Common Baseball Terminologies

Back to the bushes – being sent down to lower league (i.e. majors to minors AAA)
Slash line – a quick view of batter’s statistics (i.e. batting averge/slugging/onbase percentage
Aboard – a runner reaching a base
Ace – the best starting pitcher on a team
ASA – Amateur Softball Association, which currently serves as the National governing body of softball
Appeal – a claim by the team in the field to an umpire that a violation of the rules has taken place
Assist – when a fielder throws the ball to another fielder who makes an out
At Bat – when a hitter appears to face a pitcher
Backstop – a barrier behind home plate to stop the ball if the catcher misses it
Balk – if the pitcher doesn’t pitch after starting his pitching motion

This results in runners being awarded an extra base

Ball – a pitch outside of the strike zone that the hitter doesn’t swing at
Ball Park – a baseball field
Base – the square bags located at each corner of the infield
Base Coaches – the coaches located by first and third bases when their team is hitting
Base Hit – a hit which allows the batter to reach first, second, or third base
Baseman – the fielders assigned to defend bases at first, second, and third
Base on Balls – if the pitcher throws four balls before recording an out or three strikes, the hitter is awarded a free “walk” to first base
Base Paths – the areas between the bases are marked out with dirt

A runner cannot run outside the base paths to avoid a tag

Bases Loaded – when runners are on first, second, and third bases
Batting Around – an inning in which all nine hitters in the lineup appear at the plate without three outs being recorded
Batter – the member of the hitting team currently at the plate
Batter’s Box – the two boxes on either side of home plate

The batter has to stand in one when they try to hit the baseball

ning when the home team is batting

Breaking Ball – a pitch that move into, away from, or suddenly drops as it reaches the hitter (i.e. curveball)
Breaking Up A Double Play – a runner who slides hard into second (or third base) and, in doing so, ruins the chance of their teammate being called out at a different base
Broken Bat – a bat which shatters when the ball is hit

Broken bats are bad; new bats are good

Brush Back Pitch – a pitch thrown “inside” to a hitter, because the hitter is close to the plate
Bullpen – the area where relief pitchers wait and prepare to enter the game
Bunt – an attempt to move runners and/or get on base by using the bat to drop the ball away from fielders in the infield
Called Game – a game ended via umpire decision (ex

because of rain)

Called Strike – a strike to the batter called by the umpire; opposite of a Swinging Strike
Caught Looking – a third strike where the hitter doesn’t even swing
Change Up – a type of pitch that is thrown with the same action as a fastball, but considerably slower
Center field – the middle area of the outfield beyond second base
Check Swing – a hitter’s attempt to start a swing and then stop it before it crosses a certain point where it can be called a swinging strike
Chopper – a ball hit hard into the ground
Clean-Up – the fourth batter in the lineup

Named this because their job is to ‘clean up’ the bases and drive in all runners on base

Climbing the Ladder – a pitcher throwing successive fast balls higher and higher in the strike zone
Closer – the relief pitcher responsible for collecting the final few outs in a game
Coaches – ranging from bench to pitching, this is the staff that helps the manager make key decisions and help players improve
Corked Bat – a bat which has been hollowed out and filled with cork in order to make the bat hit homeruns easier

Illegal in all leagues

Count – the number of balls and strikes against a hitter in an at-bat
Curveball – an off-speed breaking ball pitch that sharply drops at the plate
Cut Off Man – an infielder who takes the outfielder’s throw and relays it to the appropriate base
Dead Ball – a temproary break in play, usually indicated by the umpire
Delivery – the steps a pitcher takes to throw to a hitter
Designated Hitter – a hitter who does not play a defensive position, but hits for the pitcher in certain Leagues
Diamond – the name for the infield, since it’s marked by four bases in the shape of an actual diamond
Dinger – a home run
Disabled List (DL) – when a player is unable to play due to injury, they are placed on this list

Once a player is placed on this list, they cannot return for a certain number of days

