попадает в зону удара.
аварийный стартер
Когда питчер, который обычно является реливером или игроком низшей лиги, вызван на игру в короткий срок, потому что изначально запланированный стартовый игрок травмирован или болен. Иллюстрация: «Поскольку Чан Хо Пак отстранен на неопределенный срок из-за того, что ему поставили диагноз анемия, ожидается, что Майк Томпсон снова получит вызов в качестве аварийного стартового игрока, прибыв через Портленд , где он провел последние 10 дней с Triple-A Beavers ». [95]
наждачный шарик
Бейсбольный мяч, потертый пилочкой для ногтей . Метод, которым питчер обрабатывает мяч; незаконен с 1920 года. Также известен как скафф-бол .
стереть
Бегун, который уже находится на базе, «стирается» путем выбивания.
ошибка
Ошибка — это неправильная игра филдера, которая позволяет бьющему или бегущему по базам достичь одной или нескольких дополнительных баз, когда, по мнению официального счетчика , это продвижение можно было предотвратить обычными усилиями. Ошибка также начисляется, когда филдер не ловит мяч, который можно было поймать обычными усилиями. Термин «ошибка» может также относиться к игре, в которой была совершена ошибка. Поскольку питчер и кэтчер так много держат мяч, некоторые их неправильные игры называются «дикой подачей» или «пасованным мячом» и не считаются ошибками.
СИНОНИМЫ: промах, ляп, оплошность, промах, промах, ляп, удар или ботинок («Лопес пнул граундера»; «Джонсон ударил его ногой»).
даже счет
1-1 или 2-2. Смотрите количество.
повседневный игрок
Игрок позиции, в отличие от питчера , который может играть только раз в несколько дней. Иногда талантливый игрок, который является хорошим питчером, но выдающимся отбивающим, будет поощряться сосредоточиться на игре на другой позиции и, таким образом, стать игроком на каждый день, чтобы извлечь выгоду из своего отбивания.
Игрок позиции, который регулярно появляется в стартовом составе практически в каждой игре, в отличие от:
игрок взвода , играющий только против питчеров противоположной руки.
запасной игрок, который начинает большинство игр на скамейке запасных или только иногда начинает игры, чтобы записать основного стартового игрока на его позицию. Иногда таких игроков называют игроками скамейки запасных или ролевиками . Они также могут брать на себя обязанности отбивающего или бегущего игрока.
Империя Зла
Распространенное прозвище для New York Yankees из-за их богатства и победы в большинстве чемпионатов. Это прозвище используется в основном фанатами Boston Red Sox и фанатами других команд в меньшей степени. Даже некоторые фанаты Yankees известны тем, что называют себя и свою команду «Evil Empire» в знак чести.
извините меня за качели
Когда отбивающий непреднамеренно касается мяча во время чек-свинга. Сравните с замахом банта .
расширить зону удара
Когда питчер выходит вперед в счете, он «расширяет зону страйка», потому что отбивающий с большей вероятностью ударит по подаче, которая находится на краю или за пределами зоны страйка или в каком-то другом месте, где он не может ее ударить. «В идеале питчер попытается выйти вперед в счете, и когда это произойдет, питчер фактически «расширит зону страйка», поскольку отбивающий теперь находится в защите и будет более склонен преследовать подачи за пределами зоны страйка». [96]
расширенный список
Термин Высшей лиги , обозначающий более широкий список игроков, который может использоваться при определенных обстоятельствах, например, при получении дополнительного игрока в дни двойного матча или предыдущей (до 2019 года) спорной практике, когда составы команд Высшей лиги могли расширяться с 25 до 40 игроков 1 сентября .
вытяните руки
Когда отбивающий может отбить мяч, который находится на удобном расстоянии от его тела, говорят, что он «вытянул руки», что позволяет сделать полный замах и ударить по мячу сильнее. « Джей Ди Мартинес отбил два хоумрана в трех своих карьерных выходах на биту от Аллена , который пытался защитить преимущество 2–1 против середины хваленого состава Детройта. «Я просто переигрывал», — сказал Аллен. «Я просто не делал подачи, когда должен был. Одна подача — Джей Ди Мартинес вытянулся на фастболле и ударил очень сильно». [97]
дополнительные базы
Любые базы, полученные отбивающим после первой базы при ударе. Таким образом, даблы считаются за одну "дополнительную базу", триплы за две, а хоумраны за три. Такие удары называются "дополнительными ударами по базе" и повышают процент слаггинга отбивающего.
дополнительные иннинги
Дополнительные иннинги, необходимые для определения победителя, если игра заканчивается вничью после установленного количества иннингов (девять на уровне колледжа/профессионала, семь на уровне средней школы, шесть в Малой лиге). Также известен как бонусный бейсбол или бесплатный бейсбол, потому что платящие зрители видят больше действий, чем обычно. Иногда, но не часто, его называют «овертаймом», как игру в других командных видах спорта.
дополнительные кадры
См. дополнительные иннинги. См. также фрейм.
дополнительный выход
Когда команда совершает ошибку в оборонительной игре, которая должна была быть легким аутом, говорят, что команда дала своему противнику «дополнительный аут». «Было несколько иннингов, когда мы давали им дополнительные ауты», — сказал Уэдж . «Это, возможно, не ошибки, но мы не делаем розыгрыши». [98]
промывание глаз
Бейсбольный сленг, обозначающий понятие «поддельная суета» или «усердная работа для создания видимости усердной работы». [99]
Ф
осенняя классика
Мировая серия — серия чемпионатов Главной лиги бейсбола , в которой чемпион Американской лиги встречается с чемпионом Национальной лиги . Обычно эта серия проходит в октябре, поэтому играть в октябре — цель любой команды высшей лиги. Прозвище Реджи Джексона «Мистер Октябрь» указывает на то, что он блестяще сыграл в Мировой серии за « Янкиз» . Другой игрок «Янкиз», Дерек Джитер , получил прозвище «Мистер Ноябрь» после того, как выбил хоум-ран в 4-й игре Мировой серии 2001 года сразу после полуночи по местному времени 1 ноября. Для сравнения, владелец «Янкиз» Джордж Стейнбреннер , назвав другого своего игрока ( Дэйва Уинфилда ) «Мистером Мэй», выразил свое разочарование игрой этого игрока в Fall Classic.
Единственный раз, когда Fall Classic действительно играли летом, был в 1918 году, когда сезон был сокращён из-за Первой мировой войны, и серия проводилась в начале сентября.
Впервые Fall Classic продлили до ноября в 2001 году. Уок-офф хоумран Джитера стал первым появлением на пластине в ноябре в истории MLB; сезон 2001 года был отложен на несколько дней после 11 сентября , в конечном итоге перенеся начало Мировой серии на последнюю неделю октября, а окончание серии на ноябрь. Мировые серии 2009, 2010 и 2015–17 годов впоследствии проводили игры в ноябре.
упасть со стола
Говорят, что подача "падает со стола", когда она начинается в зоне удара или кажется отбивающему доступной для удара и заканчивается низко или в грязи. Этот термин в основном используется для change ups и split-fingered fastballs , а иногда и для overhand curveball .
вентилятор
«Обмахнуть» отбивающего — значит выбить его из игры, особенно если это третий удар.
помехи вентилятора
Когда фанат или любое лицо, не связанное с одной из команд, изменяет ход игры (по мнению судьи), это вмешательство фаната. Мяч становится мертвым, и судья присуждает любые базы или взимает любые ауты, которые, по его мнению, произошли бы без вмешательства. Это один из нескольких типов нарушений в бейсболе.
Если болельщик касается мяча, который находится за пределами игрового поля, например, поп-флай на трибунах, это не считается вмешательством болельщика, даже если защитник мог успешно поймать мяч. Так что печально известный случай в 6-й игре NLCS , когда болельщик Chicago Cubs Стив Бартман попытался поймать мяч на фол-территории, тем самым, возможно, помешав левому филдеру Cubs Моисесу Алу сделать цирковой прием, не был случаем вмешательства болельщика.
причудливый Дэн
Полевой игрок, который добавляет изюминку своим движениям во время розыгрыша в надежде получить одобрение зрителей. [100] [101] Уилберт Робинсон был менеджером, когда Эл Лопес начинал как кэтчер в высшей лиге. Робинсон наблюдал за стилем Лопеса и в конце концов крикнул: «Скажите этому негодяю, что у него есть две руки, чтобы ловить! Не обращайте внимания на этот Фэнси Дэн». Лопес в конечном итоге превзошел рекорд Робинсона по количеству игр за пластиной.
фермерская команда
Фарм-команда — это команда или клуб, роль которых заключается в предоставлении опыта и обучения молодым игрокам, с ожиданием того, что успешные игроки в какой-то момент перейдут в высшую лигу. Каждая организация команды Главной лиги бейсбола имеет фермерскую систему дочерних фермерских команд на разных уровнях низшей бейсбольной лиги .
фастбол
Подача, которая бросается больше для высокой скорости, чем для движения; это самый распространенный тип подачи. Также известен как дым, пуля, нагреватель (можно почувствовать тепло, выделяемое мячом), экспресс (в отличие от локальной, нескоростной подачи) или хаммер (мяч нельзя увидеть, только услышать).
фастбол счет
Счет, при котором питчер обычно должен бросить фастбол, например 3–1, 3–2 или 2–1, поскольку фастбол обычно легче всего обнаружить в зоне страйка. Иногда питчер тянет за веревку, бросая питч с низкой скоростью.
фастбол счастливый
Когда питчер слишком полагается на свой фастбол, возможно, потому, что его другие подачи не работают для него в этой игре, говорят, что он «счастлив от фастбола». Это может доставить питчеру неприятности, если отбивающие могут предвидеть, что следующая подача будет фастболом. «Энди лучше всего, когда он доверяет своей технике и не пытается пересилить парней. Когда он счастлив от фастбола, его сбивают с ног». [102]
жирный шаг
Подача, которая находится именно там, где ее ожидает отбивающий. Мяч может выглядеть больше, чем он есть на самом деле, и отбивающий может отбить его далеко.
кормить
Аккуратно бросить мяч другому полевому игроку таким образом, чтобы он мог сделать аут. Игрок первой базы, который только что поймал граунд-бол, «передаст мяч» питчеру, который бежит от насыпи, чтобы сделать форс-аут на первой базе. Инфилдер, который поймал граунд-бол, передаст мяч игроку, прикрывающему вторую базу, чтобы последний мог встать на базу и быстро сделать бросок на первую базу, чтобы завершить дабл-плей.
разрушитель заборов
Отбивающий.
поле
Бейсбольное поле или бейсбольная площадка, на которой играют в бейсбол.
Отбить мяч — значит захватить или сыграть на земном мяче или поймать летящий мяч.
Выход на поле означает, что игроки защиты выходят на свои позиции, в то время как другая команда находится в нападении или отбивает мяч. «Reds вышли на поле, и Хосе Рейес начинает игру для Mets».
Главный тренер команды называется менеджером (более формально — менеджером поля). Он контролирует стратегию команды на поле. Он устанавливает состав и стартового питчера перед каждой игрой, а также производит замены в течение игры. В современном бейсболе менеджер поля обычно подчиняется генеральному менеджеру команды (или ГМ), который, помимо прочего, отвечает за кадровые решения, включая найм и увольнение менеджера поля. Однако термин менеджер, используемый без уточнения, почти всегда относится к менеджеру поля.
выбор полевого игрока
Выбор филдера (FC) — это действие филдера, когда он получает отбитый мяч, и решает попытаться вывести бегуна с базы и позволить бегущему с битой продвинуться на первую базу . Несмотря на то, что он благополучно достиг первой базы после удара по мячу, бьющему не засчитывается хит, но ему будет предъявлено обвинение в отбивании.
фиггер фундук
Старомодный и более красочный способ сказать «помешанный на цифрах» или статист , для фаната с почти навязчивым интересом к статистике или «цифрам» игры. Первым настоящим «фиггером Филбертом», вероятно, был Эрнест Лэниган, который был первым историком Зала славы бейсбола , а до этого был одним из первых, если не первым , кто опубликовал энциклопедию бейсбольной статистики в 1920-х годах. В современную эпоху Билла Джеймса можно назвать культовым «фиггером Филбертом». Он также является отцом-основателем области бейсбольных исследований, называемой саберметрикой . [ необходима цитата ]
отбиваться от подачи
Когда у отбивающего есть два страйка, и он получает подачу, которую не может отбить чисто, можно сказать, что он «отбивает подачу», нарушая ее. « Лангерханс отбил одну подачу со счетом 3-2, затем направил следующую в щель в левом центре, чтобы сравнять счет и выиграть раны». [103]
грязный
Комплимент питчеру, особенно тому, кто специализируется на разбивании мячей с большим количеством движений. Также для особенно впечатляющего разбиения мяча, особенно брошенного для третьего страйка. Синоним слова «отвратительный». Берт Блайлевен был примером питчера с абсолютно грязным крученым мячом.
найти дыру
Чтобы получить удар по базе, ударив мяч между инфилдерами. «13-й граундбол, который Захри пропустил, попал в дыру». [104]
найди его биту
Когда отбивающий находится в состоянии спада, возможно, без какой-либо очевидной причины, но затем начинает получать удары, можно сказать, что он «нашел свою биту». «После того, как « Тигры» нашли своих бит на ночь, они обнулили серию и поставили себя в положение, позволяющее практически запереть AL Central». [105]
найти его свинг
Когда у отбивающего наступает спад, он может получить дополнительную практику или инструкцию, чтобы «найти свой замах». Возможно, у него заминка в замахе или изменилась стойка отбивающего. «Потеряв свой замах», теперь он должен «найти его». Эта фраза также используется в гольфе .
найти места
Как будто мяч, покидающий биту, ищет место для приземления, мяч, который «находит сиденья», — это тот, который покидает игровое поле и достигает трибун. Это может быть либо хоумран, либо фаул-бол (вне досягаемости полевых игроков).
огненный шар
Пичер , бросающий сверхбыстрые быстрые мячи, со скоростью более 95 миль в час. Огнемет.
пожарный
Лучший питчер команды, которого часто вызывают, чтобы закончить атакующий розыгрыш и «потушить огонь». Термин приписывают карикатуристу New York Daily News Брюсу Старку , который в 1970-х годах впервые изобразил реливеров New York Mets и Yankees как пожарных, приходящих, чтобы спасти свои команды от опасности. [106]
пожарный кран
Игрок, часто невысокого роста, известный своей энергией, экстраверсией и командным духом — иногда, возможно, даже больше, чем своими игровыми способностями. « Морган бросил вызов этому шаблону, переработав всех и используя свои умеренные спортивные данные, чтобы стать одним из лучших универсальных игроков своей эпохи. Он бил с силой, он бил со средним результатом, он крал базы и производил пробежки, и он был одним из самых жестких, самых умных защитников второй базы, которых когда-либо видела игра. Он был неутомимым огненным краном, уважаемым игроками соперника и ненавидимым болельщиками соперника». [107]
первый отбивающий мяч
Отбивающий , который любит отбивать мяч первой подачей в отбивающей, особенно если отбивающий часто наносит удар первой подачей.
кулак
Когда отбивающий замахивается на питч, который находится внутри, и мяч ударяется о биту близко к его кулакам (рукам). «После верхней половины первой половины нападение Bulls нанесло ранний удар, когда младший левый защитник Джуниор Карлин отбил питч кулаком обратно в центр при счете 1–0». [108]
пять и ныряй
Уничижительный термин, относящийся к стартовому питчеру, который не может пройти больше пяти иннингов, прежде чем вымотаться. В нынешнюю эпоху, когда менеджеры все больше осознают риск травм питчеров, имеющих большое количество питчей, и когда питчер-реливер стал важнейшей частью игры, стартеры достигают все меньшего и меньшего количества полных игр. Заголовок: «Васкес оспаривает ярлык Five-and-Dive». [109]
пятичасовой нападающий
Отбивающий , который бьет очень хорошо во время тренировки, но не так хорошо во время игры. Раньше их называли «десятичасовыми отбивающими» или «двухчасовыми отбивающими», когда не было ночных игр.
игрок с пятью инструментами
См. плеер с 5 инструментами.
FL или FL
Сокращение от Федеральной лиги , высшей лиги , существовавшей с 1914 по 1915 год . Это была последняя «третья высшая лига», которая появилась на свет.
флаг вниз
Поймать или сбить лайн-драйв , как будто останавливая мчащийся поезд. « Коди Росс , который сделал сингл и переместился на вторую позицию после граунд-аута, оказался в затруднительном положении, когда обгоревший лайнер Рамиреса ... был остановлен пикирующим Джонсом ». [110]
огнемет
Зажигалка.
вспышка
Мяч пролетел недалеко от аутфилда. « Пудж отбил файер, оказавшись вне досягаемости шортстопа».
сверкая кожей
Выдающаяся или сложная оборонительная игра. Игрок, который регулярно делает сложные оборонительные игры, может быть описан как "кожаный флэшер" . См. кожа.
подбросить
Действие, при котором полевой игрок мягко бросает мяч товарищу по команде, прикрывающему базу, когда они находятся так близко, что обычный бросок сверху приведет к потере времени и/или неоправданному риску неточного броска.
Игра, в которую играют питчеры-заменители в буллпене. Существует множество правил и стратегий, которые можно использовать.
поплавок
Наклбол. Подача, которая может показаться отбивающему плывущим или подпрыгивающим вверх и вниз по пути к пластине.
счастливый случай
Удар по базе , возникающий в результате слабого удара по мячу или его странного отскока.
флаттербол
Наклбол, поплавок.
летающий мяч
Мяч , отбитый высоко в воздухе. См. также поп-флай, инфилд-флай и граунд-бол.
питчер флайбола
Питчер, который склонен делать больше флайболов, чем граундболов. Такие питчеры невыгодны тем, что они пропускают больше хоумранов, чем любой другой питчер.
вылететь
Аут, возникающий в результате того, что аутфилдер поймал мяч.
Про отбивающего, мяч которого был пойман в аутфилде, говорят, что он «вылетел». «Родригес вылетел к центральному филдеру Сузуки». (Допускается прошедшее время «вылетел» ) .
принудительное воспроизведение
Когда бегун должен перейти на другую базу, потому что отбивающий становится бегуном и, как таковой, должен перейти на первую базу. В этой ситуации бегун выбывает, если полевой игрок с мячом касается базы, к которой бегун вынужден приблизиться; это считается «форс-аутом». Игра, когда пойман мяч, и полевой игрок касается базы до того, как бегун закрепился, не является принудительной игрой, а апелляционной игрой.
вилочный мяч
Тип фастбола с раздельными пальцами или сплиттера, в котором пальцы максимально разведены. Мяч резко падает и обычно выходит из зоны удара, возможно, даже в грязь.
фол мяч
Отбитый мяч, который приземлился на фол-территории.
Две прямые линии, проведенные по земле от домашней базы до ограждения аутфилда, обозначают границу между честной территорией и фол-территорией . Они называются либо линией фола левого поля и линией фола правого поля , либо линией фола третьей базы и линией фола первой базы соответственно. Фол-стойки на стенах аутфилда являются вертикальными продолжениями линий фола.
Despite their names, both the foul lines and the foul poles are in fair territory. Any fly ball that strikes the foul line (including the foul pole) beyond first or third base is a fair ball (and in the case of the foul pole, a home run).
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 association football (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.
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". Such a hitter might also be said to be battling or working the pitcher.
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).
foul tip
A batted ball that is hit sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher's mitt and legally caught by the catcher. It is not a foul tip, as most announcers and journalists mistakenly use the term, if the ball is not caught by the catcher. In this case, it is simply a foul ball. It is also not considered a foul tip if it rebounds off something, like the ground, catcher's mask, the batter, etc. after being struck by the bat but before touching the catcher's mitt. A foul tip is considered in play, not a foul ball, and also counts as a strike, including the third strike (and is also considered a strikeout for the pitcher). It is signalled by the umpire putting his right hand flat in the air and brushing his left hand against it (imitating the ball glancing off the bat) and then using his standard strike call. If the out is not the third out then the ball is alive and in play (unlike on a foul) and runners are in jeopardy if they are trying to advance.
four-bagger
A home run. Note that the 4th "bag" is actually a plate.
four-fingered salute
An intentional base on balls, from the manager's signal to direct the pitcher to issue one, or to direct the umpire to award the batter first base.
four-seam fastball
A standard fastball, which does not necessarily break though a good one will have movement as well as velocity and location that makes it difficult to hit. The batter sees the four parallel seams spin toward him. A four-seamer. See two-seamer.
frame
As a noun, a frame is half an inning (either the top or the bottom). Announcer: "Two hits, and two runs scored so far in this frame." Also a bowling term, as suggested by the resemblance of an inning-by-inning scoreboard to a bowling scoresheet.
