GLOSSARY OF BASEBALL TERMS

Back Back Back cast (L-R): Brendan Griffin, Nick Mills and Joaquin Perez-Campbell. Photo by Craig Schwartz.

A.L.C.S. Abbreviation for American League Championship Series, a best-of-seven playoff series that determines which American League team will go to the World Series.

ACE ONTHE HILL When a team has their best pitcher starting the game. “The hill” refers to the pitching mound.
called up A minor league player who is promoted to the major leagues.

CANDLESTICK Candlestick Park. Former home to the San Francisco Giants and current home to the San Francisco 49ers. Structural damage was incurred during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake minutes before Game 3 of the World Series was to be played.

CUT HIM LOOSE To be fired, traded or let go from a ball club.

DOUBLE A Part of the minor league or farm system of a major league team — players who are not yet ready to play in the majors or are working their way back from injuries. Double A is the mid-range classification.

FARM SYSTEM Teams in the minor league (see Double A) whose role it is to provide experience for young players; a training ground for future major leaguers.

FREE AGENCY In 1975 an arbitration panel declared that players with 6 years of major league service who were not under contract for the following season could, in essence, place themselves on the open market to see if other teams would offer more lucrative contracts. Until the mid-1970s players were bound to a team for the duration of their careers (unless they were cut loose or traded).

GOES THE OPPOSITE WAY  When a right-handed batter hits the ball to right field or a left-handed batter hits the ball to left field. Since most power comes from a right-handed batter hitting the ball to left field and vice versa, this “against the grain” approach can be particularly effective.

HIT AND RUN Actually, a run and hit, an offensive situation where base runners are in motion before the ball is hit, while the batter tries to make contact with the pitch. The desired outcome is that the runners will advance at least one base and eliminate the possibility of a double-play (see Turning Two).

HIT THE CORNERS Refers to a pitcher’s ability to throw a strike just within the boundaries of the strike zone (see Zone) without having the ball go directly over the plate.

HITTING FOR AVERAGE (or Batting Average) Batting average is defined as the number of hits divided by the number plate appearances. Players who hit for average may not have the most homeruns, but can effectively put the ball in play and get a good percentage of base hits. (Walks do not count towards average.)

JUICED An unproven theory that during the 1990–2000s, Major League Baseball was altering the make-up of baseballs, causing there to be an elevated number of homeruns hit.

MENDOZA LINE Named for shortstop Mario Mendoza, a term that refers to a player’s batting average (see Hitting for Average) falling below .200, the minimum level for acceptable offensive output regardless of defensive ability.

ON THE SCREWS When a batter hits the ball squarely.

PARK ONE Hit a home run.

PENNANT RACE The last weeks of the season when teams compete for playoff spots. Winners are the American and National League teams who then compete in the World Series.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR An award given at the end of the season to the best first-year player in the American and National Leagues.

SAC FLY Short for Sacrifice Fly. With a runner on third base and fewer than two outs, the batter may hit a fly ball to the outfield which is caught, thus sacrificing himself, if it scores the runner.

SKIP Short for Skipper, another term for the team’s manager.

SLUGGER A player who is a home-run hitter, or hits the ball often for doubles or triples.

THE BREAK Refers to the All-Star Break in the middle of July, the halfway point of the season. Regular play is suspended for 3 days of festivities, during which time there is an exhibition game between the American and National Leagues’ best players. Beginning in 2003, whichever League wins the game obtains home-field advantage for the World Series.

THREAT TO STEAL A stolen base occurs when a base runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate. The fastest runners are frequently considered threats, but a “threat” can also be a player who is good at timing a pitcher’s delivery to home plate.

TOSSING BULLETS Throwing the ball very hard. Refers mainly to pitchers’ fastballs.

TURNING TWO Also called a double-play, the defensive act of getting two offensive players out during one continuous play.

WARNING TRACK   The portion of the outfield that is closest to and runs along the wall (over which a ball is considered a home run).  That part of the field resembles a running track and is made out of dirt or composite instead of grass or turf like the rest of the field.  This provides a warning to outfielders if they are running to catch a ball that they are nearing the wall.

WORK THE COUNT  Used to describe an ability of a batter with a discerning eye.  He will not typically swing at pitches out of the strike zone or will try to foul off many pitches to extend the at-bat and force the pitcher to make a mistake.

ZONE The strike zone; the vertical space between a hitter’s knees and the letters on his uniform, and horizontally from one side of home plate to the other.

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