BASEBALL SLANG
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6-4-3
A double play. The ball is fielded by the shortstop, thrown to the second baseman for the first out and then from the second baseman to the first baseman for the second out. The numbers are used by the official scorer to indicate the player's position. The shortstop's position number is 6, the second baseman's is 4 and the first baseman's is 3.
6-4-3
A double play. The ball is fielded by the shortstop, thrown to the second baseman for the first out and then from the second baseman to the first baseman for the second out. The numbers are used by the official scorer to indicate the player's position. The shortstop's position number is 6, the second baseman's is 4 and the first baseman's is 3.
ACE = A team's best starting pitcher.
ALLEY = The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also called "the gap."
around the horn
A double play going from third base to second to first.
BACKDOOR SLIDER = A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks back over the plate.
bag
A base.
BALTIMORE CHOP = A ground ball that hits in front of home plate (or off of the plate) and takes a large hop over an infielder's head.
BANDBOX = A small ballpark that favors hitters.
BANG BANG PLAY = A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a split-second before the ball arrives or vice versa.
BASKET CATCH = When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near belt level.
BRONX CHEER = When the crowd boos.
BRUSHBACK = A pitch that nearly hits a batter.
BUSH = Also "bush league." Amateur play or behavior.
CAN OF CORN = An easy catch by a fielder.
CAUGHT LOOKING = When a batter is called out on strikes and didn't swing at the last strike.
CELLAR = Last place in the league. Also "basement."
CHEESE = Also "good cheese." Refers to a good fastball.
CHIN MUSIC = A pitch that is high and inside. One that makes the batter think it is close enough to brush against his chin.
CIRCUS CATCH = An outstanding catch by a fielder.
CLOSEER = A team's relief pitcher who finishes the game.
CUTTER = A cut fastball (one with a late break to it).
CYCLE = When a batter hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game he is said to have "hit for the cycle".
DINGER = A home run.
DISH = Home plate.
FIREMAN = A team's closer or late-inning relief pitcher.
FUNGO = A ball hit to a fielder during practice. A "fungo bat" is longer and thinner than a normal bat, usually used by a coach in practice.
gap
See "alley." A ball hit here is a "gapper."
gopher ball
A pitch hit for a home run, as in "go far."
heat
A good fastball. Also "heater."
high and tight
Referring to a pitch that's up in the strike zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as "up and in."
hill
The pitcher's mound.
homer
A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong, four-bagger, four-base knock, moon shot, and tape-measure blast.
hot corner
Third base. A line drive hit reaches third base in mere seconds. Third basemen must be very quick.
in the hole
The batter after the on-deck hitter.
jam
When a hitter gets a pitch near his hands, he is "jammed." Also when a pitcher gets himself in trouble, he is in a "jam."
leather
Refers to how good a player plays defensively or handles the glove. Ex: "He flashed some leather on that play."
meatball
An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle of the plate.
Mendoza line
A batting average of around .200. Such averages are calculated so that if a player got a hit 10 times in 10 at-bats he would have a 1.000 average. A batter's average is listed in three ways: against the pitcher he's facing right now, for this season and, for the length of his career. So you might hear an announcer say "PlayerX is .298 this season." Or "He's .250 against this pitcher, lifetime."
The Mendoza line is named after Minnie Mendoza, a career minor leaguer, who finally made it to the major leagues in 1970 at age 36. His sixteen game stint with the Twins left him with a career average of .188.
