| Glossary of Baseball Terms |
| A.L.C.S.
|
Abbreviation for American League Championship Series, the A.L.C.S. is a best-of-seven playoff series that determines which American League team will go to the World Series. |
| Ace on the hill |
When a team has their best pitcher starting the game. “The hill” refers to the pitching mound. |
| 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. |
| D.L. |
Abbreviation for Disabled List. Hurt players get listed on either 15-day or 60-day D.L. They are effectively removed from the team during that time so that healthy players can take their place. |
| 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. |
| Draw the walk |
A batter’s ability to be patient and careful about pitches he swings at, in order to get a base on balls even if he does not get a hit. |
| Farm system |
A team in the minor league system (see Double A) whose role it is to provide experience for young players with the understanding that the more successful players can move up at any point. A training ground for future major leaguers. |
| Free agency |
In 1975 an arbitration panel declared that players with six 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. *From the early days of baseball until the mid-1970s baseball players were effectively bound to a team for the duration of their careers (assuming the team did not decide to cut them loose (See Cut Him Loose) or trade them). |
| 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. |
| Got called up |
When a minor league player (see Farm system) gets promoted to the major leagues (there is no guarantee he will stay there). |
| 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). It can backfire if the batter does not make contact and the runner gets thrown out on his way to the next base, or if a line drive put-out occurs, and thus the runner makes a second out. |
| 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 |
A theory that during the 1990s and 2000s, Major League Baseball was altering the make-up of baseballs in order for them to have them leave the bat at higher speeds, causing there to be an elevated number of homeruns to be hit. The theory has not been proven. |
| 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 despite defensive ability. (Pitchers, as batters, are not held to the same standard.) |
| On the screws |
When a batter hits the ball squarely. |
| Park one |
Hit a home run. |
| Pennant race |
Short for rookie; a player in his first year of Major League service. |
| 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 |
With runners on third base and less than two outs, the batter may hit a fly ball to the outfield which is caught, thus sacrificing himself, if it scores the runner. This does not count as an at-bat for the batter, but does count as an R.B.I. (run batted in) upon the runner from third base crossing home plate. |
| 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, essentially the halfway point of the season. Regular season play is suspended for three days of festivities, during which time an exhibition game between the American and National Leagues’ best players is held. Beginning in 2003, the All-Star game has had added significance in that 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 it can also be a player who is good at timing the pitcher’s delivery to home plate. |
| Tossing bullets |
Throwing the ball very hard. Refers mainly to pitchers’ fastballs. |
| Turning two |
Also known as 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 he 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 batter with a discerning eye. He will not typically swing at pitches out of the strike zone (see Draw the Walk) or will try to foul off many pitches to force the pitcher to make a mistake by extending the at-bat. |
| Zone |
Refers to the strike zone which is defined as 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. |