Doctoring the Ball – when a pitcher places illegal substances on a ball in order to make it move more
Double Header – when two games are played on the same day
Double Steal – when two runners attempt to steal bases at the same time
Double – a base hit where the hitter ends up on second base
Double Play (DP) – a fielding play where two players on offense are out
Down the Pipe – a pitch thrown in the middle of the strike zone
Drive In a Run – a hit by a batter that brings in a run
Dugout – the area where players, the manager, and coaches are when they’re not in the field
Earned Run – a run given up by a pitcher that was not the result of a defensive error
Earned Run Average (ERA) – the number of earned runs allowed by a pitcher averaged over nine innings
Error – a fielding mistake officially charged against the fielder who made the mistake
Extra Innings – when a score is tied after the completion of nine innings, then the innings it takes to break the tie and determine the winner are extra
Fair – a ball hit by the batter that stays inside the foul lines
Fastball – a hard thrown pitch
Fighting Off a Pitch – when a batter purposefully hits a pitch foul to keep their at-bat alive
Fielder – a player on defense
Fielder’s Choice – when the fielder allows the hitter to reach first base, in order to record an out at another base
Fielding Average – a statistic used to demonstrate a fielder’s efficiency
Fly Ball – a ball hit into the air
Force Out – an out where the runner is put out because they needed to run to a specific base
Fork Ball – a split finger fastball pitch

Usually thrown with no wrist motion and drops at the hitter’s feet

Foul – a ball hit outside of the fair territory
Foul Lines – the lines that extend from homeplate, down the first base line and third base line, and all the way to the outfield wall
Foul Poles – the vertical poles that show where the foul lines meet the outfield wall
Foul Tip – a pitch that tips the bat and lands in the catcher’s mitt

This counts as a strike

Full Count – when the batter’s count is three balls and two strikes
Fungo – long, skinny bats used by coaches for practice drills and pre-game defensive warm-ups
Gapper – a ball hit between outfielders and rolls all the way to the wall
Glove – the glove fielders wear on their non-throwing hand to catch and field the baseball
Going Around – an umpire’s ruling that a batter did not check their swing and a strike should be called
Gopher Ball – a bad pitch that results in a homerun
Grand Slam – a homerun that is hit with the bases loaded
Ground Ball / Grounder – a ball hit on the ground rather than in the air
Ground Out – a recorded out that doesn’t leave the infield when the the ball has struck the ground at some point
Ground Rule Double – When the ball lands fair and bounces out of play, the hitter is automatically awarded second base or not allowed to pass second base
Gunned Down – a runner thrown out at a base

Usually happens when a runner attempts to steal a base

Heater / High Heat – a fastball
Hill – the pitcher’s mound; the area where a pitcher throws
Hit and Run – a play where the runner starts to run to the next base while the hitter swings at the pitch no matter what
Hitting For Average – a hitter who records a lot of hits
Hitting For Power – a hitter who records more extra base hits and homeruns
Hitting For the Cycle – a batter that collects a single, a double, a triple, and a homerun in the same game
Hold – when a relief pitcher inherits the lead and keeps the lead when they leave the game
Holding the Runner – when an infielder stands close to a base to prevent a runner from taking too big of a lead away from the base
Home Plate – the base located in front of the catcher that a runner must touch in order for a run to count
Home Plate Umpire – the umpire behind the catcher who calls balls and strikes
Homerun – a hit over the outfield wall or a hit that allows the hitter to reach home plate

Also called a homer

Home Stand – a series of consecutive games played at a home ballpark
Hop – the bounce of the ball
Hanging Pitch – a pitch intended to have movement, but doesn’t

Thus, making it easier for the hitter to hit

In the Hole – often difficult to field, the area a shortstop defends
ISA – Independent Softball Association
Infield – the area of the field inside the bases and base paths
Infield Fly Rule – the rule that prevents the fielding side from purposefully dropping an easy catch when there are runners on base (Good Explanation video – https://www.mlb.com/news/the-infield-fly-rule-a-history-and-explanation )
Infielder – a defensive player who fields in an around the infield