The best hitters in the long history of baseball routinely had limetime averages at about .300. A .400 average is the Holy Grail of baseball hitting. The last player to hit over .400 in a season (that's 4 hits out of 10 times at bat) was Ted Williams who hit .406 in 1941. Williams career (Boston RedSox 1939-1960) was broken up by two tours of duty as a US Marine aviator; future Astronaut John Glenn was his wingman in Korea. His lifetime average was .344. The highest lifetime average, .367, is held by Ty Cobb.
moon shot
A very long, high home run.
nail down
As in "nail down a victory." Refers to a relief pitcher finishing off the game.
on the screws
When a batter hits the ball hard. Also "on the button."
painting the black
When a pitcher throws the ball over the edge of the plate. The edges of home plate are black in color.
pea
A ball traveling at high speed, either batted or thrown.
pepper
Pepper is a common pre-game exercise where one player bunts brisk grounders and line drives to a group of fielders who are standing about 20 feet away. The fielders try to throw it back as quickly as possible. The batter hits the return throw. (Some ballparks ban pepper games because wild pitches could land in the stands and injure spectators).
pick
A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball. Also a shortened version of "pick-off."
pickle
A rundown, or when a runner is caught between two fielders who are throwing the ball back and forth to each other in an attempt to tag the runner out.
punchout
A strikeout.
rhubarb
A fight or scuffle.
ribbie
Another way of saying RBI, the acronym for Runs Batted In. Also "ribeye."
rope
A hard line drive hit by a batter. Also "frozen rope" or "clothes line."
rubber game
The deciding game of a series.
run-down
When a baserunner gets caught between bases by the fielders.
Ruthian
With great power (i.e., like Babe Ruth)
seeing-eye single
A ground ball that finds its way between infielders for a base hit. Sometimes called a "seeing-eye ball" or a "ground ball with eyes"
set-up man
A relief pitcher who usually enters the game in the 7th or 8th inning.
shoestring catch
A running catch made just above the fielder's shoetops.
southpaw
A left-handed pitcher.
sweet spot
The part of the bat just a few inches from the barrel. Sometimes called the "joy zone."
table setter
Batter whose job is to get on base for other hitters to drive him in. Usually a leadoff or No. 2 hitter.
tape-measure blast
An extremely long home run.
Texas Leaguer
A bloop hit that drops between an infielder and outfielder.
tools of ignorance
A catcher's safety equipment.
touch 'em all
Hitting a home run (touching all the bases).
twin killing
A double play.
Uncle Charlie
A curve ball.
UTILITY PLAYER = A player who fills in at many positions.
WHEEL HOUSE = A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high and over the heart of the plate.
WHEELS = A ballplayer's legs.
WHIFF = A strikeout.
YAKKER = A curve ball.
ALLEY = The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also called "the gap."
around the horn
A double play going from third base to second to first.
BACKDOOR SLIDER = A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks back over the plate.
bag
A base.
BALTIMORE CHOP = A ground ball that hits in front of home plate (or off of the plate) and takes a large hop over an infielder's head.
BANDBOX = A small ballpark that favors hitters.
BANG BANG PLAY = A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a split-second before the ball arrives or vice versa.
BASKET CATCH = When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near belt level.
BRONX CHEER = When the crowd boos.
BRUSHBACK = A pitch that nearly hits a batter.
BUSH = Also "bush league." Amateur play or behavior.
CAN OF CORN = An easy catch by a fielder.
CAUGHT LOOKING = When a batter is called out on strikes and didn't swing at the last strike.
CELLAR = Last place in the league. Also "basement."
CHEESE = Also "good cheese." Refers to a good fastball.
CHIN MUSIC = A pitch that is high and inside. One that makes the batter think it is close enough to brush against his chin.
CIRCUS CATCH = An outstanding catch by a fielder.
CLOSEER = A team's relief pitcher who finishes the game.
CUTTER = A cut fastball (one with a late break to it).
CYCLE = When a batter hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game he is said to have "hit for the cycle".
DINGER = A home run.
DISH = Home plate.
FIREMAN = A team's closer or late-inning relief pitcher.
