Some Common Baseball Terms Explained
Read below to find out what these baseball terms mean.
ace -- A team's best starting pitcher.
alley -- The section of the outfield between the outfielders.
Also "gap."
around the horn -- A double play going from third base to second
to first.
backdoor slider -- A pitch that appears to be out of the strike
zone, but then breaks back over the plate.
bag -- A base.
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.
bandbox -- A small ballpark that favors hitters.
bang-bang play -- A play in which the baserunner hits the bag a
split-second before the ball arrives or vice versa.
basket catch -- When a fielder catches a ball with his glove near
belt level.
Bronx cheer -- When the crowd boos.
brushback -- A pitch that nearly hits a batter.
bush -- Also "bush league." An amateur play or behavior.
can of corn -- An easy catch by a fielder.
caught looking -- When a batter is called out on strikes.
cellar -- Last place. Also "basement."
cheese -- Also "good cheese." Refers to a good fastball.
chin music -- A pitch that is high and inside.
circus catch -- An outstanding catch by a fielder.
closer -- A team's relief pitcher who finishes the game.
cutter -- A cut fastball (one with a late break to it).
cycle -- When a batter hits a single, double, triple and home run
in the same game.
dinger -- A home run.
dish -- Home plate.
fireman -- A team's closer or late-inning relief pitcher.
fungo -- A ball hit to a fielder during practice. It's usually
hit by a coach using a "fungo bat," which is longer and thinner
than a normal bat.
gap -- See "alley." A ball hit here is a "gapper."
gopher ball -- A pitch hit for a home run, as in "go for."
heat -- A good fastball. Also "heater."
high and tight -- Referring to a pitch that's up in the strike
zone and inside on a hitter. Also known as "up and in."
hill -- Pitcher's mound.
homer -- A home run. Other terms include: blast, dinger, dong,
four-bagger, four-base knock, moon shot, tape-measure blast and
tater.
hot corner -- Third base.
in the hole -- The batter after the on-deck hitter.
jam -- When a hitter gets a pitch near his hands, he is "jammed."
Also when a pitcher gets himself in trouble, he is in a "jam."
leather -- Refers to how good a player plays defensively or
handles the glove. Ex: "He flashed some leather on that play."
meatball -- An easy pitch to hit, usually right down the middle
of the plate.
Mendoza line -- A batting average of around .200.
moon shot -- A very long, high home run.
nail down -- As in "nail down a victory." Refers to a relief
pitcher finishing off the game.
on the screws -- When a batter hits the ball hard. Also "on the
button."
painting the black -- When a pitcher throws the ball over the
edge of the plate.
pea -- A ball traveling at high speed, either batted or thrown.
pepper -- Pepper is a common pre-game exercise where one player
bunts brisk grounders and line drives to a group of fielders who
are standing about 20 feet away. The fielders try to throw it
back as quickly as possible. The batter hits the return throw.
(Some ballparks ban pepper games because wild pitches could land
in the stands and injure spectators).
pick -- A good defensive play by an infielder on a ground ball.
Also a shortened version of "pick-off."
pickle -- A rundown.
punchout -- A strikeout.
rhubarb -- A fight or scuffle.
ribbie -- Another way of saying RBI. Also "ribeye."
rope -- A hard line drive hit by a batter. Also "frozen rope."
rubber game -- The deciding game of a series.
run-down -- When a baserunner gets caught between bases by the
fielders.
Ruthian -- With great power.
seeing-eye single -- A soft ground ball that finds its way
between infielders for a base hit.
set-up man -- A relief pitcher who usually enters the game in the
7th or 8th inning.
shoestring catch -- A running catch made just above the fielder's
shoetops.
southpaw -- A left-handed pitcher.
sweet spot -- The part of the bat just a few inches from the
barrel.
table setter -- Batter whose job is to get on base for other
hitters to drive him in. Usually a leadoff or No. 2 hitter.
tape-measure blast -- An extremely long home run.
tater -- A home run.
Texas Leaguer -- A bloop hit that drops between an infielder and
outfielder.
tools of ignorance -- Catcher's equipment.
touch 'em all -- Hitting a home run (touching all the bases).
twin killing -- A double play.
Uncle Charlie -- Curve ball.
utility player -- A player who fills in at many positions.
wheelhouse -- A hitter's power zone. Usually a pitch waist-high
and over the heart of the plate.
wheels -- A ballplayer's legs.
whiff -- Strikeout.
yakker -- Curve ball.
See Also:
Baseball Slang Terms Explained
Baseball Articles
Drills & Strategy