Baseball is a sport which has its own language or slang for what is
happening on the field. Here are some popular words or phrases you may
hear around the field this year:
| Ace |
The team's best starter |
| Alley |
The section of the outfield between the outfielders.
Also "gap." |
| Around the horn |
A double play going from third base to second to first. |
| Backdoor Slider |
A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but
then breaks back 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. |
| Bandbox |
A small ballpark that favors hitters. |
| Bang-Bang Play |
A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a split-second
before the ball arrives or vice versa. |
| Basket Catch |
When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near belt
level. |
| Bronx Cheer |
When the crowd boos. |
| Brushback |
A pitch that nearly hits a batter. |
| Bush |
Also "bush league." An amateur play or behavior. |
| Can of Corn |
An easy catch by a fielder. |
| Caught Looking |
When a batter is called out on strikes |
| Cellar |
Last Place. Also "basement". |
| Cheese |
Also "good cheese". Refers to a good fastball. |
| Circus Catch |
An outstanding catch by a fielder. |
| Closer |
A team's relief pitcher who finishes the game. |
| Cutter |
A cut fastball (one with a late break to it). |
| Cycle |
When a batter hits a single, double, triple and home
run in the same game. |
| Dinger |
A home run. |
| Dish |
Home plate. |
| Eephus Pitch |
A trick pitch that resembles a lob with movement. |
| Fireman |
A team's closer or late-inning relief pitcher |
| Fungo |
A ball hit to a fielder during pratice. It is usually
hit by a coach using a "fungo bat " which is
longer and thinner than a normal bat. |
| Gap |
See "alley". A ball hit here is a gapper. |
| Gopher Ball |
A pitch hit for a home run, as in "go for". |
| Heat |
A good fastball. Also "heater". |
| High and Tight |
Referring to a pitch that is up in the strike zone and
inside on a hitter. Also known as "up and in." |
| Hill |
Pitcher's mound. |
| Homer |
A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong,
four-bagger, 4-base knock, moon shot, tape-measure blast
and tater. |
| Hot Corner |
Third base. |
| In The Hole |
The batter after the on-deck batter. |
| Jam |
When a hitter gets a pitch near his hands, he or she
is jammed. Als whe a pitcher gets him or her self into
trouble, he or she is in a "jam." |
| Leather |
Refers to how good a player plays defensively or handles
the glove. Ex: "he flashed some leather on that play." |
| Meatball |
An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle of
teh plate |
| Mendoza Line |
A batting average around .200, named after former major
leaguer Mario Mendoza (who posted a career .215 batting
average in nine seasons). |
| Moon Shot |
A very long, high home run. |
| Nail Down |
As in "nail down a victory." Refers to a relief
pitcher finishing off the game. |
| On The Screws |
When a batter hits the ball hard. Also "on the button." |
| Painting The Black |
When a pitcher throws the ball over the edge of the plate. |
| 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 group of fielders
who are standing about 20 feet away. The fielders try to
throw it back as quickly as possible. The batter hits the
return throw. (Some ballparks ban pepper games because
wild pitches could land in the stands and injure spectators). |
| Pick |
A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball.
Also a shortened version of "pick-off." |
| Pickle |
A rundown. |
| Punchout |
A strikeout. |
| Rhubarb |
A fight or scuffle. |
| Ribbie |
Another way of saying RBI. Also "ribeye." |
| Rope |
A hard line drive hit by a batter. Also "frozen
rope." |
| Rubber Game |
The deciding game of a series. |
| Rundown |
When a baserunner gets caught between bases by the fielders. |
| Ruthian |
With great power. |
| Screwgie |
A screwball, a pitch that breaks to the opposite side
as a curveball. |
| Seeing-eye Single |
A soft ground ball that finds its way between infielders
for a base hit. |
| Set-up Man |
A relief pitcher who usually enters the game in the
7th or 8th inning |
| Shoestring Catch |
A running catch made just above the fielder's shoetops. |
| Southpaw |
A left-handed pitcher |
| Sweet Spot |
The part of the bat just a few inches from the barrel |
| Table Setter |
Batter whose job is to get on base for other hitters
to drive him in. Usually a leadoff or No. 2 hitter |
| Tape-Measure Blast |
An extremely long home run |
| Tater |
A home run |
| Texas Leaguer |
A bloop hit that drops between an infielder and outfielder |
| Touch 'em All |
Hitting a home run (touching all the bases). |
| Twinbill |
Hitting a home run (touching all the bases). |
| Twin Killing |
A double play |
| Uncle Charlie |
Curve ball |
| Utility Player |
A player who fills in at many positions |
| Wheelhouse |
A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high and
over the heart of the plate. |
| Wheels |
A ballplayer's legs |
| Whiff |
Strikeout |
| Yakker |
Curve ball |
