Super Glossary

Ace: A team?€™s best starting pitcher.
Alley: The spaces in the outfield between the right fielder and center fielder (right field alley), or the
Around The Horn: A double play that goes 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
At Bat: The offensive team?€™s turn to bat the ball and score. Each player takes a turn at bat until thr
At Em Ball: A ball hit right at a defensive player.
Backdoor Slider: A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks back over the plate.
Backstop: Fence or wall behind home plate.
Bag: A base.
Balk: An illegal movement by a pitcher. Balks are called for various reasons, typically if a pitcher, with
Ball: A pitch which does not enter the strike zone and is not struck at by the batter.
Baltimore Chop: A manner of hitting by chopping the ball into the ground immediately in front of home plate with the
Bandbox: A baseball field whose dimensions are small and thus favor the hitter.
Bang-Bang Play: A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a split-second before the ball arrives or vice versa.
Base: The four points of the baseball diamond (first through third bases and home plate) that must be touc
Base Coach: A coach who stands by first or third base. The base coaches instruct the batter and base runners wit
Base Hit: A play in which the batter hits the ball in fair territory and reaches at least first base before be
Base Line: The white chalk lines that extend from home plate through first and third base to the outfield and u
Base On Balls: Also commonly referred to as a ?€?walk?€™. When a batter receives four pitches that are out of
Baseball: The baseball?€™s core is made of rubber and cork. Yarn is wound around the rubber and cork centr
Bases Drunk: Bases loaded.
Bases Empty: No runner on the bases.
Bases Loaded: Runners occupy first, second and third base.
Basket Catch: When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near belt level.
Bat: Instrument used by the hitter while batting. In the ABL bats made of aluminium or wood. The bat must
Batter: The offensive player who is currently positioned in the batter's box.
Batters Box: An area marked by white chalk lines on the left and right side of home plate in which a player must
Battery: Term referring to the pitcher and catcher combination.
Batting Average: The number of at-bats divided by the number of hits. A .300 batting average (ex. 180 hits in 600 at-
Batting Order: The offensive line-up of a team that lists the player will bat. The batting order is given to the um
Bazooka: Strong throwing arm. ?€?He's got a bazooka.?€™
Beanball: A pitch that is aimed at the batter, often his head. The pitch is thrown to intimidate hitters or to
Bench Clearer: These often follow a beanball. It'sa fight or brawl on the field that results in both teams coming o
Big Show: The Major Leagues (also, called just ?€?the Show?€™)
Blue: Refers to the umpires (because of their blue uniforms)
Bottom: The second half of an inning.
Box Score: The progression of the game as written in a series of boxes indicating hits, runs, errors and player
Breaking Ball: An off-speed pitch that curves.
Bronx Cheer: When the crowd boos (also known as a Philly Cheer).
Brushback: A ball thrown high and inside by a pitcher for the purpose of pushing him further away from the plat
Bullpen: Area designated for pitchers to warm-up. Generally consists of two mounds and two home plates.
Bunt: Short hit that is executed by letting the ball hit the bat (not swinging). Used to surprise the fiel
Bush League: Lesser minor-league teams in small cities or towns.
Bush-Leaguer: A derogatory term used to identify a low quality, or second rate, ballplayer
Called Game: A game suspended or ended by the umpire.
Can Of Corn: A high, easy-to-catch, fly ball hit to the outfield (also known as a Can of Peas).
Captain Hook: A manager who has a penchant for removing pitchers from the game very quickly.
Catch: The act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firml
Catch Napping: To surprise a less than alert runner with the result that he is picked off or suddenly caught betwee
Catcher: Player positioned behind home plate and responsible for receiving the pitch from the pitcher.
Catchers Box: Area behind home plate in which the catcher must stand until the pitcher delivers the ball.
Caught Looking: When a batter is called out on strikes.
Cellar: A team in last place. Also ?€?basement.?€™
Change Up: A slow-pitch thrown with the exact arm action as a fastball, designed to disrupt the timing of the h
Checked Swing: A partial swing. If the swing has gone more than halfway around, the umpire can rule it a full swing
Cheese: Also ?€?good cheese.?€™ Refers to a good fastball.
