Glossary of baseball terms
This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, along with their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries.
0–9
0
1
The number 1 in baseball refers to the pitcher's position, a shorthand call for throwing to first, a single [|hit], and a [|fastball] sign.1-2-3 inning
1-2-3 [|double play]
1-6-3 double play
2
Catcher gets a "Two!" call for throws to second, a "two-bagger" is a double, and the number 2 signs for a curveball.2–2–2 (2 balls, 2 [|strikes], 2 outs)
20–80 scale
3
The first baseman receives throws with shouts of "Three!", nabs runners attempting triples, and the number 3 might signal a slider from the pitcher.3-2-3 double play
3-6 double play
3-6-1 double play
3-4-3 double play
3-6-3 double play
4
4-6-3 double play
45-foot line
45-degree line
4 wide ones
5
5 hole
5.6 hole
5-4-3 double play
5-4-3 triple play
5-tool player
6
6-4-3 double play
7
7-2, 8-2, or 9-2 double play
8
9
9 to 0
12–6 curveball
30-30 club
40-40 club
50-50 club
55-footer
90 feet
A
A-Ball or Class A
AA
AAA
AAAA player
aboard
ace
advance a runner
ahead in the [|count]
aim the ball
airmail
alabaster blast
alley
ambush
American League (AL)
American League Championship Series (ALCS)
American League Division Series (ALDS)
Annie Oakley
appeal play
Arizona Fall League (AFL)
arm
around the horn
arsonist
ash
aspirin
assist
associate team
asterisk
at 'em ball
[|at bat]
at the letters
ate him up
ate the ball
attack the [|strike] zone
automatic double
automatic ball
automatic strike
away
B
backdoor breaking ball
backstop
back-to-back
backup
bad-ball hitter
bad hop
[|bag]
bail
balk
ball
ball in play
banana stalk
bandbox
bang
banjo hitter
barehand it
[|barrel]
barrel up
base hit
base knock
Baseball Annie
bases loaded
basement
[|baserunner]
basket catch
[|bat]
bat around
bat drop
bat flip
bat the ball
[|batter]
batter-runner
batter's eye
batter's box
battery
battery mates
batting average
batting practice
battle
bazooka
BB
BBCOR
bean
beat out
beat the rap
behind in the count
belt
bench
bench jockey
bender
big as a grapefruit
big fly
big inning
big league
big swing
bigs
bingle
blast
bleachers
bleeder
blistered
block the [|plate]
bloop curve
blooper
blow
blow open
blown save
blowser
blue
bomb
boner
bonus baby
bonus baseball
booted
bottom of the inning
bottom dropped out of it
box
box score
BP
BR
brand new ball game
breaking ball
break one off
break open the game
bring
broken-bat
Bronx Bombers
bronx cheer
browsing
brushback
buck and change
bug on the rug
Bugs Bunny change-up
bullpen
bullpen by committee
bullpen game
bullpen session
bullpenning
bump
bunt
bush league
businessman's special
bust him in
butcher
butcher boy
buzz the tower
C
Cactus League
caddy
call-up
cannon
can of corn
Captain Hook
carve up
cash in
catbird seat
catch up to a fastball
catcher's interference
caught looking
caught napping
cellar
cement mixer
center cut
the chair
challenge the hitter
change the eye level
changeup
charge
charging the mound
chase
chatter
Chavez Ravine
cheap run
check the runner
checked swing
cheddar
cheese
chin music
Chinese home run
chinker
chopper
choke up
chuck
circle
circus catch
clean hit
clean inning
cleanup hitter
clear the bases
climbing the ladder
clinic
closer
close the book
clothesline
clubhouse
clutch
cock-shot
collar
comebacker
command
complete game
complete game shut out
contact hitter
contact pitcher
contact play
control artist
cookie
Cooperstown
corked bat
corners
corner outfielder
cornerman
count
cousin
covering a base
crack of the bat
crackerbox
crackerjack
crafty
crank
crash
crooked number
creature
crossed up
crowd the hitter
crowd the plate
crush the ball
cue the ball
cup of coffee
curveball
cut
cut fastball
cut down on his swing
cut the ball off
cut-off
cut-off man
cycle
D
daisy cutter
dance
dark one
[|dead] arm
dead ball
dead-ball era
dead pull hitter
dead red
deal
decided in the last at bat
deep in the count
defender
defensive efficiency rating
defensive indifference
deliver
designated for assignment
A process that allows a player to be removed from his team's 40-man roster.designated hitter
deuce
deuces wild
DFA
DH
dial long distance
dialed up
Referring to a fastball. "He dialed up that [|pitch]."diamond
die
dig it out
dinged (up)
dinger
dirt-nap
disabled list
dish
diving over the plate
DL
doctoring the ball
dong
dot
- When a pitcher is throwing strikes on the corners of the strike zone, it is said he is dotting the corners.
