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0-9
1 - It has three different meanings:
- Official scorekeepers allocate a number from one to nine to each position on the field in order to record the result of each play in their own shorthand.
- The 1 number communicates to the pitcher. Shouting "One!" indicates that the ball must be thrown to the initial base.
- In the perspective of pitching, the number 1 is a general sign (and nickname) for the fastball.
1-2-3 inning - An inning wherein a pitcher faces only 3 batters and no one among them safely reaches a base. "3 up, 3 down."
1-2-3 double play - A double play wherein the pitcher (1) fields a batted ball and throws home to the catcher (2), who usually retires a runner progressing from third. After that, the catcher throws to the first baseman (3) to force out the batter.
1-6-3 double play - The pitcher (1) fields a batted ball and throws to the shortstop (6) to force out a runner advancing to second. The shortstop then throws to the first baseman (3) to force out the batter.
2 - It has three different meanings: In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the catcher. Shouting "Two!" indicates that the ball must be thrown to 2nd base. A "2-bagger" is a double.
2–2–2 (2 balls, 2 strikes, 2 outs) - During any inning, when a batter faces a two-two count with two outs, lots of silly players will rub the side of the bill of their hat with two fingers until the pitcher releases the pitch. More commonly observe in baseball playing in college and high school.
3 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the first baseman. Shouting "Three!" indicating that the ball must be thrown to third base. The number 3 is also a usually sign for a changeup, slider, changeup, or other pitch.
3-2-3 double play - A relatively unusual double play wherein the first baseman (3) fields a batted ball and throws to the catcher (2) to retire a runner progressing from third. The catcher (2) then throws back to the first baseman (3) to retire the batter-runner. The scorekeeper formulates an entry that the runner at third base was retired "3-2", and the batter-runner was retired "3-2-3".
3-6 double play - In baseball, the 9 field positions are marked with the number equivalent to the position. The 3 denotes the first baseman covering the first base, while between the second and third base there is a shortstop known as the 6 as it is the 6th position in a baseball field. So generally, the 3-6 double play is a play from the 3 i.e. the first baseman to the 6 i.e. the shortstop, hence called the double play.
3-6-1 double play - This is a general way of executing a double play in baseball where the 3 i.e. first baseman fields the ball and throws down to the 6 i.e. the shortstop for the force out at 2nd base. After that, the shortstop throws the ball back to 3 i.e. first base where the 1 i.e. pitcher covering the base for the last force out
3-4-3 double play - It is carried out by infielders. The key players include the first baseman and the second baseman, and their aim is to force out the batter and a runner in single constant play. This play starts with the first baseman (3), then passes on to the second baseman (4), and then back to the first baseman (3) to retire the batter and the runner. That’s why it’s called the 3-4-3 double play.
3-6-3 double play - This play takes place when a ground ball is a strike to the first baseman. The 3 (first baseman) catches the ball and quickly throws it to the 6 (the shortstop) who is covering the bag in the base to force out the runner charging for the second base. The 4 immediately throws back the ball to the 3 (first baseman), while the 3 (first baseman) steps on the bag.
4 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the second baseman. Also shouting "Four!" denotes the ball must be thrown to home plate. Also, a "four-bagger" is considered as a home run.
4-6-3 double play - In this way of a double play, the ball is fielded by the 4 (second baseman) who then throws it to the 6 (second shortstop) who steps on the 2B (second base) bag for the initial force out. After that, the 4 (second baseman) throws it to the 3 (first baseman) for the last force out to end the double play.
45-foot line - One of the rules in baseball is that if a batter-runner is down the way of a throw somewhere close to the home plate and is in the outside area made by the baseline and the 45-foot line, the player made a violation if the referee believes the player obstructed the play. The 45-foot line generally denotes the line between the first base and the home plate. This line begins from 45 feet down the line in the first base and broadens past the first base. The batter-runner has to be within the line to keep away from committing interference.
4 wide ones - Refers to the 4 consecutive pitches intentionally wide of the strike zone.
5 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the third baseman.
5 hole - Refers to the region between the shortstop and the third baseman. Also known as the 5-6 hole.
5.5 hole - Refers to the space between the 5 (third baseman) and 6 (shortstop).
5-4-3 double play - Also called “around the horn.” In this play, the third baseman or 5 catches a ball and throws it to the second baseman or 4 to efficiently stop a runner from traveling from first base and advancing to the second. The second baseman or 4 then throws the ball immediately to the first baseman or 3 for forcing out of the play to the batter.
5-tool player - Refers to the unusual player having all the necessary skills to play the game in all the positions. That means he is the one who can hit for power and has an excellent batting average; also he can sprint fast from base to base; even he is capable to throw the ball hard and effectively with great fielding ability. This player has all five “tools” that make him a potential superstar on the field.
6 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the shortstop.
6-4-3 double play - In this play, the 6 or shortstop fields a batted ball and throws to the 4 or second baseman, who forces out a runner progressing from first and then throws to the 3 or first baseman to force out the batter.
7 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the left-fielder.
7-2, 8-2, or 9-2 double play - In this play, an outfielder catches a fly ball, and the catcher tags out a runner who is trying to tag up and score from third base. The left-fielder (7), the center fielder (8), the catcher (2), and a right-fielder (9) are generally involved in this play.
8 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the centerfielder.
9 - In scorekeeping shorthand, it refers to the right-fielder.
9 to 0 - Referring to an event in Baseball, where the matches are forfeited. This takes place rarely, where a team had intentionally forfeited the match. In the Major League Baseball Rule Book, the 9-0 score will be recorded to equate the inning of the match.
12 TO 6 - It is usually considered to be the toughest curveball to hit as it has a pointed downward trajectory and slowed pace after the break.
30-30 club - This term is used for a player who strikes 30 home runs and steals 30 bases in one season.
40-40 club - This term is used for a player who strikes 40 home runs and steals 40 bases in one season.
55-footer - A pejorative phrase for a pitch, which bounces short of the 60 1⁄2 feet between the plate and the pitching rubber.
90 feet - It denotes the distance from the first base to the second base, also the second base to the third base, and the third base to the home plate, which means these four bases are similar, where the players can sprint from one base to another.
A
A-Ball or single-A - Refers to the lowest grouping of new affiliated minor league baseball, with sub-categories of "High-A" and "Low-A". AA - In minor league baseball, it is the second-highest level, just below AAA. "AA" stands for the American Association, representing the name of various professional baseball leagues. AAA - In minor league baseball, AAA is the highest level.
AAAA player - Slang phrase used for a player, who is excellent in the Minors, but terrible in the majors.
Aboard - This term is used when a runner reaches base without any harm or difficulty. If multiple runners reach base safely, then it is considered as “runners aboard”.
Ace - Refers to a No. 1 pitcher of the team, generally, refers to an elite pitcher. Thus, a team that has multiple elite pitchers is known to have more than 1 ace.
Advance a runner - Another term for describing Bass Running in Baseball i.e. how players can run from one base to another. Base Running is a prominent strategy of the game wherein the aim of the player is to reach the home base to score.
Ahead in the count - This phrase describes a positive situation for the pitcher or batters with regard to the count. The batter is considered to be ahead If he has more balls than strikes in the count
Aim the ball - Occasionally when a pitcher makes effort very carefully to control the spot of a pitch, he is said to "aim the ball" rather than throwing it.
Airmail - Unintentionally throwing the ball well over the head of the fielder where that fielder is not able to make a play on the ball.
Alabaster blast - This phrase is used to describe how the ground ball strikes the home plate and quickly took a big hop over the infielders.
Alley - Refers to the space between the centerfielder and the left-fielder, or the centerfielder or the right-fielder. Also called gap or power alley.
American League (AL) - Refers to the junior league of the 2 existing Major Leagues.
American League Championship Series (ALCS) - The American League winner is decided through the best-of-seven series called the American League Championship Series (ALCS). The winners usually advance in the World Series and become ready to play against the National League Championship Series (NLCS) winner. Generally, the 2-3-2 format is applied in the ALCS playoffs.
American League Division Series (ALDS) - The winners that advance into the ALCS (American League Championship Series) in Major League Baseball is decided by the winner of the ALDS (American League Division Series). The best-of-five, 2-2-1 format is followed in the series.
Annie Oakley - Giving a free ticket to attend a first base or a ballgame.
Appeal play - A play wherein the defense has a great chance to get a favorable ruling from an umpire by pointing out a mistake by the offense or taking the input of another umpire.
Arizona Fall League (AFL) - One of the popular baseball events that usually takes place during the autumn season in Arizona. This is an off-season version of the Major League Baseball in Arizona, generally started in August and played between six different baseball complexes. In this annual event, the state should decide which players can progress to Major League Baseball. Most of the players during AFL are Double and Triple-A players, who exude quality in gameplay, yet not tough enough to progress to the next level.
Arm - Refers to a metonym for a pitcher
Around the horn - Refers to a ground-ball double or triple play, which begins with the 3rd baseman and includes a throw to 2nd followed by a throw to 1st. It can even use to describe when the infielders toss the ball to one another following an out that has no men on base. After a hit-out with no one on base, the catcher usually begins the "around-the-horn" exercise by throwing the ball to the 3rd baseman.
Arsonist - Refers to an ineffective relief pitcher who usually arrives into the game without a base but proceeds to give up numerous runs. The reverse of a fireman.
Ash - The conventional term used to refer to a baseball bat, generally made of wood from an ash tree.
Aspirin - Slang term used for a fastball, which is mainly hard to hit because of its velocity or movement, in relation to the complexity of making contact with something very small like an aspirin tablet.
Assist - An assist is given to a fielder who touches the ball ahead of a putout recorded by another fielder. Usually, assists are given to fielders when they throw the ball to another player -- but a fielder gets an assist only if he touches the ball, though the contact was not deliberate.
Asterisk - This term is used for describing how a record or an accomplishment that became spoiled in various ways.
at 'em ball - Slang used for a ball batted straight at a defender. Also called "atom ball".
at-bat - This term is used for describing a turn of batter against the opposing pitcher. This takes place when the batter merited an at-bat turn if their plate looks are not affected by particular tactics, such as batting average and slugging percentage.
at the letters - A pitch, which crosses the plate at the height of the letters of the name of the team on the batter's jersey is said to be "at the letters", "letter-high" or "chest-high".
ate him up - Slang phrase of the action of a batted ball, which is not easy for a fielder to handle.
ate the ball - This relates to the act of fielding a batted ball cleanly and rather than throwing to a base to retire a runner, the fielder generally holds onto the ball.
attack the strike zone - Slang expression used for describing how the player had forcefully thrown the pitch, instead of deceiving the hitter into swinging.
automatic double - A batted ball, which bounces in fair territory and leaves play, usually above a fence or other boundary exterior of the playing field. The player striking the ball and any runners present on base at the time of the strike are awarded 2 bases.
automatic strike - A strike is considered "automatic" when the pitcher grooves a strike–usually on a 3-0 count–with great confidence that the batter takes the pitch with no swinging at it.
Away - This term is used in three different ways: Being "away" means pitching outside the strike zone, on the reverse side of the plate as the batter. Also used as slang for outs. Playing games on the home field of an opponent are called "away games" and the visiting team is considered as the "away" team.
B
Backdoor breaking ball - A kind of an off-speed breaking pitch, which follows a lateral path in the direction of the catcher. It is thrown to look as if it is heading outer side the strike zone or headed “back door”, crossing above the corner of the plate.
Backstop - This term refers to the fence placed behind home plate, which is designed to prevent spectators from hard pitches or foul balls and sometimes even refers to "back stopper".
Back-to-back - When two following batters strike home runs, they are said to hit back-to-back homers.
Bad-ball hitter - A batter who excellently strikes pitches, which are outside the strike zone.
Bad hop - A ball, which bounces before an infielder in an unpredicted way, usually due to a flaw in the field or the spin on the ball.
Bag - Refers to bases, generally, four bases or plates make up the playing field of baseball. Players have to sprint around these bags, and a hitter can only get a home run after touching all 4 bags. Therefore, a two-base hit known as a two-bagger, and a three-base hit a three-bagger.
Bail - Often known as Bail Out or Hit the Dirt, is a technical phrase used for describing how the batter looks the pitch moves towards his head. It could even mean how the fielders are bailing out by sprinting into each other because of chasing the fly ball.
Balk - It takes place a pitcher makes an illicit motion on the mound, which the umpire considers to be deceitful to the runner(s). Consequently, any men on base are given the next base, and the pitch is overshoot for a dead ball.
Ball - A pitch, which misses the strike zone and is not move backward and forward by the batter.
Ball in play - Used to determine the ability of pitchers independently of the team’s fielding defense.
