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Baseball Terms
ACE
A team's best starting
pitcher.ALLEY
The section of the
outfield between the outfielders. Also called the
gap.
AROUND THE HORN
A double play going
from third base to second base to first base.
ASSIST
Help from a fielder in
putting an offensive player out. A fielder is credited with
an assist when he throws a baserunner or hitter out at a
base.
AT
BAT
The offensive team’s
turn to bat the ball and score. Each player takes a turn at
bat until three outs are made. Each Batter’s opportunity at
the plate is scored as an "at bat" for him
BACKDOOR SLIDER
A pitch that appears
to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks over the
plate.
BAG
A base.
BALTIMORE CHOP
A ground ball that hits in front of home plate (or off
of it) and takes a large hop over the infielder's head.
BATTERY Term
referring to the pitcher and catcher combination.
BOX SCORE The progression of the game as written
in a series of boxes indicating hits, runs, errors and
player substitutions of each inning played.
BREAKING BALL
An off-speed pitch that curves.
BRONX
CHEER
When the crowd boos.
BRUSHBACK
A pitch that nearly
hits the batter.
CALLED GAME A
game suspended or ended by the umpire.
CAN
OF CORN
An easy catch by the
fielder.
CAUGHT LOOKING
When a batter is
called out on strikes.
CELLAR
The team in last
place is considered “in the cellar”
CHANGE UP
A slow-pitch thrown with the exact arm action as a
fastball, designed to disrupt the timing of the hitter.
CHECKED SWING
A partial swing. If the swing has gone more than halfway
around, the umpire can rule it a full swing, or strike.
CHEESE
A good fastball.
CHIN
MUSIC
A pitch that is high
and inside.
CIRCUS CATCH
An outstanding catch
by a fielder.
CLEAN-UP HITTER
Player who hits fourth in the batting order.
CLOSER
Relief pitcher who specializes in pitching the last few
outs of a game.
COMPLETE GAME
Statistical credit to a starting pitcher for pitching the
entire game.
COUNT
The number of called balls and strikes on a hitter.
CURVE
Pitch that moves down, across, or down and across,
depending upon the rotation of the ball.
CUTTER (CUT FASTBALL)
A fastball with a late
break on it.
CYCLE
When a batter hits a
single, double, triple and homerun in the same game.
DESIGNATED HITTER
Player who bats in the pitcher’s spot in the line-up. The
DH does not have a fielding position.
DINGER
A homerun.
DONUT
Circular shaped weight that slides over the bat. The weight
is used when a player is loosening up in the on deck
circle.
DOUBLE
A hit that enables a batter to reach second base.
DOUBLEHEADER
Two games played back to back by the same teams.
DOUBLE PLAY
Any defensive play that results in two base runners being
called out.
EARNED RUN
A run scored on a hit, walk or steal, without benefit from
a defensive error on the play.
ERROR
Defensive mistake that allows a batter to stay at the plate
or reach first base, or that advances a base runner.
FAST
BALL
A straight pitch thrown by the pitcher as hard as possible.
FAIR
TERRITORY
Part of the playing field within, and including the first
base and third base lines, from home base to the bottom of
the playing field fence and perpendicular upwards. All foul
lines are in the fair territory.
FIELDER’S CHOICE
Term used when a
fielder can chose among base runners or throw or tag out.
FIREMAN
A team's closer.
FLY
BALL
Batted ball that goes high in the air in flights.
FORCE
OUT
An out created when a runner is forced to advance because
there is another runner behind them, although they will be
thrown or tagged out. The defensive player needs only to
touch the base being approached by the runner with the ball
in hand to record the out.
FORKBALL
A pitch thrown by placing the ball between the first two
fingers, usually resulting in a sinking ball.
FOUL
BALL
A ball that lands outside the first or third base foul
lines.
FOUL
LINE
Lines extending from home plate through 1st and 3rd base to
the outfield fence and perpendicularly upwards. These lines
are considered in play.
FOUL
TERRITORY
Part of the playing field outside the first and third base
lines extended to the fence and perpendicularly upwards.
FUNGO
A ball hit to a
fielder during practice.
GAP
The section of the
outfield between the outfielders. Also called
alley.
GOPHER
A ball hit for a
homerun.
GRAND
SLAM
A home run that is hit with a runner on every base. This
hit scores 4 runs.
GREEN
LIGHT
Signal from the coach to hit the next good pitch, or a
signal to a base runner that gives the runner the authority
to decide when to attempt a steal.
HEAT
(HEATER)
A good fastball.
HIT
AND RUN
Play-action situation in which the batter must swing at the
pitch while the base runner attempts to steal the base.
HOME
RUN
A ball hit out of the playing field in fair territory. A
home run scores the batter and any base runners.
HOT
CORNER
Third base.
INTENTIONAL WALK
Four balls thrown on purpose to a batter advancing the
hitter to first base. Generally, executed when 1st base is
empty to set-up a force play.
KNUCKLE BALL
A pitch thrown by gripping one of the seams on a ball with
fingernails and/or knuckles of the forefinger and middle
finger with the thumb another fingers underneath the ball.
The ball is pushed out of the hand by the two fingers to
keep the ball from rotating, causing the ball to move in an
unpredictable manner.
