Baseball Terms

Ace: The pitcher who the team counts on the most, usually   #1 in the rotation.

Balk: When the pitcher makes an illegal move, which is intended to deceive runners on base. The penalty is the runners on base advance to the next.

Ball: Four pitches that are out of the strike zone.

Base on Balls: When there are four pitches outside the strike zone, the batter is awarded first base.

Bases Loaded: When there are runners on all three bases.

Bull Pen: An area in which a pitcher who if getting ready to take the mound warms up his pitching arm.

Battery: A pitcher and catcher together are called the combination.

Batter's Box: Area next to home plate where the batter takes his stance awaiting the pitch

Cellar: The team being in last place.

Change Up: When a pitcher throws a slow-ball pitch intended to make the batter think it’s a fast ball.

Clean-up Hitter: The fourth player up to bat.

Diamond: The baseball field.

Double Play: A play resulting in two outs.

Double: When a batter hits the ball and is able to run from home plate passes first base and stops on second base.

Fair Ball: A hit that stays within the boundaries of first and third base.

Fielder: One of nine defensive players.

Fielder's Choice: When a fielder decides to throw the ball to a base other than the one the batter is running to.

Fly Ball: A ball that is hit in up in the air.

Fork Ball: A ball pitched between the index and middle fingers which usually ends up hit on the ground in the infield.

Foul Ball: A ball that is hit to the right of first base, or to the left of third base.

Grand Slam: A homerun hit with runners on all three bases.

Green Light: When a coach signals to a batter to go ahead and hit and for a base runner to try to advance to another base.

Grounder: A ball hit on the ground landing in the inn, or outfield.

Hit and Run: When the players on any base start to run before the batter hits the attempts to hit the ball.

Hit: The batter landing on any of the three bases with any fielder making an error.

Home Plate: The Triangle where the batters stands to hit the ball and runners much reach to tally a run.

Home Run: When a batter hits the ball over the outfield fence, or passes the three bases and lands on home to score a run with the fielders making any errors.

Infield Fly: A fly ball hit in the infield that is caught.

Infield: The part of a baseball field surrounded by the three bases.

Infielder: A player who is stationed between the bases or possibly on one of them

Intentional Walk: A set-up for forced play in which the batter is delivered four pitches in order to advance to first base.

Knuckle Ball: Holding the ball with the knuckles trying not to have the ball spin.

Line Drive: A ball hit in a straight line directly to a fielder.

Line-up: The team's batting order.

Mound: The hill the pitcher stands on while he pitchers the ball.

No Hitter: A complete game where the pitcher doesn’t not allow any hits.

On Deck: The next batter who will stand in the batter’s box.

Out: What the umpire calls when a batter or base runner for whatever reason cannot advance to the next base; such a player is said to be "retired".

Outfield: The area field that behind first, second and third base.

Perfect Game: When the pitcher does not allow any hits and the fielders don’t commit any errors.

Pinch Hitter: A hitter who stands in for whoever would have been in the batter’s box.

Pinch Runner: A base runner who stands in for whoever should be the runner on any given base.

Pitching Rotation: The pitching order.

Relief Pitcher: The replacement for the starting pitcher.

Rubber: The plate on the mound where the pitchers.

Sacrifice Fly: A fly ball that is caught and a runner on base scores.

Safe: when a runner reaches a base without being called out.

Scoring Position: When a runner is on either second, or third base.

Shortstop: Fielder between second and third base.

Shut Out: When the pitcher, or pitchers don’t all the other team to score any runs.

Signs: Usually secrete hand gestures given by the coach instructing the batter what his next move should be. also, when the catcher singles the pitcher what type of pitch to throw.

Single: A batter hits the ball and lands safely on first base.

Sinker: A pitched fastball going downward.

Spit Ball When the pitcher puts with saliva, or another type of substance that causes the ball, to make sudden moves.

Starter: The pitcher who starts the game.

Strike Out: when the umpire calls three strikes on a batter.

Strike Zone: The area over home plate where the ball must be thrown.

Strike: When a batter swings and misses or the ball is pitched in the strike zone and the batter doesn’t attempt to hit the ball.

Switch-Hitter: A batter able to hit on both sides of the plate; right and left.

Triple Play: Three players are out in one play; pretty rare and exciting to see.

Triple: The batter hits the ball and passes first and second, lands on third without the fielders making an error.

Utility Player: A player who can handle any position.

Walk: Four pitchers out of the strike zone and the batter doesn’t swing. He is allowed to move to first base.

Wild Pitch: A pitch thrown so widely that the catcher has no chance of catching it.