Baltimore chop - A chopper, which takes a sky-scraping bounce near home plate, permitting the runner to reach first safely.
Banana stalk - A bat prepared with a lower, inferior-quality of wood.
Bandbox - A ballpark having small dimensions, which encourages offense, particularly home runs.
Bang - This term is used to describe a closer call out from the umpire. Simultaneously, it even means postponing a scheduled game due to unforeseen events.
Banjo hitter - A batter who doesn’t have great power.
Barehand it - Fielder catching a ball without having gloves on hand.
Barrel - An advanced metric, which calculates the times a batter strikes the ball at precise launch angles with precise exit velocities. Barrels are usually produced hits, especially extra-base hits, as compare to non-barrels.
Barrel up - Refers to striking a pitch hard with the best spot of the baseball bat
Base hit - One of the technical terms used to give credit to the batter when he successfully passes the ball into the best spot.
Base knock - Another phrase for a base hit. If there are multiple base-hit, we can add the number of bases before the term.
Baseball Annie - A female groupie having sexual relations with baseball players.
Bases loaded - A baseball phrase which means runners on first, second, and third base.
Basement - Refers to the team in the last place or bottom of the standings.
Baserunner - Refers to the offensive team player who has reached base safely.
Basket catch - Catching a flying ball with the glove placed about the waistline.
Bat - The equipment made up of wood or aluminum metal, generally used by the pitcher to hit the ball.
Bat around - This term is used to describe how the first batter must come to a bar for the 2nd time around as other batters have already lined up for batting. Batting around even means that the first batter must come to the strike zone so that he can complete the round.
Bat drop - Refers to the measurement calculated by subtracting the length of the bat from the weight of the bat.
Bat flip - Throwing a bat in such a way that it rotates many times before landing. A hitter usually performs it after getting a home run.
Bat the ball - Hitting the ball with the bat, no matter whether it goes into fair territory or foul.
Batter - The player ready to hit the ball with the bat. Also called "hitter" or "batsman".
Batter's eye - Usually known as the batter’s eye screen, is a dark area beyond the center-field wall are situated. It helps the player to watch the ball better against any intense and contrast background.
Batter's box - A rectangle on any side of home plate wherein the batter should be standing for fair play to continue.
Battery - This term is collectively used for the pitcher and the catcher, who might even be known as battery men or batterymates of one another.
Battery mates - A catcher and pitcher from a similar team.
Batting average - Dividing the hits of a player by his total at-bats for a number between zero (shown as . 000) and one (1.000), determined a batting average of the player.
Batting practice - The period, usually ahead of a game, when players limbering up or practice their striking technique.
Battle - When a batter works the count, by being tolerant, maybe by intentionally fouling off pitches, which he can't get good wood on, he is said to be "battling".
Bazooka - Refers to a powerful throwing arm.
BB - This term either refers to a line drive hit very hard that a fielder facing difficulty catching up to it. The indication is to being shot from a BB gun. Also "BB" is shorthand of scorer for a walk, called "base on balls". Walks are documented under the box score’s BB column.
BBCOR - Stands for Batted-Ball Coefficient of Restitution, a standard, for metal and composite bats (not included wooden bat) must meet so as to be approved for use in many amateur baseball leagues.
Bean - A pitch is deliberately thrown to hit the batsman if he does not move out of the way, particularly when directed at the head.
Beat out - This term is used to describe how the runner progress to the first ahead of the pitcher threw the ball.
Beat the rap - This term has two different meanings such as when the player strikes the ball with a runner who got out and has the possibility to become a double play and a choice of a fielder, this term is used during this situation. Another use of this term is for the best rap songs projected for the baseball game that was greatly recognized by Major League Baseball on an opening ceremony to launch the competing teams.
Behind in the count - The technical phrase means having low strikes than balls either against the batsman or the pitcher in an at-bat. This phrase describes a negative situation in which both the pitcher and batsman are linked to the counted scores.
Belt - A component used by every baseball player in the outfit to keep themselves comfortable during matches.
Bench - This term refers to a spot where teams are resting and even refers to a player who could play on multiple positions.
Bench jockey - An idiomatic phrase, which tells about riding or sitting on a bench all through the gameplay. It also addresses how the coach of the team and players verbally annoy the opponent.
Bender - Refers to a curveball.
Big as a grapefruit - A phrase used to describe one of the biggest spring training to prepare for the major leagues known as Grapefruit League. The spring training has 2 parts as the Grapefruit and the Cactus League, generally, the cactus league is teams from Arizona while the Grapefruit Leagues are from Florida.
Big fly - Refers to a home run.
Big inning - The opposite outlook of small ball, if a team is believing "big inning" they are aiming at scoring runs firmly through base hits and home runs, rather than bunts or other sacrifices. More commonly, a "big inning" is an inning wherein the offense scores huge runs, particularly four or more.
Big Leagues - Refers to Major League Baseball nickname.
Big swing - Refers to the bat swing that gives a home run.
Bigs - Refers to the Big Leagues, Major Leagues, "the Show". If you are in the bigs you are a big leaguer, a major leaguer.
Bingle - Refers to a single. A base hit, which ends up with the batter on first base.
Blast - Refers to a home run, generally one that is well hit.
Bleachers - Mainly affordable seating part, composed of wooden planks, generally comprised of tiered rows of horizontal planks. There are generally a set of stairs on both sides for access, and seldom a walkway at the base for easy access.
Bleeder - A weakly strike ground ball, which goes for a base hit.
Blistered - A ball, which is strike so hard that it seems to gets its heat perhaps said to have been blistered.
Bock the plate - While attempting to score, when a catcher keeps his complete body, leg, or foot in between a runner and a home plate, he is said to have blocked the plate. These moves come under obstruction in the baseball rule category and also can lead to injury.
Bloop curve - Refers to a trick pitch that has a high arch trajectory but minimal velocity.
Blooper - A weakly strike fly ball, which drops in for a single between an outfielder and an infielder. Also called a bloop single, a dying quail, or a duck snort.
Blow - Losing the match after having the lead. It can be due to the batter or the runner.
Blow open - For gaining a commanding lead in a match, maybe after the match has been highly competitive or the score has remained tied or close.
Blown save - When a pitcher who enters a match receives a charge to save a situation in baseball. However, the pitcher must permit the tying run to score. Hence, he becomes unsuccessful to save the game if the opponent ties the score or takes the lead.
Blowser - A closer pitcher who seems to get more blown saves than actual saves.
Blue - An umpire's uniform color i.e. the distinctive dark blue color. Sometimes used mockingly in professional baseball, like when complaining about a decision, for instance.: "Oh, come on, Blue!"
Bomb - Refers to a home run.
Boner - Refers to a mental mistake, which changes the course of a game significantly.
Bonus baby - Refers to an immature player who received a signing bonus.
Bonus baseball - Refers to extra innings.
Booted - Refers to made an error such as a player missing a ball or hitting the ball towards the ground. The other phrase that we use to pertain to it is kicked it as the route of the ball is downward and not upward.
Bottom of the inning - Refers to the last half, or the second half of an inning. During the bottom of the inning, generally the home team bats.
Bottom dropped out of it - A sinkerball of pitcher that drops suddenly.
Box - The surrounding area of the pitcher's mound. Baseball announcers will occasionally refer to a batted ball going backward through the mound area of the pitcher as having gone through the box, or a pitcher being distant from the game will be considered to be knocked out of the box.
Box score - Numerical summary of a match.
BP - Refers to batting practice.
BR - Refers to bats right; used to describe a statistics of player
Brand new ball game - When both the team score gets tie, it is said to be "a brand new ball game".
Breaking ball - Any pitch, which markedly diverges from a "straight" or predictable path because of a spin used by the pitcher to get the desired effect.
Break one-off - Refers to throwing a curveball.
Break open the game - The game perhaps said to be "broken open" when a team gets a multiple-run lead, maybe in a single rally, which increases their lead
Bring - Means to pitch; generally used for a fastball, denoted as bring it or bring the gas or bring the heat.
Broken-bat - An adjective that refers to a play originates with a batsman’s breaking his bat upon contacting with the ball.
Bronx Bombers - A nickname assigns to the New York Yankees because of their skills to play in a hitter-friendly ballpark.
Bronx cheer - A sarcastic applaud from the crowd; "raspberries".
Browsing - A hitter who hits out looking, particularly if the batsman did not move his bat at all. This phrase is commonly used by commentators.
Brushback - A pitch, deliberately thrown near to a batter to threaten him, that is to "brush him back" from the plate.
Buck and change - A player is said to be batting "a buck and change" when he is batting between .100 and .199 or more exclusively, the equal average in dollars (bucks) and cents (change).
Bug on the rug - During 190, announcer Pittsburgh Pirates used the phrase “bug on the rug” to describe a base hit, especially on artificial turf that scampered through the gap.
Bugs Bunny change-up - A change-up pitch, which looks to arrive at home plate so slowly that a batsman can make 3 swings and misses on a single pitch.
Bullpen - The region, used by relief pitchers and catchers to warm up before entering the game.
Bullpen by committee - A tactic by which a club does not allocate relief pitchers to particular roles like "closer", "set-up", or "long relief", and instead may utilize any reliever at any point in time.
Bullpen session - A regular action for starting pitchers throughout a season.
Bull-penning - When you listen to someone refer to "bull-penning," it means utilizing a stream of relievers in one- or two-inning stints rather than asking any pitcher to stay for very long.
Bump - This term is used to refers to the mound of the pitcher
Bunt - A batting method in baseball. To bunt, the batsman loosely holds the bat before the home plate and deliberately taps the ball into play.
Bush-league - A slang phrase for play, which is of the minor league or immoral quality.
Businessman's special - A day match on a weekday.
Bust him in - To throw a fastball in on the hands of the hitter.
Butcher - A very deprived fielder.
Butcher boy - A tactic where the batter first shows he aims to bunt pulls back the bat when the pitcher starts the delivery and takes a rapid swing at the pitch. Usually used by weaker batter such as pitchers.
Buzz the tower - There are various instances where players are facing difficulty making a tactic that matches their needs and skills. With the buzz in the tower, the players become skilled at new things and know the sport deeply. With the correct knowledge about different jargon in the sport, they will begin improving their skills.
C
Cactus League - The group of teams, which carry out their pre-season spring training exhibition matches in Arizona where the cactus cultivate in great quantity.
Caddy - The sole function of the caddy is to come in as an alternate in the late innings of a lopsided match to act as a defensive replacement for a mature power batter or to pinch run.
Called up - This term is used when a player from a semi-professional minor league team gets brought onto a specialized major league team. A semi-professional minor league’s member gets “called up” provided he has outshined various skill levels.
Cannon - Refers to a gun or a strong arm.
Can of corn - High and easy to catch a fly ball, which hits the outfield. It even denotes a simple catch to the infield or outfield.
Captain Hook - A manager, who usually takes a pitcher out of the game at the initial sign of difficulty.
Carve-up - When a pitcher rapidly sends off a batsman with 3 or 4 pitches that the batsman only whiffs at, the pitcher is perhaps said to have "carved up the batter" – like a cook carving up a turkey.
Cash in - Knocking a runner who is already on base.
Catbird seat - A pleasing or favorable situation. "Sitting in the catbird seat" describes sitting sweet, like a batsman with 3 balls and no strikes on him.
Catch up to a fastball - As if a batsman were sprinting a footrace with a fastball, he is said to "catch up" to a fastball if his response time and bat speed are fast enough to strike a fastball by a strong pitcher.
Catcher's interference - When the catcher prevents a batsman from striking a pitched ball, a catcher’s interference takes place. For this fault to be called out, the feet of the batsman has to be within the box and have to be in the proper batting position. The manager of the opponent will decide if they will admit or refuse the interference.
Caught looking - This term is used when the 3rd strike is called on a batsman without the batsman trying to swing at the pitch.
Caught napping - This phrase is used when a baserunner is tagged out by a defensive player as they were not concentrating on their surroundings. The baserunner is generally “caught napping” on a pickoff play where a player playing defensively will sneak up behind the defender, gets the throw from the pitcher, and tags the runner out.
Cellar - Refers to the last place. A team, which spends high time in the last place, particularly over a stretch of years, tends to obtain the unflattering label of cellar dweller. Also called the basement.
Cement mixer - A baseball pitched with the intention to break out of the strike zone, however, it becomes unsuccessful and results in hanging in the strike zone; an unintended slow fastball that has side spin similar to a fixed-axis spinning cement mixer that does not convert.
Chair - This term exclusively pertains to the batsman in the game. It is a strategy that the coaches utilize to cheer up the player and win the match. If this is carried out well, the team can score and lead the match.