As a verb, framing [a pitch] refers to the positioning and/or movement of the catcher's mitt and body when he catches a pitch and the effect this has on the umpire calling a pitch a strike. The boundaries of the strike zone are clearly defined in the rules; however, with many major-league pitches traveling well in excess of 90 mph (140 km/h), or with "moving" pitches such as the curveball and the knuckleball, it is often difficult for an umpire to judge whether a ball went through the strike zone based solely on watching the ball, particularly at the boundaries of the strike zone. Consequently, umpires sometimes unofficially use the catcher's position and/or movement to help judge whether a pitch is a strike. Framing is a catcher's attempt to use this to his team's advantage. For example, on a pitch near the boundary of the strike zone, a catcher might move his mitt a short, subtle distance toward the strike zone within a split second after catching the ball, with the hope that the umpire will call a strike even if it did not go through the strike zone. Conversely, a pitch near the top of the strike zone might be called a ball if the catcher has to rise from his crouched position to catch it, even if it did go through the defined strike zone. Sabermetricians have developed metrics for how well catchers perform in framing pitches.[111]
free baseball
Slang for extra innings. The fans get to see extra innings "for free".
free pass
A base on balls. "Free" because the batter does not have to hit the ball to get on base. Also referred to as a "free ticket" and an Annie Oakley.
freeze the hitter
To throw a strike that is so unexpected or in such a location that the batter doesn't swing at it. "As Cashman spoke, Pettitte fired a strike on the corner, which froze the hitter."[112] "But the right-hander reached in her bag of tricks and threw a tantalizing changeup that froze the hitter for the final out."[113]
friendly confines
A nickname for Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.
frozen rope
A hard-hit line drive. Also a strong throw from the outfield.
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. At that point, only a foul ball will extend the at-bat.
full house
Three of a kind (three balls), and two of a kind (two 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.
fungo
A fly ball hit for fielders to practice catching. It is not part of the game, but is accomplished by a batter tossing the ball a short distance up in the air and then batting it himself.
fungo bat
A lightweight bat with a long, skinny barrel used to hit fungoes. It is not a legal or safe bat to use in a game or even in practice with a live pitcher, because it is too light.
G
gamer
A player who plays particularly hard (especially with a willingness to sacrifice his body for the play) and is prone to making the right play at the right time, often in big games. Also used to refer to an excellent piece of equipment, such as a glove or mitt.
gap
The space between outfielders. Also alley. A ball hit in the gap is sometimes called a flapper or a gapper. "He's swinging the bat right now better than he has all year, and I'm hoping now some of them turns into gappers", Leyland said.[114]
gap hitter
Hits with power up the alleys and tends to get a lot of doubles. A doubles hitter.
gas
A fastball. "Give him [the batter] the gas"; as in stepping on a car's gas pedal to accelerate.
gascan
A pitcher who gives up runs in bunches or in untimely situations. Named as such because he'd be pouring gas over a fire.
gate receipts
The gross ticket prices paid by all the customers who passed through the entrance gates for a game or a series. Also referred to simply as "the gate". "There's a big gate awaiting the champions..."[115]
GEDP
Abbreviation for game ending double play.
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.
gem
A very well pitched game, almost always a win, in which the pitcher allows few if any hits and at most a run or two. Headline: "Mulder Shakes Off Injury to Pitch Gem".[116]
get a good piece of it
When swinging a round bat at a round ball, the batter hopes to hit the ball solidly in the center. When he does, he's said to "get a good piece of the ball". "'When you hit in the middle of the order, those are the situations you want', said Cabrera, who leads the major leagues with 116 RBIs. 'He threw me a fastball, and I got a good piece of it.'"[117]
Getaway Day
Getaway Day (or Getaway Game) refers to the last game of a regular season series (usually on a Wednesday, Thursday, or Sunday afternoon) that sees the visiting team leave town ("get away") after its conclusion, either for the next stop on their road trip or for home. May also refer to the last day of a team's home stand. "MLB's new labor deal requires earlier start times on getaway days."[118]
Getaway Day lineup
A starting lineup for Getaway Day that features backup players. Usually assembled by a manager so that his regular starers can enjoy a day's rest (especially if they had played the night before), though considerations such as the team's standing in the pennant race may preclude him from making such moves. "The San Francisco Giants completed a four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, even with a getaway day lineup taking the field."[119][120]
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.
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.
get off the schneid
To break a scoreless, 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.
GIDP
Statistical abbreviation for grounded into double play.
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. 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 wear only 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 makes it necessary. A fielder may have to catch a ball bare-handed, if he loses his glove in pursuit of a ball or finds himself at the wrong angle to use it.
Most batters nowadays wear leather batting gloves to improve their grip and provide a small amount of padding. Base-stealing artists, especially those who practice the head-first hands-first slide, wear specialized sliding gloves.
Players generally keep batting and sliding gloves in their pants pockets when not in use, and their fielding gloves in the dugout. At one time, players would leave their fielding gloves on the field; later they carried them in their pants pockets. This illustrates (1) how much larger and baggier uniforms were and (2) how much smaller the gloves were. The adage "two hands while you're learning" was a necessity in the early years, when gloves simply absorbed shock. The glove has since evolved into a much more effective "trap", and one-hand catches are now the norm.
Jokes used in movies and cartoons notwithstanding, the rules forbid throwing the glove to "catch", slow down, or even touch a batted ball. When the umpire calls it, the batter is awarded an automatic triple (meaning all runners ahead of him are allowed to score freely); it is also a live ball, and the batter-runner can try for home. Similarly, it is against the rules to use one's cap as a glove, as "All the Way Mae" (Madonna) did in A League of Their Own. Note that it is only against the rules to actually touch the ball with a thrown glove or other equipment; there is no penalty if the ball is not touched.
A player who is very skilled at defense is said to have a good glove.
GM
An abbreviation for general manager.
go-ahead run
The run which puts a team which was behind or tied into the lead. Used particularly with runners on base (e.g., "The Phillies have Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino on base down 4–2; Victorino represents the tying run and Chase Utley is the go-ahead run at the plate.").
A starting pitcher who pitches past the 6th inning is said to "go deep into the game". "Against the White Sox on Thursday, Morrow's command wasn't there. He walked six batters in 5+2⁄3 innings, and despite coming one out shy of recording a quality start, he didn't prove yet he's able to pitch deep into games."[122]
go down in order
When the defending team allows no opponent on base in a half-inning, thereby retiring the side facing the minimum three batters, the batting team is said to have gone down in order, the defending team is said to have retired it in order.
go quietly
When a team fails to mount a strong offense, such as going 1–2–3 in an inning, it may be said to have "gone quietly". "Outside of a walk to Mantle after Tresh's clout and a ninth-inning single by Pepitone, the Yankees went quietly the rest of the way."[123]
A player who retires without a lot of fanfare or complaining may be said to "go quietly".
go the distance
See go the route.
go the route
A pitcher who throws a complete game "goes the route".
go 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".
going bridge
One more way to say "hit a home run".
gold glove
The major league player chosen as the best in his league at fielding his position is given a Gold Glove Award.
golden sombrero
One who strikes out four times in one game is said to have gotten a "golden sombrero". Three strike outs is called the "hat trick", while the rare five strike outs is called the "platinum sombrero." Only eight times has a player struck out six times in a game; this is called the "horn" (named by Mike Flanagan after Sam Horn who did this in 1991), "double-platinum sombrero," or "titanium sombrero." If it ever happens, Flanagan said a seven-strikeout game shall be called "Horn-A-Plenty."
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.
Conversely, a batter who has just been struck out, especially by a power pitcher, 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; likewise "one away" and "two away".
good eye
A hitter who has excellent awareness of the strike zone, and is able to lay off pitches that are barely out of the strike zone, is said to have a "good eye", "Ortiz and Ramirez are a constant threat, whether it's swinging the bats or taking pitches", Cleveland third baseman Casey Blake said. "They have a couple of the best swings in the game and a couple of the best eyes in the game..."[124]
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.
good piece of hitting
A situation where a batter puts the ball in play in a way that maximizes the result for his team. "Good pieces of hitting" tend to result in runs scoring and draining several pitches out of an opposing pitcher, especially in situations where the pitcher's team was looking for a decent amount of length.
good take
An accolade given to a batter who does not swing at a pitch that is close to, but not in, the strike zone; most often said to a batter with two strikes (who is naturally tempted).
Goodbye Mr. Spalding!
Exclamation by a broadcaster when a batter hits a home run. First uttered by an unknown broadcaster in the film The Natural. Spalding is a major manufacturer of baseballs.
goose egg
When a team has zero on the scoreboard.
gopher ball
A gopher ball (or gopher pitch) is a pitch that leads to a home run, one 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 are hit by both teams may also be described as "gopher ball".
got a piece of it
When a batter hits a foul ball or foul tip, perhaps surviving a two strike count and remaining at bat, a broadcaster may say "He got a piece of it."
got him
Short for "got him out".
got to him early
When a team's batters gets several hits and runs off of the opposing starting pitcher in early innings the batters are said to "get to him early".
got under the ball
When a hitter swings slightly under the center of the pitched ball, thereby leading to a high fly ball out instead of a home run, he's said to "get under the ball".
grab some pine
Go sit on the bench, used as a taunt after a strikeout. Popularized by Giants sportscaster Mike Krukow.
grand slam
Home run hit with the #bases loaded. A "grand salami" or a "grand ol' ding dong".
grandstand play
Showing off for the fans in the grandstands. Also called grandstanding. Not only players, but managers, owners, and politicians often play to the crowd to raise their public image. An example: "Tellem weighed in with a thoughtful back-page article in this Sunday's New York Times regarding the recent Congressional and mainstream media grandstanding over steroids."[125]
A sarcastic term for seats high in the bleachers, a long way from the playing field. The phrase was popularized by Bob Uecker in a series of TV commercials.
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 to steal a base. An example: "Instead of the bunt sign, Tigers manager Jim Leyland gave Rodríguez the green light and he hit a three-run homer off Riske to give the Tigers a 3–2 win over Kansas City on Sunday."[127]
green monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the 37.2 feet (11.3 m) high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team. The wall is 310 feet (94.5 m) from home plate and is a popular target for right-handed hitters. The seats on top of the Monster, installed for the 2003 season, are among the most coveted seats at Fenway.
The Red Sox have spring training at JetBlue Park at Fenway South (informally, JetBlue Park) in Fort Myers, Florida. JetBlue is an exact copy of Fenway, including a full-sized Green Monster.
The Red Sox' mascot is "Wally, the Green Monster".
groove a pitch
When a pitcher throws a pitch down the middle of the plate ("the groove"). The result may be predictable. An example: "But in the third, with two out and a man at second and the Cards ahead 2–1, Verlander grooved a pitch that Pujols clobbered for a home run."[128]
ground ball
A hit that bounces in the infield. Also grounder. A bunt is not considered a ground ball.
ground ball with eyes
A ground ball that barely gets between two infielders for a base hit, seeming to "see" the only spot where it would be unfieldable. Also seeing-eye grounder, or seeing-eye single.
ground ball pitcher
A pitcher who tends to induce more ground balls than fly balls. Often a manager will bring a ground ball pitcher in as a relief pitcher when there are men on base and less than two outs, hoping the next batter hits a grounder into a double play.
ground-rule double
Under standard ground rules, there are conditions under which a batter is awarded second base automatically. If a ball hit in fair territory bounces over a wall or fence (or gets caught in the ivy at Wrigley Field) without being touched by a fielder, it will likely be declared a double. If a ball hit into fair territory is touched by a fan, the batter is awarded an extra base.
ground rules
Rules specific to a particular ballpark (or grounds) due to unique features of the park and where the standard baseball rules may be inadequate.[129]
guess hitter
A hitter who primarily guesses what type of pitch is coming and where it will be located as their approach to hitting rather than just looking for a fastball and then reacting to off speed pitches.
gun
A strong arm. Also, a cannon.
To throw hard. Announcer (following a grounder and throw to first): "Guillen guns and gets him."
gun down
To throw out a runner. "Valentin was erased when he tried to steal second, though, and Posada gunned him down."[130]
gyroball
Illustration of a gyroball illustrating the sharp breaking motion
A type of curveball with a severe break. Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is said to throw a gyroball. It was designed by a couple of Japanese scientists to reduce arm fatigue in pitchers. The result was a way to throw the ball with an extreme break. Whether such a special pitch really exists remains the subject of great controversy among experts of various pedigrees.[131]
H
hack
To swing awkwardly at the ball. "As his son stood in the batter's box and hacked away, Wolpert came up with the idea of opening his own batting cage in Manhattan."[132] Sometimes said of an aggressive hitter who would swing at any pitch within reach, whether high, low, inside, or outside. "An unrepentant free swinger who hacked at anything in the same area code as the strike zone, Puckett drew just 23 walks that year."[133]
Hall of Fame
The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Abbreviated HOF. In popular usage, the terms "Hall of Fame broadcaster" and "Hall of Fame writer" are often used to describe recipients of two annual awards, respectively the Ford C. Frick Award and J. G. Taylor Spink Award. Recipients of these awards are recognized in dedicated Hall exhibits, but are not considered actual Hall of Fame members.
Hall of Very Good
A tongue-in-cheek expression used to refer to players who had successful careers, but whose stats and/or overall performance are not good enough to put them into consideration for the Hall of Fame. Example of players said to be in the "Hall of Very Good" are Chris Carpenter,[134]Lee Smith (who eventually earned Hall of Fame induction), and Mark McGwire.[135]
hammer
To hit the ball hard, typically for extra bases. "Aaron hammered that pitch."
The nickname of Henry Aaron—Hank "The Hammer" Aaron—second all-time in Major League career home runs.
A hard-hit ground ball that bounces directly at an infielder is difficult for him to get his hands on – he appears to have been handcuffed.
A pitch thrown high and inside "handcuffs" a batter because he can't get his hands far enough away from his body to swing the bat.
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 a baseball would be easier to hold onto if it had a handle.
hang
A breaking ball that does not "break", or change direction, and so is easy to hit. A hanging curveball.
A pitcher may be hung with aloss 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.")
A team may hang a (number) on the opposing pitcher or his team by scoring that many runs. May use a literal number or an informal term such as a crooked number or a snowman.
happy
When a pitcher uses a particular type of pitch so much that he becomes less effective, he's sometimes said to be "happy" with the pitch – fastball happy or curveball happy, for example. "This article is a response, in part, to a Boston Globe sports rumor asserting that Josh Beckett has become 'Curveball Happy' and has changed his release point."[136]
hard hands
A tendency to mishandle fielded balls. Also stone fingers. Contrast soft hands.
To strike out three times. Used jokingly, as the same term means to score three times in hockey and other sports. This term is also used to indicate someone who has hit three home runs in a game.
HBP
Hit By Pitch.
head of lettuce
When a player breaks their bat after hitting the pitch, and the main portion of the bat (the barrel) lands within the infield, the broken portion can splinter into many pieces. (If the barrel lands either in foul territory or outside the established infield, the event is not a head of lettuce.) The term pays homage to other food-related baseball terms such as "can of corn", "high cheese", "in a pickle", etc. The original use of the term dates to 2006 when Joshua Githens first noted the likeness to striking a head of lettuce with the bat. "That bat exploded like a head of lettuce!"
headhunter
A pitcher who has a reputation for throwing beanballs.
heart of the plate
Middle of home plate. "Looking to go up the ladder, Hughes instead missed right over the heart of the plate just below belt high with a 95-mph fastball. As good hitters do, Vladimir Guerrero made him pay with a single up the middle."[137]
heat
Also heater. A fastball.
heavy hitter
A power hitter. A player who hits a lot of home runs or other extra-base hits. A batter with a high slugging percentage. A slugger. A term shared with the sport of boxing, referring to a fighter who scores a large number of knockouts.
help his own cause
Said of a pitcher who knocks in runs as a hitter, thereby helping himself to earn credit for a win.
herky-jerky
A pitcher with an unusual or awkward wind-up or motion, as if he's not in full control of his legs and arms, may be said to have a herky-jerky motion.
hesitation pitch
A pitcher who pauses in his wind-up, perhaps at the top of the wind-up, may be said to have a hesitation pitch. If this is part of his regular motion, it may be effective in throwing off the timing of the batter. If it's an occasional motion and used when there are runners on base, the pitcher is at risk of being called for a balk.
hidden ball trick
A very rare feat in which a fielder has the ball and hides it from a runner, tricking him into believing some other fielder has it or that it has gotten away from them. (There is no rule against such deception except 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 so victimized will be ribbed endlessly by his teammates for having been caught napping.
high and tight
A location pitch thrown above the strike zone and close to the batter.
high cheese
A fastball thrown high in the strike zone.
high hard one
A fastball thrown high in, or above the strike zone.
high heat
A strike thrown high in the strike zone.
high let it fly; low let it go
An adage about batting against a knuckleball pitcher. Fluttering knuckleballs are notoriously hard to hit, especially low in the strike zone.
hill
The pitcher's mound.
hit
The act of safely reaching first base after batting the ball into fair territory. Abbreviated as H, this meaning is synonymous with base hit. See also 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 without benefit of an error).
hit a bullet
To hit the ball very hard, typically a line drive.
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 to try to drive the ball behind the runner to right field. 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.
hit away
After a batter has attempted but failed to lay down a bunt, or in a situation in which he might ordinarily be expected to bunt, he may instead make a normal swing at the ball on the next pitch. In such a case he is said to "hit away" or "swing away". "Smoltz swung away, fouling it off for strike one. Knowing that the bunt had been given away on the first pitch, Braves manager Bobby Cox took off the bunt sign this time."[138]
hit behind the runner
An offensive tactic where the batter intentionally puts the ball in play to the right side (the first base 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.
hit by pitch
When a pitch touches a batter in the batter's box, the batter advances to first base. If the pitch hits him while he is swinging (striking) he is not awarded a base, and if the umpire feels he made no effort to avoid getting hit he simply calls a ball.
Colloquially, a batter who is hit by a pitch has been plunked, drilled, nailed, plugged, or beaned.
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.
hit for average
Contrary to what might be literally implied, a player who "hits for average" is one who achieves a high batting average.
hit for the cycle
When a given player hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game. To accomplish this feat in order is termed a "natural cycle". Hitting for the cycle is a rare enough occurrence that Major League Baseball keeps special statistics on it.[139]
When a player seems to have a natural aptitude to get hits in all situations. "Magglio can hit Christmas Day", Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "It's an old saying, and he's one of those guys who can. There's nothing fancy. He sees it, hits it and does it pretty damned good."[140]
hit parade
A rapid succession of hits within the same inning or a high total of hits throughout a game.
hit the ball on the screws
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. The phrase derives from golf, referring to a well executed shot. Back when "woods" were actually made of wood, manufacturers screwed a plastic insert into the club face as a safeguard against premature wear. When a golfer hit a good shot he would say, "I hit it on the screws."[141] Another source is the fact that early baseball bats usually cracked lengthwise into two pieces; many were repaired using glue and two screws. (Such repairs are now illegal.)
hit the deck
When a batter drops or dives to the ground to avoid being hit by a pitch. "The third kind of pitch is the one that is coming right at your head. This one you don't even have time to think about. Some part of you sees the ball as it leaves the pitcher's hand, and something about the fact that the ball is coming straight toward your eye makes it almost disappear into a blind spot. You hit the deck before you even know you've done it."[142]
hit the dirt
To slide. Sometimes used also as equivalent to hit the deck.
hitch in his swing
When a batter does not swing the bat in a single motion – perhaps he lifts the bat or moves his hands or hesitates before swinging – he may be said to have a "hitch in his swing". Having a hitch may slow down how quickly or powerfully he swings at the pitch. "All winter, Green worked on eliminating a hitch from his swing. He did it by setting up a video camera at a batting cage near his home in Irvine, California, taping swing after swing, and comparing it with video from his days with the Los Angeles Dodgers."[143]
hitter
Batter.
a person who hits a ball with a bat in baseball.
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. See count.
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.[144] Baseball Reference [145] and other baseball research organizations also report park factors for major league parks. Baseball Prospectus [146] 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 a double-digit score for one or both teams is not unusual.
On the other hand, some are hitter's parks, any and all other factors notwithstanding. Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Braves home field from 1966 to 1996, was known as The Launching Pad.
hitterish
A physical and/or mental state where a player is seeing pitches well and his timing is on, so that observers or the player himself feel he has a good chance at getting a hit. Often used by players and sportscasters. "It's like Charley Lau used to tell us, used to tell me: 'You look very hitterish up there. You look hitterish, you look like you're going to hit the ball hard'", Brett said in camp.[147]
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 not an official Major League Baseball statistic, but are recognized by the MLB in its rules.
When a runner is on first base, the first baseman might choose to stand very close to first base rather than assume a position behind first base and more part-way toward second base (a position better suited to field ground balls hit to the right side of the diamond). When he does this he's said to "hold the runner on (first)" because he's in a position to take a throw from the pitcher and thereby discourage the runner from taking a big lead-off.
hold up on a swing
When a batter begins to swing the bat at a pitch but stops swinging before the bat makes contact with the ball or the bat passes the front of the plate, he may be said to "hold up on his swing".
hole
One of the nine places in the batting lineup. The leadoff 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.