First base, second base, shortstop, and third base are considered infielders

Innings – Games are divided into innings; nine to be exact

A single inning is when both teams have batted

Inning Ending Play – any play which results in the third out, thus ending the inning
Inside – a pitch thrown on the same side of the plate as the hitter
Inside-the-Park Homerun – a hit where the batter reaches homeplate without the ball going over the outfield wall
Intentional Walk – a base on balls when the pitcher purposefully pitches four balls outside for strategic purposes
Janitor Throws
Juiced – a baseball that has been doctored to give the hitter an advantage

Also, a player that has used steroids

Junking a Game – a game a team has stopped trying to win in an effort to converse assets/players for the next game
K – a strike out
Knuckleball / Knuckler – a pitch thrown with no spin that wobbles as it approaches the hitter; usually very slow
Late Movement – a pitch that deviates away or toward the hitter as it reaches the plate
Lead Off Batter – the very first batter in an inning

Also refers to the batter at the top of a lineup

Left field – the side of the outfield behind shortstop toward third base
Left On Base – a runner(s) still on base when the third out of an inning is recorded
Line Drive – a batted ball hit low and fast in the air
Lineup – the batting order
Lit Up – when a pitcher is giving up a lot of runs and, seemingly, cannot record an out
Long Ball – a homerun
Long Relief – a pitcher who enters a game early because the starting pitcher was ineffective
Major Leagues / Majors – The professional teams and players that make up Major League Baseball rosters
Manager – the coach in charge of the daily duties and in-game decisions of their team
Middle Relief – a relief pitcher who follows the starting pitcher and pitches in the middle innings of a game
Minor Leagues / Minors – the teams and players that make up Major League team farm systems; lower ranked
Mitt – a more heavily padded glove that has four fingers combined into one unit; used primarily by catchers and first basemen
Night Cap – the second game of a doubleheader
No Hitter – a game where the pitcher or a team does not allow a single base hit
Nubber – an accidentally hit baseball that doesn’t travel far
Off the Fists – a pitch that hits high up on the bat near the hitter’s hands
Off the Hook – when a pitcher expects a loss, but whose team scores enough runs to tie the game or take the lead

Thus, allowing the pitcher to not take a loss

Official Scorer – a statistician who records, determines, and decides the scoring and numbers (including errors) of each game
On Base Percentage – a hitter’s walks and hits divided by their plate appearances
On Deck – the hitter who follows the batter currently at the plate

Usually seen in the “On Deck Circle”

One Hopper – a baseball that bounces a single time before being fielded
Open Base – a base with no runner on it
Out – when a player on offense is removed from play due to being tagged, forced, struck, or thrown out
Outfield Wall / Outfield Fence – the wall or fence beyond the outfielders that marks the outer boundary of the field
Outfielder – a fielder who patrols the outfield; usually three outfielders
Outside – a pitch thrown away from the side of the hitter
Painting the Corners – a pitcher that locates their pitches at the edge of the strike zone
Passed Ball – a pitch not caught by the catcher
Pen – a name for the bullpen; where the relief pitchers are during the game
Pennant – the winner of Major League Baseball’s League Championship Series
Perfect Game – a game where the pitcher or team does not allow a single hit or single runner on base the whole game
Pick Off – when a pitcher or catcher catch a runner trying to lead off of a base and tag them out before a base hit or the runner steals a base
Pinch Hitter – a hitter who substitutes for another batter during the game
Pinch Runner – a runner who substitutes for another batter during the game
Pitch – the throw made by a pitcher to the hitter
Pitcher’s Mound – the mound in the center of the infield where a pitcher pitches to batters
Pitcher’s Plate – the plate in the middle of the pitcher’s mound that a pitcher is required to be in contact with while they pitch to hitters
Pitchout – a pitch purposefully thrown away from the plate so the hitter can’t hit it that allows the catcher a better chance of throwing out a runner
Plate – the base at home that a catcher defends and a pitch must throw over
Play at the Plate – a throw to homeplate that will arrive roughly around the same time as a runner trying to score
Play Ball – the call made by the homeplate umpire to start play
Pop Up / Pop Fly – a fly ball; usually in the infield
Power Alleys – the spaces between the outfielders