Challenge the hitter - The batter strikes a ball, which is coming from his back going in the direction of the pitcher. The batter has to see the ball and catch up with it prior to it gets by him. The pace of the ball is enhanced to challenge the batsman more and more.
Change the eye level - A pitcher "changes the eye level" of a batsman by throwing pitches at unusual elevation in the strike zone. This is projected to keep the batsman off-balance or scratchy.
Changeup - A pitch, which seems to be a fastball - but with less speed – an acronym for change of pace.
Charge - This term is used to describe when infielder sprints towards a ground ball instead of waiting for it to come to him or runs are considered to be "charged" to the pitcher who primarily permitted the scoring runner to get on base.
Charging the mound - Refers to a batsman assaulting the pitcher after being strike by a pitch or in some conditions after hardly avoiding being hit.
Chase - To chase means swinging at a pitch well exterior of the strike zone. A pitcher eliminated from the match by the manager as he gave up more runs is said to have been "chased from the game" or "chased from the mound" by the opponent batsman. A player or coach who is evicted from the match by an umpire can be considered to be chased.
Chatter - To verbally confront or taunt to distract the opponent batsman. Players and supporters alike involve in chatter.
Chavez Ravine - Refers to Dodger Stadium’s nickname. In the late 1950s, the ballpark was built in a past residential vicinity named Chavez Ravine.
Cheap run - A run, which comes without good effort or just from luck.
Check the runner - When an infielder or the pitcher who fields a ball, looks towards a runner on base and thus causes him to not take as big of a lead as he would or else have taken.
Checked swing - A batsman checks a swing by stopping it prior to the bat crosses the front of home plate. If he becomes unsuccessful to stop it in time, the umpire will announce a strike as he swung at the pitch. Usually, the umpire’s sight of the swing is blocked.
Cheddar - A slang phrase used in baseball to depict an impressive fastball; derived from the baseball term cheese; generally seen shortened as "ched."
Cheese - A fastball, mainly one that is hard to hit. In the strike zone, if there is a high fastball, it is called high cheese, and if the ball is low then it's called cheese at the knees.
Chin music - One of several attempts to dispirit a player from a picky action. When a pitcher wants the batsman to move back to stop him from striking, he perhaps throws a pitch near the face of the batsman, and this move is called chin music in baseball slang.
Chinese home run - An older phrase for a home run, usually a high fly ball, which hardly clears the fence at that portion of the outfield nearby to the plate.
Chinker - Refers to a dying quail or a blooper or a bleeder.
Chopper - Refers to a batted ball, which quickly hits the hardened part of dirt directly before home plate that results in a high bounce into the infield. Fast runner batsman can convert such choppers into base hits. Even it refers to a batted ball, which bounces many times before being fielded by an infielder or going the outfield.
Choke up - This term is used to describe how the batsman adjusted the bat by sliding his hands up, which helps him to gain complete control over the bat, particularly when he placed his hands away from the knob.
Chuck - Refers to throw. Occasionally, a pitcher is also referred to as a chucker.
Circle - Refers to the on-deck circle, formally called the next batter's box.
Circus catch - Refers to the brilliant catch by the fielder, in which he moves as far as reaching over a wall, leaping into the unusual stands, or diving into the field, and take the extremely difficult catch. It generally looks like the stunts of circus acrobats.
Clean hit - When a batsman hits a ball through the infield and no fielder is able to touch it, he is perhaps said to have a "clean hit".
Clean inning - This term is used to describe how the runners on base came with the help of the reliever with the intention that they can clear the innings. By commencing this, the pitcher may have fewer struggles when entering the match.
Cleanup hitter - The fourth batsman in the lineup, generally a power hitter.
Clear the bases - The goal of an offensive player is to clear the bases when at bat - which is to make a big hit or a home run so that all the team members move from each base, eventually landing home.
Climbing the ladder - An approach where a pitcher delivers pitches (each higher than the last) out of the strike zone successfully. This is executed when the fielder takes a sudden high jump, so he can effectively catch a high line drive. This jump seems like the player is climbing through an unseen ladder simply to catch the ball.
Clinic - A prevailing performance by one of the members of the team or a whole team.
Closer - When match scores are close, the leading team coach picks the best reliever to make sure the final outs. This relief pitcher is called a closing pitcher or a closer (CL).
Close the book - This term is used to describe scorekeeping or scorecards in baseball.
Clubhouse - A locker room of a team that usually has a workout, eating, entertainment, and other facilities, mainly at the highest professional level.
Clutch - Generally referred to as clutch hitting that denotes a skill to outperform the team members by having great batting stroke, reflexes and knowledge, regarding the game.
Cock-shot - Refers to easily strike able fastball, a belt-high, generally down the middle of the plate.
Collar - It is said that a player who takes the collar is one of the players of the team who goes hitless in a match. This term is derived from being shaped like a zero.
Comebacker - A batted ball, which travels on the way to the pitcher.
Command - The advanced ability of a pitcher's skill to throw a pitch where he planned to.
Complete game - The action of a pitcher pitching the whole match himself, without the help of a relief pitcher.
Complete game shut out - Generally refers to CGSO (complete game shut out) that takes place when a pitcher throws a complete game and does not permit the opponent to score.
Contact hitter - A batsman who does not strike out frequently.
Contact play - Generally, a baserunning play refers to a third base runner breaking for home. The runner perhaps starts to run towards home the moment the ball is strike towards the ground. In certain cases, contact play perhaps refers to second base runner breaking for third.
Control artist - Refers to a pitcher who has excellent command over his pitches and he only gives up very few bases on balls. Also called a control pitcher.
Cookie - A pitch, which is easy to hit.
Cooperstown - A well-known place for Baseball fans, where they can pay respect to the Baseball Players who were present in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Corked bat - A bat wherein cork has been inserted into wooden barrel core.
Corners - A technical phrase denotes the home plate's inside and outside. The rectangular before the home plate called the first corner, while the triangle at the back is called the other corner. The inside corner is linked to the batsman, while the outside corner is reversed for the left-handed batsman.
Corner outfielder - Refers to the right fielder and the left fielder.
Cornerman - An infielder or corner infielder, playing third or first base.
Count - Refers to the number of balls and strikes the batsman had handled in the plate appearance. The count is being declared as a pair of a number, like 3:2, and pronounced as “three-two count”.
Cousin - A pitcher who is not difficult for a particular batsman to hit.
Covering a base - This term is used to describe the primary job of a pitcher, generally, he has to stand next to the base, so he can get the ball accurately when the ball is being thrown to another field
Crack of the bat - This term describes the sound coming from the wooden bat that appears like a flash of flight when the player closed his eyes. It is even most likened to an egg cracking.
Crackerbox - A small baseball field that suits power hitters, but remains complex for the pitchers.
Crackerjack - A player or team that has great power and outstanding skill.
Crafty - Another phrase used for a control pitcher.
Crank - Hitting a ball for extra bases, generally a home run.
Crash - A method to defend against a bunt wherein the first and third basemen charge towards the batsman to field the ball, the second baseman covers the first base, and the shortstop covers second or third, generally depends on where the lead runner is going.
Crooked number - A number except zero or a one, referring to the look of the actual number. A team capable to score 2 or more runs in one inning is said to "hang a crooked number" on the pitcher or scoreboard.
Creature - A home run, which is going out as soon as the player hits it.
Crossed up - This term is used for describing how a catcher called out a pitcher for throwing a particular pitch. On the other hand, if the pitcher throws unlike pitch, the catcher will cross up and this perhaps causes a passed ball.
Crowd the hitter - This term is used for describing how the pitcher throws the ball by expanding his arms and trying to form a full swing at the pitch.
Crowd the plate - When a batsman sets his stance very near to the plate, at times covering up the portion of the strike zone.
Crush the ball - A batsman who strikes a ball very hard and far may be said to crush the ball as if he had cracked the baseball or at least altered its shape.
Cue the ball - The batsman is perhaps said to have "cued the ball" when a ball is a strike off the end of the bat.
Cup of coffee - A player who has played only single game in the majors as either a batsman or a pitcher is said to be with a "cup of coffee"
Curveball - A pitch, which curves or breaks from a straight or predictable flight path on the way to home plate. Also called just "a curve".
Cut - Refers to a swing of the bat or removing from the team or the roster.
Cut fastball - Refers to a fastball, which has lateral movement, also called cutter. It is related to a slider, which is more famous for its pace than its lateral movement.
Cut down on his swing - When a batsman reduces the amplitude of his swing, either by beginning his swing not as much of behind his head or choking up on the bat, he "cuts down on his swing", thus supporting him to get his bat around faster.
Cut the ball off - This term is used for describing how the ball is being into the outfield while the opponent runner is progressing to run to the next base.
Cut-off - This term is used for describing defensive positioning and cutoff diagrams all through the live ball game. Simultaneously, the player who is the cut-off of the team, generally the catcher and the second baseman, should be the key member to cut off the ball.
Cut-off man - A fielder who passes on a ball to the infield from an outfielder is known as a cutoff man. He is designated on the position where the ball was hit, if it is on the right half of the field, the second baseman presumes the role of the cut-off man and vice versa.
Cycle - Generally denote as “hitting for the cycle”, which is the rarest and most complicated thing to achieve in the game. A batsman strikes a single, double, triple, and home run in a similar game that remains in the order of a “natural cycle”.
D
Daisy Cutter - Old-fashioned phrase for a hard-hit ground ball, close enough to the grass for tentatively lopping the tops off any daisies, which might be developing on the field.
Dance - The unpredictable movement of a well-thrown knuckleball.
Dark one - A pitch, which is difficult to see, very fewer hits.
Dead arm - When a great pitcher isn't able to throw as hard as his capability, it is said that he may have a "dead arm".
Dead ball - Due to any foul or any interference from the fan or umpire, the ball is considered to be "dead" and in such conditions, no runners can progress beyond bases they are entitled to, and no runners perhaps are put out.
Dead-ball era - The era between 1903 and 1918, just before the Live Ball Era, when the concerto of the baseball along with other rules be inclined to limit the offense, and the main batting tactic was the inside game. Getting a home run during this era was a prominent achievement.
Dead pull hitter - A pull hitter is a batsman who usually strikes the ball to the similar side as which he bats, which means a right-handed batsman, batting from the left side of the plate, will strike the ball to left field. Hitters are usually referred to as dead pull if they seldom do anything except pull the ball.
Dead red - If a batsman is "sitting/looking dead red" on a pitch, simply means he was staring at a pitch and gets it, typically striking a base hit or a home run.
Deal - Refers to delivery of a pitch, generally used by play-by-play broadcaster since the pitcher releases the ball
Decided in the last at-bat - A game of team "decided in the last at-bat" are those with a winner scoring the go-ahead or winning run in its last offensive inning. In this condition, "at bat" is the time of the team at the plate, comprising three outs.
Deep in the count - This baseball term is derived from the time it takes a batsman to get to this point. “Deep in the count” refers to a point when the batsman has received lots of pitches but has not hit out yet.
Defensive efficiency rating - A baseball value, which is also called Defensive Efficiency Ratio or “Def Eff”, calculates the team’s defense efficacy in converting batted balls into outs by the fielders. This measurement is performed to weigh the overall efficacy of a team’s fielding defense.
Defensive indifference - Refers to the statistic that depends on the official’s scorer single judgment at each ballpark. Defensive indifference scoring generally takes place when a match is out of hand in the 9th inning. Either in advance or behind by a huge amount, the defensive team permits a player to advance a base without trying to put the runner out.
Deliver - Refers to the significant arm angles of pitchers, for instance, overhand delivery, sidearm delivery.
Designated for assignment - A process, which allows a player to be eliminated from his team's 40-man roster.
Designated hitter - In the American League, this term is used for a player who permanently strikes in the place of a defensive player (generally the pitcher) and whose main job in the match is to hit. There is no designated hitter in the National League
Deuce - This term has three different meanings:
- A curveball, since the sign of catcher, is generally made by extending the initial two fingers.
- Refers to a double play.
- With regards to playing cards, the "2" card is usually known as the "deuce".
Deuces wild - When a high quantity of the number "2" displays on the scoreboard all at once.
DFA - A short-form designated for assignment.
DH - Refers to the designated hitter
Dial long distance - Refers to hitting a home run.
Dialed up - This phrase is used for referring to a fastball.
Diamond - The four bases layout in the infield, which is usually a square 90 feet (27 m) on every side, but from the stands, it looks like a diamond or a parallelogram.
Die - If a fly ball travels a less distance from the home plate than primarily predicted because of wind or other aerodynamic factors, it is said to die.
Dig it out - Fielding a ball on or close to the ground or running hard through first base on a close ground ball play for beating the throw.
