ace -- A team's best starting pitcher.alley -- The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also "gap."
around the horn -- A double play going from third base to second to first.backdoor slider -- A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks back over the plate.bag -- A base.Baltimore chop -- A ground ball that hits in front of home plate (or off of it) and takes a large hop over the infielder's head.bandbox -- A small ballpark that favors hitters.bang-bang play -- A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a split-second before the ball arrives or vice versa.basket catch -- When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near belt level.Bronx cheer -- When the crowd boos.brushback -- A pitch that nearly hits a batter.bush -- Also "bush league." An amateur play or behavior.can of corn -- An easy catch by a fielder.caught looking -- When a batter is called out on strikes.cellar -- Last place. Also "basement."cheese -- Also "good cheese." Refers to a good fastball.chin music -- A pitch that is high and inside.circus catch -- An outstanding catch by a fielder.closer -- A team's relief pitcher who finishes the game.cutter -- A cut fastball (one with a late break to it).cycle -- When a batter hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game.dinger -- A home run.dish -- Home plate.fireman -- A team's closer or late-inning relief pitcher.fungo -- A ball hit to a fielder during practice. It's usually hit by a coach using a "fungo bat," which is longer and thinner than a normal bat.gap -- See "alley." A ball hit here is a "gapper."gopher ball -- A pitch hit for a home run, as in "go for."heat -- A good fastball. Also "heater."high and tight -- Referring to a pitch that's up in the strike zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as "up and in."hill -- Pitcher's mound.homer -- A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong, four-bagger, four-base knock, moon shot, tape-measure blast and tater.hot corner -- Third base.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.moon shot -- A very long, high home run.nail down -- As in "nail down a victory." Refers to a relief pitcher finishing off the game.on the screws -- When a batter hits the ball hard. Also "on the button."painting the black -- When a pitcher throws the ball over the edge of the plate.pea -- A ball traveling at high speed, either batted or thrown.pepper -- Pepper is a common pre-game exercise where one player bunts brisk grounders and line drives to a group of fielders who are standing about 20 feet away. The fielders try to throw it back as quickly as possible. The batter hits the return throw. (Some ballparks ban pepper games because wild pitches could land in the stands and injure spectators).pick -- A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball. Also a shortened version of "pick-off."pickle -- A rundown.punchout -- A strikeout.rhubarb -- A fight or scuffle.ribbie -- Another way of saying RBI. Also "ribeye."rope -- A hard line drive hit by a batter. Also "frozen rope."rubber game -- The deciding game of a series.run-down -- When a baserunner gets caught between bases by the fielders.Ruthian -- With great power.seeing-eye single -- A soft ground ball that finds its way between infielders for a base hit.set-up man -- A relief pitcher who usually enters the game in the 7th or 8th inning.shoestring catch -- A running catch made just above the fielder's shoetops.southpaw -- A left-handed pitcher.sweet spot -- The part of the bat just a few inches from the barrel.table setter -- Batter whose job is to get on base for other hitters to drive him in. Usually a leadoff or No. 2 hitter.tape-measure blast -- An extremely long home run.tater -- A home run.Texas Leaguer -- A bloop hit that drops between an infielder and outfielder.tools of ignorance -- Catcher's equipment.touch 'em all -- Hitting a home run (touching all the bases).twin killing -- A double play.Uncle Charlie -- Curve ball.
utility player -- A player who fills in at many positions.wheelhouse -- A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high and over the heart of the plate.wheels -- A ballplayer's legs.whiff -- Strikeout.yakker -- Curve ball.
MORE LINGO
|
At 'em ball -- A ball hit right at a defensive player.Baltimore Chop -- A ground ball that hits in front of home plate (or off of it) and takes a large hop over the infielder's head.Bases drunk -- Bases loaded.Bazooka -- Strong throwing arm. "He's got a bazooka."Big show -- The major leagues.Bush league -- Lesser minor-league teams in small cities or towns.Catch napping -- To surprise a less than alert runner with the result that he is picked off or suddenly caught between bases.Chin music -- A beanball or knockdown pitch that passes close to the batter's jaw.Circus catch -- A spectacular catch, suggesting the moves of a circus acrobat.Crackerjack -- Term used to describe a first-rate or spectacular player or team.Curtain call -- The practice of a player coming out of the dugout to acknowledge the call of the fans, usually after a home run.Deuce -- The curveball, usually signaled from a catcher to a pitcher by holding down two fingers.Dying quail -- A batted ball that drops suddenly and unexpectedly, like a bird that has been shot on the wing.Fence buster -- A heavy hitter.Free pass -- Base on balls.Friendly confines -- Descriptive of many home ballparks, but most often used to describe Wrigley Field.Glass arm -- A sore throwing or pitching arm.Golden Sombrero -- A batter who strikes out four times in the same game is said to wear the golden sombrero.Goose egg -- A zero on the scoreboard.Gopher ball -- A pitch destined to be hit for a home run; one that will "go for" a run.Guess hitter -- Batter who tries to anticipate or out-guess the pitcher based on the situation at hand."Hit 'em where they ain't'' -- Rallying cry for batters through the decades since 1897, when Wee Willie Keeler hit .432. Asked how a man of his size could put together such an average, Keeler responded: "Simple. I keep my eyes clear and I hit 'em where they ain't.''Hot stove league -- Term for the gab, gossip and debate that takes place during the winter months when baseball is idle.Iron glove -- Sloppy fielding; prone to errors.Lollipop -- A soft pitch or weak throw.Mendoza line -- Figurative boundary in the batting averages between those batters hitting above and below .215, Mario Mendoza's career average.Picasso -- A control pitcher; one who paints the black.Platter -- Home plate.Play by the book -- To play in accord with the conventional wisdom of the game.Pow wow -- A meeting on the playing field, usually involving several players and a coach who has come on to the field to talk strategy.Punch-and-Judy -- Said of a hitter who tends to hit well-placed but weakly-hit balls for singles. The first reference was made by former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Walter Alston when asked about a home run by Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants. "When he belts a home run, he does it with such authority it seems like an act of God. You can't cry about it. He's not a Punch and Judy belter.''Rhubarb -- A ruckus with the umpires; confusion; a fight between players.Right down Broadway -- A pitch that is delivered in the middle of the strike zone.Room service -- Term describing a pitch or batted ball that comes right to a defensive player.Shoestring catch -- A catch made by a running fielder just before the ball hits the ground.Texas Leaguer -- A poorly hit ball that loops meekly over the infield and lands for a hit.Tools of ignorance -- The catcher's paraphernalia: shinguards, chest protector, helmet, mask and glove.twin killing -- Double play.Warning track power -- The ability of a batter with enough strength to hit a ball to the warning track, but not enough to hit a home run.Whitewash -- To shut out a team.Worm burner -- Batted ball that moves across the ground hard and fast.
|
|
|