FUNGO = A ball hit to a fielder during practice. A "fungo bat" is longer and thinner than a normal bat, usually used by a coach in practice.
gap
See "alley." A ball hit here is a "gapper."
gopher ball
A pitch hit for a home run, as in "go far."
heat
A good fastball. Also "heater."
high and tight
Referring to a pitch that's up in the strike zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as "up and in."
hill
The pitcher's mound.
homer
A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong, four-bagger, four-base knock, moon shot, and tape-measure blast.
hot corner
Third base. A line drive hit reaches third base in mere seconds. Third basemen must be very quick.
in the hole
The batter after the on-deck hitter.
jam
When a hitter gets a pitch near his hands, he is "jammed." Also when a pitcher gets himself in trouble, he is in a "jam."
leather
Refers to how good a player plays defensively or handles the glove. Ex: "He flashed some leather on that play."
meatball
An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle of the plate.
Mendoza line
A batting average of around .200. Such averages are calculated so that if a player got a hit 10 times in 10 at-bats he would have a 1.000 average. A batter's average is listed in three ways: against the pitcher he's facing right now, for this season and, for the length of his career. So you might hear an announcer say "PlayerX is .298 this season." Or "He's .250 against this pitcher, lifetime."
The Mendoza line is named after Minnie Mendoza, a career minor leaguer, who finally made it to the major leagues in 1970 at age 36. His sixteen game stint with the Twins left him with a career average of .188.
The best hitters in the long history of baseball routinely had limetime averages at about .300. A .400 average is the Holy Grail of baseball hitting. The last player to hit over .400 in a season (that's 4 hits out of 10 times at bat) was Ted Williams who hit .406 in 1941. Williams career (Boston RedSox 1939-1960) was broken up by two tours of duty as a US Marine aviator; future Astronaut John Glenn was his wingman in Korea. His lifetime average was .344. The highest lifetime average, .367, is held by Ty Cobb.
moon shot
A very long, high home run.
nail down
As in "nail down a victory." Refers to a relief pitcher finishing off the game.
on the screws
When a batter hits the ball hard. Also "on the button."
painting the black
When a pitcher throws the ball over the edge of the plate. The edges of home plate are black in color.
pea
A ball traveling at high speed, either batted or thrown.
pepper
Pepper is a common pre-game exercise where one player bunts brisk grounders and line drives to a group of fielders who are standing about 20 feet away. The fielders try to throw it back as quickly as possible. The batter hits the return throw. (Some ballparks ban pepper games because wild pitches could land in the stands and injure spectators).
pick
A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball. Also a shortened version of "pick-off."
pickle
A rundown, or when a runner is caught between two fielders who are throwing the ball back and forth to each other in an attempt to tag the runner out.
punchout
A strikeout.
rhubarb
A fight or scuffle.
ribbie
Another way of saying RBI, the acronym for Runs Batted In. Also "ribeye."
rope
A hard line drive hit by a batter. Also "frozen rope" or "clothes line."
rubber game
The deciding game of a series.
run-down
When a baserunner gets caught between bases by the fielders.
Ruthian
With great power (i.e., like Babe Ruth)
seeing-eye single
A ground ball that finds its way between infielders for a base hit. Sometimes called a "seeing-eye ball" or a "ground ball with eyes"
set-up man
A relief pitcher who usually enters the game in the 7th or 8th inning.
shoestring catch
A running catch made just above the fielder's shoetops.
southpaw
A left-handed pitcher.
sweet spot
The part of the bat just a few inches from the barrel. Sometimes called the "joy zone."
table setter
Batter whose job is to get on base for other hitters to drive him in. Usually a leadoff or No. 2 hitter.
tape-measure blast
An extremely long home run.
Texas Leaguer
A bloop hit that drops between an infielder and outfielder.
tools of ignorance
A catcher's safety equipment.
touch 'em all
Hitting a home run (touching all the bases).
twin killing
A double play.
Uncle Charlie
A curve ball.
UTILITY PLAYER = A player who fills in at many positions.
WHEEL HOUSE = A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high and over the heart of the plate.
WHEELS = A ballplayer's legs.
WHIFF = A strikeout.
YAKKER = A curve ball.