Dinged (up) - Refers to injured; generally used for persistent minor injuries.
Dinger - Refers to a home run.
Dong - Another term for denoting home run.
Dirt-nap - Tripping or falling in the outfield or on the base paths. A blown save is also called a dirt nap.
Disabled list - A way by which Major League teams might eliminate injured players from their active roster for a short period of time.
Dish - Another phrase, which is used for describing home plate in baseball and softball as it has a hard flat surface that is always clean, almost looks like a plate or “dish”.
Diving over the plate - When a batsman tends to lean in on the way to the plate so he can more comfortably strike a ball, which is on the outer side of the strike zone, he is said to be "diving over the plate" or "diving for the pitch".
DL - Refers to the disabled list.
Doctoring the ball - Any illegal action, done on the ball to affect its delivery to the batsman.
Dot - A slang phrase for the pitcher striking the batsman with a pitched ball (knockdown pitch), either deliberately or by chance.
Double - Refers to a two-base hit or a hit where the batsman makes it securely to second base prior to the ball can be returned to the infield.
Double clutch - The term is used for a fielder who is drawing his arm back twice prior to throwing.
Double parked - Refers to a pitcher who is receiving many quick outs.
Double play - It takes place when 2 offensive players are ruled out within a similar play. In this situation, the defense usually throws the ball to second base to receive the first out prior to throwing the ball to first base for the second out.
Double play depth - A defensive strategy, which places the middle infielders to be better ready for a double play at the cost of placing for a hit to the third-base side.
Double steal - Two runners try to simultaneously steal a base.
Double switch - It is often performed to make a pitching substitution, while at the same time placing the incoming pitcher in a more favorable position in the batting order than was engaged by the outgoing pitcher.
Double up - Getting the second out in a double play, usually referring to getting an out by defeating a runner back to a base (generally by throwing) once a fly ball has been caught.
Doubleheader - When two matches are played by the same 2 teams on the same day. When the matches are played late in the day, they are referred to as a "twilight-night" or "twinight" doubleheader. When a single match is played in the daylight and one in the twilight, it is referred to as a "day-night" doubleheader.
Doubles hitter - Refers to a gap hitter.
Down the line - Refers to the movement, generally a strike, along either the first base or third baselines of the field. A strike is said to be moving down the line if it travels along either the first or third baseline, at any pace or mode.
Down the middle - This phrase is used when a ball is strike through the middle of the field or to a ball pitched down the middle of the plate.
Down the stretch - When a team is impending the end of the season in hunt of the pennant or championship, it is heading down the stretch.
DP combo - A slang phrase for a shortstop and second baseman combo, as key executors of double plays. They are even referred to as sack mates.
Drag bunt - A bunt wherein a left-handed batsman lays down a bunt out of the reach of the pitcher and in the direction of the right side of the infield, in the expectation that he will securely reach first base.
Draw - It generally means a tie, which takes place when the end scores are level or equal.
Drawn in - When the outfield plays nearer to the infield for preventing fly balls from dropping between them and the infielders, it is referred to as draw-in.
Dribbler - A poorly strike grounder, which covers less distance and consists of various hops
Drilled - Strike by a pitch plunked.
Drop - Refers to losing a game or beating an opponent is also to drop them or bat drop.
Drop ball - Refers to a sinkerball, also called a dropper.
Drop off the table - A pitched ball, generally a curveball, breaks very sharply.
Duck snort - A gently strike ball, which goes above the infielders and lands in the outfield for a strike.
Ducks on the pond - This term is related to when runners are on second or third bases. This phrase is particularly true when the bases are loaded.
Due - A batsman is said to be "due" when he has been in a striking slump, but he generally strikes for a fair or better average.
Dugout - This term denotes a place where a team's bench is situated.
Dump - A player bunting the ball perhaps said to dump a bunt.
Duster, dust-off pitch - A pitch, usually a brush-back, is thrown very far inside that the batsman drops to the ground to keep away from it. Rather paradoxically, on a similar play, the pitcher perhaps be said to have "dusted off" the batsman.
Dying quail - A batted ball, which drops before the outfielders for a strike, generally without warning (like a shot bird). Also called blooper.
E
ERA - Short for earned run average.
Early innings - The initial 3 innings of a regulation 9-inning game
Earned run - A kind of run, which scores against a pitcher.
Earned run average - The number of earned runs a pitcher permits per 9 innings -- with earned runs being any runs, which scored without any error or a passed ball. An ERA is the highly accepted numerical tool to evaluate pitchers.
Earnie - Refers to an earned run.
Easy out - A reminder for the defensive team, when there are 2 outs only and 1 more is required to end the inning, and thus they should have the easiest out possible. It is even used for a weak-hitting batsman, generally at the bottom of the order.
Eat the ball - The action to field a batted ball but holding on to it instead of trying to make a throw to a base to retire a runner.
Eephus - Refers to a very high-arching pitch, which is off-speed and when the pitcher delivers it, it made slow velocity, so that batsman gets generally caught off-guard.
Eject - A player or coach who is disqualified from the game by an umpire for unsportsmanlike conduct. Synonyms include: tossed, thrown out, banished, chased, given the thumb, given the (ol') heave-ho, kicked out, booted, run, sent to the clubhouse.
Elephant ear(s) - When the pocket's lining of a player is fixing out of the pockets.
Emergency hack - A late & frequently discomfited defensive swing at a pitch, which generally looks to be a ball but breaks late into the strike zone.
Emergency starter - When a pitcher, generally a reliever or plays in the minor leagues, gets entitled to begin the game. It is an urgent situation as this is executed on short notice as the originally scheduled beginner of the game got injured, or ill.
Emery ball - A baseball, which has been scratched by an emery board. Also called a scuff ball.
Erase - A runner is "erased" by being thrown out, though he is before safely on a base.
Error - Misplay of a fielder, which allows a batsman to reach one or more extra bases when, in the decision of the official scorer, that progress could have been prevented by usual effort.
Even count - Refers to 1-1 or 2-2.
Everyday player - Related to a position player. Contrasting pitchers, who do not play every day due to the strain of pitching, they play almost every day just similar to their name.
Evil Empire - A common nickname for the New York Yankees because of its wealth and winning by far the most championships.
Excuse me swing - When a batsman inadvertently strikes the ball during a check swing. Contrast with a swinging bunt.
Expand the strike zone - At any time you are to the fore in the count, you should “expand the strike zone”, which simply means throwing a pitch off the plate, which is really a ball. If you toss the ball way off the plate or above the batsman's head the batsman will not swing.
Expanded roster - Also known as the "40-man roster", it comprises all the players in an organization of Major League club who gets a major-league contract.
Extend the arms - When a batsman is able to strike a pitch at a comfy distance from his body, he is said to have "extended his arms", which permits a full swing and striking the ball harder.
Extra bases - Any bases earned by a batsman beyond first base on a hit.
Extra innings - Additional innings are required to decide a winner if a match is tied after the set number of innings. Also called bonus baseball or free baseball as paying fans are observing more action than normal.
Extra frames - Extra innings required to determine a winning team if a game is tied after the completion of set of innings
Extra out - When the defensive team makes an error, permitting an additional out
F
Fall classic - Another phrase for the World Series or Major League Baseball championship. Generally played in October, for the period of the fall season, hence, called Fall Classic.
Fall off the table - When pitch begins in the strike zone or looks hittable to the batsman and ends low or in the dirt, it is said to have "fall off the table". This phrase is generally used for an overhand curveball, changeups, and split-fingered fastballs.
Fan - To "fan" a batsman is to hit him out, particularly a swinging strike three.
Fan interference - When an individual or fan not connected with one of the team's changes play in progress, it is termed fan interference.
Fancy Dan - A fielder who just show off to gain approval of the spectators, but generally lacks real skill.
Farm team - Refers to a club or a team whose job is to offer experience and training for young players, with a belief that successful players will progress to the big leagues sometime.
Fastball - A pitch, which is thrown more for high speed than for movement. Also called a bullet, smoke, a hummer, or a heater.
Fastball count - A count wherein the pitcher would be generally predicted to throw a fastball, such as 3-1, 3-2, or 2-1 since fastball is generally simplest to place in the strike zone.
Fastball happy - When a pitcher is happy to deliver more fastball than other pitches as they work well for him during that particular game, he's said to be "fastball happy".
Fat pitch - A pitch, which is situated precisely where the batsman is expecting it. The ball might look bigger than it really is, and the batsman perhaps strikes it a long way.
Feed - Cautiously throwing the ball to another fielder that permits him to make an out.
Fence-buster - Refers to a slugger
Field - The baseball match is played on a field of baseball. It is known as a “diamond”, as the kind of infield it has.
Fielder - Refers to any defensive player, who is generally well-known as either position players or pitchers, and the position players are further classified into infielders and outfielders.
Fielder's choice - Generally denotes as FC, which relates to numerous plays that include an attacking player who moves toward a base due to the defense attempt to put out another base runner.
Figger-filbert - There is an important role of data analysis and management in Baseball. It tracks the ranking and credentials of each baseball player and figger-filbert is dedicated to baseball data and analysis. It has impending from everybody, from a minor fan to the fan, it publishes rare pieces to better look at baseball facts and remarks for those that can only get insufficient analyzes every year.
Fight off a pitch - When a batsman has 2 strikes on him and he is unable to hit pitch cleanly, he perhaps said to "fight off the pitch" by fouling it off.
Filthy - Praise for a pitcher, particularly one who has skill in breaking balls with lots of movement.
Find a hole - Getting a base hit by striking the ball between infielders.
Find his bat - When a batsman has been in a slump maybe for no clear reason, but then begin getting hits, he perhaps said to have "found his bat".
Find his swing - When a batsman has experienced a slump, he may have extra practice or training to "find his swing".
Find the seats - A ball, which "finds the seats" is one, which departs the field of play and reaches the stands. It might be a home run or a foul ball.
Fireballer - Refers to a pitcher throwing very high-velocity fastballs, more than 95 miles per hour. Also called a flamethrower.
Fireman - Refers to the relief pitcher. A team's top reliever who always finishes an offensive rally and ‘put out the fire’. He is considered as an entry pitcher who makes an entry in the game when the entry pitcher gets removed because of injury, or fatigue.
Fireplug - A player who is generally of small height, but renowned for his energy, sociability, and team spirit -- sometimes maybe more than for his ability to play.
First-ball hitter - A batsman who likes to strike the first pitch in an at-bat
Fisted - When a batsman swings at a pitch, which is inside and the ball strikes the bat near to his fists (hands).
Five and dive - A derogatory phrase referring to a starting pitcher who is not able to go beyond 5 innings prior to wearing out.
Five o'clock hitter - A hitter hitting really great during batting practice, but not performed during games.
Five-tool player - Refers to a position player having good skill in entire tools or skills such striking for power, striking for average, throwing, base running and speed, and fielding.
FL or F.L. - Short for Federal League, which is known as a major league played from 1914 to 1915
Flag down - Catching or knocking down a line drive, like flagging down a speeding train.
Flamethrower - Refers to a fireballer.
Flare - A fly ball strikes a small distance into the outfield.
Flashing the leather - Making an exceptional or complex defensive play. A player who frequently makes complex defensive plays perhaps described as a "leather flasher".
Flip - The act of softly throwing the ball to a teammate that covers a base when both become so close that making a usual overhand throw would waste time and have an imprecise throw.
Floater - Refers to a knuckleball. A pitch, which may look to the batsman to float or bob up and down on its path to the plate.
Fluke hit - A base hit, which takes place on a weakly batted ball or one, which takes a strange bounce.
Flutterball - Refers to a knuckleball, or a floater.
Fly ball - A ball strike high in the air.
Fly ball pitcher - A pitcher relying more on fly balls rather than ground balls.
Fly out - An out, which takes place as an outfielder catches a fly ball. It is said to fly out when a batsman fly ball is caught in the outfield.
Force play - A situation in which a runner has to move on to another base, then the batsman becomes a rider and so has to go to the first base.
Forkball - A splitter or kind of split-finger fastball wherein the fingers are spread out to a high extent. The ball falls sharply and usually out of the strike zone, perhaps also into the dirt.
Foul ball - Refers to a batted ball, which has gone out of play.
Foul lines - The area from the corner of the home plate to the foul poles.
Foul off - A hit, which lands on the foul territory of a baseball field is called a foul off.
Foul pole - A pole (the left-field foul pole and right-field foul pole) is placed on each foul line on the wall or outfield fence, which helps umpires to decide whether it's a home run or a foul ball.
Foul tip - A batted ball, which goes harshly and straight to the hand of the catcher and is legally caught. It is considered equal to a ball wherein the batsman swings and misses, in that the baserunners can progress at their own risk.