Chin Music: A beanball or knockdown pitch that passes close to the batter's jaw.
Choke Up: Where the hitter grips the bat two or three inches above the knob to shorten the bat and give the hi
Circus Catch: A spectacular catch, suggesting the moves of a circus acrobat.
Clean-Up Hitter: Player who hits fourth in the batting order.
Closer: Relief pitcher who specialises in pitching the last few outs of a game. General used to hold a lead
Complete Game: Statistical credit to a starting pitcher for pitching the entire game.
Control Pitcher: Phrase used to describe a pitcher who records less base on balls than most other pitchers.
Count: The number of called balls and strikes on a hitter.
Crackerjack: Term used to describe a first-rate or spectacular player or team.
Cup Of Coffee: Refers to a brief stint in the major leagues.
Curtain Call: The practice of a player coming out of the dugout to acknowledge the call of the fans, usually after
Curve: Pitch that moves down, across, or down and across, depending upon the rotation of the ball.
Cutter: A cut fastball (one with a late break to it).
Cycle: When a player gets at least one single, double, triple and home run in a game (also known as hitting
Defense: The team currently in the field.
Designated Hitter: Player who bats in the pitcher?€™s spot in the line-up. The DH does not have a fielding position
Deuce: The curveball, usually signaled from a catcher to a pitcher by holding down two fingers.
Diamond: The infield playing surface.
Dinger: A home run.
Dish: Home plate.
Donut: Circular shaped weight that slides over the bat. The weight is used when a player is loosening up in
Double: A play in which the batter makes it safely to second base without stopping.
Double Dip: Slang terms for a doubleheader.
Double Header: Two games played in immediate succession.
Double Play: A defensive play in which two offensive players are put out as a result of one continuous action.
Double Switch: A move when the manager removes a pitcher, and in an effort to strategically move the new pitcher?�
Down On The Farm: Refers to a player who is playing for a team?€™s minor league affiliate.
Downtowner: A home run.
Ducks On The Pond: Runners on base
Dugout: Enclosed seating facility reserved for players, substitutes, coaches and other uniformed team member
Dying Quail: A weak bloop hit that drops just in front of the outfielder?€™s reach (also referred to as a Tex
Early Shower: When a pitcher is pulled from the game early for ineffectiveness, he is said to be removed ?€?for
Earned Run: A run scored on a hit, walk or steal, without benefit from a defensive error on the play.
Earned Run Average (ERA): The number of earned runs (runs scored without the benefit of an error) that pitcher allows, multipl
Eephus Pitch: A ball that is thrown with a very high trajectory at a very slow speed. The goal is to throw the hit
Emery Pitch: A pitch that is thrown after the pitcher surreptitiously shaves or cuts the ball with a foreign obje
Error: Defensive mistake that allows a batter to stay at the plate or reach first base, or that advances a
Excuse Me Swing: This occurs when a batter inadvertently makes contact with the ball when trying to check his swing.
Extra Base Hit: A double, triple or home run.
Fair Ball: A legally batted ball that settles on or over fair territory.
Fair Territory: Part of the playing field within, and including the first base and third base lines, from home base
Fall Classic: The World Series.
Fast Ball: A straight pitch thrown by the pitcher as hard as possible.
Fence Buster: A heavy hitter.
Fielder: One of the nine defensive players, including pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third
Fielders Choice: The act of a fielder who handles a fair grounder and, instead of throwing to first base to put out t
Fireman: A team's closer or late-inning relief pitcher.
Five Oclock Hitter: Refers to a hitter who hits well in batting practice but not well in games.
Flash Some Leather: Make a great defensive play.
Fly Ball: A ball which goes high in the air when batted.
Foot In The Bucket: When a batter steps away from home plate on his forward swing, ususally in response to the fear of g
Force Out: An out created when a runner is forced to advance because there is another runner behind them, altho
Force Play: A play in which a runner loses his right to occupy a base when the current batter becomes a runner.