double
double clutch
double parked
double play
'Roll a bump' is a colloquial east coast slang for turning a 1-6-3 double play or a 1-4-3 double play.double play depth
double steal
double switch
double up
doubleheader
doubles hitter
"down"
down the line
down the middle
down the stretch
DP combo
drag bunt
draw
drawn in
dribbler
drilled
drive
drop
drop ball
drop off the table
dropped third strike
duck snort
ducks on the pond
due
dugout
dump
duster, dust-off pitch
dying quail
E
ERA
early innings
earned run
earned run average
earnie
easy out
eat the ball
Eephus
eject
elephant ear(s)
emergency hack
emergency starter
emery ball
erase
error
- An error is a fielder's misplay which allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases when, in the judgment of the official scorer, that advance could have been prevented by ordinary effort. An error is also charged when a [|fielder] fails to catch a [|foul] [|fly ball] that could have been caught with ordinary effort. The term error can also refer to the play in which an error was committed. Because the pitcher and catcher handle the ball so much, some misplays by them are called a "wild pitch" or a "passed ball", and are not counted as errors.
- SYNONYMS: bobble, blooper, muff, miscue, flub, kick or boot
even count
everyday player
- A position player, as opposed to a pitcher who may play only every few days. Sometimes a talented prospect who is a good pitcher but an outstanding hitter will be encouraged to focus on playing another position and thereby become an everyday player to take advantage of his hitting.
- A position player who's a regular in the starting line-up in virtually every game, as opposed to either:
- * a platoon player who plays only against pitchers of the opposite hand.
- * a substitute who begins most games on the bench or only occasionally starts games to spell the regular starting player at his position. Sometimes these players are referred to as bench players or role players. They may also take on pinch hitting or pinch running assignments.
Evil Empire
excuse me swing
expand the strike zone
expanded roster
extend the arms
extra bases
[|extra innings]
extra frames
extra out
eyewash
F
fall classic
The World Series—the championship series of Major League Baseball, in which the champion of the American League faces off against the champion of the National League. Typically, this series takes place in October, so playing in October is the goal of any major league team. Reggie Jackson's moniker "Mr. October" indicates that he played with great distinction in the World Series for the Yankees. Another Yankee, Derek Jeter, picked up the nickname "Mr. November" after he hit a walk-off home run in Game4 of the 2001 World Series just after midnight local time on November1. By comparison, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's dubbing another of his players "Mr. May" expressed his disappointment with that player's performance in the Fall Classic.The one time the Fall Classic was actually played in the summer was 1918, when the season was curtailed due to World War I and the Series was played in early September.
The first time the Fall Classic extended in to November was in 2001. Jeter's walk-off homer was the first plate appearance in the month of November in MLB history; the 2001 season had been delayed for several days following 9/11, eventually pushing the start of the World Series into the last week of October – and the end of the Series in to November. The 2009, 2010, and 2015–17 World Series would subsequently have games in November.
fall off the table
A pitch is said to "fall off the table" when it starts in the strike zone or appears hittable to the batter and ends low or in the dirt. This term is mainly used for change ups and split-fingered fastballs, and occasionally for an overhand curveball.[|fan]
To "fan" a batter is to strike him out, especially a swinging strike three.fan interference
When a fan or any person not associated with one of the teams alters play in progress, it is fan interference. The ball becomes dead, and the umpire will award any bases or charge any outs that, in his judgment, would have occurred without the interference. This is one of several types of interference calls in baseball.If a fan touches a ball that is out of the field of play, such as a [|pop fly] into the stands, it is not considered to be fan interference even if a defensive player might have [|fielded] the ball successfully. So the infamous case in Game6 of the NLCS in which a Chicago Cubs fan, Steve Bartman, attempted to catch a ball in foul territory thereby possibly preventing Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou from making a circus catch, was not a case of fan interference.
