Talking Baseball

A single takes the batter to first base.

Source: General baseball reference · recall

A double is a two-base hit.

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Line drives are hit hard on a flat path, often too fast to catch.

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A moonshot is a towering home run.

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Dinger, homer, jack and bomb are all slang for a home run.

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A batter who beats out a slow ground ball in the infield has an infield hit.

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A nubber is a feeble little roller, sometimes good enough for an infield hit.

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One, two, three and four bases.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

Grounders stay on the ground, liners fly low, fly balls go high and pop-ups highest of all.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

A bloop is a weakly hit ball that falls in just beyond the infield.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

A runner on third tags up and scores after the catch; the batter is out but drove him in.

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K has stood for a strikeout since the early days of scorekeeping.

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The batter hits a grounder and is thrown out at a base.

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A double play records two outs on a single play.

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A runner thrown out trying to steal is caught stealing.

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The pitcher or catcher throws behind a runner who has strayed too far from his base.

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A runner who is not forced is put out by being touched with the ball.

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One, two and three outs.

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Four is the second baseman, six the shortstop and three the first baseman.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

A batter who is called out on strikes without swinging has struck out looking.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

A balk is an illegal motion that can deceive runners; they each move up a base.

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A pitch through the zone over home plate is a strike even without a swing.

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A pitch so far off target that the catcher cannot stop it, letting runners move up.

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The changeup fools the batter's timing by arriving later than he expects.

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The heater, gas and cheese are all slang for a fastball.

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Pitches on the edges of the strike zone are the hardest to hit well.

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Relievers take over from the starting pitcher.

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A curveball is usually the slowest, a changeup a little faster and the fastball fastest.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

Three strikes, the last one swinging, and the batter is out.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

The topspin on a curveball makes it dive as it nears the plate.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

An error is charged when a fielder misplays a ball that should have been an out.

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An easy, high fly ball that drops gently into the glove is a can of corn.

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On long hits an infielder lines up to take the outfielder's throw and pass it on.

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A web gem is a highlight-reel catch or stop.

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Calling for the ball tells team-mates to stay clear.

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A fielder whose throw helps put a runner out gets an assist.

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The fielder who catches the ball for the out, or tags the runner, gets the putout.

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A relay through an infielder is faster and more accurate than one long throw.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

Five is the third baseman and three the first baseman.

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Moving fielders towards where a batter usually hits the ball is called a shift.

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'Stand up' tells the runner there is no play, so he can come in standing.

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Taking two bases on a single puts the runner ninety feet from scoring.

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A pinch runner comes in to run for a slower team-mate on base.

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In a double steal two runners go together, often with runners on first and third.

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The runner waits until the catcher or infielders relax, then goes.

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Station to station means advancing a base at a time, with no steals or extra bases.

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Fielders often try to get the lead runner, the one closest to scoring.

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Fielders run the trapped runner back towards the base he came from, then tag him.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

The runner on first draws the throw so the runner on third can score.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

A runner caught between bases is in a rundown, also called a pickle.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

The count is always balls first, then strikes.

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At 3-2 the next pitch decides: ball four, strike three, or a ball in play.

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Ahead in the count, the batter can wait for a pitch he likes.

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0-2 is the pitcher's best count.

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Each batter starts with no balls and no strikes.

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A foul ball cannot be strike three, unless it is a bunt or a caught foul tip.

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Taking a pitch means not swinging at it.

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Two strikes favour the pitcher; more balls than strikes favour the batter.

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Balls first, then strikes, after each pitch.

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Umpires show the count with balls on the left hand and strikes on the right.

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A team's bullpen is both the warm-up area and its staff of relievers.

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The general manager is in charge of the roster; the manager runs the games.

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Starters take turns, usually five of them in the major leagues.

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A utility player fills in wherever the team needs him.

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Rookies are first-year players.

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Bench players come in as pinch hitters, runners and defensive substitutes.

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The farm system is where a club develops its young players.

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The organisation includes the minors; the roster includes the bench; the line-up is the nine starters.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

Players move between the minors and the majors as they struggle or improve.

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In baseball the manager is the head coach who runs the team in games.

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Second base is the keystone, and the two middle infielders turn double plays around it.

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Bleachers are bench seats, usually in the outfield, named for being bleached by the sun.

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The pitcher and catcher who work together are called the battery.

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A plain dark area behind centre field helps batters see the ball out of the pitcher's hand.

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The ivy on the brick walls of Chicago's Wrigley Field was planted in 1937.

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First and third basemen are the corner infielders.

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Players often shorten bullpen to 'pen'.

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The best and dearest seats are behind the plate; the bleachers are far out.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

Second base, then the grass, the warning track and the dark backdrop.

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Fenway Park's left field wall, about 37 feet high, is the Green Monster.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

AB counts a batter's official times at bat.

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HR is the home run column.

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The E column shows each team's errors.

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LOB counts runners stranded on base at the end of innings.

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H is the number of base hits.

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Earned run average shows how many earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings.

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SB counts stolen bases.

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At-bats, runs, hits and runs batted in come first in most box scores.

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Innings, hits, runs, earned runs, walks and strikeouts.

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Many fans keep score with a scorecard and pencil, recording each play.

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To touch base is to check in with someone.

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Something out of left field comes as a surprise.

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Stepping up to the plate means accepting a challenge.

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A ballpark figure is close enough, not exact.

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The phrase means a third failure ends your chances.

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Rain checks were tickets for a game rained out; now the phrase means postponing an offer.

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Covering all the bases means leaving nothing to chance.

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Striking out is failing, first base is a start, a home run is complete success.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

Getting to first is a start, rounding third is nearly there, bringing it home is finishing.

Source: General baseball reference · applied

To hit it out of the park is to do something brilliantly.

Source: General baseball reference · applied