Forfeited Game: A game declared ended by the umpire for violation of the rules, and awarded to the offended team.
Forkball: A pitch thrown by placing the ball between the first two fingers, usually resulting in a sinking bal
Foul Ball: A batted ball that lands on foul territory between home plate and first base or third base, bounds p
Foul Line: Lines extending from home plate through 1st and 3rd base to the outfield fence and perpendicularly u
Foul Territory: That part of the playing field outside the first and third base lines extended to the outfield fence
Foul Territory: Part of the playing field outside the first and third base lines extended to the fence and perpendic
Four Bagger: A term for a home run.
Frame: Another term for an inning.
Free Pass: A base on balls.
Friendly Confines: Descriptive of many home ballparks, but most often used to describe Wrigley Field.
Frozen Rope: A line drive hit so hard by the batsmen that its trajectory is almost completely straight, almost li
Full Count: When a batter has three balls and two strikes against him.
Full House: A 3-2 count.
Fungo: A ball hit to a fielder during practice. It's usually hit by a coach using a ?€?fungo bat,?€™
Fungo Bat: Bat used to hit fungo. Usually longer and thinner than a regular back.
Gap: The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also called alley.
Gapper: A ball hit into the left or right field alley (or gap) that rolls to the wall, and usually affords t
Glass Arm: A sore throwing or pitching arm.
Golden Sombrero: 0 for 4 with 4 strikeouts.
Goose Egg: Refers to a Zero put up on the scoreboard after an inning.
Gopher: A ball hit for a homerun.
Gopher Ball: A pitch destined to be hit for a home run; one that will ?€?go for?€™ a run.
Got Shelled: Refers to a pitcher who is getting hit hard by the offense, surrendering a large number of hits and
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
Ground Ball: A ball hit in the infield by the batter that bounces in the infield.
Ground Rule Double: When a line drive bounces on the field and over the wall in fair territory the hit is scored as a gr
Grounder: A ground ball.
Guess Hitter: A hitter who (sometimes to often) tries to guess what pitch the pitcher is going to throw him given
Heat (Heater): A good fastball.
High And Tight: Referring to a pitch that's up in the strike zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as ?€?up and
High Hard One: Sounds a little dirty but it?€™s not. Refers to a fastball that is thrown high up, or even above
Hill: Pitcher's mound.
Hit: A play in which the batter safely reaches a base after hitting the ball, without aid from a fielding
Hit And Run: Play-action situation in which the batter must swing at the pitch while the base runner attempts to
Hit Em Where They Aint: Rallying cry for batters through the decades since 1897, when Wee Willie Keeler hit .432. Asked how
Home Plate: The fourth station to be reached by the runner. The offensive team is credited with one run every ti
Home Run: A play in which the batter makes it safely around all bases and back to home plate without stopping.
Home Team: The team on whose field the game is played. If the game is played on neutral grounds, the home team
Homer: A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong, four-bagger, four-base knock, moon shot, tape-
Horsehide: Refers to a baseball, which is now made from the material.
Hot Corner: Third base.
Hot Stove League: Is a term used to decribe the rumors, the gossip, the trade talks and the free agency action that ac
In The Hole: The batter scheduled to hit after the hitter who is on deck.
Infield: The diamond-shaped portion of the playing field bordered by the four bases.
Infield Fly: A fair fly ball which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, which first and second, or
Infield Fly Rule: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by
Infielder: Fielder who occupies a position in the infield. Most commonly refers to the first baseman, second ba
Inning: A period of play. There are 9 innings in a regulation game, each team bats in an inning until they r
Intentional Walk: Four balls thrown on purpose to a batter advancing the hitter to first base. Generally, executed whe
Iron Glove: Sloppy fielding; prone to errors.
Jam: When a hitter gets a pitch near his hands, he is ?€?jammed.?€™ Also when a pitcher gets himsel
Journeyman: A player who has played (1) for many years; (2) for many different teams; and (3) often, but not alw
Keystone Sack: Second base.
