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Baseball
Terminology
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B Scorer's notation for Bunt (see Bunt) Backdoor Slider A pitch that appears to be out of the strike zone, but then breaks over the plate BACKSTOP the barrier erected behind the catcher in order to allow the catcher to retrieve passed balls easily. The tall, wide fence or net located behind the catcher's box. The backstop separates foul territory from territory that is out of play, stops balls that go behind the catcher's box, and protects fans watching the game from behind home plate. Bag A base "bail" - verb. To dive out of the way of an incoming pitch, fearing for one's life. BALL a pitch which does not enter the strike zone in flight and is not struck at by the batter. (NOTE: If the pitch touches the ground and bounces through the strike zone it is a "ball." If such pitch touches the batter, the batter shall be awarded first base. If the batter swings at such a pitch and misses, it is a strike. Junior/Senior/Big League Baseball: If the batter swings at such a pitch after two strikes, the ball cannot be caught, for the purposes of Rule 6.05 (c) and 6.09(b). If the batter hits such a pitch, the ensuing action shall be the same as if the batter hit the ball in flight.) Correction to 2001 Rule book (rule changes 2/21/01) Junior/Senior/Big League Baseball: If the batter swings at such a pitch after two strikes, the ball cannot be caught, for the purposes of Rule 6.05 (c) and 6.09(b). (Dropped third strike rule)
Balk (Call of Umpire) Penalty for an illegal movement by the pitcher. The rule is designed to prevent pitchers from deliberately deceiving the runners. If called, baserunners advance one base.
A BALK is not called in the Little League (Majors) Division, Minor League or Tee Ball. (See Rule 8.05 - illegal Pitch) THE BALK REFERENCE This document will not attempt to cover everything regarding balks. It will cover the most frequently asked questions. First, a bit about the basics of the balk rule. The purpose of the rule is to limit what the pitcher is allowed to do in an attempt to pick off a runner. Basically, it is pretty simple: He cannot fake one thing and then do another. He cannot fake a pitch and then throw to a base, or fake a throw to a base and then pitch. If he starts either action, he must finish that action without hesitation or alteration. The rule specifies many specific actions, but it is a judgment of the umpire as to whether one action was started and not completed or not. The pitcher does not have to step off the rubber to throw to a base. (You don't want to throw to a base after stepping off. If the throw goes out of play it is a 2 base award. If the throw goes out of play when throw is from the rubber it is a 1 base award.) The pitcher may throw from the rubber to a base from the windup position. (It must be done before any movement that is part of the normal motion that is part of his windup.) The pitcher may fake a throw to second or third base from the rubber, but not to first base. This may be done from the windup or the set position. (You do not have to step off the rubber to fake to 2nd or 3rd. Only if you fake to 1st.) A jump turn is legal and considered being in contact with the rubber. The pitcher may place his hands in a different set location before each pitch. He must come to a set before pitching to the batter, but not before throwing to a base. He may not set twice before the pitch. A stretch move prior to the set is optional. He must disengage the rubber with his pivot foot first. He must step in the direction of the throw and prior to the release of the throw. Once he is on the rubber he may do one of three things: Throw to a base Deliver a pitch Disengage the rubber (pivot foot first) In (1) and (2) above, the move must be completed without interruption or alteration, except for a fake to 2nd or 3rd. The ball is not immediately dead if a pitch or throw is completed after the umpire yells "That's a balk." Example play: A runner is on second, 2-2 count. The pitcher stretches, but doesn't come to a set before delivering the pitch. The umpire yells "Balk!", but the pitch is thrown and the batter hits a grounder to shortstop. F5 looks the runner back and throws to first too late to get BR. What's the call? Where do you place the runners? Answer: R2 is awarded third and the batter returns to the plate with the count 2-2. In Pro rules, and Little League®, the ball is not immediately dead when a balk is called. If the pitch is thrown or a pick-off attempt is made the ball is still live. (Sometimes called delayed dead ball.) The ball becomes dead when all play has ended after the balk call or when the pitch or pick-off throw is caught. Rule 8.05 - PENALTY: The ball is dead, and each runner shall advance one base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise, and all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play proceeds without reference to the balk. APPROVED RULING: In cases where a pitcher balks and throws wild, either to a base or to home plate, a runner or runners may advance beyond the base to which he is entitled at his own risk. It took me a long time to understand the wording in this rule. What it means in simpler terms is: When the play ends, the ball is dead. When a balk is committed and a pitch is thrown, if all offensive players advance at least one base on the play; ignore the balk. If ANY runner is put out BEFORE he advances one base or does not advance during the play; put everyone back where they were before the play began and then award all runners one base. If a runner is put out after all runners have advanced one base, the out stands and the balk is ignored. The ball becomes dead when the catcher catches the pitch. If it is a passed ball or wild pitch, the ball remains alive until all play ends. When the balk is made in a pick-off attempt, the ball is dead when the fielder catches the throw. If the throw is wild, play continues. Example: Runner on first. The pitcher balks during his throw to first and the ball gets away from the first baseman. The runner attempts to get to third and is thrown out. The out stands. He made the one base he would have been awarded and went beyond it at his own risk. If he had been thrown out at second the out would not count and he would be awarded second because of the balk Rule 8.05 covers balks. 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. Barrel The thickest, most powerful part of the bat. Batters should strive to have the ball come into contact with the barrel of the bat on every swing.