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. "Howard became a star after fixing a hole in his swing."[148]
hole in the lineup
A team that has one or more weak hitters in its 9-person batting order has a "hole in the lineup" that opposition teams can take advantage of. "There are no holes in that lineup, so to say you're going to pitch around one batter might not be the best thing."[149] "If the team that Shapiro has constructed is going to overtake the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees or any of the other contenders in the American League, it can't afford another season with a hole in the middle of the lineup that Hafner was from May through the playoffs last season."[150]
home
Home plate. For a runner to reach home safely is to score a run. Getting a runner who is on base home is the goal of any batter.
home cooking
When a player for the home team gets a favorable or generous call from the official scorer, the players may refer to the scorer's call as "home cooking". For example, the scorer may credit a batter for a base hit on a batted ball that a fielder bobbled briefly and then failed to make a putout.
"Home cooking" is sometimes used synonymously with home field advantage. The reference may be to the home team having the advantage of living at home, not just to being able to play in its own stadium.
home advantage/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.[151] 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.
home game/home team
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 hosting the game is referred to as the home team. In rare instances, the home team plays in a stadium not their own. In 2005, the Houston Astros played a "home" series against the Chicago Cubs at Miller Park in Milwaukee, home of the Brewers, because their home stadium, Minute Maid Park, was rendered temporarily unusable because of Hurricane Rita. In 2010, the Toronto Blue Jays played a "home" series against the Philadelphia Phillies at the Phillies' home park, Citizens Bank Park, because of security concerns due to the G-20 summit being held in Toronto. Despite being in Philadelphia, the Blue Jays wore their home white uniforms and batted last. Also, despite Citizens Bank Park being a National League field, the designated hitter was used in the series.
home half
The second (bottom) half of an inning, in which the home team is at bat.
home plate
See also plate.
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.
home run derby
A batting competition in which the object is to hit the most home runs.[152] The 1960 television series Home Run Derby featured such a competition.[153] The term can also be used to refer to a game during which many home runs are hit.[154] The term was first used in the 1920s to refer to the race ("derby") between batters to lead their league in home runs for the season.[155]
Since 1985, Major League Baseball has hosted an annual Home Run Derby,[156] and the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) has done so since 1992. At least one minor league, the Southern League, has also held a home run derby.[157] In 2007, the Israel Baseball League played seven-inning games, and if the teams were tied at the end of the seventh inning the tie was broken by use of a home run derby.[158] A number of amusement parks, entertainment centers and batting cages offer a home run derby type competition.[152]
home run trot
When a batter, realizing the ball he just hit is about become a home run, slows from a run to a celebratory trot. "Well, I've been saying it all year, and it finally happened tonight: David Ortiz became the first player in the 2010 season to take more than 30-seconds to trot around the bases after a home run. With four of the top five slowest home run trots of the year already - all four of which were clocked in at 28.95 seconds or slower - it seemed inevitable that he would be the first to break the half-minute barrier."[159]
Sometimes a player mistakenly slows down, however, when the wind or a superb play by an outfielder, turns a home run into a double or single off the outfield wall, or to a long out, or to another odd outcome, as the following case illustrates:
Unfortunately for his personal power totals, Milledge was bamboozled into believing his liner in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night had cleared the left-field fence at PNC Park for his first career grand slam. Dead certain he had gone deep, Milledge raised his fist rounding first base, put his head down and went into a trot. Cool. Double-dog certain because the fireworks guy at PNC set off the pyrotechnics that explode every time a Bucs player goes deep. Music also began to blare. What a glorious moment for the Bucs!... only, the ball had not cleared the fence. It hit the top and stayed in the field of play.
As Bucs announcer Bob Walk said, "Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh, uh oh—we got a problem here." Milledge was not quite midway between second and third base when he realized the Cubs had him in a rundown. And, yeah, um, he was tagged out. Score that a two-run double and a big ol' base-running blunder.[160]
home stand
A series of home games. See also road trip.
home team
The "home team" is the one in whose stadium the game is played against the "visiting team". The home team has the advantage of batting in the second or bottom half of the inning. In case a game is played at a neutral site, the "home" team is usually determined by coin toss.
homer
A home run.
A derisive term for a dedicated, almost delusional, fan. Especially used for a broadcaster, in any sport, whose team "can do no wrong"; for example, they might argue a bad strike call, but say nothing about one against the opponent. Johnny Most of the Boston Celtics and Hawk Harrelson of the Chicago White Sox were notorious "homers." In a somewhat more humorous example, Bert Wilson used to say, "I don't care who wins, as long as it's the Cubs!" A common "homer" saying is, "My two favorite teams are (my team) and whoever's playing (my team's rival)."
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.
A curveball.
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.
hopper
A batted ball that takes several bounces in the infield, or a single "high hop" after it hits the ground just in front of home plate. Also see "short hop".
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.
hose
A strong arm, said typically of an outfielder. To "be hosed" is to be thrown out on the bases, typically from the outfield.
hot
A batter who is having a hitting streak or a team having a winning streak is said to be "hot". "'Today was pretty impressive', Scioscia said. 'Hitters, they have their times. When they're hot, they're hot. You can't do anything about it.'"[161]
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.
house by the side of the road
A batter who strikes out looking. The term was made popular by legendary Detroit Tigers radio broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who would often say, "He stood there like the house by the side of the road, and watched the ball go by."[162] The phrase originates from the title of a poem by Sam Walter Foss.
howitzer
A very strong arm. A cannon. A gun. Usually applied to an outfielder. Named after the Howitzer artillery piece. Headline: "Roberto Clemente: A Howitzer for an Arm, An Ocean for a Heart".[163]
human rain delay
A human rain delay is a derisive term for a player who is very deliberate in his play, such as a pitcher who takes a long time between pitches or a batter who constantly steps out of the batter's box. "The Seattle Mariners will announce a new manager today—Mike Hargrove. Hargrove bears a great nickname—'The Human Rain Delay'. The name stems from the fact that, as a player, Hargrove would take about 15 minutes for every plate appearance. He would step out of the batter's box, fidget with his gloves, his helmet, his pants. He drove the pitcher nuts, but that was his plan."[164]
humpback liner
A ball hit deep in the infield on a trajectory between those of fly balls and line drives.
A fielding play, usually where a lofty fly ball is to land equidistant between two fielders. Both are unsure who should catch it, usually resulting in last-second leaps or dives. Often neither does, in which case the one who had the better chance is charged with an error.
immaculate inning
A half-inning in which the pitcher strikes out all three batters he faces with exactly nine pitches.
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.
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 with ordinary effort by an infielder in fair territory, and (c) there are runners on first and second (third base can optionally be occupied too).
The batter is automatically called out in this situation whether or not a fielder attempts to catch the fly ball, assuming it stays fair. 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.
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, pitcher, and any player stationed in the infield when the pitch is delivered are included as infielders.
inherited runner
Inherited runners or inherited baserunners are the runners on base when a relief pitcher enters the game. Since a previous pitcher has allowed these runners to reach base (or was simply pitching when the runners reached base, such as in the case of a fielding error), any inherited runners who score when the relief pitcher is pitching are charged to the previous pitcher's runs allowed and/or earned runs allowed total, depending on how each runner reached base. Modern box scores list how many runners each relief pitcher inherits (if any), and how many of those inherited runners the relief pitcher allows to score, called inherited runs allowed (IRA).
in jeopardy
In general, a baserunner is in jeopardy at any time the ball is live and the baserunner is not touching a base, except in the cases of overrunning first base on a fair ball or advancing to an awarded base, e.g., on a base on balls or hit by pitch. A baserunner who is in jeopardy may be putout by a fielder at any time.[165]
injured list
Major league teams may remove injured players from their active roster temporarily by placing them on the injured list. Another player can then be called up as a replacement during this time.
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. Sometimes the bottom half is also referred to as the home half.
innings eater
A pitcher who may or may not be a starter or a closer but who can be relied on to pitch several innings either to keep his team in contention or sometimes when the game is no longer close, is an "innings eater". Headline: "Appetites never diminish for 'innings-eating' pitchers".
The success of most pitchers is based on statistics such as won-loss record, ERA or saves, but the unsung "innings eater" is judged by how many innings he pitches and the impact his work has on the rest of the staff. "I don't have a whole lot of goals going into the season. I don't shoot for a certain ERA or a certain strikeout number or certain number of wins," says Blanton, entering his second full season. "I try to go out and get a quality start every time, six innings or more, and not miss any starts. I feel if I can do that, I'll get my 200 innings in a year and everything else falls into place with that."[166]
inside baseball
The inside baseball is 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 the ball
Proper mechanics of a baseball swing, in which the hitter rotates his body while keeping his hands and the bat close to his body, with the bat coming across the plate after the body has almost fully rotated 90 degrees from his initial stance. Sometimes the phrase used is that the hitter "keeps his hands inside the baseball", and sometimes that the hitter himself "keeps inside the ball" – never mind the connotation of a player's literally being inside a baseball. "He's staying inside the ball so good, man", Dunn said. "For big guys like us, that's a hard thing to do. You always want to get the head [of the bat] out. His right hand is staying inside, so good. That's why he's able to hit the ball to left, to center, to right. He's in a good place right now."[167]
inside-out swing
When the batter swings at a pitch with his hands ahead of the end of the bat. For a right-handed hitter, this often leads to balls being hit toward the right side of the diamond. One of the most famous "inside-out" hitters is Derek Jeter: "While Jeter became known over his two decades for rising to the occasion and delighting fans with his heroics, he was above all a technician, slashing at pitches with his trademark inside-out swing."[168]
inside-the-park home run
A play where a hitter scores a home run without hitting the ball out of play.
insurance run
A run scored by a team already in the lead. These surplus runs do not affect the game outcome but serve as "insurance" against the team giving up runs later.
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.
interleague play
Regular-season games between teams in different major leagues, which allow natural rivals and crosstown rivals to play each other more often, not just in play-offs.
Internet baseball awards
While Major League Baseball calls on the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWA) to name the most valuable player, rookie of the year, and Cy Young Award winner each year, since 1997 Baseball Prospectus has conducted an on-line poll to make Internet Baseball Awards in those categories as well as manager of the year.[169]
interstate
A batting average below .200. A player with a batting average of .195 is said to be on I-95, a reference to the numbering on the Interstate Highway System. See also the Mendoza Line.
in the books
The game is over. Long-time New York Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose (first on WFAN, now on WOR) ends every Mets win with the catchphrase, "Put it in the books!" (Rose's memoir is entitled Put It In The Book!)
in the hole
The spaces between the first baseman and second baseman and between the shortstop and the third baseman, one of the usual places where a ground ball must go for a hit. "Ozzie went deep in the hole" but, despite Ozzie's best effort, the ball "found 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 boating, where it was originally "in the hold",[citation needed] the place prior to being "on deck". "In the hole" is a corruption of the original nautical term (a mondegreen or eggcorn) made popular by people who did not understand the original origin. Today, the corruption has become universal.
An unfavorable count. A pitcher would be "in the hole" 3-0 and a batter would be "in the hole" 0-2.
in the (his) kitchen
Pitching in on the hitter's hands.
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 (a fielder may attempt to catch it for an out and runners may attempt to advance after such a catch), but only before it hits the ground or the fence.
Infield and outfield practice. "Everyone take your positions for a quick IO"
J
J-run
The run the pitcher takes from the mound to first base in order to cover for the first baseman who has just fielded the ball.[citation needed]
jack
A home run or to hit a home run. "Hitting a jack" or "Jacking one out of here".
jake
Half-hearted or lazy effort by a player, i.e. "He jaked that play."
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."
The "bases are jammed" (or loaded or full) when there are runners on all three.
janitor throw
When an outfielder, 'cleaning' a pitcher's mess by throwing a runner out, spins or falls down after a strong throw.
jelly legs
A batter's legs are "made out of jelly" when he departs from a good stance. "His curve ball... it jelly-legs you." - Phillies First Baseman Jim Thome, referring to Barry Zito's curve.[170]
jerk
To "pull" the ball towards left field if you bat right handed or "pull" the ball towards right field if you're batting left handed. Opposite of jerk would be push or hitting an "oppo", meaning going towards the opposite field.
To hit the ball hard, typically used to refer to pulling the ball over the fence for a home run. "Derrek Lee jerked one of his patented doubles into the left-field corner to lead off the fourth against Minnesota lefty Johan Santana, the reigning Cy Young winner."[171]
Judy
A Punch and Judy hitter who hits with little power.
juiced
"Bases juiced" means #bases loaded.
A player who is said to be juiced is thought to be taking performance-enhancing drugs. "It is now assumed, of course, that Bonds may well have been juiced on steroids at the time; the previous year he had set the all-time single-season record of 73 home runs, and his musculature was almost freakishly swollen."[172]
A baseball that is juiced has been modified in some way that makes it travel farther when hit. "Spectacular increases in home runs have often raised the question: Has the ball been juiced up to travel farther, in order to increase the number of home runs?"[173]
jump
A fielder is said to get a good jump on the ball when he anticipates or reacts quickly to a batted ball and is thereby able to make a good play by fielding or catching it.[174] Also see crack of the bat.
A baserunner gets a good jump when he is able to leave the base well before the pitch reaches the plate. "Upsetting the timing of the baserunner can effectively prevent him from getting a good jump... Base runners often read a pitcher's look and get their jump, or start, based on the pattern the pitcher establishes."[175]
To move to another team or league despite existing contractual obligations.[176]
Junior Circuit
The American League, so-called because it is the younger of the two major leagues. The American League was founded in 1901, while the National League – the Senior Circuit – was founded in 1876.
junk
breaking balls and knuckleballs, pitches that are hard to hit due to movement rather than velocity. "I couldn't believe he threw me a fastball because he had me down 1-2", Thames said. "He's usually a junk pitcher and he tried to sneak a fastball past me, and he left it up."[177] See also: Eephus pitch
junkball pitcher
A pitcher who throws predominantly junk, usually due to a weak (or slow) fastball. A junkballer or a junk artist: "Like all junk artists, Trujillo will have to prove himself at the higher levels before getting a shot at a major league job."[178] See also: Eephus pitch
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 and reinforcing it with an inferred knockout, the connotation still exists when an announcer says the pitcher "punched out" the batter, a play on words that also refers to punching a time clock and to the motion a home plate umpire usually makes on a called third strike.
keep off the boards
Also singular, "keep off the board". Keep a team from scoring, and hence off the scoreboard. "Wainwright has kept runs off the board at a better rate than Lester."[179] "After loading the bases with one down in the fourth, the Gators were kept off the board by Barham."[180]
keep the hitter honest
A pitcher needs to mix up his pitches and thereby "keep the hitter honest" by making it difficult for the hitter to anticipate the type, speed, and location of the next pitch. Sometimes this means throwing a brushback pitch to keep the batter from leaning over the plate to reach a pitch on the outer part of the plate. "Partially with Boston in mind, Wang focused this spring on expanding his repertoire to keep hitters honest and move them off the plate."[181]
keep the line moving
A reference to a series of batters getting on base safely and advancing runners on base, alluding to an assembly line. "Beltran's popout tore apart a rally that had shaken the Hall of Fame-bound Rivera, molding a game out of what moments before had been a five-run rout. Instead, Beltran couldn't keep the line moving, leaving an eager David Wright awaiting on deck."[182] The 2015 Kansas City Royals were one of the most notable examples of "keeping the line moving" during their postseason run, which led to a World Series title.[183][184]
Together the shortstop and second baseman – the fielders nearest second base, often combining on double plays – are sometimes referred to as the keystone combination.
kicked
A player who makes an error fielding a ground ball may be said to have "kicked the ball" or "kicked it".
kill
A batter who hits the ball very far may be said to have "killed the ball".
A pitcher who stifles a rally by the opposing team may be said to have "killed the rally".
knee-buckler
A breaking ball (usually a curveball) that breaks very sharply, so much so that it freezes the hitter. It starts out directly at the batter (knees buckling out of fear) and then drops into the strike zone.
knock
Knock in: To score an RBI. "Kenny Lofton knocked in the go-ahead run with a 10th-inning single Thursday afternoon as the Cleveland Indians beat Detroit, 3-1."[185]
A hit: as in "a two-base knock".
Knocks: Hard hits or extra-base hits, not necessarily producing RBIs or referring to a specific type of hit. "Curtis had some solid knocks today."
Knocked around: A pitcher who gives up a lot of hits and gets removed from the game is said to have been knocked around or knocked out of the box or knocked out of the game. Example headline: "Toronto 7, Detroit 4: Phil Coke knocked around; Tigers' bats don't respond".[186]
Knock down: an infielder who stops a line drive from getting through the infield "knocks it down", perhaps then picking up the ball and throwing the runner out.
Knock off: to knock off an opponent is to win the game. "Hawai'i knocks off Santa Clara."[187]
Knock the cover off the ball: to hit a baseball extremely hard. See also tore the cover off the ball.
knuckleball
A pitch thrown with no spin, traditionally thrown with the knuckles, but also with the fingertips. It tends to flutter and move suddenly and erratically on its way to the plate. Also refers to a batted ball that flutters "like a knuckleball". SYNONYMS: knuckler, flutterball, butterfly ball, floater, bug.
L
lace
To reach base by hitting a ball between infielders. "McCann laced it through the shift on the right side of the infield."
Lady Godiva
A pitch delivered with nothing on it. A nod to the legend of Lady Godiva riding naked on horseback.[188]
LAIM
An acronym for League Average Inning Muncher. A LAIM is generally a starting pitcher who can provide around 200 innings over the course of a season with an ERA (Earned Run Average) near the league average. A LAIM is counted on to consume innings, keeping his team in the game but not necessarily shutting down the opposition. The term was coined by baseball blogger Travis Nelson, but is used by other writers as well.[189]
large sausage
A slang term for a grand slam home run. It is a takeoff from the term "grand salami" which some people use to refer to a grand slam.
The seventh, eighth and ninth innings of a regulation nine-inning game.
laugher
A game in which one team gets a large lead, perhaps early in the game, and it appears the other team has no chance at all of catching up. With nothing to worry about, the manager and team can relax. An easy win; a romp; a blowout.
launch
To hit a long fly ball, as if launching a rocket. "Orso, who recently signed with Alabama Southern to play college baseball next season, launched several rocket shots and by far hit the furthest home runs of anyone in the competition..."[190]
It is also said that a pitcher "launches" the ball when he throws a wild pitch that gets away from the catcher, and that a fielder "launches" the ball when he throws it wildly out-of-reach of the intended receiver.
launch angle
The angle, with respect to the ground at home plate, at which a batted ball leaves the bat.[191]
launch pad
A term for a ballpark in which many home runs are hit.
Lawrence Welk
A (rare) 1-2-3 double play ("...an a one, an a two, an a...").
lay down
A player who bunts the ball is said to lay down a bunt. Also see dump.
lay off
If a batter decides not to swing at a pitch, especially if he deliberately avoids swinging at certain types of pitches, he may be said to "lay off" a pitch. Pitchers tempt hitters to swing at pitches they cannot hit; batters try to lay off such pitches. "Batters can't seem to lay off his slider, just as his parents can't seem to lay off his carrot cake—they're nearly addicted to it."[192]
lead
When a baserunner steps off 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.
leadoff hitter
The first batter listed on a team's lineup card (in the 1-hole or the "leadoff 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). If that batter gets a single, or a home run, or a walk, the announcer would say he has a "leadoff single", a "leadoff home run", or a "leadoff walk" respectively.
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.
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.
A leather player refers to a player who is outstanding on defense but only average or even less on offense. Ron Karkovice is one example of a "leather player".
left-handed bat
Although baseball bats are symmetrical in shape, and thus there is no such thing as a left-handed baseball bat (or a right-handed baseball bat), in colloquial language a hitter who bats left-handed may be referred to as a "left-handed bat" or "left-hand bat". Headline: "Giants look to acquire left-handed bat".[193]
left-handed hitter
Also "left-hand hitter". A batter who, paradoxically, bats from the right-side of the plate. Typically, an individual who is left-handed in most activities, including throwing a baseball, stands in the right-hand batter's box, the one closest to first base.
left-handed specialist
A left-handed relief pitcher specializing in getting one out, often in critical situations. See also LOOGY.
left on base
A baserunner is said to have been left on base (abbreviated LOB) or stranded when the half-inning ends and he has not scored or been put out. This includes a batter-runner who has hit into a fielder's choice, causing another runner to be put out as the third out.[194] It also includes runners on base at the end of a game, as when the home team scores a winning run in the ninth or a subsequent inning. Thus a batter who hits a single in the home half of the tenth inning in a tied game with the bases loaded drives in one run and leaves three on base (runners who were at first and second, and himself).