Knuckle Ball: A pitch thrown by gripping one of the seams on a ball with fingernails and/or knuckles of the forefi
Lawrence Welk: A 1-2-3 double play. This occurs when the bases are loaded and the batter hits a ground ball to the
Leather: Refers to how good a player plays defensively or handles the glove.
Left On Base: Runners stranded on base after three outs.
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
Live Ball Era: This refers to the period of play beginning after the Dead Ball Era ended in 1920.
Lollipop: A soft pitch or weak throw.
Loogy: A mildly derogatory remark for a left-handed specialist, which is a lefty pitcher who often makes li
Lord Charles: A curve ball that breaks from 12 o?€™clock to 6 o?€™clock (top to bottom of the strike zone)
Magic Number: This indicates the sum of the number of games that a first place team must plus the number of games
Meatball: An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle of the plate.
Mendoza Line: Figurative boundary in the batting averages between those batters hitting above and below .215, Mari
Moon Shot: A home run that is hit particularly high and long.
Mop Up Work: This term refers to a relief pitching appearance where the relief pitcher?€™s team is down by an
Mound: Hill the pitcher stands on while pitching.
Mow Em Down: Refers to a pitcher who strikes out a series of hitters in a row.
Mr. Splitee: A split-fingered fastball.
Mustard: Refers to a lot of velocity on a fastball.
Nail Down: As in ?€?nail down a victory.?€™ Refers to a relief pitcher finishing off the game.
Nightcap: The second game of a doubleheader.
No Hitter: A game in which a pitcher does not allow the opposing team to reach a base via a safe hit.
No Room At The Inn: Refers to a situation where the bases are loaded.
Ofer (O-Fer): Refers to a hitter who gets no hits in a game. ?€?Manny Ramirez got the big Ofer today, getting no
Offense: The team currently at bat.
Ol Number One: A fastball. The term comes from the usual signal that a catcher gives to a pitcher for a fastball, w
Olympic Rings: When a player strikes out five times in one game (also known as the Platinum Sombrero).
On Deck: A term used to refer to the next batter up in the inning. This person stands in a designated circula
On His Horse: Phrase commonly used to describe an outfielder running after a fly ball.
On The Interstate: Hitting between .100 and .199. The phrase comes from the fact that Interstate highways often have nu
On The Screws: When a player hits the ball very hard on the barrel of the bat (also referred to as hitting the ball
Out: A declaration by the umpire that a player who is trying for a base is not entitled to that base.
Out In Order: Retiring the first 3 batters in an inning.
Outfield: The portion of the playing field that extends beyond the infield and is bordered by the first and th
Outfielder: A fielder who occupies a position in the outfield, which is the playing field most distance from hom
Outpitch: Refers to a pitcher?€™s best pitch for getting a hitter out, especially in a close game with run
Painting The Black: Pitching the ball on the edge of the plate, which is lined in black rubber.
Passed Ball: A pitch that is not wild which is missed or dropped by the catcher allowing the runner to advance.
Payoff Pitch: A pitch thrown with a full count.
Pea: A ball traveling at high speed, either batted or thrown.
Pepper: Pepper is a common pre-game exercise where one player bunts brisk grounders and line drives to a gro
Perfect Game: A game where a pitcher allows no batter to reach base safely. There have been only fifteen perfect g
Picasso: A control pitcher; one who paints the black.
Pick: A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball. Also a shortened version of ?€?pick-off.?�
Pick Off: An attempt by the pitcher to get a base runner out by throwing to the base from the stretch position
Pickle: When a baserunner is caught in a rundown
Pinch Hitter: A hitter who substitutes in the line-up for a starting player. The original batter can?€™t retur
Pinch Runner: A player entering the game to run for someone already on base.
Pitch: The ball delivered by the pitcher to the batter.
Pitcher: The fielder designated to pitch the ball to the batter.
Pitchers Best Friend: A double play.
Pitching Rotation: The order in which the starting pitchers take turns starting games, usually with three or four days
Pitchout: When a pitch is thrown wide of the strike zone on purpose. A catcher will signal for a pitchout if t
Pivot Man: Another term for a second baseman.