fancy Dan
A fielder who puts an extra flourish on his movements while making a play in hopes of gaining the approval of the spectators. Wilbert Robinson was manager when Al López started out as a catcher in the majors. Robinson watched Lopez' style and finally hollered, "Tell that punk he got two hands to catch with! Never mind the stuff." Lopez went on to eventually surpass Robinson's record of games behind the plate.farm team
A farm team is a team or club whose role it is to provide experience and training for young players, with an expectation that successful players will move to the big leagues at some point. Each Major League Baseball team's organization has a farm system of affiliated farm teams at different minor league baseball levels.fastball
A pitch that is thrown more for high velocity than for [|movement]; it is the most common type of pitch. Also known as smoke, a bullet, a heater, the express, or a hummer.fastball count
A count in which the pitcher would be ordinarily expected to throw a fastball, such as 3–1, 3–2, or 2–1, as fast ball are usually easiest to locate in the strike zone. Occasionally a pitcher will pull the string by throwing an off-speed pitch.fastball happy
When a pitcher relies too much on his fastball, perhaps because his other pitches are not working well for him during that game, he is said to be "fastball happy". This can get a pitcher into trouble if the batters can anticipate that the next pitch will be a fastball. "Andy is at his best when he trusts his breaking stuff and doesn't try to overpower guys. When he gets fastball happy he gets knocked around."fat pitch
A pitch that is located exactly where the hitter is expecting it. The ball may look bigger than it actually is, and the batter may hit it a long way.feed
To throw the ball carefully to another fielder in a way that allows him to make an out. A first-baseman who has just fielded a [|ground ball] will "feed the ball" to the pitcher who is running over from the mound to make the force out at first base. An infielder who has fielded a ground-ball will feed the ball to the player covering second base so the latter can step on the base and quickly throw to first base to complete a double play.fencebuster
A slugger.field
- A baseball field or baseball diamond upon which the game of baseball is played.
- A ballfield, ballpark, or stadium.
- To field the ball is to capture or make a play on a ground ball or to catch a fly ball.
- To take the field means the defensive players are going to their positions, while the other team is on the offense or at bat. "The Reds have taken the field, and Jose Reyes is leading off for the Mets."
fielder
field manager
The head coach of a team is called the manager. He controls team strategy on the field. He sets the line-up and starting pitcher before each game as well as making substitutions throughout the game. In modern baseball the field manager is normally subordinate to the team's general manager , who among other things is responsible for personnel decisions, including hiring and firing the field manager. However, the term manager used without qualification almost always refers to the field manager.fielder's choice
A fielder's choice is the act of a fielder, upon fielding a batted ball, choosing to try to putout a baserunner and allow the batter-runner to advance to first base. Despite reaching first base safely after hitting the ball, the batter is not credited with a hit but would be charged with an at-bat.figger filbert
An old-fashioned and more colorful way of saying "numbers nut" or stathead, for a fan with a near-obsessive interest in the statistics or "figures" of the game. The first "figger filbert" was probably Ernest Lanigan, who was the first historian of the Baseball Hall of Fame and prior to that was one of the first, if not the first, to publish an encyclopedia of baseball stats, in the 1920s. Later statistical analysts were often called sabermetricians.fight off a pitch
When a batter has two strikes on him and gets a pitch he cannot hit cleanly, he may be said to "fight off the pitch" by fouling it off. "Langerhans fought off one 3-2 pitch, then drove the next one to the gap in left-center to bring home the tying and winning runs."filthy
A compliment for a pitcher, especially one who specializes in breaking balls with a lot of movement. Also for a particularly impressive breaking ball, especially one thrown for a third strike. Synonymous with "nasty". Bert Blyleven was an example of a pitcher with an absolutely filthy curveball.find a hole
To get a base hit by hitting the ball between infielders. "The 13th groundball that Zachry allowed found a hole."find his bat
When a batter has been in a [|slump] perhaps for no evident reason, but then starts getting hits, he may be said to have "found his bat". "With the Tigers having found their bats for a night, they reset the series and put themselves in position to all but lock up the AL Central."find his swing
When a batter has experienced a slump, he may take extra practice or instruction to "find his swing". Perhaps he has a hitch in his swing, or his batting stance has changed. Having "lost his swing", now he must "find it". This phrase is also used in golf.find the seats
As if a ball leaving the bat is in search of a place to land, a ball that "finds the seats" is one that leaves the field of play and reaches the stands. It may either be a home run or a foul ball.fireballer
A pitcher who throws extremely high-velocity fastballs, in excess of 95 miles per hour. A flamethrower.fireman