Four-bagger - Refers to a home run.
Four-fingered salute - An intended base on balls, from the signal of the manager to advise the pitcher to issue one, or to advise the umpire to award the batsman first base.
Four-seam fastball - The quickest & straightest pitch a pitcher throws. The pitch gets its name as being released, four seams come into sight on the ball with every rotation.
Frame - The slight wrist movement drags the ball towards the strike zone. Usually, this technique is used by catchers to make a pitch near to the strike zone look like a strike to the umpire.
Free baseball - This is slang used for extra innings.
Free pass - Called base on balls or a walk that takes place when a batsman gets four pitches, which the umpire calls balls, and is, in turn, honored first base without the risk of being called out.
Freeze the hitter - Throwing a strike, which is so unpredicted or in such a place that the batsman doesn't swing at it.
Friendly confines - A nickname for Wrigley Field, which is known as the home of the Chicago Cubs.
Frozen rope - Refers to a strongly hit line drive. Also a powerful throw from the outfield.
Full count - Three balls and two strikes count; another strike will cause a strikeout, while another ball will cause a walk. At that moment, only a foul ball will lengthen the at-bat.
Full house - Refers to full count i.e. 3 balls (three of a kind), and 2 strikes (two of a kind). Also means the full capacity of the crowd present in the stadium.
Fungo - A fly ball strike for fielders to do catching practice. It is not included in the part of the game but is accomplished by a batsman throwing the ball a small distance up in the air and then batting it himself.
Fungo bat - A lightweight bat that has a long, skinny barrel used to strike fungoes.
G
Gamer - A player who is able to play hard means he is eager to sacrifice his body for the play and is prone to making the perfect play at the perfect time, usually in big games.
Gap - Refers to the space available between outfielders. Even called an alley.
Gap hitter - Also called “double hitter", which is a player who is known for the batting strength and ability to strike into the space between the outfielders and down the line. He is the one who can hit the ball extremely hard by controlling its direction, thus making “doubles” and “triples”.
Gas - Refers to a fastball.
Gascan - Refers to a pitcher who gives lots of runs that too in early situations. As he pours gas over a fire, it is termed as gascan.
Gate receipts - Refer to the amount gathered through sales of the ticket.
GEDP - Short form for game-ending double play.
General manager - Someone who is running the organization of a baseball team. He is the one responsible for the personnel, finance, and operations of the team. His work is different from the field manager and the club owner.
Gem - A superbly pitched match, almost always a win, wherein the pitcher permits few if any strikes and at most a run or two.
Get a good piece of it - When the batsman thinks to hit the ball squarely at the middle while wavering a round bat on a round ball.
Get on one's horse - When an outfielder (generally any fielder) runs very quickly to catch the hard-hit ball.
Get good wood - Refers to hitting a ball hard.
Get off the schneid - Breaking a winless, hitless or scoreless streak.
GIDP - Arithmetical short form for grounded into a double play.
Glove - Also called mitt, generally, a large padded leather glove, which defensive team players wear as gloves helps them in catching and fielding.
GM - A short form for general manager.
Go-ahead run - The run puts a team, which was not into the lead. Used especially with runners on base.
Go deep - Refers to hitting a home run. It is said to "go deep into the game", when starting pitcher pitching past the sixth inning
Go down in order - In a half-inning when the defending team doesn't allow any opponent on base, so retiring the side facing the minimum 3 batsmen, in this situation the batting team is said to have gone down in order, and the defensive team is said to have retired it in order.
Go quietly - It is said to have "gone quietly", when a team is not able to mount a strong offense, like going 1–2–3 in an inning. Also, a player retiring without much fanfare or complaining perhaps said to "go quietly".
Go the distance - Called go the route.
Go the route - A pitcher who tosses a whole game "goes the route".
Go yard - Hitting a home run, or hitting the ball the length of the baseball field or "ballyard".
Going bridge - Another term that describes hitting a home run.
Gold glove - A Gold Glove Award is given to the major league player who is picked as best in the league at his fielding position.
Golden sombrero - One who hits out 4 times in a single game is said to have gotten a "golden sombrero".
Golfing - Swinging at a low pitch, precisely one in the dirt. Also used for describing actual contact with a pitch low in the zone.
Gone - Refers to a home run. The announcer says that the ball is gone. Also, an announcer may just announce "one gone" or "two gone" indicating how many outs occurred in the inning.
Good eye - A batsman having a great awareness of the strike zone, and capable to lay off pitches, which are hardly out of the strike zone, is considered to have a "good eye"
Good hit, no field - The shortest scouting report of the world, referring o sluggers like Dick Stuart and Dave Kingman, who were infamously poor fielders.
Good take - An accolade is given to a batsman who doesn't swing at a pitch, which is close to, but not in, the strike zone; most usually used for a batsman with two strikes.
Goodbye Mr. Spalding! - Shout by a presenter when a batsman hits a home run. Remember, Spalding is the main manufacturer of baseballs.
Goose egg - Refers to zero (0) on the scoreboard.
Gopher ball - A pitch, which goes to a home run, one the batsman will "go for".
Got a piece of it - When a batsman hits a foul ball or foul tip, maybe surviving a 2 strike count and remaining at-bat, an announcer may utter "He got a piece of it."
Got him - An abbreviation for "got him out".
Got to him early - When a batsman of a team gets many hits and runs off of the opposing beginning pitcher in early innings, the batsman is said to "get to him early".
Got under the ball - When a batter swings a little under the middle of the pitched ball, thus leading to a high fly ball out rather than a home run, he is said to "get under the ball".
Grab some pine - This is generally a taunt used after a strikeout i.e. go sit on the bench.
Grand slam - When a batsman strikes a home run with men on 1st base, 2nd base, and 3rd base.
Grandstand play - Refers to a player who is deliberately showing off for the fans, scouts, and photographers are called grandstand play, or grandstanders, or hot-dogging, or showboating.
Granny - Refers to a grand slam.
Grapefruit League - The group of Major League teams, which carry out Spring Training in Florida, where grapefruit trees produce abundantly.
Great seats - A sarcastic phrase for seats high in the bleachers, a long path from the playing field.
Green light - A phrase utilized by a coach to give a batsman a fit or a “green light” in the right position into the strike area of the batsman. It is the permission of the manager to batsman or runner to perform forcefully.
Green monster - The nickname for the large left-field wall at Fenway Park, which is 37’2” high and just 310 feet away from the home plate, therefore remains the favorite target of a right-handed batsman.
Groove a pitch - When a pitch thrown by a pitcher is down the middle of the plate and whose result perhaps predictable.
Ground ball - A hit, which bounces in the infield. Also called grounder.
Ground ball with eyes - A ground ball, which hardly gets between 2 infielders for a base hit, apparent to "see" the only mark where it would be not able to field.
Ground ball pitcher - A pitcher who is inclined to bring on more ground balls than fly balls.
Ground-rule double - The umpiring squad of a team can describe the set limits of a Ground-rule double, therefore the name. It can denote a ball, which fairly strikes over the fence, a ball stuck under a bench, or a ball, which gets stuck in the field.
Ground rules - Rules precise to a particular ballpark because of its unique features and where the usual baseball rules may be insufficient.
Guess hitter - A hitter who has the ability to guess what kind of pitch will be delivered and where it will be positioned instead of just waiting for a fastball and then responding to off pace pitches.
Gun - Called cannon, generally refers to a strong arm. Also denotes throwing hard.
Gun down - Throwing out a runner.
Gyroball - A kind of baseball pitch with an unusual kind of spin.
H
Hack - Swinging uneasily at the ball.
Hall of Fame - This term is usually used for describing recipients of 2 annual awards, correspondingly the Ford C. Frick Award and J. G. Taylor Spink Award. These awards winners are renowned in keen Hall exhibits but are not considered real Hall of Fame members.
Hall of Very Good - A tongue-in-cheek phrase is used to refer to players who are having successful careers, but their stats and/or complete performance are not adequate enough to put them into consideration for the Hall of Fame.
Hammer - Hitting the ball hard, usually for extra bases.
Handcuff - A strongly-strike ground ball, which bounces straight at an infielder, but he finds it difficult to catch the ball as it looks like he is in handcuffs when attempting to catch it.
Hang - A breaking ball, which does not break or change direction remains very easy to hit. This is even known as a hanging curveball.
Happy - A pitcher utilizes any particular pitch very frequently that it becomes less effectual. The pitcher is happy with the pitch, but the pitch is not fulfilling the purpose.
Hard hands - A tendency of messing up fielded balls.
Hardball - Refers to baseball, which is not a softball.
Hat trick - Striking out 3 times.
HBP - Abbreviation for Hit By Pitch.
Head of lettuce - This term is used whenever a player breaks his bat after striking the pitch but only during a particular circumstance.
Headhunter - Refers to a pitcher who is well-known for throwing beanballs.
Heart of the plate - Refers to the center of home plate.
Heat - Also called heater, generally refers to a fastball.
Heavy hitter - Refers to a power hitter, who usually hits many home runs or other extra-base hits.
Herky-jerky - A pitcher that has a strange or awkward wind-up or movement, as if he is not in complete control of his legs and arms, is generally said to have a herky-jerky movement.
Hesitation pitch - A pitcher pausing in his wind-up may be at the top of the wind-up, perhaps said to have a hesitation pitch.
Hidden ball trick - An extremely unusual feat wherein a fielder has the ball and covers it from a runner, making him believe that some other fielder has it or it has been away from them.
High and tight - A location pitch, generally thrown over the strike zone and near to the batsman.
High cheese - Refers to a fastball, which is thrown far above the ground in the strike zone.
High hard one - Refers to a fastball, which is thrown high in, or over the strike zone.
High heat - Refers to a strike, which is thrown high in the strike zone.
High let it fly; low let it go - A proverb is used for denoting batting against a knuckleball pitcher. Waving knuckleballs are generally hard to hit, particularly low in the strike zone.
Hill - Refers to the mound of the pitcher.
Hit - A baseball phrase, used for describing what is credited to a batsman when a batsman safely reaches first base upon striking a ball into fair territory. All this must happen without any error or a fielder’s choice. The four types of hits include singles, doubles, triples, and home runs.
Hit a bullet - Hitting the ball extremely hard, usually a line drive.
Hit and run - An offensive method whereby a baserunner begins running as if to steal and the batsman is compelled to swing at the pitch to aim to drive the ball at the back of the runner to right field.
Hit away - After a batsman has tried but failed to lay down a bunt, or in a condition wherein he might ordinarily be probable to bunt, he might instead make a usual swing at the ball on the subsequent pitch. In such a situation he is said to "hit away" or "swing away".
Hit behind the runner - An offensive strategy where the batsman deliberately puts the ball in play to the right side with a runner on second.
Hit by pitch - It takes place when a batsman is struck by a pitched ball with no swinging at it. As a result, he is awarded first base.
Hit for average - This term is used in reference to a player who has a high batting average.
Hit for the cycle - When any player strikes a single, double, triple, and home run in one game.
Hit it where the grass doesn't grow - This means the player should hit the ball for a home run.
Hit on Christmas Day - When any player having the usual ability to get hits in all situations.
Hit the ball on the screws - Hitting the ball at the middle of the bat with calculated force. Hitting the ball hard usually results in a loud crack and is known as a perfectly executed shot.
Hit the deck - When a batsman drops or dives to the field to avoid being hit by a pitch.
Hit the dirt - Refers to slide.
Hitch in his swing - When a batsman does not swing the bat in one motion – maybe he lifts the bat or moves his hands or hesitate prior to swinging – he perhaps said to have a "hitch in his swing".
Hitter - Refers to a batter, a player who hits a ball with a bat.
Hitter's count - When a batsman is way forward in the count (3–0, 3–1, 2–0) he's prone to foresee that the next pitch will be thrown down Broadway—in the center of the plate.
Hitter's park - A baseball park wherein batters perform better than average because of several factors, such as park dimensions, current winds, temperature and relative moisture, and altitude.
Hitterish - The player's ability to see a bat at a pitch well means the batsman can look at pitches clearly, and have great timing on the bat.
Hold - Shortened as H. It is granted to a relief pitcher if he makes an entry in a save situation, records at least one out, and leaves the match without giving up that lead.
Hold the runner on - Refers to the baseman making an effort to stop the runner from taking a lead-off.
Hold up on a swing - When a batsman starts to swing the bat at a pitch but stops swinging prior to the bat connecting with the ball or the bat passes the face of the plate, he perhaps said to "hold upon his swing".
Hole - One of the 9 positions in the batting lineup. The leadoff batter in the first inning is the player in the "one hole".