Team LOB totals are commonly reported in a baseball box score. It counts only those left standing on the bases when the third out of each inning occurs. Team LOB is used in "proving" a box score. The number of a team's plate appearances is to equal the sum of that team's runs, that team's LOB, and the opposing team's putouts. In other words, every batter who completes a plate appearance is accounted for as a run scored, putout, or LOB.
Individual LOB totals are sometimes reported in baseball box scores. This is a more recent statistic that is computed for each player who is at bat at least once in a game and is calculated on how many baserunners were "left on base" when the player was at-bat and caused an out, no matter how many outs there were at the time. Note that "at bat" does not include other plate appearances such as sacrifice bunts or flies made by the batter, third outs caused by pickoffs or caught stealing, or games ended with the winning run scoring on a successful steal, etc. Two common misconceptions of the individual LOB are that the individual LOB is the number of times the player was left on base as a baserunner (this is a "runner's LOB" and is not usually recorded), or that the individual LOB applies only when the at-bat player caused the third out. Note that the total of the individual LOBs for all players on a team will usually exceed the team LOB.
A related statistic is "left on base in scoring position", which includes only those LOB where the runner was occupying second or third base. Yet another related statistic is "left on base in scoring position with less than two out". The intent of these statistics is to measure the tendency of a team or player to waste opportunities to score.
leg out
To run hard to get safely on base or to advance a base: "Podsednik legged out an infield hit, stole second and scored when Everett legged out a double."[195]
letter high
A letter-high pitch is one that crosses the plate at the height of the letters on the batter's chest. Also see at the letters. Equivalent term: "chest high". "Dietrich fouled off a couple of pitches before Porcello put him away with a letter-high fastball at 94."[196]
lift
To remove a player from the lineup in the middle of a game. "Casey was lifted for a pinch runner."
lights-out
A pitcher who so dominates the hitters that the game is effectively over once he takes the mound—so they can turn out the lights and go home. The pitcher retires the batters in order without allowing a single run. "Putz pitched lights-out baseball once he took over the job for good from Guardado."[197]
Linda Ronstadt
A fastball the pitcher delivers with such velocity that the hitter has no time to respond—it "blew by you." A pun on the song title "Blue Bayou," originally recorded in 1961 by Roy Orbison but popularized through Linda Ronstadt's 1977 cover version.[188]
line drive
Also known as a liner, a line drive 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.
Line drives can be dangerous to baseball players and spectators. For example, on July 22, 2007, Tulsa Drillers first base coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed in a line drive accident at an away game with the Arkansas Travelers. Though the ball hit his neck, his death was the impetus for base coaches to start wearing helmets.[198] In a 2021 minor league game, pitcher Tyler Zombro was hit in the head by a 104-mile-per-hour (167 km/h) line drive, fracturing his skull and causing him to have a seizure.[199]
lineup
The batting order, which also lists each player's defensive position. An announcer reading the starting lineup for a game will typically begin something like this: "Batting first, playing second base ..."
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 substitutions during a game. Before the game starts the manager hands a lineup card to the home plate umpire. This lineup will change throughout the game as starting players are removed and substitutes inserted.
Little League home run
A fair ball in which the batter is able to circle the bases and score due to the defense committing one or more errors on the play. Such a play is not officially scored as a home run due to the errors, but the effect on the score is the same.
live arm
A strong arm, usually describing a pitcher who has a great deal of velocity on his pitches. "That pitcher has a live arm."
Live Ball Era
The time since 1919 or 1920 when several rule changes moved teams to adopt offensive strategies that favored power hitting over the inside game that was common in the Dead Ball Era.
live on the corners
A pitcher who "lives on the corners" throws most of his pitches on the inside or outside edges of home plate. He's not inclined to try to overwhelm the hitter with hard pitches down the center of the plate. Many of his pitches will appear to barely nibble the plate.
lively fastball/life on the ball
A fastball that seems to be not just fast but also hard to hit because it may have some movement on it or it may appear to speed up as it gets closer to the plate. "'His fastball has got more life to it', Jays catcher Rod Barajas said. 'It's finishing. What I mean by that is the last 10 feet [to home plate], it seems that it picks up speed.' According to Barajas, that has particularly helped Ryan against right-handed hitters. "They end up being late, because that last 10 feet, it seems like it picks up a couple miles per hour," Barajas said.[200]
load the bases
A succession of plays that results in having runners on all three bases. See also bases loaded or bases full.
LOB
Abbreviation for left on base.
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.
lock him up
To sign a player to a long-term contract, thereby keeping him off the free-agent market. "Come on Uncle Drayton, you have to lock this guy up for a few years. He is one of the best in the league and along with Berkman, is the new face of the Astros."[201]
To throw a pitch that keeps the hitter from making any effective swing. For example, when a left-handed pitcher throws a roundhouse curve or an inside fastball to a left-handed hitter, the hitter may appear to freeze in place. "We had him 0-2. We were trying to go in with a fastball, hopefully lock him up."[202] Also see "freeze the hitter".
lollipop
A soft, straight pitch with a lot of arc.
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. Headline: "Phillies Use the Longball To Take Game1 from the Dodgers".[203]
long ones
Home runs. "He ravaged Pacific Coast League pitching for seven more long ones before being recalled by the Reds later the same month."[204]
long out
A ball that is hit deep into the outfield (and caught) is a "long out".
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.
long strike
A foul ball which finishes particularly close to being fair, often where a fair ball would have been a home run. So named as despite the good effort of the hitter, the result is a strike against him if the count before the pitch was less than two strikes.
LOOGY
A mildly derogatory nickname for a left-handed specialist. An acronym for "Lefty One Out GuY", a left-handed pitcher who may be brought into the game to pitch against just one or two left-handed batters to take extreme advantage of platoon effects. An example is Javier Lopez, who was a key component of the Giants' World Series winning bullpen in the 2010s. Starting in 2020, MLB instituted a new rule that any pitcher who enters the game in the middle of an inning must face at least three batters or finish the inning before he can be replaced, unless he is injured. This rule intends to reduce the length of a game by limiting pitching changes, but also reduces the benefit of a LOOGY on the roster, since most of the time he would also have to face a right-handed hitter, who is much more likely to get a hit off him.
look the runner back
When there is a runner on first base, a pitcher who has already gone into the stretch may step off the rubber and either threaten a throw toward first base or just stare at the runner to encourage him to step back toward first. In either case he's said to "look the runner back" to first (rather than throwing over to first in an effort to pick the runner off).
When there is a runner on second or third base (but not first) with fewer than two outs, an infielder fielding a sharp ground ball briefly stares at the runner to discourage him from trying to advance. The fielder then throws to first to force out the batter.
looper
A softly hit Texas leaguer that drops in between the infielders and outfielders. Also blooper. A fielder may make a superior defensive play, however, and turn a looper into an out. "Sacramento's Lloyd Turner ended the fourth with a sprinting, sliding snag of Alvin Colina's looping liner to left that sent the stands into a frenzy."[205]
Lord Charles
A slang term for a "12-to-6" curveball. Similar to Uncle Charlie.
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".
losing record
During the regular season, the team lost more games than it won. For a modern Major League team, this means a team lost at least 82 games out of 162 games played in what is called the losing season.
When a player attempting to catch a fly ball is temporarily blinded by the glare of the sun in his eyes, he may "lose the flyball in the sun".
loud out
When a batter hits a long fly ball that is caught in the outfield, perhaps when a crowd reacts loudly thinking it will be a homer, the announcer may say the batter made a "loud out". "Home runs are already overrated. A home run in one park is a loud out in another."[206] "Long, loud out as Garciaparra takes Green to the warning track. But the former Dodger makes the catch easily and we're in the bottom of the third."[207]
Louisiana ball
A fastball thrown with such high speed that it goes right by you (pun on bayou). A term often used by Phillies radio play-by-play broadcaster Scott Frantzke.
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." Also timber.
M
Maddux
Colloquial term for a game in which the pitcher throws a complete gameshutout, on 99 or fewer pitches. Named after Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, who threw 13 such shutouts in his career.
Magic number
A number that indicates how close a front-running team is to clinching a division or season title. It represents the total of additional wins by the front-running team or additional losses by the rival team after which it is mathematically impossible for the rival team to capture the title.[208]
magic words
Specific words directed towards an umpire that are almost certain to cause immediate ejection from the game.
make a statement
When a player does something to catch the attention or make an impression on the other team, he may be said to "make a statement". Perhaps he makes a spectacular fielding play, hits a home run, slides hard into second base, or throws a brushback pitch. This phrase is also used in other sports when a team seeks to show up or to demonstrate its power against an opponent. "There were a lot of times where we could have given up, but no one gave up. We made a statement here tonight".[209]
make the pitcher work
When an offensive team tries to make the opposing pitcher throw a lot of pitches and tire them out by working the count, or taking pitches or fouling off pitches, it is said to be making the pitcher work. "We've got a lot of good hitters up and down this lineup, but the key is to make the pitchers work", Laird said. "Tonight we made Saunders work. Then we got to their bullpen and were able to string some key hits together."[210]
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 is in the strike zone so the hitter gets back what was initially taken away. Umpires typically, and understandably, deny there is any such thing as a "make-up call".
make-up game
When a game is canceled because of a rainout or some other reason, a make-up game is usually scheduled later in the season. Late in the regular season if the outcome of that game would not affect which teams would reach the play-offs, then the game might not be made up.
manager
See field manager. Different from the general manager.
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, alert baserunning including stealing a base or advancing on an out or a mistake by a fielder. In other words: small ball.[211]
masher
A home run hitter. See crush the ball.
matchsticks
A string of ones on the scoreboard, indicating successive innings in which exactly one run was scored. Also referred to as a picket fence.
meat
On the barrel (fat end) of the bat, but not the very end, is the "meat" of the bat where a hitter tries to make contact with the ball.
The "meat (of the order)" is the middle of the lineup, usually the strongest hitters.
A rookie, popularized by the baseball movie, Bull Durham; implies more brawn than brain.
An easy out, typically evident during a strikeout.
A baserunner easily thrown out at a base.
Throwing hand, typically meaning a pitcher's. "Glavine started to reach for the ball with his meat hand but then thought better of it."
meatball
An easy pitch to hit—down the middle of the plate.[212]
Mendoza line
A batting average of .200. Named (most likely) for Mario Mendoza, a notoriously poor hitter but decent shortstop who managed to have a 9-year major league career from 1974 to 1982 with a life-time batting average of .215.[213]
A long swing that does not protect the inside part of the plate. Generally used to describe college players adjusting to professional ball and wooden bats.
The fourth, fifth and sixth innings of a regulation nine-inning game.
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.
middle of the order hitter
A batter who hits with power, and who thus may be suited to be in the third, fourth, or fifth slot in the batting order. "I think Brett Jackson looks a lot more like a top of the order guy right now than a middle of the order guy, and he seems like a viable leadoff hitter based on his performance as a professional".[citation needed]
middle reliever
A relief pitcher who is brought in typically during the middle-innings (4, 5, and 6). Since they are typically in the game because the starting pitcher allowed the opponents a lot of runs, the middle reliever is expected to hold down the opponents' scoring for an inning or two in hopes that their own team can close the gap.
midnight
Used during the early days of racial integration to refer to any African-American player.
miscue
An error. A word from billiards, when the cue stick slips or just brushes the cue ball thereby leading to a missed shot.[214]
miss some bats
A pitcher who excels at getting batters to swing but miss is said to "miss some bats". A relief pitcher who is good at missing bats may be brought into a game when the other team already has runners in scoring position.
miss some spots
A pitcher who does not have good command of their pitches and is not able to throw the ball where they intend to is said to "miss some spots". "Angels Manager Mike Scioscia agreed. 'He missed some spots on a couple of hitters', Scioscia said, 'and they didn't miss their pitches'."[215]
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.
There may be such a thing as a mistake hitter (a mediocre hitter who occasionally gets a pitch he can drive), but a "mistake pitcher" does not 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."
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.
mix up pitches
To be successful, most pitchers have to use a variety of pitches, and to mix them up tactically (not randomly) to keep hitters off balance. "Jackson was overwhelming. 'I was just trying to come out and be aggressive and mix my pitches up', he said. 'I've seen them in the past and I know what they can do. You have to mix it up to keep them honest'."[216]
MLB
Commonly-used abbreviation for Major League Baseball, the organization that operates the two North American major professional baseball leagues, the American League and the National League.
money pitch
A pitcher's best pitch, or the one he throws at the most critical time. They are said to earn their pay – their money – with that pitch. Headline: "The Outlawed Spitball Was My Money Pitch".[217]
money player
A man who is good in the clutch. Someone you can count on (or bet on) when it really matters. Sometimes the term used is simply "money", as in "Alex has really been money these last few games".
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.
moonshot
A home run that is hit very high. When the Brooklyn Dodgers relocated to Los Angeles and played in the L.A. Coliseum, Wally Moon took advantage of the short distance to the left-field fence—251 feet (77 m) from home plate down the left-field line, compared to 440 feet (130 m) to the right-field fence[218]—to hit high home runs.[219][220] The ball had to be hit high in order to clear the 42-foot-high (13 m) fence. For comparison, Fenway Park's famous Green Monster is 37 feet (11 m) tall. Dodgers broadcaster Jerry Doggett seems to have coined the phrase in 1959,[221] and the rest of the media picked it up.[219]
mop up
A mop-up pitcher or "mop-up man" is usually the bullpen's least effective reliever who comes in after the outcome of the game is almost certain. Sometimes other position players also come in to mop up in the last inning in order to gain playing experience as well as give the regulars a rest. "La Russa said Hancock's final outing was typical of a reliever whose role frequently called for mop-up duty."[222] See also: long reliever.
morning journal
A bat made from low-quality wood, its effectiveness similar to hitting the ball with a rolled-up morning newspaper.[223]
motor
A player who gets an extra-base hit, or who is on base when a teammate gets one, is sometimes said to "motor" for an additional base – to continue running without hesitation. "This allowed Loehrke to score, and then a miscue by Ranger right fielder Drew Orbergfell allowed Lounsbury to motor to third base".[224]
"Pinch runner Brandon Varnell used his blazing speed to motor down the third base line on the fielding error by Memorial reliever Garrett Hill and slide head first into home plate to tie the game at 5-5".[225]
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 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 (46 cm) behind the center of the mound, making it 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 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 10 inches (25 cm) above home plate. From 1903 through 1968 this height limit was set at 15 inches, but was often slightly higher, especially for teams that emphasized pitching, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were reputed to have the highest mound in the majors.
mound visit
Mound visits or mound meetings occur when the pitching team's coaches, manager or players (most often the catcher) go out to the mound between pitches to consult with the pitcher, generally to discuss strategy. Each team is limited to one mound visit per inning (excluding visits to attend to an injury); a pitching change must be made on any subsequent visit. In 2016, Major League Baseball limited the amount of time allowed for individual mound visits to 30 seconds. In 2018, MLB limited the number of mound visits per team to six per nine-inning game, with one additional mound visit for each extra inning. This was reduced to five per nine-inning game in 2020.[226]
moundsman
A pitcher.
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.
mow 'em down
A pitcher who dominates the opposing hitters, allowing few if any to get on base, is said to have "mowed them down" as if they were just so much hay being cut down by a mower.
muff
To fail to field a ball cleanly, often resulting in an error or only one out on a double play, typically on an easy play. "He muffed it. The ball went right through his legs." Also, to bobble.
murderer's row
Murderers' Row was the nickname given to the New York Yankees of the late 1920s, in particular the 1927 team. The term was actually coined in 1918 by a sportswriter to describe the pre-Babe Ruth lineup, with quality hitters such as Frank "Home Run" Baker and Wally Pipp who led the A.L. in home runs. In subsequent years, any lineup with a series of power hitters who represent a daunting challenge to pitchers might be dubbed by the press as a "murderer's row".
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.
A close game. Nervous fans may be biting their nails.
nailed
Hit by a pitch, drilled, plunked.
The last pitches or last play of a winning game nail down the win or put the nails in the coffin of the opposing team.
To throw a runner out. "Laureano nailed him at the plate."
nails
A relief pitcher who is as "tough as nails" or very effective at nailing down a win is sometimes said to be "nails". "As the season has progressed, you can see that he looks forward to that 9th inning and he has been nails lately."[228] "This guy has been nails for us," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said.[229] Phillies and Mets center fielder Lenny Dykstra was known as "Nails" for his all-out style of play.
neighborhood play
An informal rule that used to apply to double plays. As long as the defensive player covering second base was in the "neighborhood" of second base when he caught the ball and threw it on to first base, the runner would be called out. The rule was designed to compensate for runners who slid into second too hard, making it dangerous for the defensive player. In recent years, umpires have required the defensive player to have a foot actually on second base, not just in the neighborhood, and have penalized runners who slide toward the defensive players too aggressively, so neighborhood plays are rarely seen today.
next batter's box
The official name of either of the two on-deck circles. Each team has its own circular area, five feet (1.5 m) in diameter, which is designated for unencumbered use by the on-deck batter (the next batter due to bat after the current batter); the on-deck batter may wish to stretch, run in place, or take practice swings immediately prior to taking his turn in the batter's box (which actually is rectangular in shape). Especially during finals and semifinals, each circle is typically painted with the corresponding team logo. The location of the next batter's box is specifically defined in MLB rules, and the most common method to locate it was granted a patent.[230]
nibble
When a pitcher focuses on pitching just at the left or right edges of home plate rather than throwing a pitch over the heart of the plate where a batter can get the meat of the bat on the ball, he's said to nibble at the edges. Tigers manager Jim Leyland praised Scherzer for his aggressiveness against such a powerful lineup: "The one thing you can't do against the Yankees is get behind in the count. If you do, they'll just sit on pitches and hit a lot of them hard. Max went after them. He understood he couldn't nibble around the edges of the plate, and he did a heckuva job."[231]
nickel curve
A slider. Also used to mean an average or possibly "hanging" slider. Hitters look at the spin on a ball when it is released by the pitcher, so the "dot" (circle which is created from the pitcher's rotation on the ball that the batter sees to identify a pitch as a slider out of the pitcher's hand) is said to be "nickel sized". Also, it could be used to mean a pitch with more lateral movement (closer to a slurve than to a slider) rather than velocity.
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.
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 three out of five series to determine who advances to the NLCS.
NOBLETIGER
Acronym for "No outs, bases loaded ending (with) team incapable of getting easy run". This situation occurs when the batting team loads the bases with nobody out but does not score a run in the inning. The unofficial statistic was first tracked on Reddit, where it was named in honor of the Detroit Tigers.[232][233]
no decision
Any starting pitcher who earns neither a win (W) nor a loss (L) is said to have a "no decision", which has no special meaning in official baseball statistics; however, it has become conventional to note whether he made a quality start.
no-doubter
A home run whose landing destination in the stands is in no doubt from the moment it leaves the barrel of the bat. A no-doubter will be seen/heard to "leap" off the bat, usually having a launch angle between 20 and 40 degrees and high exit velocity.
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 colloquially called a "no-no". If no batter reaches base safely 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 working on a no-hitter (or perfect game), his teammates stay far away from him (sometimes even a whole bench length) and will not say anything to anyone about the no-hitter. Some 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; others however will mention one in progress and are sometimes blamed for jinxing no-hitters.[234]
no man's land
The area of the outfield between the middle infielders and outfielders, where a fly ball can fall for a hit (a Texas leaguer).
A baserunner caught in a pickle is said to be in "no man's land".
The portion of a ballpark's spectator area, usually the front row of seats, where a fielder may legally reach into to catch a fly ball, while a spectator or other personnel may legally touch same fly ball even if it interferes with the fielder's attempt to catch it. A ball touched by a spectator in this manner is not spectator interference.
no room at the inn
Sometimes said by a play-by-play announcer when the bases are loaded, i.e., there is no open base. Usually means that intentionally walking and pitching around the batter are poor strategies for the fielding team, as a walk will score a run for the batting team. Also "no place/nowhere to put [the batter]".
no-no
A no-hitter and a shut-out. Thus no hits, no runs. Headline: "Start of something good: Verlander's no-no may foreshadow future greatness".[235]
northpaw
A right-handed pitcher. See southpaw.
NRI
A Non-Roster Invitee (NRI) is a player invited to Spring training who is not yet on a Major League team's 40-man roster. He may be a young prospect, a veteran who has been released from or retired from a previous contract with a team, perhaps someone who left baseball after an injury. If he performs well, he has a chance to be placed on the roster and assigned to a minor league team or even join the major league team.
nubber
A batted ball that travels slowly and not very far, typically because the ball is hit with the very end of the bat.
O
obstruction
When a fielder illegally hinders a baserunner. He does not need to "get out of the way" while he is fielding the ball or actually has it (and can tag).
OBP
See on-base percentage.