A team's top relief pitcher who is often brought in to end an offensive rally and "put out the fire". The term has been attributed to New York Daily News cartoonist Bruce Stark, who in the 1970s first depicted relievers for the New York Mets and Yankees as firemen coming in to save their teams from danger.fireplug
A player, often one of small stature, who is known for his energy, extroversion, and team spirit – sometimes perhaps more than for his playing ability. "Morgan defied this mold by outworking everybody and employing his moderate athletic gifts to become one of the best all-around players of his era. He hit for power, he hit for average, he stole bases and manufactured runs and he was one of the toughest, smartest defensive second basemen the game has ever seen. He was a relentless fireplug, respected by opposing players and hated by opposing fans."first-ball hitter
A hitter who likes to hit the first pitch in an at bat, especially if the hitter often gets a hit on the first pitch.fisted
When a batter swings at a pitch that is inside and the ball hits the bat close to his fists. "Following the top half of the first, the Bulls offense struck early when junior leftfielder Junior Carlin fisted a pitch back up the middle on a 1–0 count."five and dive
A derogatory term referring to a starting pitcher who is unable to go beyond five innings before wearing out. In the current era in which managers are increasingly aware of the risk of injury to pitchers who have high pitch counts, and in which relief pitching has become a critical part of the game, starters achieve fewer and fewer complete games. Headline: "Vasquez Disputes Five-and-Dive Label".five o'clock hitter
A hitter who hits really well during batting practice, but not so well during games. These were formerly known as "ten o'clock hitters" or "two-o'clock hitters" back when there were no night games.five-tool player
See 5-tool player.FL or F.L.
Abbreviation for Federal League, a major league that existed from 1914 to 1915. This would be the last "third Major League" to come into existence.flag down
To catch or knock down a line drive, as if flagging down a moving vehicle. "Cowens twice went to the warning track in the outfield to flag down drives by Milwaukee hitters."flamethrower
A fireballer.flare
A fly ball hit a short distance into the outfield. "Pudge hit a flare just out of the shortstop's reach."flashing the [|leather]
Making an outstanding or difficult defensive play. A player who regularly makes difficult defensive plays may be described as a "leather flasher". See leather.flip
- The act of a fielder's softly tossing the ball to a teammate covering a base when the two are so close that making a regular overhand throw would waste time and/or unnecessarily risk an inaccurate throw.
- A game played in the bullpen by relief pitchers. There are multiple rules and strategies that can be used.
floater
fluke hit
A base hit that results from a weakly [|batted ball] or one that takes an odd bounce.flutterball
A knuckleball, a floater.fly ball
A ball hit high in the air. See also pop fly, infield fly, and ground ball.fly ball pitcher
A pitcher who tends to induce more fly balls than ground balls. Those pitchers are disadvantageous in that they allow more home runs than any other pitcher.fly out
- An out that results from an outfielder catching a fly ball.
- A batter whose fly ball is caught in the outfield is said to "fly out". "Rodriguez flew out to center fielder Suzuki."
folded
force play
forkball
A type of split-finger fastball or splitter in which the fingers are spread out as far as possible. The ball drops sharply and typically out of the strike zone, maybe even into the dirt.foul ball
A batted ball that settles into foul territory.foul lines
Two straight lines drawn on the ground from home plate to the outfield fence to indicate the boundary between fair territory and foul territory. These are called either the left-field foul line and the right-field foul line, or the third-base foul line and first-base foul line, respectively. The foul poles on the outfield walls are vertical extensions of the foul lines.Despite their names, both the foul lines and the [|foul poles] are in fair territory. Any fly ball that strikes the foul line beyond first or third base is a fair ball.
Note that while the foul lines in baseball are in fair territory, just like the side- and end-lines of a tennis court, in basketball or American football the sidelines are considered out of bounds. In other words, hitting the ball "on the line" is good for the offensive player in baseball and tennis, but stepping on the line is bad for the offensive player in basketball and American football. The situation is slightly different in association football : the sideline and the goal line are inbounds, and the ball is out of play when it has wholly crossed the side 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" is in fair territory and a fly ball that hits the foul pole is considered to be a fair ball.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. It is signalled by the umpire putting his right hand flat in the air and brushing his left hand against it and then using his standard strike call. If the out is not the third out then the ball is alive and in play 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. 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 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, 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.