Hole in his glove - A tendency of dropping fly balls, generally after they strike the glove of the fielder.
Hole in his swing - A scouting report term that describes a batsman who is not able to hit strikes in an exact location.
Hole in the lineup - A team, which has a single or more weak batter in its batting lineup has said to be a "hole in the lineup", whose advantage is taken by the opposition team.
Home - Refers to a home plate. Scoring a run means the runner reaches home safely.
Home advantage | Home field advantage - Refers to a team, which belongs to the same place where baseball game is conducted. This team has a home-field advantage over a visiting team i.e. the home team can bat in the second or bottom half of the inning.
Home game | Home team - Refers to a game played by any team in their home stadium or ballpark of a baseball club. The team that is hosting the game is denoted as the home team.
Home half - Refers to the second half of an inning, wherein the home team is at-bat.
Home plate - Refers to the initial base of the field, generally, a five-sided base made of white rubber, and is nearby to a box of batsman.
Home run - Refers to a base hit wherein the hitter can circle all the bases, finishing at home plate and scoring a run himself.
Home run derby - A batting contest wherein the aim is to hit the most home runs.
Home run trot - When a batsman makes a hit and realizes that the ball will give a home run, he runs slowly and comes in a mood for celebration.
Homestand - Refers to a sequence of home games.
Home team - Refers to the hosting team which belongs to the same place where the match is played against the "visiting team".
Homer - Refers to a home run.
Hook - The manager is said to be carrying a hook when he leaves the dugout with the clear aim of replacing the pitcher with a reliever.
Hook foul - When the batsman pulls the ball down the line, which starts good but results in a foul.
Hopper - A batted ball, which takes multiple bounces in the infield after hitting the ground just before home plate.
Horsehide - Refers to the ball used in a baseball game that consists of rubber or cork core covered in wool with a cowhide or white horsehide.
Hose - A powerful arm, generally of an outfielder. To "be hosed" is throwing out on the bases, usually from the outfield.
Hot - A batsman having a striking streak or a team, which has a winning streak is said to be "hot".
Hot box - The space between 2 fielders during a rundown.
Hot corner - Refers to the area around the 3rd base and the 3rd baseman.
Hot stove league - An outdated phrase for a "Winter league" with no games, simply rumors, chitchat, and story-telling during the months between the end of the World Series and the starting of Spring training, most probably carried out while sitting around a hot stove, that's why named as hot stove league.
House by the side of the road - A batsman who strikes out looking.
Howitzer - Refers to a very powerful arm, a cannon, or a gun, generally, this term is used for an outfielder.
Human rain delay - A derisive phrase used for a pitcher or batsman who is very calculated in his play.
Humpback liner - A ball strikes deep in the infield on a route between those of fly balls and line drives.
Hurler - Refers to a pitcher.
I
I have it. You get it. - A fielding play, generally where a high fly ball is to land halfway between 2 fielders and both are hesitant who should catch it, causes last-second leaps or dives.
Immaculate inning - A pitcher who has hit out 3 batsmen on 9 consecutive pitches.
In the batter's eyes - Refers to a high fastball, which is generally near or at the batsman's eye level.
Infield fly rule - In this rule, an automatic out is called for when an infielder is not successful to strike a fly ball very far within the playing field.
Infielder - As the first, second, and third baseman along with the shortstop, positioned on the infield dirt, they are referred to as infielder.
Inherited runner - When the relief pitcher makes an entry in the game, inherited runners or inherited base-runners remain present on the base.
In jeopardy - Generally, a baserunner is in jeopardy whenever the ball is live and he is not touching a base, except he overran first base on a legit ball or is progressing to a base he was awarded.
Injured list - A team simply removes the injured players temporarily from their playing list and keeps them on the injured list.
Inning - A baseball game consists of two halves i.e. called an inning. In each half, a team bats until they have three outs.
Innings-eater - Refers to a pitcher who is not a starter or a closer but he is the one who can be counted on to pitch some innings for keeping his team in contention or sometimes when the match is no longer close, is said to be an "innings eater".
Inside baseball - An offensive tactic, which focuses on teamwork and fine execution.
Inside the ball - A good mechanical trait in a baseball swing where the batsman rotates his body while his hands and bats remain near to his body.
Inside-out swing - When the batsman swings at a pitch with his hands before the end of the bat.
Inside-the-park home run - A play where a batsman scores a home run without striking the ball out of play.
Insurance run - A run scored by a leading team as this surplus run serves as "insurance" against the opponent.
Intentional pass/intentional walk - An additional phrase for the deliberate base on balls.
Innings-eater - Refers to a pitcher who is not a starter or a closer but he is the one who can be counted on to pitch some innings for keeping his team in contention or sometimes when the match is no longer close, is said to be an "innings eater".
Inside baseball - An offensive tactic, which focuses on teamwork and fine execution.
Inside the ball - A good mechanical trait in a baseball swing where the batsman rotates his body while his hands and bats remain near to his body.
Inside-out swing - When the batsman swings at a pitch with his hands before the end of the bat.
Inside-the-park home run - A play where a batsman scores a home run without striking the ball out of play.
Insurance run - A run scored by a leading team as this surplus run serves as "insurance" against the opponent.
Intentional pass/intentional walk - An additional phrase for the deliberate base on balls.
Interference - A violation where someone unlawfully changes the course of play from what is projected.
Interleague play - Regular-season matches between teams in various major leagues, permit natural rivals and crosstown rivals to play each other more frequently (apart from the playoff).
Interstate - A batsman whose batting average is below .200.
In the books - Refers that the game is over.
In the hole - The space between 1st baseman and 2nd baseman, and the shortstop and 3rd baseman, which is one of the usual spots that a ball has to go for a strike.
In the (his) kitchen - Refers to delivering a pitch in on the batter's hands.
In play - A game remains in play when the umpire announces "play ball" at the starting of the game or after a time-out.
IO (in and out) - Refers to infield and outfield practice.
J
J-run - This run is scored when a player progresses through the first, secondary, and third base and reached home safely.
Jack - Refers to hitting a home run or simply a home run.
Jake - Refers to the unenthusiastic or lethargic effort by a player.
Jam - A situation in which a batsman cannot extend during swinging to pitch highly deep inside.
Janitor throw - When an outfielder making an effort to throw powerfully or gets falls down.
Jelly legs - The legs of the batsman are "made out of jelly" when he leaves from a good stance.
Jerk - Hitting the ball hard, usually used to refer to pulling the ball above the fence for a home run.
Judy - A player who hits with less power is referred to as a Punch and Judy hitter.
Junior Circuit - Refers to the American League, generally the younger of the 2 major leagues.
Junk - Refers to the breaking balls and knuckleballs, generally pitches, which are not easy to hit because of movement rather than velocity.
Junkball pitcher - A pitcher who mainly throws junk as he doesn't have a good fastball.
K
K - The conventional short form for a strikeout.
Keep off the boards - Generally means keeping a team away from scoring, and thus off the scoreboard.
Keep the hitter honest - A pitcher requires to mix up his pitches and thus "keep the hitter honest" by making it hard for the batter to predict the type, speed, and spot of the next pitch.
Keep the line moving - Orientation to a sequence of a batsman getting on base safely and progressing runners on base, alluding to an assembly line.
Keystone - Refers to the second base. Sometimes the shortstop and second baseman generally uniting on double plays are denoted as the keystone combination.
Kicked - A player who is making a fault during a field may be said to have "kicked the ball" or "kicked it".
Kill - A batsman hitting the ball very far away is perhaps said to have "killed the ball". A pitcher stifling a rally by the opponent may be said to have "killed the rally".
Knee-buckler - Refers to a breaking ball, which breaks highly sharp, so that it freezes the batter.
Knuckleball - A pitch thrown without spin, usually thrown with the knuckles, but even with the fingertips. It has a tendency to flutter and move abruptly and unsteadily on its way to the plate.
L
Lace - Reaching a base by striking a ball between infielders.
Lady Godiva - A pitch delivered without anything on it.
LAIM - Short form for League Average Inning Muncher, which is usually a beginning pitcher who can offer around 200 innings over the way of a season with an Earned Run Average (ERA) near the league average.
Large sausage - A slang phrase for a grand slam home run.
Laser show - A performance of batting with a large number of base hits, mainly line drives.
Late innings - The 7th, 8th, and 9th innings of a standard nine-inning game.
Laugher - A game wherein one team gets a big lead may be very early in the game, and it seems that the opponent has no chance to cover that lead. As there is nothing to worry about, the administrator and team can relax.
Launch - Hitting a long fly ball, like launching a rocket.
Launch angle - Represents the perpendicular angle at which the ball leaves a bat of the player after being struck.
Launch pad - A phrase for a ballpark wherein many home runs is hit.
Lawrence Welk - Refers to 1-2-3 double play (which is generally rare).
Lay down - A player who is bunting the ball is said to lay down a bunt.
Lay off - If a hitter decides not to swing at a pitch, particularly if he intentionally avoids swinging at particular types of pitches, he perhaps said to "lay off" a pitch.
Lead - For reducing the distance to the next base, the baserunner generally steps off a base prior to the delivery of a pitch, it is said to have, taking a lead.
Leadoff hitter - The first batsman ranked on a team's lineup card or simply refers to the first batsman in an inning.
Leaning - It is said to be caught leaning or leaning the incorrect way when the baserunner is picked off a base while changing his weight in the direction of the next base.
Left-handed bat - In colloquial lingo, a batter who bats left-handed is perhaps referred to as a "left-handed bat" or "left-hand bat".
Left-handed hitter - A player batting from the right side of the plate, or using left-handed in most activities, such as while throwing a baseball, stands in the right-hand box of the batsman, the one nearest to first base.
Left-handed specialist - A left-handed relief pitcher who is having a specialty in getting one out, often in serious situations.
Leg out - Running hard to reach safely on base or advancing a base.
Letter high - It is a pitch, which crosses the plate at the height of the letters printed on the chest of the batsman.
Lift - Removing a player from the lineup in the middle of a match.
Linda Ronstadt - A fastball delivered by the pitcher with a high velocity that the batter has no time to respond
Lineup - Refers to the batting order that also lists the defensive position of each player
Live arm - A strong arm, generally used for a pitcher who generates high velocity on his pitches.
Live on the corners - Refers to a pitcher delivering pitches on the inside or outside edges of home plate.
Lively fastball/life on the ball - A fastball, which is not only high in velocity but also very hard to hit.
Load the bases - Plays succession that makes runners available on all three bases.
LOB - Short form for left on base.
Lollipop - A straight and soft pitch that has a maximum arc.
Long ball - Refers to a home run.
Long ones - Another phrase for Home runs.
Long out - A ball, which strikes deep into the outfield and gets caught, is referred to as a "long out".
Long reliever - A kind of relief pitcher. Long relievers make an entry early in a game (usually prior to the 5th inning) when the beginning pitcher cannot continue, whether because of ineffective pitching, lack of patience, rain delay, or grievance.
Long strike - A foul ball that ends particularly near to being fair.
LOOGY - A mildly critical nickname for a left-handed specialist.
Looper - A softly strike Texas leaguer, which drops in between the infielders and outfielders. Also known as a blooper.
Lord Charles - A slang phrase for a "12-to-6" curveball. Like Uncle Charlie.
Losing streak - When a team faces consecutive losses.
Lost the ball in the sun - When a player trying to catch a fly ball is for the time being blinded by the glare of the sun in his eyes, he might "lose the flyball in the sun".
Loud out - When a batsman strikes a long fly ball, which is caught in the outfield, maybe when a crowd reacts loudly believing it will be a homer, the broadcaster may utter the batsman made a "loud out".
Lumber - Refers to a baseball bat.
M
Maddux - Colloquial phrase for a game wherein the pitcher throws a whole game shutout, on 99 or fewer pitches.
Magic number - A number, which denotes how close a front-running team is to secure a division or season title.
Magic words - Specific words aimed at an umpire, which are almost sure to cause instant ejection from the game.
Masher - Refers to the one who hits a home run.
Matchsticks - A string of 1 on the scoreboard indicates successive innings wherein precisely one run was scored. Also called a picket fence.
Meatball - Refers to a pitch, which is easy to hit — down the center of the plate.
Mendoza line - Refers to a .200 batting average.
Men in blue - Refers to the umpires, who generally wears blue
Metal bat swing - A long swing, which does not guard the inside part of the plate. Generally used for describing college players adjusting to specialized ball and wooden bats.
Middle infielders - Refers to the second baseman and shortstop.
Middle innings - The 4th, 5th, and 6th innings of a standard nine-inning game.
Middle reliever - A relief pitcher making an entry during the middle-innings (fourth, fifth, and sixth innings).