O-fer
A batter who goes hitless in a game, as in 0for4 (spoken as oh fur). Also wears the collar or "takes the collar."
official game
A game that can be considered complete. If more than half the game has been played before being ended, or "called", by an umpire, it is considered official and all records from the game are computed in the players' and teams' statistics. For a nine-inning game, five innings need to be played, or 4+1⁄2 if the home team is winning. An incomplete game can be either suspended or replayed from the first inning.
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.[236] 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 is the official scorer who determines whether a pitch that got by the catcher is a wild pitch or a passed ball, and whether a batted ball is a hit or an error (or a combination of the two); likewise whose errors, put-outs and assists are whose.
off day
A day when a player performs below his normal level, whether due to illness, bad luck, or other factors. "Bonderman had an off-day and didn't have good command of his breaking pitches."
A day when a team does not have a game scheduled. During the regular season, Major League Baseball teams almost always have games scheduled on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and they may need to travel between series. Off-days tend to occur on Mondays and Thursdays.
off-speed pitch
A pitch that is significantly slower than a given pitcher's fastball. Typically, a curveball or a change-up.
off the hook
When a team that is behind ties the game or takes the lead, the pitcher who would otherwise have been credited with the loss is said to be "off the hook".
off the trademark
When a player hits the ball off the middle of the bat, where the manufacturer's trademark is usually placed, resulting in a weakly hit ball. Usually the result of a pitcher jamming the hitter.
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 5-tool player.[citation needed]
ol' number one
A fastball. From the sign the catcher gives for that pitch.
Olympic rings
When a batter strikes out five times in a game. This same dubious achievement is also called a platinum sombrero.[citation needed]
on a line
When an outfielder throws the ball directly to an infielder or the catcher without relaying it or bouncing it, he's said to "throw the ball on a line". Usually used when a strong throw beats the runner and gets him out. "Jack Barry, however, made a running stab to grab the ball and threw on a line to McInnis for an out."[237]
on-base percentage (OBP)
Percentage of plate appearances where a batter reaches base for any reason other than an error or a fielder's choice.
on deck
The next batter due to bat after the current batter. The area designated for the on-deck batter is a circle five 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.
on his horse
Running at full speed, especially in reference to an outfielder tracking down a fly ball.
on the black
The edge of home plate, derived from its black border, which is buried if the plate is properly installed.
A pitch that just nicks the edge of the zone for a called strike.
on the board
A team is "on the board" (the scoreboard) when it has scored one or more runs. "After being shut out for six 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 it on the booooard... YES!"
on the farm
When a player is playing in the minor leagues, he is said to be spending time "on the farm". It refers to a team's farm system.
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 an interstate name (e.g., .195 looks like I-95, especially on older scoreboards). A hit to put an average above .199 gets a batter "off the interstate." A batter whose average is below .100 is sometimes said to be "off the map". See also Mendoza line. Players in the majors who spend too much time "on the interstate" will most likely be demoted to Triple-A.
on the ropes
When a pitcher appears to be tired or lost command of his pitches, he may be said to be "on the ropes" and about to be replaced by another pitcher. The term likely derives from the sport of boxing, in which a fighter who is being beaten up or dominated by his opponent may lean against the ropes to keep from falling to the mat.
on the rug
A player is said to be "on the rug" while playing a ball in the outfield on artificial turf.
on the throw
A defensive attempt to put out a baserunner attempting to reach more bases than the type of hit would typically allow, such as a runner on first attempting to advance to third on a single.
Also refers to the successful advance of a baserunner while such a play is being attempted on his teammate. See also:fielder's choice.
A batter who safely reaches first base but is tagged out attempting to reach a subsequent base on the same play is credited with a hit for the number of bases he safely reached, but is said to be out on the throw.
Example: With Abel on first base, Baker hits a base hit to center field. Abel easily reaches second and tries to advance to third, but the throw from the outfield is in time and he is tagged out by the third baseman. Meanwhile, Baker has safely reached second base. Abel is out at third base on the throw. Baker has a single and advanced to second on the throw. The next batter, Charlie, hits a double to the center field wall, allowing Baker to score from second. Charlie safely rounds first and second base and attempts for third, but the throw from center field is in time and Charlie is tagged out at third base. Charlie is credited with an RBI double, but is out at third base on the throw.
one-game wonder
A player who appears in just one major league game, plays respectably, and then is demoted either to the bench or back to the minors.
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.
one-two-three inning
Side retired in order. Three up, three down.
opener
A traditional relief pitcher who starts a game for strategic reasons and is replaced early in the game, usually after the first inning, by a pitcher who is expected to last as many innings as a true starter.[52]
opening day
The first day of regular-season play in Major League Baseball and other professional leagues.
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.
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 percentage and on-base percentage.
ordinary effort
Defined in MLB Rule 2 as "the effort that a fielder of average skill at a position in that league or classification of leagues should exhibit on a play, with due consideration given to the condition of the field and weather conditions." A defensive player's ordinary effort is considered by the official scorer in making certain judgment calls, such as hit vs. error or wild pitch vs. passed ball.
out pitch
The type of pitch that a pitcher relies on to get an out, often his best pitch. Headline: "Rodriguez embraces change as out pitch".[238]
outfielder
An outfielder is a player whose position is either left field, center field, or right field. See position.
outside corner
The location of a strike that travels over the far edge of home plate from the batter.
overpower the hitter
To throw a pitch that is so fast the batter cannot catch up to it with his swing. "And eight runs were more than enough offense to back Wolfe, as he continually overpowered hitters with his blazing fastball. Santa Clara hitters just couldn't catch up to it."[239]
overshift
A baseball vernacular term synonymous with "shift", either an infield or outfield shift. The fielders shift to occupy the areas a particular batter is thought to typically hit.
overthrow
When a fielder throws the ball so high that it sails over the head and out of reach of his target. "Sean Halton struck out, but the catcher couldn't hold onto the pitch, and then overthrew first base, which allowed both Martin and Greene to score."[240]
If a thrown ball goes over the head or wide of the infielder and sails off the field of play into the dugout or the stands, the umpire will rule an overthrow and allow the runner to advance one base.
A pitcher who throws the ball too hard to control it well is said to be "overthrowing the ball". "Gardenhire said Crain, demoted to Class AAA Rochester earlier this season, is pitching with more confidence and, most importantly, he's not trying to overthrow the ball."[241]
P
paint
To throw pitches at the edges of the strike zone. A pitcher who can "paint" consistently may be said to paint theblack or paint thecorner.
pair of shoes
A batter who strikes out looking. "He was left standing there like nothing but a pair of shoes."
paper doll cutter
A hard hit line drive that is hit so "square" and powerfully, that it has little or no spin. (Like a knuckleball) This results in the ball suddenly and sharply cutting left or right as it speeds past defenders. It is said that if such a hit were to strike a defensive player or runner, they would be left "cutting paper dolls" for the rest of their lives.
parachute
A fly ball, perhaps driven into a strong wind, that appears to drop straight down into the fielder's glove.
park
To hit (a home run) "out of the park"; reference to the parking lot may be inferred.
park effects
See hitter's park.
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 and/or two outs). 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.
paste
To hit the ball hard. Often used in the past tense: "He pasted the ball."
patient hitter
Doesn't do a lot of first-pitch swinging, swinging at pitches out of the strike zone, or even swinging at strikes he can't hit because of their location and/or type. Generally gets a lot of walks.
patrol
An outfielder may be said to be "patrolling the outfield" (like a good soldier or police officer patrolling his assigned territory),
A catcher who keeps runners from stealing bases is said to be good at "patrolling the basepaths".
payback
If after the pitcher from one team tries to bean or otherwise hit a batter, the opposing pitcher retaliates by trying to hit a batter from the first pitcher's team, it's a "payback". Such retaliation often happens when it is one of a team's stars who is the initial target; in such a case the opposing pitcher is likely to target the star player on the other team when he gets his first opportunity. Umpires may issue a warning if they think a pitch is intentionally thrown at a batter, and if such an attempt happens again by either team's pitcher, the pitcher is likely to be ejected from the game.
payoff game
The decisive one in a series, e.g. the third of five (if one team has already won two) or the fifth (if both have won two).
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.
PCL
A AAA minor league that formerly had "open" classification (between AAA and major league) from 1952 to 1957, now operating as under Triple-A classification in the Western United States
pea
A pitched ball thrown at high speed. "Clem can really fling that pea."[citation needed]
pearl
A brand new baseball that has been rubbed down with ball mud, causing the ball to no longer be bright white and instead is a pearl white color.
pearod
A hard line drive batted back at the pitcher.[citation needed]
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.
peeking
When the batter tries to see the catcher's signals to the pitcher.
peg
To throw the ball to one of the bases. "The fielder pegged the ball to first."
A common pre-game exercise, where one player bunts to a nearby group of fielders; they throw it back as quickly as possible.
percentage points
If Team A is in first place by less than half a game over Team B, Team B is said to be "within percentage points" of Team A.
perfect game
A special type of no-hitter where each batter is retired consecutively, allowing no baserunners via walks, errors, or any other means. In short, "27 up, 27 down". A "perfect game" could involve multiple pitchers with one pitcher relieving another, but in the major league they are defined as being thrown by a single pitcher.
perfect inning
An inning in which a pitcher allows no runners to reach base.
permanently ineligible
Major League Baseball's designation for someone who is banned from MLB or affiliated minor league clubs, for misconduct. Permanently ineligible players are also ineligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. Banned individuals may be reinstated at the discretion of the Commissioner of Baseball.
PFP
A commonly used acronym for Pitchers' Fielding Practice. A session in which pitchers practice fielding bunts and other ground balls, throwing to a base, and covering first base and home plate.
phantom ballplayer
Someone who is incorrectly listed in source materials as playing in a Major League Baseball game, although they did not actually play.
phantom tag
an erroneous call by an umpire in which a baserunner is ruled as having been tagged out when in fact the fielder never legally tagged the runner.
pick it clean
To field a sharply hit ground ball without bobbling it.
pick me up
Having made a mistake or failed an attempt, a player may ask a teammate, "Pick me up." Said in praise by a pitcher, "The guys picked me up with a lot of runs today."
pick up the pitch
A batter's ability to detect what kind of pitch is being thrown.
picket fence
A series of 1's on the scoreboard, resembling a picket fence.
pickle
A rundown.
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.
Acting ostentatiously or showboating to gain the attention or approval of the fans. See grandstand play.
pinch hitter
A substitute batter, brought in during a critical situation ("a pinch").
pinch runner
A substitute baserunner, brought in during a critical situation ("a pinch").
pine tar
Pine tar, which is notoriously sticky, improves a batter's grip on the bat. See Pine Tar Incident.
pink hat
A fan of a team who is perceived to be merely "jumping on the bandwagon" as opposed to a more loyal, knowledgeable fan (of either gender).[citation needed]
pinpoint control
A pitcher who is able to throw the ball to a precise spot in the strike zone has "pinpoint control". See control pitcher.
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.
pitch around
To repeatedly miss the strike zone hoping the batter will "chase one". Also, deliberately walking him.
pitch count
How many times a pitcher has thrown thus far (this game).
pitch to
The opposite of pitching around, i.e. throwing every pitch into the strike zone.
pitch to contact
A pitcher who doesn't try to strike out batters but instead tries to get them to hit the ball weakly, especially on the ground, is said to pitch to contact.
pitch tracking
The use of technology and analytics to evaluate pitching, including information such as pitch velocity, spin rate, and break (curve).[242]
pitcher
The fielder responsible for pitching the ball. Prior to 1884, the rules specified that the ball was to be "pitched, not thrown to the bat", i.e. underhand.
A very low-scoring game in which both starting pitchers allow few batters to reach base.
pitcher's mound
The mound, or colloquially the hill or the bump.
pitcher's park
A park in which pitchers tend to perform better than they perform on average in all other parks; inverse of hitter's park. See park factor.
When the wind is blowing "in" at Wrigley Field, it is typically rendered a "pitcher's park", and a low score for one or both teams is not unusual. Under those circumstances, no-hitters also become possible at a park many fans normally think of as a "hitter's park".
Because of its large foul area (recently shrunk to add more seating), symmetrical outfield walls, and small "corners" near the foul poles, Dodger Stadium is traditionally known as a pitcher's park, especially at night, when fly balls tend to die more quickly than they do during the day.
pitcher's pitch
The pitch the pitcher wants hit because he knows it will still most likely result in an out.[243]
pitcher's spot
In games where the designated hitter rule is not in effect, or in DH rule games where a team has forfeited its DH, this term refers to the pitcher's turn in the batting order; its usage usually implies there is some possibility that the pitcher will not actually take his turn batting and instead will be replaced by a pinch hitter and by rule a relief pitcher.
pitching from behind
When a pitcher frequently falls behind in the count, he finds himself pitching from behind.
pitchout
A defensive tactic used to pick off a baserunner, typically employed when the defense thinks 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.
pivot man
Generally refers to the second baseman. A second baseman often has to turn or pivot on one foot in order to complete a double play. A short-stop also sometimes pivots to complete such a play.
PL or P.L.
Abbreviation for Players' League, a one-year (1890) major league.
place hitter
A batter who has skill in controlling where he hits the ball.
plate
As a noun, plate usually connotes home plate. There is also a pitcher's plate, but it is more commonly referred to as the rubber.
As a verb, plate means to score a run. "In the fourth our defense continued to hold and we managed to plate a couple runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at3."[244]
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.
plate discipline
A batter shows "plate discipline" by not swinging at pitches that are out of the strike zone, nor at pitches that are in the strike zone but not where he knows he can hit it. Such a batter might be described as a patient hitter.
platinum sombrero
When a batter strikes out five times in one game. Also called Olympic Rings.
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.
"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.
platter
Home plate.
play
Any small sequence of events during a game, never lasting long enough to contain more than one pitch, during which at least one offensive player could advance, or score a run, or tag up, etc., or could be put out. This includes, for example, a pop foul, during which it is possible for the batter to be put out, but advancing is not possible and neither is scoring. This term, "play", is mentioned (appears) in the article about the definition of an error.
Where the action is focused at a given time, in particular where a runner is about to reach a base or reach home, and the defense is attempting to get him out. An announcer might declare "There's a play at home", for example, if a runner is attempting to score and the catcher is about to receive a throw and attempt to tag the runner out.
Also see in play.
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.
player to be named later
A "player to be named later" (PTBNL) is a mystery player in a baseball trade. The teams agree on a future date to decide who the PTBNL will be. This can be a minor leaguer, a cash payment, or even someone already on the trading team's roster.
players' manager
A manager who is close to his players and whom the players consider a peer and a friend. The knock on players' managers is that they tend to not be disciplinarians and find it hard to make a tough decision in the team's best interest. Thus the term is not always complimentary, and many managers find they must maintain some aloofness in order to be effective. Joe Torre is often referred to as a player's manager; his approach can be effective with mature players who take their responsibilities seriously. Casey Stengel used to say the secret to managing was "to keep the guys who are neutral about you away from the guys that hate your guts."
playing back
The usual position depth taken by infielders when they're not anticipating a bunt or setting up for a double play.
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.
playoffs
All the series played after the end of the 162-game regular season. This includes the American League Division Series, National League Division Series, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series, and the World Series.
Any short set or series of games played after the regular season to determine a division or league champion. Also called the "post-season". Technically speaking, if a one-game playoff is required to determine who wins the regular season or the wild card (and thereby qualifies for the post-season) is counted as part of the regular season.
plunked
Hit by a pitch.
plus
The plus sign (+) is an indicator that a starting pitcher began an inning and faced at least one hitter without recording an out. In the box score, the pitcher is said to have pitched x+ innings, where x is the number of innings completed in the game. For example, if the starter gives up two walks to lead off the sixth inning and is pulled for a reliever, "5+" innings is recorded in the box score.
plus pitch
A pitch that is better than above average when compared to the rest of the league. Often the strikeout pitch.
plus plus pitch
A pitch that is among the best of its type in the league and is essentially unhittable when thrown well. Often a breaking pitch.
plus player
A player with above-average major league skills. A term from baseball scouting and player evaluation. See also 5-tool player.
poke
A hit. Referring to an extra-base hit or home run, a fan or announcer might exclaim, "That was quite a poke." A reporter might record a line drive as "Cameron pokes a shot into left field."[245]
pop
A batter with "pop" has exceptional bat speed and power. "Reggie popped one" implies that Reggie hit a home run. Example in baseball writing: "Ian Kinsler Proves He Has Pop to Center".[246]
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. Example: "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".[247]
portsider
A left-handed pitcher, so named because "port" refers to the left side of a ship. Synonym: southpaw
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. Positions3 through6 are called infield positions. Positions 7, 8, and9 are outfield positions. The pitcher and catcher are the battery. For purposes of 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 positions2 through9—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 runners are on base, the number of outs, and the score of the game.
position player
Any defensive player other than the pitcher.
post-season
The playoffs.
pound the batter inside
To pitch the ball over the inside of the plate, in on his hands, typically with a fastball.
Either of the two areas in the outfield between the outfielders, i.e. left-center field and right-center field. The furthest dimensions may not be marked on the wall.
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. Dave Kingman is perhaps the best example of an "all power, low batting average" slugger. See slugger and slugging percentage.
power outage
When a batter with a high slugging average suddenly appears to have lost that ability, he is "having a power outage".
power pitcher
A pitcher who relies heavily on his fastball. Control pitchers and contact pitchers rely more on variety and location than velocity.
power stroke
A hitter with a good power stroke is one who typically gets extra bases.
power surge
When a batter with a low slugging average suddenly appears to have gained that ability, he is "having a power surge".
pow wow
A meeting on the mound between a coach and players to discuss strategy. See tea party.
prep
A prep player is a draft prospect who is still in high school, e.g. "Nationals select prep right-hander Lucas Giolito 16th overall."[248]
pro ball
Used to refer to both major and minor leagues, especially on trading cards. For example, "Complete Professional Record" would include major and minor league seasons while "Complete Major League Record" would not. (Minor league players consider it an insult if asked when they'll "get to the pros".)
probable pitcher
A pitcher who is scheduled to start the next game or one of the next few games is often described as a "probable pitcher".
productive out
When a batter makes an out but advances one or more runners in the process, he has made a productive out. In contrast, a strikeout or other out in which no runners advance is unproductive.
projectable
A scouting term for a young player with excellent tools who appears likely to develop into a productive or more powerful player in the future.
protested game
A manager may protest a game if he believes an umpire's decision is in violation of the official rules. An umpire's judgment call (i.e., balls and strikes, safe or out, fair or foul) may not be protested.
pull
To pull the ball is to hit it toward the side of the field usually associated with a full swing: a right-handed hitter pulls it left and a left-handed hitter pulls it right.
To pull a hitter is to substitute a pinch hitter.
To pull a pitcher is to relieve him. See hook.
A pitcher has "pulled the string" (think marionette) if the batter swung where the pitch was going instead of where it went.
A strikeout. Named such because the umpire will typically make a punching-like signal on the third strike, especially if the batter does not swing at the pitch.
purpose pitch
A brushback, intended to make the batter move away from home plate. 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".
push
A right-handed batter who hits the ball toward right field, ditto left, has "pushed" it.
The best situation for a "push bunt" is runners at first and third with one out (or no outs); if successful, the result will be a run scored, a runner on second, and two outs (or one).
put a charge on the ball
To hit the ball very hard, typically for a home run.
put a hurt
To hit the ball extremely hard.
To beat another team, especially by a decisive score.
put away
A fielder who catches a fly ball, or who tags a runner may be said to "put away" his opponent. Similarly, a pitcher may "put away" a batter by striking him out.
A team may "put away" its opponent by making a decisive play or out, or by breaking open the game and gaining a substantial lead.