free baseball
free foot
The pitcher's foot which is not required to be in contact with the pitcher's plate. This foot will correspond with the pitcher's glove hand.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." "But the right-hander reached in her bag of tricks and threw a tantalizing changeup that froze the hitter for the final out."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, and two of a kind : 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
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
gap
gap hitter
gas
gascan
gate receipts
GEDP
general manager
gem
get a good piece of it
getaway day
getaway day lineup
get on one's horse
get good wood
get off the schneid
GIDP
glove
GM
go-ahead run
go deep
go down in order
go quietly
go the distance
go the route
go yard
going bridge
gold glove
golden sombrero
golfing
gone
good eye
good hit, no field
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
Goodbye Mr. Spalding!
goose egg
gopher ball
got a piece of it
got him
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
grand slam
grandstand play
granny
Grapefruit League
great seats
green light
green monster
groove a pitch
ground ball
ground ball with eyes
ground ball pitcher
ground-rule double
ground rules
guess hitter
gun
gun down
gyroball
H
hack
Hall of Fame
Hall of Very Good
hammer
handcuff
handle
hang
happy
hard hands
hardball
hat trick
HBP
head of lettuce
headhunter
heart of the plate
heat
heavy hitter
help his own cause
herky-jerky
hesitation pitch
hidden ball trick
high and tight
high cheese
high hard one
high heat
high let it fly; low let it go
hill
hit
hit a bullet
hit and run
hit away
hit behind the runner
hit by pitch
hit 'em where they ain't
hit for average
hit for the cycle
hit it where the grass don't grow
hit on Christmas Day
hit parade
hit the ball on the screws
hit the deck
hit the dirt
hitch in his swing
hitter
a person who hits a ball with a bat in baseball.hitter's count
hitter's park
hitterish
hold
hold the runner on
hold up on a swing
hole
hole in his glove
hole in his swing
hole in the lineup
home
home cooking
home advantage/home field advantage
home game/home team
home half
home plate
home run
home run derby
home run trot
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.
home stand
home team
homer
hook
hook foul
hopper
horsehide
hose
hot
hot box
hot corner
hot stove league
house by the side of the road
howitzer
human rain delay
humpback liner
hurler
hustle double
I
ice cream cone
I have it. You get it.
immaculate inning
in the batter's eyes
[|infield fly] rule
infielder
inherited runner
in jeopardy
injured list
inning
innings eater
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."
inside baseball
inside pitching
inside the ball
inside-out swing
inside-the-park home run
insurance run
intentional pass/intentional [|walk]
interference
interleague play
Internet baseball awards
interstate
in the books
in the hole
in the (his) kitchen
in play
IO (in and out)
J
J-run
jack
jake
jam
janitor throw
jelly legs
jerk
Judy
juiced
jump
Junior Circuit
junk
junkball pitcher
K
K
keep off the boards
keep the hitter honest
keep the line moving
keystone
kicked
kill
knee-buckler
knock
knuckleball
L
lace
Lady Godiva
LAIM
large sausage
laser show
late innings
laugher
launch
launch angle
launch pad
Lawrence Welk
lay down
lay off
lead
leadoff hitter
leaning
leather
left-handed bat
left-handed hitter
left-handed specialist
left on base
leg out
letter high
lift
lights-out
Linda Ronstadt
line drive
lineup
lineup card
Little League home run
live arm
Live-ball era
live on the corners
lively fastball/life on the ball
load the bases
LOB
locate
lock him up
lollipop
long ball
long ones
long out
long reliever
long strike
LOOGY
look the runner back
looper
Lord Charles
lose a hitter
losing record
losing streak
loss
lost his swing
lost the ball in the sun
loud out
lumber
M
Maddux
Magic number
magic words
major league
make a statement
make the pitcher work
make-up call
make-up game
manager
Manfred man
manufacturing runs
masher
matchsticks
"May I help you?"
meat
meatball
Mendoza line
men in blue
mercy rule
metal bat swing
middle infielders
middle innings
middle of the inning
middle of the order hitter
middle reliever
midnight
miscue
miss some bats
miss some spots
mistake
mitt
mix up pitches
MLB
money pitch
money player
moneyball
moonshot
mop up
morning journal
motor
mound
mound visit
moundsman
movement
mow 'em down
muff
murderer's row
mustard
MVP
N
NA
nail-biter
nailed
nails
neighborhood play
next batter's box
nibble
nickel curve
nightcap
NL or N.L.