Hitters attempt to hit in those areas for extra base hits

Power Pitcher – a pitcher who throws a lot of fastballs
Put Out – when a fielder records an out
Rain Delay – when rain causes the game to be temporarily postponed
Rain Out – when rain causes the game to be cancelled
RBI (Runs Batted In) – when a hitter does something to allow a teammate to score a run, the hitter is credited with an RBI
Reliever – any pitcher that enters the game after the starting pitcher
Retire the Side – recording three outs to end an inning
Retire in Order – when three outs are recorded consecutively in an inning
Right field – the side of the outfield behind the second baseman
Road Trip – a series of consecutive games played away from your home ballpark
Rookie – a player in their very first season
Rubber – the pitcher’s plate
Rubber Match – the deciding game of a three game series if the first two games have been split
Rundown – when a runner is caught between bases and is being chased down by fielders to make a tag
Runners on the Corners – when baserunners are at first base and third base
Sacrifice – when a hitter bunts or purposefully records an out in order to advance a teammate to the next base
Sacrifice Fly – when a hitter hits a fly ball (usually to the outfield) that allows their teammate at third base to score a run
Safe – when a runner reaches base without being tagged
Save – when the final pitcher of a game inherits a close lead and finishes the game without the other team tying the game or taking the lead
Scoring Position – when a base runner is on second or third base

Usually a base hit or sacrifice fly can score the runner

Screwball – like a curveball, except the pitch moves toward the hitter
Setup Man – a pitcher who comes in to pitch before the closer
Seventh Inning Stretch – between the top and bottom halves of the seventh inning, the ceremony where all fans are invited to stand up and stretch
Show / The Show – Major League Baseball
Shutout – when a pitcher or team do not allow the other team to score any runs
Single – a base hit which allows the hitter to reach first base
Slide – an attempt to get on base where the runner goes in feet first or head first; usually attempted when stealing a base
Slider – a pitch that drops away from the hitter while simultaneously moving away from the hitter
Slugger – a hitter who collects a lot of extra base hits and/or homeruns
Slugging Percentage – a statistic that measures a batter’s effectiveness at hitting for power
Slump – when a batter struggles to hit over consecutive games
Solo – a homerun hit with no one on base
Southpaw – a left handed pitcher
Split Fingered Fastball – a pitch that looks like a fastball, but slowly dips when it reaches the batter
Squeeze Play – when a hitter bunts and the runner at third attempts to score the run
SSUSA – Senior Softball USA
Steal – when a runner attempts to move from one base to the next without the hitter hitting the baseball
Stopper – a starting pitcher tabbed with ending a team’s losing streak
Stretch – the pitcher’s set position for delivering the pitch to homeplate
Strike – a pitch the umpire decides is in the strike zone or the hitter swings at and misses
Strike Zone – the area an umpire uses to call balls and strikes

Varies between umpires, but usually above the hitter’s knees and below the mid-point of a hitter’s waist and shoulders

And, of course, over homeplate

Strike Out – when a pitcher records an out with three strikes to a hitter
Striking Out the Side – an inning where the pitcher strikes out all three batters faced
Swinging Bunt – a hit where, despite taking a full swing, the batter only hits it a few feet; essentially, having the same effect as a bunt
Swinging Strike – a strike where the hitter swings and misses
Tag – when an out is recorded via a fielder catching the runner and placing their hand or glove with ball on the runner
Tagging Up – when a runner waits for a fly ball to legally be caught before taking off
Taking a Lead – when a runner inches away from a base to make a stolen base attempt easier
Taking a Pitch – when a hitter doesn’t swing at a pitch hoping the umpire will call it a ball
Thrown Away – a relay throw from a fielder which misses its target
Top Half of the Inning – the half inning when the visiting team hits
Triple – a base hit where the batter reaches third base
Unearned Run – a run that only scores because of an error; a run that is not the pitcher’s fault
Walk – when a hitter goes to first base, because “base on balls”
Walk Off – when the home team scores the winning run in the last inning
Warning Track – the track in front of the outfield wall that allows outfielders to know when the wall is close
Whiff – when a hitter swings and misses a pitch
Wild Pitch – when the pitcher throws a pitch the catcher cannot handle
Wind Up – the motion a pitcher takes when throwing to homeplate