An at bat in which the batter is productive, whether that involves advancing a runner with a sacrifice bunt (or even a ground ball out), getting on base, or just making the pitcher throw a lot. Thus a quality at bat is not measured simply by the standard batting statistics such as batting average, on-base percentage, or slugging average. Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer: "Seeing a lot of pitches, fighting bad pitches off – basically, just waiting for a pitch you can handle. Whether you're a power guy, or more of a slap hitter guy, if you find a pitch you're comfortable in handling, that's a quality at-bat. If you get on base or drive a ball up the gap, you pretty much know you had a good plate appearance. But it's mostly about making sure you get your pitch."[250]
quality start
When a starter pitches at least six complete innings and allows three or fewer earned runs – even in a loss. 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.[251] 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."[252]
quick pitch
An illegal pitch where the ball is thrown before the batter is set in the batter's box. (Official Rules of Baseball, Rule 8.05(e))[253] If there is no one on base, the pitch is called a ball, but if there are any number of runners on base, it is ruled a balk. The ruling of a quick pitch is always up to the umpire.
quiet bats
When a pitcher prevents the opposing hitters from getting a lot of hits, or big hits, he's said to have "quieted some bats". "Iowa's starting pitcher, Jarred Hippen, was able to quiet the Spartans' bats the rest of the way to seal the victory."[254] Headline: "Miscues, Quiet Bats, Cost D-Backs".[255]
quiet swing
A batter who holds his head, hands, and bat very still while awaiting the pitch may be said to have a quiet swing. "Hideki Matsui's quiet swing and stance are a big part of the reason why he is able to hit for both power and average."[256]
R
rabbit ears
Indicates a participant in the game who hears things perhaps too well for their own good. A player who becomes nervous or chokes when opposing players or fans yell at or razz them is said to have rabbit ears. Also, an umpire who picks up on every complaint hurled at them from the dugouts is described this way.
rag arm
A player, typically a pitcher, with a weak arm. "I hope the Cubs did not give up an actual Major League player for this rag-arm home-run machine."
railroad
To run into and knock over the catcher when running home from third base, or to run into a first-baseman when running from home to first. In either case, neither the catcher nor the first baseman may be able to duck out of the way because he must play the ball and stay in position in order to make an out.[257]
rain delay
Rain delay refers to situations when a game starts late due to rain or is temporarily suspended due to rain. A game that is suspended after it has begun may be resumed either the same day or at a later date. A game that never begins, or that is canceled after it begins, due to rain is a rainout and in most cases will be rescheduled for a later date – a make-up date. In the event of a non-tie game past the 5th inning with heavy inclement weather, the game may be called with the winner being the team that was ahead at the end of the last completed inning (except during the MLB postseason).
rainbow
A curveball with a high arc in its path to the plate.
rainout
A rainout refers to a game that is canceled or stopped in progress due to rain. Generally, Major League Baseball teams will continue play in light to moderate rain but will suspend play if it is raining heavily or if there is standing water on the field. Games can also be delayed or canceled for other forms of inclement weather, or if the field is found to be unfit for play. If a game is rained out before play begins, a make-up game is rescheduled for a later date. If a game is called after play begins but before 4½ innings have been completed (if the home team is ahead) or five innings have been completed (if the visitors are ahead or the game is tied), the game is not an official game. The umpire declares "No Game", the game is played in its entirety at a later date, and statistics compiled during the game are not counted. Games that are stopped after they become official games count in the standings (unless the game is tied, in which case it is replayed from the beginning), and statistics compiled during the game are counted. In the MLB postseason, however, games that are called before 4+1⁄2 innings have been completed are treated as suspended games, and fans are usually given a rain check to attend another game.
rake
To hit the ball really hard, and all over the park. When you're raking, you're hitting very well. "Mike Gosling allowed one run on five hits over 6+1⁄3 innings and Alex Terry raked Pawtucket pitching for 14 hits as the Bats defeated the Red Sox, 7–1, in an International League game Wednesday."[258]
rally
To come back from a deficit. This typically occurs in the final innings of a game.
rally cap
A cap worn backwards, sideways, or inside-out by fans or players to bring a rally. Said to have originated by fans of the New York Mets during the 1985 baseball season, when the Mets captured several dramatic come-from-behind victories, and spread to the players themselves some time during the 1986 season. It rose to national awareness during the 1986 World Series. The Mets were down three games to two and losing the deciding game to the Red Sox, when in the seventh inning, television cameras showed some of the New York Mets players in the dugout wearing their caps inside-out. The team rallied to win the game and the series.
range
A fielder's ability to move from his position to field a ball in play.
reach or reached
A batter becoming a baserunner by attaining first base without becoming out.
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).
The 162-game schedule that all Major League Baseball teams usually complete. However, if a special one-game playoff is required to determine which team goes to the league division championship series (the ALDS or the NLDS), this 163rd game is also counted as part of the regular season. All team and player statistics from this game are also counted as regular season statistics. For example, if a pitcher wins his 20th game in the 163rd game played in the one-game playoff, he would be a "20 game winner" for the season. Similarly, a batter's performance in that extra game might determine whether he wins the title for best batting average or most home runs in the season.
On occasion, teams do not complete every game of the regular season, as when playing a make-up game and the outcome of that game could not possibly help either team reach the playoffs.
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.[259] 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).
rehab assignment
When a Major League player recovering from injury or illness plays a short stint with one of the team's minor-league affiliates before coming off the disabled list. The particular affiliate may be chosen based on its proximity to the club's home town rather than the level of play. A rehab assignment does not carry the same stigma as being sent down to the minors for poor performance.
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. Also the second throw during a double play. As in "They were only able to get the lead runner because the relay was not in time."
relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher brought in the game as a substitute for (i.e., "to relieve") another pitcher.
reliever
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, ejection from the game or fatigue.
replacement-level player
A player of common skills available for minimum cost to a Major League Baseball team. A team of replacement-level players would be expected to win a baseline minimum number of games, typically 40–50, per 162-game season.
A roster designation for players who are not available, either because of a player's own action (such as declining to play or getting arrested)[260] or when "unusual circumstances exist."[261] Placing a player on the restricted list allows a team to remove the player from both their roster and their payroll indefinitely, while retaining their rights to the player.[261]
retire the batter
To get the batter out.
retire the runner
To throw the runner out at a base.
retire the side
See side retired.
rhubarb
An argument or fight in a baseball game. Hence, Rhubarb, a novel by H. Allen Smith. The term was popularized by famed baseball broadcaster Red Barber.
ribbie, ribeye
Slang for a run batted in (RBI).
rifle
A very strong arm. A cannon, 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. "Griffey rifles the ball... foul, just outside first base."
right-handed bat
A baseball bat is symmetrical, thus there is no such thing as a right-handed or left-handed one. A player who bats right-handed may be referred to as a "right-handed bat" or "right-hand bat". Headline: "Can That Right Handed Bat Play Third Base?"[262]
right-handed hitter
Also "right-hand hitter". A batter who, paradoxically, bats from the left-side of home plate.
ring him up
A strikeout. The phrase is drawn by analogy from cashiers, and from the "cha-ching" motion of a plate umpire. "Outside corner, ring him up, strike three called!"
rip
To hit a hard line drive, as in "He ripped a single through the right side."
A hard swing that misses the ball: "Reyes took a good rip at that pitch."
Acronym for Runners Left in Scoring Position, typically seen in the box score of a game. This is the sum of the number of runners left occupying second and third bases (scoring position) when the batting side has been retired.
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 or railroad.
robbed
When a fielder makes a spectacular play that denies a hit or a home run, the batter may be said to have "been robbed" by him. Headline: "A-Rod robbed of HR, Joba will join rotation".[263]
If an umpire has made a questionable call, the losing team or fans may complain they "were robbed". "Braves Robbed of a Win... was Beltran Out at 3rd in the 9th?"[264]
rocking chair
The position occupied by the third base umpire, likely because the third base umpire does not generally have to make as many calls as the other umpires. For example, "Jim Joyce is in the rocking chair at third base."[citation needed]
ROOGY
A slightly derogatory acronym for a right-handed relief specialist. "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:
Fewer than 45 days on the active rosters of MLB clubs (excluding time on the disabled list or any time after rosters are expanded on September1).
roll a pair
Reference to someone's saying the next play will be a double play. Also, "roll it".
room service
A ball hit directly to a fielder such that he hardly has to move to get it, or a pitch that is easy to hit.[265]
rooster tail
A ball rolling on wet grass, kicking up water behind it.[citation needed]
rope
A hard line drive. Also see frozen rope. Sometimes used as a verb, "He roped one up the middle."
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 the disabled list, and the roster can be expanded to as many as 40 active players after August 31st by bringing up players on the 40-man roster.
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, are known as "the rotation" or "starting rotation". In modern baseball, a five-man rotation is most common.
Often a manager identifies pitchers by their order in the rotation, "number 1", "number 2", etc. "Discussions over whether Jason Schmidt or Brad Penny is more deserving to occupy the No.2 spot in the starting rotation behind Derek Lowe can cease, as least temporarily."[266]
roughed up
An offense has "roughed up" the opposing pitcher when it hits his pitches hard and scores several runs. Headline: "Hill Roughed Up in Loss to Pirates."[267]
roundhouse curveball
A curveball that instead of breaking sharply makes a more gradual loop. "One Boston writer in the late-'40s summed up Joe Dobson's roundhouse curveball this way: 'It started out somewhere around the dugout and would end up clipping the outside corner of the plate. There are curveballs, and there are curveballs.'"[268]
round-tripper
A home run. The analogy is to a commuter who buys a round-trip ticket from home plate to second base and back.
rubber
The rubber, formally 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.
rubber arm
A pitcher is said to have a "rubber arm" if he can throw many pitches without tiring. Relief pitchers who have the ability to pitch consecutive days with the same effectiveness tend to be known as "rubber arms". Examples of these include Justin Verlander and Aroldis Chapman.
rubber game
Also referred to as a "rubber match", a term used for the last game of a series or match when the two teams have evenly split the previous games. See also rubber bridge / best-of-three playoff.
run
A player who advances around all the bases to score is credited with a run; the team with the most runs wins the game.
A manager "runs his players" when he calls on them to steal bases and to be generally aggressive in trying to advance extra bases when the ball is in play.
A player or coach may be "run" by an umpire by being ejected from a game.
run on contact
See contact play.
run rule
Also known as a mercy rule or run-ahead rule, a run rule is a rule used in some leagues that automatically concludes a game in which one team is ahead by a certain number of runs after a certain number of innings.
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.
rung up
Being ejected from the game. Also, slang for having struck out looking.
runners at the corners
runners on 1st and 3rd, with 2nd base open.
runners in scoring position
Runners on 2nd or 3rd base are said to be in scoring position, i.e., a typical base hit should allow them to reach home. 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.
Ruthian
Look up Ruthian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Having the qualities of Babe Ruth, typically describing the flight of a long home run.
A player who plays a particular base might be called a sacker. Most often this is the second sacker (second baseman). Together the second sacker and the short-stop may be referred to as sackmates because they often coordinate or share the coverage or play at second base. See double play.
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 an SAC or S or SH.
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.
safety
A base hit or "base knock". Getting "safely on (first) base" after hitting the ball without the interposition of a fielding error.
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.
The South Atlantic League ("SAL"), a Class A minor baseball league with teams located mainly in the southeastern United States.
sandwich round
A round of drafts that occurs between the first and second rounds, and again between the second and the third, comprising solely compensatory drafts granted to teams that failed to sign their first or second round draft picks of the year before.
save
In baseball statistics, save (abbreviated SV, or sometimes, S) is 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:
The pitcher is the last pitcher in a game won by his team;
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".);
The pitcher fulfills at least one of the following three conditions:
He comes into the game with a lead of no more than three runs.
He comes into the game with the potential tying run being either on base, at bat, or on deck.
He pitches effectively for at least three 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 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.
The last criterion in that rule can lead to ludicrous results. On August 22, 2007, the Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 30 to 3. The winning pitcher, Kason Gabbard, pitched six innings, and left the game with a 14–3 lead. The Rangers' relief pitcher, Wes Littleton, pitched three scoreless innings, while his team went on to score another 16 runs, including six runs in the 9th inning. In return for protecting his team's lead for the last three innings, Littleton was awarded a "save".[269]
Generally, a save situation is when a pitcher enters the game in the seventh inning or later with a lead of three runs or fewer, or with the potential tying run in the on-deck circle. Most of the time, the saving pitcher pitches one or more innings. Also called a save opportunity.
saw off
When a pitcher gets a batter to hit the ball on the handle, and the batter hits the ball weakly or even breaks his bat, the pitcher may be said to have sawed off the bat. "If the bat handles are getting "sawed off" in players' hands or shattering into splinters, it's because players are ordering bats too thin to withstand the impact of a 90 mile-per-hour fast ball."[270]
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.
scratch hit
A weakly hit ground ball that eludes the infielders and leads to a base hit. A bleeder.
screaming line drive
Also a screamer. A line drive that is hit extremely hard, perhaps hard enough to knock the glove out of the hand of a fielder or to be so hard that the pitcher cannot get out of the way before he is hit by the ball. "I distinctly remember watching the game where Jon Matlack was hit in the head by a screaming line drive off the bat of Marty Perez and it bounced off his head. I also remember watching the night Cal Ripken hit a screamer right into Andy Pettitte's mouth. Both were a nauseating sight but this one must have been much worse. Baseball can be a dangerous game for the players and also the spectators."[271]
screwball
A pitch that curves to the same side as the side from which it was thrown. For a right-hand pitcher, the ball would break to the pitcher's right—it would break "in" to a right-hand hitter. SYNONYMS: reverse curve, fadeaway, fader, screwgie, scroogie, reverse curveball.
seal the win
To finish off the opposing team and end the game. "Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon nearly blew the game with a walk and an error, so he had plenty to celebrate when he then whiffed the dangerous Tampa Bay trio of Carlos Peña, B. J. Upton and Carl Crawford to seal the win".[272] See also nailed and shuts the door.
seamer
two-seamer – a "two seam fastball" where the ball is held by the pitcher such that, when thrown, its rotation shows only two seams per revolution
four-seamer – like a two-seamer, but the rotation shows four seams per revolution.
season
The period from the first to the last scheduled game of a year. Typically, the major league baseball season runs from about April1 until the end of October, including the "regular season" 162 games that each team plays and the play-offs, including the World Series. Baseball team and player records are also kept on a "seasonal" basis. "Sandy Koufax ended his career with four of the best seasons in history".[273]
The post-season, including divisional and league series plus the World Series, is sometimes called the "Second Season."
seasoning
The time-period when a struggling major-league player is temporarily sent down to the minors (most likely AAA) in the hope that the player can improve his skills enough to return to the major-league club. This can also refer more broadly to the time that a team keeps a young up-and-coming player in the minor-leagues, so as to give the player time to continue to develop their skills, before they are brought up to the major leagues.
secondary pitch
Any non-fastball pitch type.
seed
Any hit that is hit so hard it barely has an arc on it. See rip. Also refers to any thrown ball with the same characteristic, typically in the infield.
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. Sometimes called a seeing-eye single. See ground ball with eyes.
send a runner
If a coach signals for a runner to attempt to steal a base, he is "sending" a runner. Similarly, a third-base coach who signals to a runner who is approaching third base that he should turn toward home plate and attempt to score, the coach is "sending" the runner home.[274]
senior circuit
The National League, so-called because it is the older of the two major leagues, founded in 1876. As opposed to the Junior Circuit, the American League, which was founded in 1901.
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.
sent to the showers
When a pitcher is removed from the lineup, he is sometimes said to be "sent to the showers" because his work for the day is done. Theoretically it is possible for him to be removed as pitcher and kept in the lineup as a designated hitter or even as a position player. But this is a very rare occurrence in the professional game, and is more frequent in the amateur game, especially in NCAA competition.
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 the games in each series played in the same park. The set of all games played between two teams during the regular season is referred to as the seasonseries. 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. Its purpose is to minimize travel costs and disruptions in the very long major league baseball season.
In the playoffs, series involve games played in the home stadiums of both teams. Teams hope to gain from having a home field advantage by playing the first game(s) in their own ballpark.
serve
To throw a pitch that gets hit hard, typically for a home run (as if the pitcher had intentionally "served up" an easy one).
set position
The posture a pitcher takes immediately before pitching. His hands are together in front of him and he is holding the ball in his pitching hand. His rear foot is on the rubber.
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.
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 4, 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, while Boston fans sing "Sweet Caroline" and Baltimore fans sing along to "Thank God I'm a Country Boy". At Kaufmann Stadium, Royals fans sing "Friends in Low Places". "OK Blue Jays" is sung at Toronto Blue Jays home games.
shade
A player (usually an outfielder) who positions himself slightly away from his normal spot in the field based on a prediction of where the batter might hit the ball he is said to "shade" toward right or left.
shag
Catching fly balls in the outfield when not involved in actual baseball games. "While the other pitchers looked bored just shagging flies, he was busting a few dance moves to the music coming over the loudspeakers."[275]
shake off
A player, typically a pitcher, who has a bad game or series, may be said to be trying to shake off the experience and regain his usual performance level. Detroit News headline: "Miner Tries to Shake Off Poor Start".
A pitcher who disagrees with the catcher's call for the next pitch may shake off the sign by shaking his head "no", thereby telling the catcher to call for a different pitch. If the pitcher shakes off several signs in a row, the catcher may call time out and walk to the mound to talk to the pitcher.
shell
A pitcher who is giving up numerous hits, especially extra-base hits, is said to be getting shelled – as if under siege by enemy artillery.
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 six of seven 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.
shine ball
One way for a pitcher to doctor the ball is to rub one area of the ball hard to affect the ball's flight toward the plate.
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.
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. Balls may be short-hopped to turn a double play, but it may backfire sometimes. For example, Carlos Guillén had a ground ball that bounced to him, and he short hopped it; however, it went off his glove and went high in the air.
short porch
When one of the outfield walls is closer to home plate than normal, the stadium may be said to have a short porch. For example, Yankee Stadium has long had a short porch in right field.
short rest
When a pitcher starts games with just a three- or four-day break, instead of the typical five between starts, he is said to have had a short rest. "The big story Tuesday night, by a long shot, was Dallas Keuchel pitching six shutout innings. In the Bronx. On short rest".[276]
shorten his swing
See "cut down on his swing".
shorten the game
A team that has a strong staff of relief pitchers is sometimes said to have the ability to shorten games: "The Tigers will be fearsome postseason opponents because of their bullpen's ability to shorten games."[277] If the team gets ahead in the first six innings, its bullpen can be counted on to hold the lead; thus the opponent needs to grab an early lead to still have a chance in the last few innings to win the game.
shot
A home run, as in "Ryan Howard's 2-run shot gives him 39 home runs for the year."
the show
The major leagues. Particularly "in the Show". Or in "the Bigs" (big leagues, major leagues).
show bunt
When a batter changes his stance so that he appears ready to bunt the ball, he's said to "show bunt". Sometimes this move is intended to make the infielders creep in toward home plate, but the hitter swings away instead. And sometimes it's intended to cause the pitcher to change his pitch. See also butcher boy.
show me
An easy-to-hit ball thrown by a pitcher to a batter who has fouled off many balls in that particular at-bat, so risking an excessive pitch count. While the likelihood of an extra-base hit is high, there is also a chance that the batter will strike out or put the ball in play where it can be fielded. Either way, a show-me pitch usually finishes the at-bat quickly.
Also used to describe a specific pitch in a pitcher's repertoire that is weaker than their other offerings, particularly one that is rarely thrown. "Mahle's slider has always been more show-me pitch than put-away weapon."[278]
shutout
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.
shuts the door
When a pitcher, generally the closer, finishes the ballgame with a save or makes the last out (or fails to do so): "No one from the Brandeis bullpen was able to shut the door in the top of the ninth in Tuesday's game." Also used more generally to refer to a victory: "Thomas, Halladay slam door shut on Dodgers."[279]
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.
sign
Non-verbal gestures used by catchers and coaches to communicate team strategy:
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 shake 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.
A coach sends signs to players on the field, typically using a sequence of hand movements. He may send signs to offensive players, including batters and runners, about what to do on the next pitch—for example, to sacrifice bunt, to take or to swing away at the next pitch; to steal a base; or to execute a hit-and-run. He may send signs to the catcher to call for a pitchout or to intentionally walk the batter.
single
A one-base hit.
sinker
A pitch, typically a fastball, that breaks sharply downward as it crosses the plate. Also see drop ball.
sitting on a pitch
A batter who is waiting for a particular type of pitch before swinging at it. He may be sitting in wait 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".
situational hitting
When a batter changes his strategy depending on the game situation: the inning, number of outs, number of men on base, or the score. He may not swing for the fences or even try to get a base hit, but instead make a sacrifice bunt or try to get a sacrifice fly or make contact with the ball in some other way.
skids
A team that is on the skids is having a losing streak, perhaps a severe one that threatens to ruin their chances at the playoffs or to drop them into the cellar. Headline: "Yankees Remain on the Skids".[280] Also used in the singular, skid, for a losing streak or hitless streak: "Peralta's single in the fourth ended an 0-for-26 skid."[281]
skip
A manager. Taken from the boating term skipper, the captain or commanding officer of a ship.
sky
Used as a verb: to hit a fly ball. "Sizemore skies one. . . .Caught by the right fielder."
skyscraper
A very high fly ball. Sometimes referred to as a "rainmaker" because it is so high it may touch the clouds.
A representation of multiple baseball statistics separated by the slash, for example .330/.420/.505. The typical data represented are batting average (AVG) / on-base percentage (OBP) / slugging percentage (SLG).[282] Also known as a triple slash. Slash is used as a verb meaning to effect a given slash line. Less commonly, a slash line may contain four statistics ("quad slash line"); the first three being as noted and the fourth being on-base plus slugging (OPS).[283]
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 (i.e.: it curves to the right for a right-handed batter and to the left for a left-handed batter).
slide
When a runner drops to the ground when running toward a base to avoid a tag. 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.
slider
A relatively fast pitch with a slight curve in the opposite direction of the throwing arm.
slug
A slugger maintains a high slugging average. Just as a "perfect" batting average would be 1.000 (a thousand), a "perfect" slugging average would be 4.000 (four thousand).