NLCS or N.L.C.S.
NLDS or N.L.D.S.
NOBLETIGER
no decision
no-doubter
no-hitter
no man's land
no room at the inn
no-no
northpaw
NRI
nubber
O
obstruction
OBP
O-fer
official game
official scorer
off day
off-speed pitch
off the hook
off the trademark
OFP
ol' number one
Olympic rings
on a line
on-base percentage (OBP)
on deck
one-game wonder
one-hitter
one-hop the wall
one-two-three inning
on his horse
on the black
on the board
on the farm
on the interstate
on the ropes
on the rug
on the throw
opener
opening day
opposite field hit
OPS (On-base Plus Slugging)
ordinary effort
out
out pitch
outfielder
outside corner
overpower the hitter
overshift
overthrow
P
paint
pair of shoes
paper doll cutter
parachute
park
park effects
passed ball
paste
patient hitter
patrol
payback
payoff game
payoff pitch
PCL
pea
pearl
pearod
PECOTA
peeking
peg
pen
pennant race
pepper
percentage points
perfect game
perfect inning
permanently ineligible
PFP
phantom ballplayer
phantom tag
pick it clean
pick me up
pick up the pitch
picket fence
pickle
pickoff
pill
pimping
pinch hitter
pinch runner
pine tar
pink hat
pinpoint control
pitch
pitch around
pitch count
pitch to
pitch to contact
pitch tracking
pitcher
pitcher of record
pitcher's best friend
pitchers' duel
pitcher's mound
pitcher's park
pitcher's plate
pitcher's pitch
pitcher's spot
pitching from behind
pitchout
pivot foot
pivot man
PL or P.L.
place hitter
plate
plate appearance
plate discipline
platinum sombrero
platoon
platter
play
play by the book
player to be named later
players' manager
playing back
playing in
playoffs
plunked
plus
plus pitch
plus plus pitch
plus player
poke
pop
portsider
position
position player
post-season
pound the batter inside
pound the strike zone
powder river
power alleys
power hitter
power outage
power pitcher
power stroke
power surge
pow wow
prep
pro ball
probable pitcher
productive out
projectable
protested game
pull
Punch and Judy
punch out
purpose pitch
push
put a charge on the ball
put a hurt
put away
Q
qualifier
quality at bat
quality start
quick pitch
quiet bats
quiet swing
R
rabbit ears
rag arm
railroad
rain delay
rainbow
rainout
rake
[|rally]
rally cap
range
reach or reached
RBI
RBI situation
receiver
regular season
regulation game
rehab assignment
relay
relief pitcher
reliever
replacement-level player
replacement player
restricted list
retire the batter
retire the runner
retire the side
rhubarb
ribbie, ribeye
rifle
right-handed bat
right-handed hitter
ring him up
rip
RISP
RLSP
road game
road trip
robbed
rocking chair
ROOGY
rookie
roll a pair
room service
rooster tail
rope
roster
rotation
roughed up
roundhouse curveball
round-tripper
rubber
rubber arm
rubber game
run
run on contact
run rule
rundown
rung up
runners at the corners
runners in scoring position
Ruthian
S
sabermetrics
sack
sacrifice bunt
sacrifice fly
safety
safety squeeze
salad
salami
Sally League
sandwich round
save
saw off
scoring position
scratch hit
screaming line drive
screwball
seal the win
seamer
season
seasoning
secondary pitch
secondary lead
seed
seeing-eye ball
send a runner
senior circuit
sent down
sent to the showers
series
serve
set position
set the table
setup man
seventh-inning stretch
shade
shag
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
shift
shine ball
shoestring catch
short hop
short porch
short reliever
short rest
shorten his swing
shorten the game
shot
the show
show bunt
show me
shutout
shuts the door
side retired
sidearmer
sign
single
sinker
sitting on a pitch
situational hitting
skids
skip
sky
skyscraper
slap hitter
slash line
slice foul
slide
slider
slug
slump
slurve
small ball
smoke
snap throw
snicker
snow cone
snowman
soft hands
soft toss
soft tosser
solo home run
sophomore jinx
southpaw
spank
sparkplug
Spider Tack
speed merchant
spike
spitter
split-finger
splits
spoil a pitch
spot starter
spray hitter
spring training
square around
square up
squeeze play
squeeze the zone
squibber
staff
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."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.
- 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.
- 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