Baseball Players Terms Part 2

These baseball players terms and jargon are part of sports gamerisms, Define Your Game!
Glossary, part 2 continues for baseball players and fans who dream of perfect baseball games.

Baseball Players Terms: C

• Called Game:  a game suspended, normally due to weather by the umpire or as dictated by the leagues rules.
• Can of Corn:  catch made by a fielder that is deemed extremely easy. If only the rest of the game was so, yes?
• Change Up:  a slow pitch thrown with the same motion as a fast pitch, but with less velocity intended to fool a batter and throw off their timing.
• Chase After: baseball player attempting to hit a pitch way outside of the strike zone.
• Check Swing:  when a batter stops in mid swing, without following through, in an attempt to avoid swinging at a bad pitch. 
• Chin Music:  pitch thrown high and close to the batter, whizzing by under their chin.
• Circus Catch:  a physically impressive and often acrobatic catch by a fielder.
• Clean up Hitter:  a hitter batting fourth in the batting order, usually the best hitter on the team and/or baseball player known as a power hitter.
• Closer:  a relief pitcher that is brought in to work the final portion of the game, usually when the game is on the line.
• Complete Game:  achieved when a pitcher pitches all nine innings of a game.
• Count: term for the number of balls and strikes currently called during each at bat. 
• Curve:  a pitch that moves across the plate upon reaching the batter.
• Cut Off: term for baseball players who shorten the throw or cut off the ball thrown from the outfield.
• Cutter:  term for a breaking fastball.
• Cycle:  obtained when a batter achieves a single, double, triple and home run in a single game. The triple is the difficult part; therefore, this accomplishment is rare and should be applauded loudly!
  

Baseball Players Terms: D

• Dinger:  another name for a home run. Congrats to the dingee or is it dingert?
• Double:  a hit that allows a batter to reach second base. 
• Double Play:  the act of getting two runners out during one hit.
• Doubleheader:  two baseball games, played back to back.
• Down the Line: area close to foul lines used to describe the location of batted balls.
• Down the Middle: area of home plate used to describe the location of pitches.
• Drop off the Table: term for a pitched ball that breaks sharply.
• Dugouts:  the 2 separate field areas where each team is located during the game.
  

Baseball Players Terms: E - F

• Earned Run:  a run allowed by a pitcher.
• Error:  a play that should have been made, but due to a mistake, was not. Error is counted in the stats against the player who committed it.
• Fast Ball:  a pitch thrown as hard as possible, typically straight with no movement.
• Fly Ball:  a ball hit high in the air in a large arc.
• Force Out:  the act of touching a base in which an opposing runner is forced to run towards because another teammate has hit and is running behind him/her. Example: if a runner is forced to run to second and the fielder touches second base before the runner arrives, that runner is out. 
• Foul Line:  line stretching from home plate into the outfield, marking the boundaries of legal play in or out of bounds.
• Fouling Off: when player continues to bat after a count of 2 strikes.
• Full Count: consists of 3 balls and 2 strikes wherein the next pitch will produce a walk or hit ball. Don't you just hate the suspense?
  

Baseball Players Terms: G

• Gap:  section of the field between outfielders.
• Grand Slam: home run hit when runners are on each base resulting in a total of 4 runs on the scoreboard.
• Green Light:  signal given by the coach for the batter to hit the next good pitch or for the runner to steal a base at the next opportunity.
• Grounder or Ground Ball:  a ball hit rolling on the ground.
  

Baseball Players Terms: H

• Heat or Heater: jargon for a maximum velocity fastball. It's a zinger!
• High and Tight: pitched above the strike zone.
• Hit: a play in which the batter makes contact with the ball and is able to reach base without being forced out or tagged.
• Hit and Run:  occurs when a runner starts to advance to the base as soon as the ball is pitched to the batter in an attempt to reach and advance the runner.
• Hitting the Cycle: player who hits in any order--a single, double, triple and home run during the same game. Every batter's dream game!
• Home Plate:  the fourth base or point the runner attempts to reach.  Once crossed safely, a run is tallied for the team. Cheers ring out on this trip--homeward bound.
• Hot Corner: baseball jargon for third base.
  

Baseball Players Terms: I - L

• Infield:  area in which the bases are located, approximately ninety feet square.
• Infielder: term for player position inside the infield. First, second, third basemen and shortstop.
• Intentional Walk: action of throwing four unhittable balls by the pitcher in order to walk a talented batter.
• Knuckle Ball:  pitch thrown by gripping the seams of the baseball with the first finger and knuckle.  This gives the ball a slow erratic motion when thrown.
• Lead Off: player who bats first in the lineup for the team or a base runner who moves forward from the base before a pitch is thrown. Perhaps a steal is about to happen?
• Line Drive:  a hit that is hard and on a straight line at a low trajectory.
• Load the Bases: term for 3 players of one team who are on first, second, and third bases.
  

Baseball Players Terms is followed by baseball terms M - Z
Other Sports Clicks
Football Players Terms
Soccer Facts Trivia
Rugby Games Quiz
Fantasy Sports Glossary