A slugfest is an exceptionally high scoring game, perhaps with double digits for both teams; the opposite of a slugfest is a pitchers' duel.
slump
An extended period when player or team is not performing well or up to expectations; a dry spell or drought.
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. "It's important for us to think small ball and hit behind runners, and also score with base hits, doubles, sacrifices—there are many ways to score", Alex Rodriguez said. "Later on, when it counts the most, it's hard only to score by home runs".[284]
smoke
To smoke a batter is to throw a smoker (an inside fastball) for a called strike.
A pitcher who throws smoke throws the ball so hard the batter sees only its (imaginary) vapor trail.
snap throw
A throw made by the catcher to either first or third base after a pitch in an attempt to pick off the runner.
snicker
A type of foul ball in which the batter grazes ("snicks") the ball with the bat. The ball continues toward the catcher, with a slightly modified trajectory, making it a difficult catch.[citation needed]
snow cone
A catch made with the ball barely caught in the tip of a glove's webbing. Sometimes referred to as an "ice cream cone".
snowman
An 8-run inning as it appears on the scoreboard, like two large balls of snow stacked on top of one another.
soft hands
A fielder's ability to cradle the ball well in his glove. Contrast hard hands. "I was teaching the players to field the ball out front and 'give in' with the ball and bring it up to a throwing position. The analogy I used was to pretend the ball is an egg and give in with it. I consider this to be 'soft' hands."[285]
soft toss
When a coach or teammate from a position adjacent the hitter throws a ball under-hand to allow the hitter to practice hitting into a net or fence.
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."[286]
solo home run
A home run hit when there are no runners on base, so the batter circles the bases solo.
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".
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".
spank
To hit the ball, typically a line drive to the opposite field.
To win a game handily or decisively. Headline: "Tigers Spank KC 13-1. Did the Royals Wave the White Flag?"[287]
sparkplug
A fireplug. A player known for his aggressive, never-say-die attitude (though perhaps modest ability) who may help to spark his team into a rally or a win. "Versalles was the sparkplug that led the 1965 Twins to their first World Series."[288]
Spider Tack
A sticky paste product designed for strongman competitions that has been illegally used by some pitchers to enhance their grip on the ball. Illegal grip enhancers have been used by spitball pitchers before, but Spider Tack specifically made headlines during the 2021 pitch doctoring controversy.[289]
speed merchant
A fast player, often collecting stolen bases, bunt singles and/or infield hits.
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.
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 apart to put a downward spin on the ball. Also called a forkball, splitter or Mr. Splitee.
splits
A player's splits are his performance statistics broken down or split into categories such as batting average against right-handed vs. left-handed pitchers, in home games vs. away games, or in day games vs. night games. When statistics are split in such a way they may reveal patterns that allow a manager to use (perhaps to platoon) a player strategically where he can be most effective. Sabermetricians may use such splits to investigate patterns that explain overall performance, including topics such as whether a pitcher may have doctored the ball during home games.[290]
spoil a pitch
When a pitcher throws a strike over the plate that at first seems good enough to strike the batter out but the batter fouls it off, the batter may be said to "spoil the pitch". The usage is similar to that of "fighting off a pitch".
spot starter
A pitcher who starts an occasional game (perhaps only one game) who is not a regular starter in the rotation. This is a pitcher who is already on a team's roster and usually works as a relief pitcher. In contrast to a spot starter, who is already on the roster, an emergency starter is typically a player who is brought up from the minor leagues on very short notice because a regular starter is injured. Sometimes, however, even a player who is already on the roster may be referred to as an emergency starter if his starting role arises because the regularly scheduled starter has been injured.
In recent years, the term "spot starter" has more commonly been used to describe a pitcher called up from the minors specifically to make one start before being optioned back down to the minors immediately following the game, particularly when the pitcher in question is the extra player added to the active roster for a scheduled doubleheader.
spray hitter
A batter who hits line drives to all fields. Not a pull hitter.
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.
square around
When a batter turns his stance from being sideways to the pitcher's mound to facing the pitcher's mound. This is typically done when a batter prepares to bunt a ball, in particular when he intends to do a sacrifice bunt. "Whether you square around or pivot, you want to make sure you are in a comfortable and athletic position to bunt the ball. Your knees should be bent and your bat should be held out in front of your body. The barrel of the bat should be at the same height as your eyes and at the top of the strike zone".[291]
square up
To get a good swing at the ball and hit it hard near the center of the ball. "It makes a big difference because you work hard to square a ball up, but they catch it or make a good play", Pierre said. "It takes the wind out of you a little bit and it makes him (Verlander) probably feel better, too".[292]
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 a suicide squeeze, the runner takes off towards home plate as soon as the pitcher begins his throw toward home plate. In a safety squeeze, the runner waits until the batter makes contact with the ball before committing himself to try to reach home.
squeeze the zone
When an umpire calls balls and strikes as if the strike zone is smaller than usual, he's said to "squeeze the zone".
squibber
A nubber. A batted ball that is either off the end of the bat or from a very late swing, which puts side spin on it as it rolls (typically toward the first or third baseman).
staff
The pitching staff of a given team.
stand-up double or triple (or standing/standing up)
An extra-base hit in which the runner reaches base easily without needing to slide, i.e. remains standing up as he touches the bag. Also referred to simply as "standing" i.e. "the runner from 3rd base scores standing (up)."
stance
When a hitter steps into the batter's box, he typically stands a few inches from home plate with one shoulder facing the pitcher's mound. His particular manner of bending his knees or holding his bat is referred to as the batter's stance or hitting stance.[293]
A catcher typically crouches or squats behind home plate, holding his glove up as a target for the pitcher. This is referred to as a catcher's stance.[294]
A pitcher's stance or pitching position involves how and where he stands on the mound, how his back foot toes the rubber, his windup, and his delivery.
stanza
An inning. "In that stanza, however, the Tigers . . . clawed their way back into the ballgame."[295]
starting pitcher
The "starter" is the first pitcher in the game for each team. (For a less frequently used strategy to start the game, see opener.)
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 maximise 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.
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.
stayed alive
When a batter who already has two strikes swings at but fouls off a pitch, he may be said to have "stayed alive". He (or his at bat) will live to see another pitch. Similarly, when a team that is facing elimination from the playoffs wins a game, it may be said to have "stayed alive" to play another game.[296]
steady diet
When a batter shows that it is easier to get him out with a certain type of pitch, he may receive a "steady diet" of that type of pitch thrown. Headline: "Phillies' Howard Gets a Steady Diet of Curveballs".[297]
steaks
RBIs. Derived from the common pronunciation of RBI as "ribbie", which was apparently once pronounced as Rib-eye.
steal
See stolen base.
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 peeking 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.
stepping in the bucket
A phrase for an "open" batting stance, in which the hitter's leading foot is aligned away from the plate (toward left field for a right-handed batter). The stance reduces power in the swing and slows the hitter's exit toward first base; however, many players believe it allows them to see the pitch better, and more naturally drive the ball to the opposite field.
stick it in his ear
"Stick it in his ear!" is a cry 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.
stick it in his pocket
Said of an infielder who secures a batted or thrown ball, but chooses to hold the ball rather than throwing to try for an out. For example, a shortstop might range in the hole to field a ground ball, but then elect to "stick it in his pocket" rather than attempting to throw to first base to put out the batter-runner, whether to avoid the possibility of a throwing error or to prevent another runner on base from advancing on the throw. Often happens on a ball hit so slowly that, by the time it's fielded, the runner(s) have already advanced so far that a throw and catch for a force out is unlikely or impossible.
sticky stuff
Layman's term for illegal grip-enhancing substances used by pitchers such as pine tar, petroleum jelly, human saliva, and some resin-based products.
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.
stole first
A batter who reaches first base following an uncaught third strike has (unofficially) "stolen" it.
stone fingers
A fielder who misplays easy ground balls. Also see hard hands and tin glove.
stopper
A team's best starting pitcher, called upon to stop a losing streak[298]
A series of consecutive wins (a winning streak) or losses (a losing streak). Also, a string, especially if referring to a series of wins.
A series of games in which a batter gets a hit (hitting streak) or fails to get a hit (hitless streak), or accomplishes some other feat of interest (e.g., gets a stolen base or hits a home run).
stretch
A stretch in baseball pitching means starting sideways, raising your arms high, then throwing the ball. Pitchers often do this with runners on base to keep an eye on them.
For other uses of the word "stretch", see stretch a hit, stretch run, down the stretch, and seventh inning stretch.
stretch a hit
To stretch a hit is to take an additional base on a hit, typically by aggressive running.
stretch the lineup
To stretch the lineup is to have strong hitters after the 3rd, 4th, and 5th places in the batting order, which are normally where the power hitters are found. "Victor goes out there every day and shows you why he is a professional hitter – he's never afraid to just take a base hit when that's what there for him", Leyland said. "Carlos lets us stretch our lineup with another professional hitter, and also a switch-hitter".[300]
stretch run
The last part of the regular baseball season when teams are competing to reach the playoffs or championship. Perhaps derived from the term "home stretch" in horse racing or car racing when the horse (or car) comes out of the final turn and is racing toward the finish line. Headline: "Tigers eyeing help for stretch run"[301] (The Tigers are seeking additional players as they approach the end of the season).
strike
When a batter swings at a pitch, but fails to hit it, when a batter does not swing at a pitch that is thrown within the strike zone, when the ball is hit foul and the strike count is less than2 (a batter cannot strike out on a foul ball; however, he can fly out), when a ball is bunted foul, regardless of the strike count, when the ball touches the batter as he swings at it, when the ball touches the batter in the strike zone, or when the ball is a foul tip.
A particularly hard, accurate throw by a fielder attempting to put out a baserunner (or a particularly hard, accurate pickoff attempt by the pitcher) is sometimes referred to as throwing a strike.
strike out
Of a pitcher, the throwing of three strikes in one plate appearance. This normally retires the batter, and counts as one out. However, it is possible for the hitter to strike out and still reach base, if the catcher drops the strikeout pitch.
Of a hitter, with a count of two strikes, to make a third strike by swinging at and missing a pitch, swinging at a pitch and tipping a foul ball directly into the catcher's mitt which is subsequently caught, taking a called strike, or bunting a ball foul.
The type of pitch (specific to each pitcher) that he or she prefers to use as the last pitch of a strikeout. This is almost always a breaking pitch – a pitch that moves out of the strike zone, increasing the chance that the batter will swing and miss.[302]
strikeout pitcher
A pitcher who strikes out hitters a lot.
strike 'em out/throw 'em out
A double play in which a batter strikes out and the catcher then immediately throws out a baserunner trying to steal. Sometimes this is called strikeout/double-play. Usually scored 2-6 or 2-4 for an out at second.
strike out the side
A pitcher is said to have "struck out the side" when he retires all three batters in one inning by striking them out.
"All three" may mean that only three batters came to the plate (and struck out), but the phrase could refer to the three batters who made outs (regardless what happened to the others).
strike zone
The imaginary prism over home plate used to "call" balls and strikes.
string
A series of consecutive wins. A winning streak.
Any other series of consecutive events, such as strike-outs or scoreless innings.
struck out looking
"Struck out looking" means the batter didn't swing at a pitch the umpire judged a strike, resulting in an out. Some scorecards show it with a backwards "K". Sports commentators have also been known to use the slang term "just browsing" when showing a batter that's "struck out looking" on SportsCenter or other related shows.
struck out swinging
A batter called out on strikes when swinging at the third strike is said to have "struck out swinging". Usually labeled with the traditional forward "K" on scorecards.
struck out bunting
A batter called out on strikes when the third strike resulted from a bunted ball that came to rest in foul territory.
stuff
A pitcher's "stuff" is how hard their pitches are to hit, combining movement (breaking balls) or speed (fastballs). This is separate from location, another key aspect of pitching.
submarine
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.
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 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 but fanciful line between "Anaheim, Azusa and Cuc... amonga").[303] Instead such a series is referred to as a freeway series.
Sunday Funday
After winning a weekend series in college baseball, the team will party Sunday night. This is because college teams play five nights a week and have no free time to party except on Sundays, because they can rest on their required Monday off day.
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.
summer classic
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the Midsummer Classic. These annual games, typically played in July, pit the all-stars of the National League against the all-stars of the American League, a concept designed to acknowledge and showcase the achievements of the best players in each league.
sweep
To win 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. ("Sweep" was also used to mean winning both games of a doubleheader. Sweeps are also used for a college baseball team who wins all three games of a weekend series.)
sweeper
A pitch very similar to a slider, but with more horizontal movement.
sweet spot
The meat of the bat.[304] "Batters know from experience that there is a sweet spot on the bat, about 17 centimetres (6.7 in) from the end of the barrel, where the shock of the impact, felt by the hands, is reduced to such an extent that the batter is almost unaware of the collision. At other impact points, the impact is usually felt as a sting or jarring of the hands and forearm, particularly if the impact occurs at a point well removed from the sweet spot".[305][306] " 'I was ready for a fastball early in the count, because I knew he would go to his other stuff later", Santiago said. "I got one, and I just wanted to hit it on the sweet spot' ".[307]
swing
When a batter is following his coach's advice to not bunt (never mind those runners), he is said to "swing away".
"Swing for the downs" means swing mightily – all or nothing.
Attempting a home run is to "swing for the fences".
"Swing from the heels" means swinging very hard, hoping for an extra base hit.
A "swingman" is a pitcher with relatively good stamina who can function as either a long reliever or a starter, e.g. Justin Masterson during his time with the Red Sox.[308]
switch hitter
A switch hitter can hit from either side of the plate, i.e. bats both left-handed and right-handed.
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
A tag out. A runner is out if, while in jeopardy, a fielder touches him with a live ball or the hand or glove holding a live ball.
To hit the ball hard, typically for an extra-base hit.
tag up
When a batter hits a ball that is caught before touching the ground (he is out) every runner must retreat back to the base he just left. Once he has touched that base (tagged up), he may legally advance again. If he fails to tag up he can be called out on appeal.
tailgate
A catcher's butt. In the phrase "he didn't keep his tailgate down" an announcer means a pitched ball was very low or even hit the dirt and went between the catcher's legs.
take a pitch
When a batter decides not to swing at a pitch, he "takes the pitch." He may do this following the instruction of a coach who has given him a take sign.
take sign
The signal from a coach for the batter to not swing at the next pitch—to "take" it. Sometimes when a new pitcher or a 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 something off the pitch
To throw an off-speed pitch or to throw a given pitch slower than the pitcher usually throws it.
take the bat out of his hands
To issue an intentional walk. By doing so, a pitcher reduces the potential damage from allowing the batter to swing at and hit a pitch. "Buck Showalter took the bat out of Barry Bonds' hands with an unheard-of strategy – a bases-loaded intentional walk. Amazingly, the Arizona Diamondbacks manager got away with it."[309]
take the crown
To win the championship, i.e. remove the current champions from the throne.
take the field
When the defensive players arrive at their positions at the beginning of a half-inning, they have "taken the field". (The pitcher "takes the hill".)
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"—says something about how he ran the basepaths.[310]
Before the 2015 season, "runners were given a good deal of leeway when sliding into a base in an attempt to break up a double play." After some infielders were injured on rough plays during that season, notably when Chase Utley slid into Ruben Tejada during the National League Divisional playoffs and broke his leg, Major League Baseball instituted the "bona-fide slide" rule.[311] The runner must make contact with the ground before reaching the base, he must be able to reach the base with a hand or foot, he must be able to remain on the base at the completion of the slide (except at home plate) and he must not change his path for the purpose of initiating contact with a fielder.
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 1953 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.[312][313]
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.)
tattoo
To hit the ball very hard, figuratively to put a tattoo from the bat's trademark on the ball.
Conference on the mound, involving more players than just the pitcher and catcher, and sometimes coaches and managers. Also a pow wow.
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'.
telegraph
To tip one's pitches.
terminator
A pitcher's "out pitch" (usually his best pitch); the one upon which he relies. Made famous by the movie Major League II.
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. This is now more commonly referred to as a flare, blooper, or "bloop single". It is most colorfully called a 'gork shot' or a 'duck snort.' See blooper.
Outfielder Ollie Pickering is credited with giving baseball the term "Texas Leaguer," a pejorative slang for a weak pop fly that lands unimpressively between an infielder and an outfielder for a base hit. According to the April 21, 1906, edition of The Sporting Life,[314] John McCloskey, founder of the Texas League and then-manager of the Houston Mudcats – who would later go onto manage the St. Louis Cardinals – signed 22-year-old Pickering to play center field on the morning of May 21, 1892. That afternoon, Pickering turned in one of the most remarkable performances in the history of the Texas League, stringing together seven consecutive singles in one game, each a soft, looping fly ball that fell in no-man's land between either the first baseman and right fielder or the third baseman and left fielder. News of Pickering's feat spread quickly throughout the nation and the term "Texas Leaguer" became ingrained in the baseball lexicon. Pickering's seven consecutive singles in a game still stands as a Texas League record.[315] Pickering would go on to play and manage for 30 years, with major league stops as an outfielder for the Louisville Colonels, Philadelphia A's, Cleveland Blues (now Guardians), St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators.
third of an inning
A concept in statistics to account for when a pitcher retires only one or two of the [at least] three batters in a full inning, e.g. 3.1 and 5.2 (for convenience in print; those represent 3+1⁄3 and 5+2⁄3 respectively).
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. The statistical result of the three true outcomes on a player's slash line is a low batting average, as well as an unusually high on-base percentage relative to the batting average. Traditionally, players with a high percentage of their plate appearances ending in one of the three true outcomes are underrated,[citation needed] as general managers often overestimate the harm in striking out, and underestimate the value of a walk.
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. Unlike in a 1-2-3 inning, batters are permitted to reach base so long as only three batters are faced by the pitcher. For instance, a single, then a strikeout, then a double play is a three up three down inning, but not a 1-2-3 inning. See also: side retired, 1-2-3 inning.
through the wickets
When a batted ball passes through the legs of a player on the field (most commonly an infielder) it's often said, "That one went right through the wickets." The term refers to the metal arches (called wickets) used in the game of croquet through which balls are hit. Letting the ball through his legs makes a baseball player look (and feel) inept, and the official scorekeeper typically records the play as an error.
throw a clothesline
When a fielder throws the ball so hard it appears to hardly arc at all, he has "thrown a clothesline". Akin to a line drive being described as a rope or frozen rope.
throw him the chair
Striking out a batter, causing him to sit down in the dugout.[citation needed]
thrower
A pitcher who throws the ball hard in the direction of home plate but without much accuracy or command. Distinguished from a "pitcher", who may or may not throw the ball as hard but who has command and is likely to be more successful in getting batters out.
throwing seeds/throwing the pill/throwing BBs
When a pitcher's fastball is so good it seems as though the baseball is the size of a seed (or pill or BB), and just about as hittable.
tie him up
Getting a pitch in on the hitter's hands, making it impossible for him to swing.
tilt
A game. A face-off between competitors, as in a joust. Headline: "Myers, Phillies beat Mets in key NL East tilt".[316]
time play
A run can be scored on the same play as the third out, but only if the third out is not a force out, and is not made by the batter before reaching first base. In order for the run to count, the runner must reach home plate before the third out is made elsewhere on the field, so the play is known as a "time play".[317]
tin glove
A poor fielding (defensive) player is often said to have a "tin glove", as if his baseball mitt was made of inflexible metal. This is a sarcastic reference to the gold glove awarded for defensive excellence.[citation needed]
tipping
When a pitcher inadvertently signals what type pitch is next, he is said to be "tipping" or "telegraphing" them. 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 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.
toe the slab
To take the mound; to pitch. Sometimes expressed as "toe the rubber". Literally, to put the toe of his shoe on the rubber.
took the ball out of the catcher's glove
When a batter swings a bit late, perhaps hitting the ball to the opposite field, a broadcaster may say he "took the ball out of the catcher's glove" (just before the catcher was able to catch it).
took the collar
Went hitless. See collar.
tomahawk
To hit a high pitch, perhaps one that's out of the strike zone, so that the batter may appear to be swinging downwards as if his bat is a tomahawk. "Things started well for the Blue Jays in their first at-bat when Stairs tomahawked a Matsuzaka pitch on one bounce into the stands behind Fenway Park's famed Pesky's Pole for a ground-rule double."[318]
Kirby Puckett when asked by broadcaster Jim Kaat about his walk-off home run which won Game Six of the 1991 World Series, "I just tomahawked that ball, Kitty!"
Tommy John surgery
A type of reconstructive elbow surgery with estimated recovery time 14-18 months. Pitcher Tommy John was the first professional athlete to successfully undergo it.
Different sources have credited Muddy Ruel and Bill Dickey with coining the phrase.
toolsy
A player with many tools who hasn't matured yet.
