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One of the hardest things I found with baseball is learning all the little ins and outs and slang terms for the game. I still remember embarrassingly asking people around me at one of our little league games what the heck a balk was and the rules surrounding a dropped third pitch. When my husband and I first started dating and he was in the minor leagues, I can remember my dad calling me while at one of his games and me telling him that they were up by 3 points–trust me, my dad (and my husband) have never let me live that one down since then. So whether you’re a new baseball mom or a seasoned baseball mom, I thought I’d try to help you stay in the know with this simple list of Baseball Slang Terms that every baseball mom should know and that may even give some added “momma points” on the team if you do know them!
Other Practical Ideas for Baseball Moms:
Baseball Terms, Slang Words, and Meanings
Dinger: Another name for a Home Run
Ribbie: RBI or Run Batted In is when a run is scored as a result of a hit
Heater: aka a Fastball
Ugly Finder: a hard hit which nearly hits someone, usually towards the dugout or the coach…implying that the ball was finding someone ugly 😉
Eat It: Meaning, don’t throw it. So if a player bobbles the ball and goes to throw it to first, the coach might yell “eat it” meaning to hold onto the ball because they’re not gonna get the other player out
Bat Flip: when the batter flips their bat in celebration after a home run
Bomb : Another name for a Home Run (there are several)
Caught Looking: when a third strike is called on the batter without the batter swinging the bat
Count: the number of balls and strikes on a hitter
Find a Gap: aka “Gap Shot” when you get to base by hitting a ball between the outfielders
Full Count: When the count is 3 balls and 2 strikes and another strike will result in striking out and another ball will result in a walk
Golfing: when a player swings at a low pitch, close to the dirt
Hat Trick: when a hitter strikes out three times in one game
In the hole: the batter who follows the batter on deck
“Good Cut”: “Good swing!”
Pinch Hitter: a substitute batter
Hitting for the Cycle: the accomplishment of one batter hitting a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that order is known as a “natural cycle”.
Picked Off: A pickoff occurs between pitches when a pitcher throws a ball to a fielder, who eventually puts out or assists in retiring an opposing baserunner. When a pitcher throws to a base between pitches in an attempt to get an out or keep a runner close to the base, it’s known as a pickoff attempt.
Pass Ball: A catcher is given a passed ball if he cannot hold onto a pitch that — in the official scorer’s judgment — he should have, and as a result at least one runner moves up on the bases. Passed balls have commonality with wild pitches, as both allow a runner to advance on his own without a stolen base.
Wild Pitch: when a pitch is so errant that the catcher is unable to control it and, as a result, baserunner(s) advance. No matter how poor the pitch, a pitcher is only charged with a WP if at least one runner moves up a base, and he cannot be charged with a wild pitch if no one is on base — unless it allows the batter to reach base on a third strike.) Wild pitches have commonality with passed balls — which represent the same thing, but are the fault of the catcher instead of the pitcher.
Sacrifice: sacrifice hit (also known as a sacrifice bunt, and abbreviated SH) is credited to a batter who successfully advances one or more runners by bunting the ball for an out, or who would have been put out but for an error or unsuccessful fielder’s choice. A sacrifice does not count as a time at bat.
Hit: A hit occurs when a batter strikes the baseball into fair territory and reaches base without doing so via an error or a fielder’s choice.
Rake: when a player hits the ball well to all parts of the outfield he is “raking”
2 Ducks on the Pond: when there’s at least two baserunners
Tater: another term used for a home run (there are a lot of them!)
Triple: when a player hits the ball and makes it to third base
1-2-3 Inning: an inning when a pitcher faces only three batters and none of them make it to base
Ace: the best starting pitcher on the team
Balk: an illegal motion made by the pitcher that may deceive a base runner; results in runner advancing a base
Dropped Third Strike: a rule that applies when first base is open, or if there are two outs. If the batter strikes out (swinging or looking) and the catcher does not catch the pitch before it hits the ground, the batter can run to first base (**this one is important for both fans and players to know!)
Meatball: when a pitcher is throwing pitches that are extremely easy to hit
No Hitter: a game in which one team does not get any hits; extremely rare
Southpaw: a left handed thrower or pitcher
Can of Corn: a fly ball hit to a player, typically in the outfield, that is very easy to catch
Blue: A term used to address the umpire, referring to the typical umpire uniform color
Bush League: a style of play or action that is classless or unprofessional
Intentional Walk: when the defending team walks a batter on purpose putting him on first base rather than giving him a chance to hit.
Walk: When a pitcher throws four balls to a hitter before throwing three strikes, the batter gets to go to first base automatically.
Double play: a defensive play that gets two outs
6+4+3= 2 or 6-4-3 double play (sometimes seen on shirts): When the shortstop (6) fields a batted ball and throws to the second baseman (4), who forces out a runner advancing from first and then throws to the first baseman (3) to force out the batter, which results in a double play.
Of course, these are just a handful of the terms out there, but these are the some of the more genuinely used terms or terms that you see used on shirts or baseball memes. But let’s be honest, being able to show your baseball knowledge on and off the field is always fun and shows you’re really invested in your child’s game!
Did we leave a popular one off? Leave us a comment below and we’ll include it in our list.
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