baseball terms
Baseball Terms
The next time you are watching a game over at a friend's place, and everyone roars loud and you have no clue about it, you wouldn't have to be embarrassed. Here is a detailed list that would give you an idea about the usual terminology involved with baseball.
- Alley - The area on the outfield between the outfielders.
- Ace - A team's best pitcher who starts the game.
- Around the horn - A double play which moves from the third base to the second then the first.
- Bag - A single base.
- Bandbox - A ballpark which is smaller in size and hence favors hitters.
- Bush - An amateur behavior or play shown by a player.
- Backdoor Slider - A pitch which seems to be outside the strike zone of the hitter, but then suddenly breaks back over the plate.
- Brushback - A pitch which almost hits a batter.
- Baltimore Chop - A ball along the ground which hits the home plate in front and then loops over the infielder's head.
- Bronx Cheer - The time when the crowd starts booing.
- Basket Catch - When a fielder catches the ball around his belt level with his glove.
- Bang Bang Play - A play wherein the base runner strikes the bag a fraction of a second before the ball comes to him.
- Cutter - A fastball with a late break which tends to cut-away.
- Cellar - The last place.
- Can of Corn - When the fielder takes an easy catch.
- Cheese - A very good fastball.
- Caught Looking - When a batsman is declared out on strikes.
- Cycle - When a batter scores a single, double, triple and home run, all in the same match.
- Circus Catch - When a fielder takes a brilliant catch.
- Chin music - A high and in-curving pitch.
- Closer - A team's relieving pitcher who ends the game.
- Dish - A home plate.
- Dinger - Home run.
- Fungo - When a ball is hit to a fielder during practice sessions.
- Fireman - A team's 'closer' who finishes the game.
- Gopher Ball - When a pitch is hit for a home run.
- Gap - Is same as 'alley' and when a ball is hit in the 'gap', it is called 'gapper'.
- Hot Corner - The third base.
- Hill - The mound of a pitcher.
- Heat - An excellent fastball.
- Homer - Home run.
- High and Tight - Called when a pitch is thrown up in the strike zone and towards the inside of the batter.
- Jam - When a pitch is thrown near the batter's hands, he gets 'jammed'.
- Leather - A player who plays good defensively or uses his gloves.
- Moon Shot - A high and huge home run.
- Meatball - A pitch down the middle of the plate which is simple to hit.
- Mendoza Line - A player whose batting average is around 200.
- Nail Down - Used when a relieving pitcher ends the game.
- On the Screws - When the batsman hits the ball very hard.
- Pickle - Used for a rundown.
- Painting the Black - When a pitch passes over the plate's edge.
- Punchout - Strikeout.
- Pick - When an infielder shows excellent defensive play on a ground ball.
- Pea - A ball moving at a very high speed.
- Rope - When a batter throws in a hard line dive.
- Ruthian - Having tremendous power.
- Rhubarb - A scuffle or a fight on field.
- Ribbie - A different way of saying RBI (Run Batted In).
- Run-down - When a baserunner is trapped by fielders while running between bases.
- Rubber Game - The game which will decide the entire series.
- Sweet Spot - The region of the bat only a few inches away from the barrel.
- Set-up Man - A relieving pitcher who participates in the game in the 7th or 8th inning.
- Southpaw - A pitcher who pitches with his left hand.
- Seeing-eye Single - A slow ground ball which makes its way between the fielders for a base hit.
- Shoestring Catch - When a fielder takes a catch just above his shoe top.
- Twin Killing - Double play.
- Tater - Home run.
- Table-setter - A batsman who has to get on base so that other hitters can drive him in.
- Tools of Ignorance - All equipment belonging to a catcher.
- Tape-measure Blast - An enormously long home run.
- Texas Leaguer - A fly-ball which drops between an outfielder and infielder.
- Touch 'em All - When a hitter touches all bases on hitting a home run.
- Utility Player - A player who can be played at many positions.
- Uncle Charlie - A ball which curves.
- Whiff - A Strikeout.
- Wheels - The legs of a ballplayer.
- Wheelhouse - The power zone of a hitter.
- Yakker - A ball that curves.