LINE
DRIVE
A ball hit in the air at a low projectory directly to a
fielder or through the infield.
LINE-UP
A team’s batting order and fielding positions
MENDOZA LINE
A batting average of
around .200. Named after Pirate shortstop Mario Mendoza.
MOUND
Hill the pitcher stands on while pitching.
NO
HITTER
A game in which a pitcher does not allow the opposing team
to reach a base via a safe hit.
ON
DECK
A term used to refer to the next batter up in the inning.
This person stands in a designated circular area and warms
up before batting.
OUT
IN ORDER
Retiring the first 3 batters in an inning.
OUTFIELD
Area between the back edge of the infield and home run
fence.
OUTFIELDER
A fielder who occupies a position in the outfield, which is
the playing field most distance from home base.
PASSED BALL
A pitched ball missed by the catcher, allowing a runner to
advance.
PERFECT GAME
A game in which a pitcher does not allow any batter of the
opposing team to reach base.
PICK
OFF
An attempt by the pitcher to get a base runner out by
throwing to the base from the stretch position.
PINCH
HITTER
A hitter who substitutes in the line-up for a starting
player. The original batter can’t return to the game, so
the pinch hitter or a third person takes over the defensive
position as well.
PINCH
RUNNER
A player entering the game to run for someone already on
base.
PITCHOUT
When a pitch is thrown wide of the strike zone on purpose.
A catcher will signal for a pitchout if they think that a
runner is trying to steal.
PITCHING ROTATION
The order in which the starting pitchers take turns
starting games, usually with three or four days rest
between starts.
PULL
HITTER
A batter that generally hits to the same side of the field
that he bats. (eg, righthanded pull hitter hits to the left
side of the field).
PUTOUT
In scoring, a fielder is credited with a putout if he
receives the ball to put out a baserunner or a hitter.
RELIEF PITCHER
The pitcher replacing the starting pitcher. The relief
pitcher can win, lose, save, or not be involved in the
game’s final score.
RUBBER
A the pitching plate on the mound. The pitcher must have
one foot connected to the plate while pitching to the
batter. The rubber is located 60’ 6" (19.5 meters) from
home plate.
RUN
Score obtained when a base runner safely crosses home
plate.
RUN
DOWN
A played used by fielders to tag out a runner caught
between bases.
RUN
BATTER IN (RBI)
Statistics which shows how often a player has made it
possible for his/her team mates to score while at bat. A
player who has 30 RBI’s has caused 30 runs to be score. A
batter is not credited with an RBI if he hits into a double
play or if the run is scored because of an error.
RUNNER
An offensive player who is advancing toward, touching, or
returning to any base.
SACRIFICE BUNT
A bunt designed to advance a runner although the batter
will be thrown out.
SACRIFICE FLY
Fly ball out that scores a runner from third base.
SAVE
A relief pitcher can be credited with a save if they can
keep the team’s lead while the opponent’s tying or winning
runs are on base, or if they pitch 3 or more innings
without allowing the opponents to tie the game.
SCORING POSITION
Runner on second or third base.
SHORTSTOP
Defensive player positioned between second and third bases.
SHUT
OUT
A game in which one team doesn’t score any runs.
SINKER
A fast pitch that breaks downward as it reaches.
SLIDER
A pitcher that appears to the batter as a fastball until it
reaches the plate, then breaks sharply on a level plane.
The ball is held similarly to the curveball, but the wrist
is kept straight, like a fastball, and broken downward.
SPIT
BALL
Illegal pitch which a foreign substance (most commonly spit
or grease) is applied to the ball causing it to react in an
unpredictable manner.
STARTER
The pitcher who beings the game and pitches until he wins
the game or is replaced by a relief pitcher.
STEAL
Attempting to advance a base between pitches without the
batter hitting the ball or getting a base on balls.
STOLEN BASE
Successfully advancing
a base between pitches without the batter hitting the ball
or getting a base on balls.
STRIKE ZONE
The area over home plate between the batter’s armpits and
knees when the batter is positioned to swing. Any pitch
that is delivered through this area is called a strike.
SUICIDE SQUEEZE PLAY
A play in which a runner on third breaks toward home on the
pitch and the batter’s responsibility is to bunt the ball
allowing the runner to score.
SWITCH-HITTER
Player who is able to bat left-handed or right-handed. A
switch-hitter will bat from the opposite side in which the
pitchers throws.
TAG
1. An action runners must perform before they can advance
on a fly ball. Runners must touch the base they occupy
after the ball is caught before they can try to advance.
Runners can leave their base before a ball it hit, but must
return and touch the base if the ball is caught. 2. An
action executed when a defensive player touches a runner
with the ball in an attempt to get them out.
TATER
A homerun.
TEXAS
LEAGUER
A bloop hit that drops
between the infielder and outfielder.
TRIPLE PLAY
A defensive play that records 3 outs.
UNCLE
CHARLIE
A curve ball
UTILITY PLAYER
A player who fills in
in many positions.
WHEELHOUSE
A hitters power zone.
WHIFF
A strike out.
WILD
PITCH
A pitch so far from the strike zone that the catcher cannot
catch or block it, permitting any base runner to advance a
base.
YAKKER
A curve ball.
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