TOOTBLAN
A tongue-in-cheek term for when a baserunner commits a blunder that leads to him being tagged or forced out. It stands for "Thrown Out On The Basepaths Like A Nincompoop".[319] It was created as part of an effort to determine what impact on-base outs had on a batter's on-base percentage.[320]
top of the inning
The first half of an inning during which the visiting team bats; derived from its position in the line score.
top of the order batter
A batter who has speed and a propensity to get on base, and who thus may be suited to be the lead-off or second hitter in the line-up. "I think Brett Jackson looks a lot more like a top of the order guy right now than a middle of the order guy, and he seems like a viable leadoff hitter based on his performance as a professional."[citation needed]
top-step pitcher
When a pitcher has reached a point where he's at risk of being pulled and replaced by another pitcher, the manager may be standing at the "top step" of the dugout, ready to go immediately to the mound after the next pitch.
tore the cover off the ball
Hit the ball so hard that the batter figuratively tore the cover off the ball. Also used in Ernest Thayer's famous "Casey at the Bat":
"But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball..."[321]
tossed
When a player or manager is ordered by an umpire to leave a game, that player or manager is said to have been "tossed". Usually, this is the result of arguing with an umpire. Similar to being "red carded" in soccer. See ejected.
total bases
The sum of the number of bases advanced by a batter/runner on his own safe hits over a specified period of time, where a single =1, a double =2, a triple =3, and a home run =4. The quotient of total bases divided by at-bats is slugging average, a measure of hitting power. (It can be argued that total bases would include walks and steals.)
touch all the bases
To "touch all the bases" or "touch 'em all" is to hit a home run. (If a player fails to literally "touch 'em all" – if he misses a base during his home run trot – he can be called out on appeal).
touched up
A pitcher who gives up several hits may be said to have been "touched up".
touchdown
A seven-run difference, derived from six points for a touchdown plus the extra point in American football. For example, a team ahead 10–3 is said to be "up by a touchdown".
TR
Throws right; used in describing a player's statistics, e.g. John Doe (TR, BR, 6', 172 lbs.)
track down
To field a ball, typically a ground ball that a fielder has to travel some distance to stop or a fly ball that an outfielder has to run far to catch. "Mike Cameron, Milwaukee Brewers, can track down flies with the best centerfielders in baseball today."[322]
trap
When a fielder attempts to catch a batted baseball in the air but the ball hits the ground just before it enters the fielder's glove, the fielder is said to have "trapped the ball". Sometimes it is difficult for the umpire to tell whether the ball was caught for an out or instead trapped. "Any outfielder worth his salt always makes the catch of the sinking line drive by rolling over and raising his glove triumphantly. It does not matter if he trapped the ball. It does not matter that the replay shows he trapped the ball. What is important is the success of the deception at that moment so that the umpire calls the batter out."[323]
triple
A three-base hit.
triple crown
A batter who (at season's end) leads the league in three major categories: home runs, runs batted in, and batting average.
A pitcher who (at season's end) leads the league in three major categories: earned run average, wins, and strikeouts.
triple play
When three outs are made on one play. This is rare. While a typical game may have several double plays, a typical season has only a few triple plays. This is primarily because the circumstances are rather specific—that there be at least two runners, and no outs, and that typically one of these circumstances occurs: (1) the batter hits a sharp grounder to the third baseman, who touches the base, throws to second base to get the second out, and the second baseman or shortstop relays the ball to first quickly enough to get the batter-runner for the third out (also called a 5-4-3 or 5-6-3 triple play, respectively); OR (2) the runners are off on the pitch, in a hit-and-run play, but an infielder catches the ball on a line-drive out, and relays to the appropriate bases in time to get two other runners before they can retreat to their bases. The latter situation can also yield an extremely rare unassisted triple play, of which 14 have occurred in the entire history of major league baseball. A second baseman or shortstop will catch the ball, his momentum will carry him to second base to make the second out, and he will run and touch the runner from first before the runner can fully regain his momentum and turn around back to first.
An old fashioned term for a pitcher. In the early years, pitchers would often twirl their arms in a circle one or more times before delivering the ball, literally using a "windup", in the belief it would reduce stress on their arms. The terms "twirler" and "twirling" faded along with that motion. The modern term "hurler" is effectively the substitute term.
two away or two down
When there are two outs in the inning.
two-bagger or two-base hit
A double.
two-seam fastball
A fastball held in such a way that it breaks slightly downward, and most often away from the pitcher's arm, as it crosses the plate. A sinker. A two-seamer. Due to the grip, generally with or along the two straight seams, as opposed to a four seamer, which is gripped across the horseshoe, the batter sees only one pair of seams spinning instead of two.
two-sport player
Many college athletes play two sports, but it is rare for someone to play two major league professional sports well or simultaneously. Sometimes players have brief major league trial periods in two professional sports but quickly drop one of them. Some "two-sport" players who played multiple major league baseball seasons have been Jim Thorpe, Brian Jordan, Gene Conley, Bo Jackson, Danny Ainge, Ron Reed, Deion Sanders and Mark Hendrickson. Although Michael Jordan tried to become a major league baseball player after his first retirement from the National Basketball Association, he didn't make the big leagues and did not try to play both baseball and basketball at the same time.
two-way player
A term borrowed from American football to describe either a player who can pitch and hit well, or a player who can pitch and play another defensive position well. The most famous Major League ballplayer who was truly a two-way player was Babe Ruth. He started his career as an outstanding pitcher and later played in the outfield—and was one of the greatest home run hitters of all time.
The term is sometimes used to describe a player who is good at both offense and defense: "Manager Jim Leyland said during the season that he believes Inge has the potential to become one of the league's best two-way players."
Spectator seating offering a very poor view of the playing field, usually located in a stadium's upper decks. Named for longtime Milwaukee Brewers announcer Bob Uecker, in reference to one of his Miller Lite TV ads from the 1980s in which he is removed from the box seats and, after musing that he "must be in the front row," learns that his tickets actually put him in the back row of the right field upper deck.
ugly finder
A foul ball hit into a dugout, presumably to "find" someone who is ugly or to render him that way if he fails to dodge the ball.
ukulele hitter
A weak hitter – banjo hitter, Punch and Judy hitter. "Wolff: Ukulele Hitter Makes Hall of Fame as Broadcaster".[324]
ultimate grand slam
A grand slam by a member of the home team when they are exactly three runs behind in the bottom of the final inning, thus overcoming a 3-run deficit and winning the game with one swing. See also walk-off home run.
umpire
"The ump" is in charge of a game, as are members of his crew ("refs" in most other sports).
unassisted play
When a fielder single-handedly executes a play which is more often completed by multiple fielders. For example, with a runner on first base, a ground ball is hit to the shortstop who then steps on second base, completing a force out. Unassisted double plays are rare, and unassisted triple plays are extremely rare.
Uncle Charlie
A curveball.
uncontested steal, undefended steal
If a base runner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate but the catcher does not attempt to throw him out, then the steal may be scored as an uncontested or undefended steal. In the game's statistics, the runner would not be credited with a stolen base. Also called defensive indifference. See also stolen base, fielder's choice.
Three up, three down: Three batters came to the plate and all three are out.
A team in the lead is "up" by some number of runs.
Called up, a player has been promoted from the minors to the majors.
up and in
Same as high and tight.
up in the zone
A pitch to the upper part of the strike zone. "When Miller throws his fastball up in the zone, opponents are hitting .079 (6-for-76) and have missed on 36 percent of swings (league average is .232). When his fastball is down or in the middle of the strike zone, opponents hit .270 with a miss rate of 15 percent."[325]
up the middle
(adverb) Said of a ball batted through the middle of the infield, i.e. over or near second base and toward or into the outfield.
upper decker
A home run that lands in the stadium's upper deck.
A dip of tobacco placed in the upper lip.
uppercut
When a batter's swing moves upward as the bat moves forward. "The looping or uppercut swing is most common when the hitter 'loads up his swing' in order to hit with more power."[326]
upstairs
A high pitch, usually above the strike zone.
up the elevator shaft
A high pop-up directly over the batter.
up the middle
The area near an imaginary line from home plate through the pitcher's mound and second base into center field. General managers typically build teams "up the middle", i.e. strength at catcher, second base, shortstop, and center field.
utility
A player (usually a bench player) who can play several different positions.
V
visit
A team (and their fans) in another team's home stadium are "visiting" as "the visitors".
A conference with a pitcher is referred to as a "visit to the mound".
VORP
Value Over Replacement Player, Keith Woolner's method of evaluating baseball players. VORP ranks players by comparing their run production (for batters) to that of an imaginary "replacement-level" player that teams can acquire for the league-minimum salary.[327]
vulture
A reliever who records wins in late innings by being the pitcher of record in the midst of a comeback.[328]
W
waiting for the express and caught the local
A batter caught looking at an off-speed pitch for strike three, when the game situation called for (or the batter was expecting) a fastball.
wallop
A home run. Also used as a verb: "Albert Pujols walloped that pitch."
A home team immediately wins the game when they score a run to take the lead in the bottom of the last inning.
warning track
The dirt and finely-ground gravel area along the fence, intended to help prevent fielders from running into it.
warning track power
The lack of "home run power" when a batter can only hit a fly ball that is caught at the warning track, just missing a home run.
waste a pitch
When a pitcher gets ahead in the count he may deliberately throw the ball outside the strike zone, hoping the batter will chase it. "Waste a pitch", the opposite of attack the strike zone, is the counterpart to a batter's "taking" a 3-0 pitch.
The phrase is sometimes applied also to hitters who deliberately foul off a strike to get good wood.
wave
To swing and miss a pitch, usually with a tentative swing.
When an umpire signals to a runner to take a base on an overthrow into the dug-out or in case of a ground rule double or a balk, he waves the runner to the next base.
When a third-base coach signals to a runner advancing toward the base to continue toward home plate he is said to wave the runner home.
When a batter allows a pitch to hit them, or knowingly drops their elbow or shoulder into the pitch to be awarded first base.
Sometimes if a player jumps out of the way of a pitch you may hear his teammates telling him to, "wear it!" from the dugout.
web gem
An outstanding defensive play. Refers to the webbing of a glove. Popularized by Baseball Tonight on ESPN.
went deep
Hit a home run. See go deep.
went fishing
When a batter reaches across the plate trying to hit an outside pitch (and misses) he "went fishing" for it.
wheelhouse
A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high and over the heart of the plate. "Clem threw that one right into Ruben's wheelhouse. End of story."[329][330]
wheel play
Upon a bunt to the left side of the infield, the third-baseman runs toward home to field the bunt, and the shortstop runs to third base to cover. The infielders thus rotate like a wheel. "Lohse's bunt was a bad one, in the air over the head of Beltré, but it required Andrus to make an outstanding pick, stopping in his tracks as he was headed to cover third on the wheel play and then throwing to first."[331]
wheels
Legs. A player who runs the bases fast "has wheels".
whiff
A swinging strike (referring to the bat whiffing through the air without contacting the ball).
A pitcher who throws strikes but without sufficient control over their location is "wild in the strike zone". Headline: "Zambrano Is Too Wild in Strike Zone".[332]
wild pitch
A wild pitch (abbreviated WP) is charged to a pitcher when, in the opinion of the official scorer, a pitch is too high, too low, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to catch the ball with ordinary effort, and which allows one or more runners to advance; or allows the batter to advance to first base, if it is a third strike with first base unoccupied. Neither a passed ball nor a wild pitch is charged as an error. It is a separate statistic.
In baseball, there are two legal pitching positions: the windup, and the set. The choice of pitching position may be tactical, as the windup has a generally slower execution than the set and is thus at greater risk of allowing a stolen base. However, some pitchers, particularly relief pitchers, are more comfortable pitching from the set position, and thus use it regardless of the situation.
winning record
A team that has won 82 games this year is having a winning season, because now they can lose the rest and still not have a total of that many losses.
A phrase borrowed from horse racing. It refers to a team's leading a game from the first inning to the end of the game, or leading their division (or league) from the first two or three weeks of the season to the end of the season. Also sometimes used to refer to a pitcher's throwing a complete game, especially a shut-out.
wood
The bat. See get good wood.
work the count
When a batter is patient and tries to get ahead in the count, or to get a pitch that he can hit hard, he's said to "work the count" or to "work the pitcher". Tigers Manager Jim Leyland: "We tell our hitters to be aggressive all the time, and at the same time we tell them, 'Work the pitcher.'"
worm burner
A hard hit ground ball that "burns" the ground. A daisy cutter.
worm killer
A pitch, usually an off speed or breaking ball, that hits the ground before it reaches home plate.
wrapped around the foul pole
When a batted ball that goes for a home run passes just inside the foul pole while curving toward foul territory, it is sometimes described as having "wrapped around" the pole. (The ball may actually land in foul territory, but if it passed inside the pole it is still fair. This however was not the case before 1931.)
WW
Scoresheet notation for "wasn't watching", used by non-official scorekeepers when their attention has been distracted from the play on field. Supposedly used frequently by former New York Yankees broadcaster Phil Rizzuto.
Y
yabo
A big home run, usually hit by a hoss player. The term was made colloquially popular in the mid-2010s by electric sports personality, Dan Katz aka "Barstool Bigcat", host of the popular "Pardon My Take" podcast.
To pull a fair ball down the foul line. "Damian Miller then yanked a double just inside the third-base bag and down the line, scoring both runners."[333]
yard
The baseball field. A home run has "left the yard", and whoever hit it went yard. "Doing yardwork" is hitting many home runs or otherwise exhibiting power.
yellow hammer
A sharp-breaking curveball. Named after the yellowhammer, a bird that dives steeply to catch prey.
yips
A condition in which a player, usually a pitcher, loses control over the direction of his throws. "Rick Ankiel was transitioned to a position player due to developing a case of the yips on the mound."
Z
zeroes
A no-hitter or perfect game, so called because the line score shown on the scoreboard is 0–0–0, though it is subjective when referring to a no-hitter and perfect games, because the opposing team can make errors. However, it will normally show as 0–0–0 (no runs, no hits, no errors) on the scoreboard.
Speed. A pitcher with a good fastball is said to have zip on the ball.
zone
The strike zone.
A pitcher is said to be "in the zone" not only by throwing strikes but by maintaining his focus and throwing pitches that get batters out. "You hear about pitchers being in the zone and stuff like that, and that's what I was doing. I was zoned in. I was throwing the right pitch every time, and until the kid got the hit, I honestly didn't even realize."[334]
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^Verducci, Tom (March 28, 2019). "From Trackman to Edgertronic to Rapsodo, the Tech Boom Is Fundamentally Altering Baseball". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
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^Brendan C. Boyd and Fred C. Harris, Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book (Boston: Little, Brown, 1973).
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^"9.22 Minimum Standards for Individual Championships". Baseball Rules Academy. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
^David Laurila, "Prospectus Q & A: Joe Mauer", Baseballprospectus.com Archived 2011-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, July 9, 2007.
^Rob Neyer, "Quality Start Still a Good Measure of Quality", ESPN.com, April 13, 2006.
^"Lopez@Large: 'Quality start' defined ... It's simple: You win". Archived from the original on 2010-07-10. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
^"The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Official info: Official Rules". Archived from the original on 2012-04-29. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
^Lansing State Journal, 3 April 2010.
^MLB.com, 22 August 2006 Archived 10 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
^Hideki Matsui - An Exceptional Athlete, A Decent Guy Archived 2006-05-01 at the Wayback Machine
^"Should Major League Baseball ban "railroading"?". Suunews. 2011-06-03. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
^Jon Meoli (July 3, 2018). "Colby Rasmus tells Orioles he'd like to 'go home and discontinue playing,' is placed on restricted list". Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
^ a bThe Official Professional Baseball Rules Book (PDF). New York City: Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. 2019. pp. 93–96. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021 – via mlbpa.org.
^Eric Seidman, "Can That Right Handed Bat Play Third Base?" BrotherGlove, July 18, 2011 Archived February 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
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^Tyler Kepner, "Yanks Enjoy Room-Service Pitching", The New York Times, May 11, 2002 Archived April 5, 2023, at the Wayback Machine.
^Steve Henson, "Wolf Gets the No.2 Spot ahead of Schmidt, Penny", Los Angeles Times, March 2, 2007 .
^The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News
^"Baseball Historian – Part of the Sports Historian Network". Archived from the original on December 30, 2008.
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^A recent example is in the analysis of Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers' home- and away-game stats to see whether they are consistent with the suspicion that he may be doctoring the ball in home games. See Nate Silver, "Comforts of home; Rogers better at Comerica, but is the success legit?" SportsIllustrated.com (October 23, 2006)[11] Archived 2012-10-20 at the Wayback Machine.
^QCBaseball.com, "Baseball Instruction – Bunting, Sacrifice" Archived 2014-08-10 at the Wayback Machine. [retrieved 3 September 2011]
^Mark Gonzales, "Sox Drop Opener of Crucial Series 8-1", Chicago Tribune, September 2, 2011 Archived September 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
^See "Hitting Stance", at QCBaseball.com Archived 2013-04-30 at the Wayback Machine.
^See "Catcher's Stance" at Baseball-Catcher.com Archived 2022-12-08 at the Wayback Machine.
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^For a study of "sweet spots" on different types of baseball bat, see Daniel A. Russell, "Acoustics of Baseball Bats" Archived 2010-05-28 at the Wayback Machine.
^"The physics of baseball". www.physics.usyd.edu.au.
^Also see Brad Christopherson and Sam Preston, "Exploration into the Mechanics of a Baseball bat".
^"Rays vs. Tigers - Game Recap - June 13, 2011 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2020.
^"Red Sox's rotation could be as good as it gets". ESPN.com. January 15, 2010.
^"Walk on the wild side pays off for Showalter", Chicago Sun Times, May 30, 1998.
^John Dennis McCallum, The Tiger Wore Spikes: An Informal Biography of Ty Cobb, Barnes: 1956. (ASIN B0006AUHWK).
^"William J. Jenkinson. 1996. "Long Distance Home Runs."". Baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
^"HitTracker—How Far It Really Went". Hittrackeronline.com. June 3, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
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^"Harvey, Mets beat Phillies in key NL East tilt", USA Today, September 6, 2008.
^"Rule review: 'Time plays' can be confusing", USA Today, May 28, 2010.
^"Jays dig deep hole, can't get out of it". Canada.com. September 3, 2007. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
^Scott Allen (July 31, 2014). "Bryce Harper leads the Nationals in TOOTBLANs this season". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
^Jun 29, foxsports; ET, 2015 at 9:03p (2015-06-29). "Appreciating TOOTBLAN & other new baseball lingo". FOX Sports. Retrieved 2019-12-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^"Casey at the Bat by Ernest Thayer on Baseball Almanac". Baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
^"The Baseball Rap". Tcoletribalrugs.com. November 17, 2005. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
^"Instant Replay: The End of Major League Baseball as We Know It", in Paul Soglin: Waxing America.com, June 14, 2008. [Retrieved July 19, 2010].
^Richard Sandomir, "Wolff: Ukulele Hitter Makes Hall of Fame as Broadcaster", The New York Times, July 31, 1995.
^William Cohen, "Shelby Miller hard to hit up in the zone", ESPN, June 17, 2013.
^BatSpeed.com_Baseball and Softball Swing Hitting Mechanics
^For accessible summaries, see Rob Neyer, "The World According to VORP", ESPN.com (February 2, 2007) and Derek Jacques, "Prospectus Toolbox: Value Over Replacement Player", BaseballProspectus.com (May 15, 2007).
^"Dunn's 10 wins an unexpected boost for Marlins". ESPN. Associated Press. August 15, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014. Mike Dunn's formula is simple. Come in, pitch well, and hope the Miami Marlins offense finds a way to win games late. It's working. Miami's leader in wins this season isn't one of their highly touted young starters, but rather a left-handed reliever who has never made a Major League start in his six-year career. Dunn picked up his 10th win of the season Thursday night, throwing two perfect innings as Miami rallied to top Arizona 5-4 to enhance its chances in the National League wild-card chase. His bullpen cohorts say he "vultures" wins. Nobody is complaining.
^Dickson, Paul (1873). The new Dickson Baseball Dictionary. New York: D. Appleton and Company. p. 533. Cited first 1959 by Bill Rigney; Etymology attributed to Peter Tamony who suggested that batters "wheel" at the ball ("take good, level 'roundhouse' swings")
^Rigney, Bill – Orlando Cepeda's slump. San Francisco Chronicle, May 11, 1959
^Jay Jaffe, "World Series Prospectus – Game Six: The Crazy Train Keeps Rolling", BaseballProspectus.com, October 28, 2011.
^Jenkins, Lee (July 23, 2005). "BASEBALL; Zambrano Is Too Wild in Strike Zone". The New York Times. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
^JS Online: Some late-night delivery
^John Brebbia – in "Brebbia Shining On The Mound", OrleansFirebirds.wordpress.com, July 13, 2011.
Sources
Paul Dickson, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, 3rd edition. New York: W.W. Norton & Co, 2009. ISBN 9780393066814
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