Plate Appearance: The aggregate of a player's at-bats, walks, sacrifice hits (bunts and flies) and hit by pitches.
Platinum Sombrero: When a batter goes 0 for 5 with 5 strikeouts.
Platter: Home plate.
Play By The Book: To play in accord with the conventional wisdom of the game.
Plunked: To get hit by a pitch (also known as pegged, plugged, nailed, or HBP).
Portsider: A left-handed pitcher. The name comes because the ?€?port?€™ is the left side of a ship (when
Pow Wow: A meeting on the playing field, usually involving several players and a coach who has come on to the
Pull Hitter: A batter that generally hits to the same side of the field that he bats. (eg, righthanded pull hitte
Punch-And-Judy: Said of a hitter who tends to hit well-placed but weakly-hit balls for singles. The first reference
Punch-Out: A strikeout
Putout: In scoring, a fielder is credited with a putout if he receives the ball to put out a baserunner or a
Quality Start: A start in which the starting pitcher provides at least six innings pitched and surrenders three or
Quick Hook: Refers to a situation where the manager removes a pitcher in the early innings because the hurler is
Quick Return Pitch: An illegal pitch, made with obvious intent to catch the batter off balance.
Rabbit Ears: Term for an umpire who spends too much time and energy listening to the complaints and catcalls from
Rag Arm: A term for a player (often an outfielder) who has a weak throwing arm.
Rainmaker: A fly ball that is hit very high.
Rally Caps: A term for a superstitious practice among players and fans alike that turn their caps inside out and
Ran Into A Buzz Saw: A term referring to a team who is playing well but loses to a particularly hot pitcher or team.
Relief Pitcher: The pitcher replacing the starting pitcher. The relief pitcher can win, lose, save, or not be involv
Rhubarb: A fight or fracas on the field. Originated by longtime Dodgers and Yankees broadcaster Red Barber.
Ribbie: Another term for an RBI (Run Batted In)
Riding The Pine: Refers to a player who is sitting on the bench, often because he is underperforming.
Right Down Broadway: A pitch that is delivered in the middle of the strike zone.
Right Down The Pipe: A pitch, usually a fastball that is thrown right in the heart of the hitter?€™s strike zone.
Ring Up (Or Rung Up): Refers to a pitcher striking a batter out.
Room Service: Term describing a pitch or batted ball that comes right to a defensive player.
Rope: A hard line drive hit by a batter. Also ?€?frozen rope.?€™
Round Tripper: A home run.
Rubber: A the pitching plate on the mound. The pitcher must have one foot connected to the plate while pitch
Rubber Game: The deciding game of a 3 or 5 game series that is tied 1-1 or 2-2.
Run: The score made by an offensive player who has rounded the bases and returned to home plate.
Run Batter In (RBI): Statistics which shows how often a player has made it possible for his/her team mates to score while
Run Down: A played used by fielders to tag out a runner caught between bases.
Runner: An offensive player who is advancing toward, touching or returning to any base.
Ruthian: With great power.
Sacrifice Bunt: A bunt intended to advance runners at the expense of the batter being put out. The hitless plate app
Sacrifice Fly: Fly ball out that scores a runner from third base.
Safe: A declaration by the umpire that a runner who is trying for a base has not been tagged or forced out
Save: A statistical notation given to a pitcher who effectively maintains his team's lead and finishes a g
Sawed Off: Refers to a situation where a batter swings at an inside pitch and either hits a weak pop-up or brea
Scoring Position: A runner who is on second or third base is said to be in scoring position because, usually, a single
Scroogie: Slang term for a screwball.
Seeing Eye Single: A weakly hit ground ball that is placed strategically (or luckily) between the infielders and reache
Senior Circuit: Refers to the National League, which has been in existence since 1876, as compared to the American l
Set The Table: To get runners on base ahead of the power hitters in the lineup.
Set-Up Man: A relief pitcher who usually enters the game in the 7th or 8th inning.