Midnight - Racial discrimination term used in the early days to refer to any African-American player.
Miscue - Refers to an error.
Mitt - Any kind of baseball glove.
MLB - Short form for Major League Baseball, generally the association operating the two North American major professional baseball leagues such as the American League and the National League.
Money pitch - Refers to the best pitch of the pitcher that he throws at the most crucial time.
Money player - A player who is great in the clutch means on this player you can count on when it actually matters.
Moonshot - Refers to a home run, which hits very high.
Mop up - Refers to the bullpen's least effective reliever who comes in when the results of the game are almost decided.
Mound - Also known as the hill, the mound of the pitcher is the lifted dirt part in the middle of the infield from which the pitcher delivers pitches.
Moundsman - Refers to a pitcher.
Movement - When the pitch deviates from the expected flight, which makes the ball complex to hit.
Mow 'em down - A pitcher who is dominating the opponent, permitting few if any to get on base, is said to have "mowed them down".
Muff - Making a mistake, generally on an easy play.
Mustard - Refers to a high velocity applied by a player on a throw or pitch.
MVP - Short form for the Most Valuable Player, which is chosen by the baseball writers' Association of America from each Major League at end of every season.
N
NA - Short form for National Association.
Nail-biter - Refers to a close game, where no one can judge till the last moment, which team will win the game. Nervous supporters perhaps biting their nails.
Neighborhood play - A colloquial phrase is used for describing the leeway given to middle infielders taking into account that he touches second base while in the procedure of turning a ground-ball double play.
Next batter's box - The legal name of any of the 2 on-deck circles.
Nibble - A pitcher is said to nibble at the edges when he aims at pitching just at the left or right edges of home plate instead of throwing a pitch over the center of the plate where a batsman can get the meat of the bat on the ball.
Nickel curve - Refers to a slider.
Nightcap - The second match of a doubleheader.
NL or N.L. - Short form for National League
NLCS or N.L.C.S. - Short form for National League Championship Series.
NLDS or N.L.D.S. - Short form for National League Division Series
No-decision - A starting pitcher leaving a game without gaining either a win or a loss is said to have received a no-decision
No-doubter - Refers to a home run whose landing spot in the stands is in no doubt from the instant it leaves the bat's barrel.
North paw - Refers to a right-handed pitcher.
NRI - Short form for Non-Roster Invitee (NRI), which is a player participating in Spring training but not yet on a 40-man roster of Major League team.
Nubber - A batted ball, which moves slowly and not very distant, usually as the ball is strike with the very end of the bat.
O
Obstruction - When a fielder illegitimately holds back a baserunner.
OBP - Abbreviation for On-base percentage
O-fer - A batter going hitless in a game, as in zero for four.
Official game - A game, which can be considered complete i.e. more than half the game has been played prior to being called or ended by an umpire.
Official scorer - Someone who is appointed by the league to document the events on the field and send the complete official record to the league offices.
Off-day - A day when a player is not performed up to his ability because of illness, bad luck, or other factors.
Off-speed pitch - A pitch, which is notably slower than a given pitcher's fastball. Usually, a curveball or a change-up.
OFP - Short form for Overall Future Potential, generally a scouting evaluation of a young player's potential as a prospect major leaguer, scored from 20 to 80.
Ol' number one - Refers to a fastball. From the symbol, the catcher gives for that particular pitch.
Olympic rings - When a batsman strikes out 5 times in a game.
On-base percentage (OBP) - Percentage of plate appearances where a batsman reaches base for any reason except an error or a choice of the fielder.
On deck - The next batsman to bat after the recent batter.
On his horse - Running at full pace, particularly in line with an outfielder tracking down a fly ball.
One-game wonder - A player who plays in just one major league game, plays decently, however, later he is demoted to the bench or back to the minors.
One-hitter - A game wherein one team was restricted to one hit, a great achievement for a pitcher.
One-two-three inning - Refers to the side retired in sequence such as three up, three down.
Opener - A conventional relief pitcher who begins a game for intentional reasons and is substituted early in the game, generally after the 1st inning, by a pitcher who is probable to last as many innings as a true starter.
On deck - The next batsman to bat after the recent batter.
On his horse - Running at full pace, particularly in line with an outfielder tracking down a fly ball.
One-game wonder - A player who plays in just one major league game, plays decently, however, later he is demoted to the bench or back to the minors.
One-hitter - A game wherein one team was restricted to one hit, a great achievement for a pitcher.
One-two-three inning - Refers to the side retired in sequence such as three up, three down.
Opener - A conventional relief pitcher who begins a game for intentional reasons and is substituted early in the game, generally after the 1st inning, by a pitcher who is probable to last as many innings as a true starter.
OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) - Refers to on-base plus slugging, a phrase newly invented by statheads to evaluate a batsman's ability to make runs. It is attained by adding slugging average plus on-base percentage.
Out pitch - The kind of pitch, which a pitcher relies on to get an out, generally his best pitch.
Outfielder - A player whose place is either left field, middle field, or right field.
Outside corner - The strike location, which moves over the far edge of home plate from the batsman.
Overpower the hitter - Throwing a pitch so fast the batsman cannot catch up to it with his swing.
Over shift - A baseball lingo phrase synonymous with "shift", either an infield or outfield shift.
Overthrow - When a fielder throws the ball very high, which makes it sails above the head and out of reach of his target.
P
Paint - Throwing pitches at the edges of the strike zone is said to "paint the black or paint the corner".
Pair of shoes - A hitter who is left standing in the batsman's box after getting out.
Paper doll cutter - A solid hit line drive, which strikes so “square” and strongly, that it has little or no spin.
Parachute - A fly ball may be driven into a powerful wind, which seems to drop straight down into the glove of the fielder.
Park - Hitting a home run is sometimes referred to as hitting "out of the park".
Paste - Hitting the ball hard.
Payoff pitch - A pitch, which is thrown with a complete count.
PCL - Short form for Pacific Coast League
Pea - Refers to a pitched ball, which is thrown at full speed.
Pearl - A fresh baseball, which has been rubbed down with ball mud that gives the ball a pearl white color.
PECOTA - A system to predict pitcher and hitter performance build by Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus.
Peeking - When the hitter tries to see the signals of the catcher to the pitcher.
Peg - Throwing the ball to one of the bases.
Pen - Refers to the bullpen.
Pennant race - The contest to win the standard season championship in a baseball league.
Pepper - An exercise before a game, where one player bunts to a nearby group of fielders; they toss it back as fast as possible.
Percentage points - If Team 1 is in the first position by less than half a game over Team 2, Team 2 is said to be "within percentage points" of Team 1.
Perfect game - A special kind of no-hitter where each batsman is retired repeatedly, permitting no baserunners via walks, errors, or any other ways.
Perfect inning - An inning wherein a pitcher permits no runners to reach base.
Permanently ineligible - Refers to a player who is banned from Major League Baseball or affiliated minor league clubs due to the misconduct. This player becomes ineligible for induction into the Hall of Fame.
PFP - A normally used short form for Pitchers' Fielding Practice.
Phantom ballplayer - Someone who is wrongly listed as playing in a Major League Baseball game, even though they did not really play.
Phantom tag - A wrong call by an umpire wherein a baserunner is ruled as having been tagged out when in fact the fielder never officially tagged the runner.
Pick it clean - Fielding a harshly hit ground ball without any bobbling.
Pick up the pitch - A batter's ability to detect what kind of pitch is being thrown.
Picket fence - A sequence of 1's on the scoreboard that looks like a picket fence.
Pickle - Refers to a rundown.
Pickoff - A fast throw from the pitcher to a fielder who is covering a base when the ball has not been strike into play.
Pill - Refers to the baseball.
Pimping - Acting pretentiously or showboating to get the consideration or support of the fans.
Pinch hitter - A substitute hitting, which comes in during a critical situation.
Pinch runner - A substitute baserunner, which comes in during an important situation.
Pine tar - Pine tar that is very sticky, improves a hitter's grip on the bat.
Pinpoint control - A pitcher who can throw the ball to an exact place in the strike zone has "pinpoint control".
Pitch - A baseball delivered by the pitcher from his mound to the batsman as described by the Official Rules of Baseball, Rule 2.00 (Pitch) and Rule 8.01.
Pitch around - To frequently miss the strike zone hoping the batsman will "chase one".
Pitch count - How many times a pitch is thrown by a pitcher so far.
Pitcher - The fielder, accountable for pitching the ball.
Pitcher's best friend - Refers to double-play nickname.
Pitchers' duel - A very low-scoring game wherein both beginning pitchers permit few batsmen to reach base.
Pitchout - A defensive method used to pick off a baserunner, usually employed when the defense believes a stolen base play is intended.
Pivot man - The second baseman usually has to turn or pivot on a single foot to finish a double play.
PL or P.L. - Refers to players' league
Place hitter - A batsman who has complete control of hitting the ball.
Plate - Refers to Home plate or generally called scoring a run.
Platinum sombrero - When a batsman strikes out five times in a single game. Also known as Olympic Rings.
Platoon - The practice of assigning 2 players to a similar defensive spot during a season, generally complements a batsman who strikes well against left-handed pitchers with one who strikes well against righties.
Platter - Refers to home plate.
Playoffs - After completion of the 162-game regular season, the series played such as American League Division Series, National League Division Series, American League Championship Series, National League Championship Series, and the World Series are called playoffs.
Plunked - Strike by a pitch.
Plus - Denote as (+) which is an indicator that a beginning pitcher starts an inning and faced a minimum of one batter without recording an out.
Plus pitch - A pitch, which is better than above average when evaluated by the rest of the league. Generally the strikeout pitch.
Plus plus pitch - A pitch, which is the best of its type in the league and is unhittable when thrown well. Generally a breaking pitch.
Plus player - A player that has above-average major league skills.
Poke - Refers to a hit, either an extra-base hit or home run.
Portsider - Refers to the left-handed pitcher.
Position - There are 9 defensive positions on a baseball team such as (1) pitcher, (2) catcher, (3) first baseman, (4) second baseman, (5) third baseman, (6) shortstop, (7) left fielder, (8) center fielder, (9) right fielder. The pitcher and catcher refer to the battery, while positions 3 through 6 are known as infield positions and 7, 8, and 9 are called outfield positions.
Position player - Any defensive player apart from the pitcher.
Post-season - Refers to the playoffs.
Probable pitcher - A pitcher who is listed to begin the next game.
Productive out - When a batsman makes an out but progresses one or more runners in the process, he has made a productive out.
Projectable - A scouting phrase for a young player with outstanding tools who can be a more powerful player in the future.
Protested game - A manager might protest a game if he thinks a decision of an umpire is in violation of the official rules.
Punch out - Refers to a strikeout.
Q
Quality at-bat - An at-bat wherein the batsman is productive, whether that includes progressing a runner with a give-up bunt, getting on base, or simply making the pitcher throw a lot.
Quick pitch - An illegal pitch where the ball is thrown before the batsman is set in the batter's box.
Quiet bats - When a pitcher stops the opponent batter from getting many hits, or big hits, he is said to have "quieted some bats".
Quiet swing - A batter holding his head, hands, and bat at rest while waiting for the pitch may be said to have a quiet swing.
R
Rabbit ears - Indicates a contestant in the game who hears things may be too well for his good.
Rag arm - A player, usually a pitcher who has a weak arm.
Rainbow - A curveball that has a high arc in its course to the plate.
Rainout - Refers to a game, which is canceled because of rain.
Rake - Hitting the ball extremely hard, and all over the park.
Rally - Coming back from a deficit. This typically takes place in the last innings of a game.
Range - An ability of fielder to move from his place to field a ball in play.
RBI - Short form for "run batted in" refers to a run scored through hit.
RBI situation - Refers to runners who are in scoring position.
Receiver - Another phrase for a catcher, also called backstop, signal-caller.
Relay - A defensive method where the ball is thrown by an outfielder to an infielder who then throws to the last target. This is carried out as accurate throws are not easy over long distances and the ball loses a significant amount of pace the farther it must be thrown.
Relief pitcher - Also called reliever refers to a pitcher, who comes in the game as a substitute for another pitcher.
Reliever - Refers to a relief pitcher or softball pitcher who makes an entry in the game after the starting pitcher is eliminated because of injury, incompetence, or any other factor.
Retire the batter - Getting the batsman out.
Retire the runner - Throwing the runner out at a base.
Rifle - A very powerful arm.
Right-handed bat - A player who bats right-handed.
RISP - Short form for Runners In Scoring Position.
RLSP - Short form for Runners Left in Scoring Position, usually observed in the box score of a game.
ROOGY - A slightly disparaging short form for a right-handed relief specialist. "Righty One Out GuY".