BASE is one of four points which must be touched by a runner in order to score a run; more usually applied to the canvas bags and the rubber plate which mark the base points. a square sack, made of canvas, used to mark the three points of a baseball diamond other than home plate. synonyms: sack, bag, base, cushion, pillow
Baseball A game played with a bat and ball by two opposing teams of nine players, each team playing alternately in the field and at bat, the players at bat having to run a course of four bases laid out in a diamond pattern in order to score.
The ball that is used in a baseball game.
The sphere that baseball players throw, hit, catch and field. A baseball's surface is two pieces of cowhide stitched together with red thread, which creates seams to grip when throwing. A baseball's inside is comprised of layers of yarn and rubber wrapped around a cork core. An official baseball must have a circumference between 22.9 and 23.5 centimeters and weigh between 5 and 5½ ounces.
Base on Balls An award of first base to a batter who has received four pitches outside the strike zone without swinging at them. All forced runners advance one base. Also called a "walk." The scorer's notation for a base on balls is BB.
BASE COACH a team member in uniform or one (1) adult manager or coach who a stationed in the base coach's box at first or third base to direct the batter and the runners.
BASE LINE The white chalk lines that extend from home plate through first and third base to the outfield and up the foul poles, inside which a batted ball is in fair territory and outside of which it is in foul territory.
One of four direct lines which connect one base to another. There is a baseline from home plate to first base, first base to second base, second base to third base, and third base to home plate. The baselines that connect home plate to first base and home plate to third base are marked by the foul lines; the baselines that connect first base to second base and second base to third base are not marked.
BASES EMPTY No runner on the bases.
Base Hit a batted ball
that allows the batter to reach first base safely.
Base Line a line that connects the four bases of a
baseball diamond, marked with chalk between home plate and first base
and between home plate and third base. Bases Loaded When all three bases are occupied by runners. Base Runner a player on the team at bat who is on a base or running between bases. synonyms: base runner {baserunner}, runner
Bat A rounded, wooden or aluminum club, wider and heavier at the hitting end and tapering at the handle, used to strike the baseball. There are two types of bats used in baseball: aluminum bats and wooden bats.
BATTER an offensive player who takes a position in the batter's box. Batter-runner A term identifying the offensive player between the completion of the player's turn at bat and the end of the play where the player became a runner. Designation given to a batter after putting the ball in play. For example, a batter becomes a batter/runner when running to first base on a ground ball. After reaching base safely, the batter/runner becomes a runner. BATTERS BOX is the area within which the batter must stand during a time at bat. The marked, rectangular areas on the left and right sides of home plate that batters must stay in while hitting. In baseball on most levels, the batter's boxes are 4 feet by 3 feet.
Batters Faced estimates the number of batters faced in each game started by a pitcher, derived from the formula: (IP*3)/GS.
BATTING the act of using a bat to hit a ball Batting Stance the position of a batter's feet relative to home plate
the Batting Average The statistic obtained by dividing a player's number of hits by the player's number of official at-bats. Refer to the statistics page for the proper formula to calculate this statistic.
Batting
Glove
Worn by players while at bat and on the bases to protect their heads. Batting helmets are hard and plastic on the outside, and padded on the inside. In Little League and instructional levels, a batting helmet covers the entire head and both ears, and some have a facemask to protect the mouth. In Major League Baseball, batting helmets are smaller, have a flap covering the ear facing the pitcher (when the batter is in his or her stance) and do not have facemasks, unless preferred by the hitter.
BATTING ORDER is the list of current defensive players in the order in which they are to bat. Exceptions: In Minor League, the batting order may contain the entire roster of players. In Tee Ball, the batting order shall contain the entire roster of players. BB Scorer's notation for a Base on Balls (Walk) to "Bean" To hit a batter with an incoming pitch, often in the head BENCH the seating facilities reserved for players, substitutes, one manager, and not more than two coaches when they are not actively engaged on the playing field. Batboys and/or batgirls are not permitted. Big League Baseball A program for participants 16- 18 years old (league age) see league age BK Scorer's notation for Balk BL Bats Left Handed
Blue Term used to refer to an Umpire. Board of Directors At the local league level, a group of people elected by the league membership, in whom is placed the responsibility for the management of the property and affairs of the league, under the rules, regulations and policies of Little League Baseball, Incorporated. (see Little League Baseball International Board of Directors) Bottom of the Inning the second half of an inning when the home team is at bat. synonyms: bottom, bottom half, bottom of the inning, home half, last half, second half BOX SCORE The progression of the game as written in a series of boxes indicating hits, runs, errors and player substitutions of each inning played BP Batting Practice
Breaking Ball An off-speed
pitch that curves. Break The Wrists (of a batter) to swing a bat far enough to make the hands move out; used as a guide by umpires in deciding whether a batter has swung at a pitch. BRONX CHEER When the crowd boos. Brush Back When the pitcher intentionally throws a ball that is inside (close to the batter) and high of the strike zone. Usually thrown when a batter is standing on the inner half of the batter's box and leaning over home plate, thus making it difficult for the pitcher to utilize the inner half of the strike zone. The brush back pitch is intended to back the hitter away from home plate for ensuing pitches. Also known as throwing "high and tight." BS Blown Save Bullpen the area beyond the outfield fence where relief pitchers wait and warm up.
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