Shoestring Catch: A catch made by a running fielder just before the ball hits the ground.
Shortstop: Defensive player positioned between second and third bases.
Shut Out: A game in which one team doesn?€™t score any runs.
Side Retired: When the third out of an inning is called, the side is retired.
Signs: 1. Player signals given from the third base coach to the hitter and runner. 2. Hand signals given by
Single: A play in which the batter safely makes it to first base.
Sinker: A fast pitch that breaks downward as it reaches.
Skip Or Skipper: Refers to a team?€™s manager.
Slider: A pitcher that appears to the batter as a fastball until it reaches the plate, then breaks sharply o
Slurve: A slow, big-breaking curve ball
Small Ball Or Playing Small Ball: Refers to an offensive approach where the team uses bunts, walks, infield hits, hit and run plays, s
Snowcone: Common term for when a fielder catches a ball, and a portion of the ball protrudes the end of the gl
Southpaw: A left-handed pitcher. The word was created to describe a lefty because, traditionally, baseball sta
Spit Ball: Illegal pitch which a foreign substance (most commonly spit or grease) is applied to the ball causin
Squeeze Play: A bunt with a runner on third base designed to advance the runner home. The runner on third waits to
Stanza(s): Another term for Inning(s).
Starter: The pitcher who beings the game and pitches until he wins the game or is replaced by a relief pitche
Steal: Attempting to advance a base between pitches without the batter hitting the ball or getting a base o
Stolen Base: Successfully advancing a base between pitches without the batter hitting the ball or getting a base
Strike: A legal pitch when so called by the umpire, which: Is struck at by the batter and missed; Is not str
Strike Out: When a batter swings and misses three pitchers, receives three pitches within the strike zone withou
Strike Zone: An area directly over home plate, from the bottom of the batter's kneecaps to the midpoint between t
Suicide Squeeze Play: A play in which a runner on third breaks toward home on the pitch and the batter?€™s responsibil
Sweet Spot: The part of the bat just a few inches from the barrel.
Swing From The Heels: Refers to a hitter who takes honest healthy full swings at pitches, often in an attempt to get an ex
Switch-Hitter: Player who is able to bat left-handed or right-handed. A switch-hitter will bat from the opposite si
Table Setter: Batter whose job is to get on base for other hitters to drive him in. Usually a leadoff or No. 2 hit
Tag: 1. An action runners must perform before they can advance on a fly ball. Runners must touch the base
Tape-Measure Blast: An extremely long home run.
Tater: A home run.
Texas Leaguer: A poorly hit ball that loops meekly over the infield and lands for a hit.
Throw: The act of propelling the ball toward a given objective, usually a teammate. A pitch is not a throw.
Tools Of Ignorance: The catcher's paraphernalia: shinguards, chest protector, helmet, mask and glove.
Top: The first half of an inning.
Touch Em All: Hitting a home run (touching all the bases).
Triple: A play in which the batter makes it safely to third base without stopping.
Triple Play: A defensive play in which three offensive players are put out as a result of one action.
Twin Killing: A double play.
Two Base Hit: A hit enabling the batter to safely reach second base. Also called a double.
Umpire: The official who judges the legality of individual plays and who otherwise enforces the rules of the
Uncle Charlie: A curve ball
Utility Player: A player who fills in in many positions.
Walk: An award given to the batter after the pitcher delivers 4 balls. If a hitter receives 4 balls during
Warning Track Power: The ability of a batter with enough strength to hit a ball to the warning track, but not enough to h
Wheelhouse: A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high and over the heart of the plate.
Wheels: A ballplayer's legs.
Whiff: For a pitcher to strike out a batter.
Whitewash: To shut out a team.
Wild Pitch: A pitch that eludes the catcher and allows base runners to advance. A scoring decision of a wild pit
Workhorse: Phrase used to describe a pitcher who can pitch a lot of innings.
World Series: The championship series matching the winners of the American League and the National League. The ser
Worm Burner: Batted ball that moves across the ground hard and fast.
Yakker: Curve ball.