Room service - A ball hit straight to a fielder such that he finds it difficult to move to get it, or a pitch, which is easy to hit.
Rooster tail - A ball, which rolls on wet grass.
Rope - Refers to a hard line drive.
Roster - The confirmed list of players who are eligible to play in a particular match and will include on the lineup card for that game.
S
Sabermetrics - The evaluation of baseball through aim evidence, particularly baseball statistics.
Salad - An easily controlled pitch.
Salami - Refers to a grand slam.
Sally League - Refers to the South Atlantic League ("SAL") in which only the southeastern United States teams make participation.
Scratch hit - A weakly strike ground ball, which avoids the infielders and leads to a base hit.
Series - A set of games between 2 teams.
Serve - Throwing a pitch, which gets hard hit, usually for a home run.
Shade - A fielder who shifted himself slightly away from his normal position in the field based on a guess of where the batsman might strike the ball he is said to "shade" toward the right or left.
Shag - When someone is not involved in an actual baseball game and he is catching fly balls in the outfield, it is referred to as shag.
Shine ball - It is a way utilized by a pitcher to doctor the ball that means rubbing one area of the ball very hard to affect its flight toward the plate.
Short hop - A ball, which bounces quickly before an infielder. If the batsman is a quick runner, an infielder might deliberately "short hop the ball" to rush his throw to first base.
Shot - Refers to a home run.
Sidearmer - A pitcher throwing with a sidearm motion is referred to sidearmer.
Single - Refers to a one-base hit.
Sinker - A pitch, usually a fastball, breaks sharply in the down direction as it crosses the plate.
Skyscraper - An extremely high fly ball. Also called "rainmaker" as it is very high and seems to touch the clouds.
Slider - A comparatively fast pitch that has a slight curve in the reverse direction of the throwing arm.
Slump - An extended phase when the player or team is not performing up to the mark or up to expectations.
Slurve - Refers to a cross between a curveball and a slider.
Snap throw - A throw executed by the catcher to first or third base after a pitch with the aim to pick off the runner.
Snicker - A type of foul ball wherein the batsman grazes ("snicks") the ball with the bat.
Snowcone - A catch, taken with the ball hardly caught in the tip of a glove's webbing.
Snowman - Refers to an 8-run inning, which looks like 2 large balls of snow stacked on top of one another on the scoreboard, that's why called snowman.
Soft hands - An ability of fielder to hold the ball well in his glove.
Soft toss - When a coach or team member from a position nearby the batter throws a ball under-hand to permit the hitter to practice striking into a net or fence.
Soft tosser - A pitcher who is not having a really fast fastball.
Southpaw - Refers to a left-hander, particularly a pitcher.
Spitter - A spitball pitch wherein the ball has been changed by the application of spit, petroleum jelly, or some other unknown substance.
Spray hitter - A batter who is hitting line drives to all fields.
Squibber - Refers to a "nubber".
Station - A defensive position assigned to a player.
T
Table-setter - A player positioned high in the batting order for his inclination to hit for average and steal bases is said to "set the table" for the strong hitters behind him in the lineup.
Tag - Refers to a tag out that means hitting the ball hard, usually for an extra-base hit.
Tailgate - Refers to a butt of a catcher.
Take a pitch - When a batsman decides not to swing at a pitch, he "takes the pitch."
Tap - Hitting a slow or simple ground ball, usually to the pitcher
Tater - Refers to a home run.
Tattoo - Hitting the ball extremely hard, symbolically to put a tattoo from the trademark of the bat on the ball.
Tax evader - A deep fly ball that has a possibility to become a base hit or home run
Telegraph - Tipping one's pitches.
Three-bagger or three-base hit - Refers to a triple.
Three up, three down - Facing just three batsmen in an inning.
Throw a clothesline - A fielder throwing the ball so hard that it appears to barely arc at all, he has generally "thrown a clothesline".
Throw him the chair - Striking out a batsman that makes him sit down in the dugout.
Thrower - Refers to a pitcher who throws the ball hard towards home plate but without much precision or control.
Throwing seeds/throwing the pill/throwing BBs - When a fastball of the pitcher is so good that it seems like the baseball is the size of a seed.
Tie him up - To get a pitch on the batsman's hands, making it unfeasible for him to swing.
Tilt - Refers to a game.
Tin glove - A fielder who fielded poorly player is usually said to have a "tin glove"
Tipping - When a pitcher unintentionally signals what kind of pitch is next, he is said to be "tipping" or "telegraphing" them.
Toe the slab - Taking the mound; pitching.
Throw him the chair - Striking out a batsman that makes him sit down in the dugout.
Thrower - Refers to a pitcher who throws the ball hard towards home plate but without much precision or control.
Throwing seeds/throwing the pill/throwing BBs - When a fastball of the pitcher is so good that it seems like the baseball is the size of a seed.
Tie him up - To get a pitch on the batsman's hands, making it unfeasible for him to swing.
Tilt - Refers to a game.
Tin glove - A fielder who fielded poorly player is usually said to have a "tin glove"
Tipping - When a pitcher unintentionally signals what kind of pitch is next, he is said to be "tipping" or "telegraphing" them.
Toe the slab - Taking the mound; pitching.
Throw him the chair - Striking out a batsman that makes him sit down in the dugout.
Thrower - Refers to a pitcher who throws the ball hard towards home plate but without much precision or control.
Throwing seeds/throwing the pill/throwing BBs - When a fastball of the pitcher is so good that it seems like the baseball is the size of a seed.
Tie him up - To get a pitch on the batsman's hands, making it unfeasible for him to swing.
Tilt - Refers to a game.
Tin glove - A fielder who fielded poorly player is usually said to have a "tin glove"
Tipping - When a pitcher unintentionally signals what kind of pitch is next, he is said to be "tipping" or "telegraphing" them.
Toe the slab - Taking the mound; pitching.
Throw him the chair - Striking out a batsman that makes him sit down in the dugout.
Thrower - Refers to a pitcher who throws the ball hard towards home plate but without much precision or control.
Throwing seeds/throwing the pill/throwing BBs - When a fastball of the pitcher is so good that it seems like the baseball is the size of a seed.
Tie him up - To get a pitch on the batsman's hands, making it unfeasible for him to swing.
Tilt - Refers to a game.
Tin glove - A fielder who fielded poorly player is usually said to have a "tin glove"
Tipping - When a pitcher unintentionally signals what kind of pitch is next, he is said to be "tipping" or "telegraphing" them.
Toe the slab - Taking the mound; pitching.
Took the ball out of the catcher's glove - When a batsman swings a bit late, maybe striking the ball to the opposite field, an announcer may say he "took the ball out of the catcher's glove".
Took the collar - Went without hitting.
Tools of ignorance - Refers to a gear of catcher.
Toolsy - A player having many tools, generally not matured yet.
TOOTBLAN - A tongue-in-cheek phrase is used when a baserunner makes a blunder, which leads to him being tagged or forced out.
Top of the inning - Refers to the first half of an inning in which the visiting team bats.
Tossed - When either a manager or player is ordered by an umpire to go away from a game, then that manager or player is said to have been "tossed".
Total bases - The addition of the number of bases progressed by a batsman/runner on his own safe hits over a specific duration of time, where 1 = single, 2 = double, 3 = triple, and 4 = home run.
Touch all the bases - Means hitting a home run.
Touched up - A pitcher who is giving up numerous hits is perhaps said to have been "touched up".
Touchdown - The difference of a seven-run, derived from 6 points for a touchdown and the additional point in American football.
TR - Refers to throws right; used to describe a player's statistics
Triple - Refers to a three-base hit.
Triple play - When three outs take place on one play.
Turn two - Executing a double play.
Twin bill - Refers to a doubleheader.
Twin killing - Refers to a double play or to win both ends of a doubleheader.
Twirler - An old phrase used for a pitcher.
Two away or two down - When there are 2 outs in the inning.
Two-bagger or two-base hit - Refers to a double.
U
UA or U.A. - Short form for Union Association, a one-year i.e. 1884 major league.
Uecker seats - Spectator seating doesn't give a good view of the playing field.
Ugly finder - A foul ball, which is hit into a dugout, most probably to "find" somebody who is ugly or to make him that way if he is not succeeded to dodge the ball.
Ukulele hitter - Refers to a weak hitter or banjo hitter
Umpire - Refers to someone who is in charge of a game.
Uncle Charlie - Refers to a curveball.
Uppercut - When a batsman's swing goes upward as the bat moves forward.
Upstairs - Refers to a high pitch, generally above the strike zone.
Up the elevator shaft - Refers to a high pop-up, which is straight over the batsman.
V
Visit - A team visiting another team's home stadium for playing a game is called "the visitors".
VORP - Abbreviation for Value Over Replacement Player. It is a statistic famous by Keith Woolner that displays how much a striker or pitcher contributes to their team while comparing to a replacement-level player who is an average fielder at that spot and a below-average striker.
Vulture - A reliever who is recording wins in late innings by being the pitcher of record in the middle of a comeback.
W
Waiting for the express and caught the local - A batsman caught observing at an off-speed pitch for strike three when the match situation called for a fastball.
Wallop - Refers to a home run.
Walk - Refers to a base on balls.
Walk-off - A home team quickly wins the match when they score a run to take the lead in the base of the last inning.
Warning track - Along the fence there is dirt and finely-ground gravel area, proposed to help stop fielders from running into it.
Warning track power - When a batsman hits a fly ball, which is caught at the warning track, simply missing a home run.
Wave - To swing and miss a pitch, generally with an uncertain swing.
Wearing a pitch - When a batsman allows a pitch to strike them, or intentionally drops their elbow or shoulder into the pitch to be granted first base.
Web gem - An exceptional defensive play.
Went deep - This term refers to hit a home run.
Went fishing - When a batsman reaches across the plate attempting to hit an outside pitch (and misses) he "went fishing" for it.
Wheelhouse - A power zone of hitter.
Wheels - Refers to a player who sprints the bases fast "has wheels".
Whiff - Refers to a swinging strike.
Whiff-out - Refers to a swinging third strike.
Whip - Refers to a curveball.
Whitewash - Refers to a shutout.
Wild card - A team, which has the most excellent record among all of the non-division winners of the league but did not win its division by the finish of the standard season. On the basis of the wins, the “wild card” team is picked at the end of the standard season.
Wild in the strike zone - A pitcher throwing strikes but without adequate control over their position is "wild in the strike zone".
Wild pitch - When a pitch is very high, very low, or very wide of home plate for the catcher to catch the ball with usual effort, a wild pitch (shortened WP) is charged to a pitcher.
Whip - Refers to a curveball.
Whitewash - Refers to a shutout.
Wild card - A team, which has the most excellent record among all of the non-division winners of the league but did not win its division by the finish of the standard season. On the basis of the wins, the “wild card” team is picked at the end of the standard season.
Wild in the strike zone - A pitcher throwing strikes but without adequate control over their position is "wild in the strike zone".
Wild pitch - When a pitch is very high, very low, or very wide of home plate for the catcher to catch the ball with usual effort, a wild pitch (shortened WP) is charged to a pitcher.
Window shopping - Caught gazing for strike three.
Windup - There are usually 2 legal pitching positions in baseball such as the windup, and the set.
Winning record - A team, which has won 82 games this year is said to be having a winning season.
Winning streak - Refers to a sequence of consecutive wins.
Winter leagues - At present 8 minor leagues with seasons that take place during the "off-season" of Major League Baseball.
Wood - Refers to the bat.
Work the count - When a batsman is patient and making an effort to get ahead in the count, or getting a pitch, which he can hit hard, he is said to "work the count" or to "work the pitcher".
Worm burner - A hard hit ground ball, which "burns" the ground, generally a daisy cutter.
Worm killer - A pitch, generally an off-speed or breaking ball, strikes the ground before it reaches home plate.
WW - Scoresheet information for "wasn't watching", utilized by non-official scorekeepers when their concentration has been diverted from the play on the field.
Y
Yacker/yakker - A curveball that has a big break.
Yank - Pulling a fair ball down the foul line.
Yard - Refers to the baseball field.
Yellowhammer - Refers to a curveball that is sharply broken. Its name is derived from a bird "yellowhammer", which dives sharply to catch prey.
Yips - A condition wherein a player, generally a pitcher, loses control over the path of his throws.
Z
Zeroes - Refers to a no-hitter or perfect match, so-called since the line score display on the scoreboard is 0–0–0.
Zinger - Refers to a hard-hit line drive base hit
Zip - A pitcher that has a good fastball is said to have a zip on the ball.
Zone - Refers to the strike zone. A pitcher is said to be "in the zone" by throwing strikes and maintaining his focus and throwing pitches, which get a batsman out.
