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Baseball Positions
In the sport of baseball, each of the nine players on a team is assigned a particular fielding position when it is their turn to play defense. Each position conventionally has an associated number, for use in scorekeeping by the official scorer: 1 (pitcher), 2 (catcher), 3 (first baseman), 4 (second baseman), 5 (third baseman), 6 (shortstop), 7 (left fielder), 8 (center fielder), and 9 (right fielder). Collectively, these positions are usually grouped into three groups: the outfield (left field, center field, and right field), the infield (first base, second base, third base, and shortstop), and the battery (pitcher and catcher). Traditionally, players within each group will often be more able to exchange positions easily (that is, a second baseman can usually play shortstop well, and a center fielder can also be expected to play right field); however, the pitcher and catcher are highly specialized positions and rarely will play at other positions. Fielding Fielders must be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the umpire (baseball), umpire rules a Batter (baseball), batter or baserunner out. When a batter or runner is out, they lose their ability to score a Run (baseball), run and must return to the dugout until their next turn at bat. When three outs are recorded in a half-inning, the batting team's turn expires. To signal an out, an umpire generally makes a fist with one hand, and then flexes that arm either upward, particularly on pop flies, or forward, particularly on routine plays at first base. Home plate umpires often use a "punch-out" motion to signal a called strikeout. Ways of making outs * The most common ways batters or runners are put out are when: ** The batter strike out, strikes out (they make three batting mistakes, known as ''strikes'', without hitting the ball into fair territory); ** The batter fly out, flies out (they hit the ball and it is caught before landing); *** A baserunner Tag up, fails to return to their time-of-pitch base ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Utility Infielder
In baseball, a utility player or utility man is a player who has the ability to play more than one position in the field and is primarily used as a substitute. The term super utility player may be used to refer to a player who can play all or most positions, or a player who regularly appears in the starting lineup at different positions. Description Utility infielders typically play both second base and shortstop, sometimes also third base, and more rarely first base. A "fourth outfielder" is likewise an outfielder who can play all three outfield positions but does not have the hitting skills to be a starting player. Some utility players have the defensive ability to play in both the infield and outfield—recent players in Major League Baseball (MLB) fitting this description include Marwin González, Brock Holt, Cory Spangenberg, and Ben Zobrist. Playing time for fourth outfielders has been called "erratic and unpredictable". Often, fourth outfielders are outfield prospect ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinch Runner
In baseball or softball, a pinch runner is a player substituted into a game for the purpose of base running. Description A pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted. Occasionally, a pinch runner is inserted for other reasons (such as a double switch, ejection, or if the original player on base has become injured). For statistical and scorekeeping purposes, the pinch runner is denoted by PR. As with all substitutions at most levels of baseball, when a player is pinch run for, that player is removed from the game. Some leagues, especially for youths, may allow substituted players to re-enter a game. After serving as a pinch runner, a player may remain in the game and assume a defensive position, or may be substituted for at the manager's discretion. Use in Major League Baseball In the early history of professional baseball, the National League, which began play in 1876, changed a rule in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinch Hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter (PH) is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, American football or ice hockey, and in a similar way to association football, baseball does not have a free substitution rule (at the professional level) and thus the replaced player is not allowed back into that game. The pinch hitter assumes the spot in the batting order of the player whom he replaces. Pinch hitters are commonly used to replace a weak hitter (often the pitcher) or to gain a platoon advantage. The player chosen to be a pinch hitter is often a backup infielder or outfielder whose defensive skills are limited. In Major League Baseball (MLB), catchers are less likely to be called upon to pinch-hit, because most teams have only two catchers. Pitchers are rarely used as pinch hitters, because they tend to be worse hitters th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Designated Hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. Unlike other players in a team's lineup, they generally only play as an offensive player and usually do not play defense as a Fielding (baseball), fielder or a pitcher during a game. Due to their specialized offensive-only role, the designated hitter is generally expected to produce above average offensive stats and production compared to other players who play defense. In Major League Baseball, the position is authorized by Rule 5.11 of the Official Baseball Rules. It was adopted by the American League in and by the National League (baseball), National League in , making it universal in MLB. Within that time frame, nearly all amateur baseball, amateur, college baseball, collegiate, and professional baseball, professional leagues worldwide have adopted the designated hitter or some variant, except for Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Major Leagu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blocking The Plate
In baseball, blocking the plate is a technique performed by a catcher to prevent a runner from scoring. The act of blocking the plate accounted for most of the physical contact in Major League Baseball prior to the 2014 season, when it was outlawed except when the catcher already has possession of the ball. By the rules of baseball, a runner has the right to an unobstructed path to a base. However, this right is not granted if the fielder guarding the base possesses the ball or is in the process of catching the ball. The fielders guarding the first base through the third base are unlikely to risk physical harm and will generally place themselves out of the path of the runner. The catcher guarding home plate, however, wears the padding and a face mask and often placed his body as an obstacle between the runner and home plate, even prior to receiving the ball. Since the runner did not have to worry about remaining on home plate, only tagging it, he typically ran at full speed in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Base Stealing
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out at the next base, but the official scorer rules on the question of credit or blame for the advance under Rule 10 (Rules of Scoring) of the MLB's Official Rules. A stolen base most often occurs when a base runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is pitching the ball to home plate. Successful base stealers must be fast and have good timing. Background Ned Cuthbert, playing for the Philadelphia Keystones in either 1863 or 1865, was the first player to steal a base in a baseball game, although the term ''stolen base'' was not used until 1870. For a time in the 19th century, stolen bases were credited when a baserunner reached an extra base on a base hit from another player. For example, if a runner on first base reached third base ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fly Ball (baseball)
In the sports of baseball and softball, a batted ball is a pitch that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted balls are either fair or foul, and can be characterized as a fly ball, pop-up, line drive, or ground ball. In baseball, a foul ball counts as a strike against the batter, unless there are already two strikes on the batter, with special rules applying to foul tips and foul bunts. Fly balls are those hit in an arcing manner, with pop-ups being a subset of fly balls that do not travel far. Line drives are batted balls hit on a straight line trajectory, while ground balls are hit at a low trajectory, contact the ground shortly after being hit, and then either roll or bounce. Batted balls, especially line drives, can present a hazard to players, umpires, and spectators, as people have been seriously injured or killed after being struck by batted balls. Fair or foul upright=.8, A view along a first base foul line, looking from the outfield wall back towards home p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wall Climb
A wall climb is a play in baseball where a fielder makes an out by catching a fly ball or pop up while climbing a wall. The play is generally made by outfielders robbing hitters of hits that otherwise would have been home runs, or at the very least a double. A wall climb can also be made by climbing the wall in foul territory to make an out. Under Major League Baseball (MLB) rules, the catch is ruled an out when the fielder making the out has at least one foot over legal playing territory during the catch and no feet touching the ground of an out of play area, regardless of whether his body ultimately lands in the field of play or out of play. One MLB player with a reputation for wall climbing was outfielder Torii Hunter, who won nine Gold Gloves in his 19-year major league career. One notable wall climb by Hunter occurred in the first inning of the 2002 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, when he robbed Barry Bonds Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Home Runs
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run is usually achieved by hitting the ball over the outfield fence between the foul poles (or hitting either foul pole) without the ball touching the field. Inside-the-park home runs where the batter reaches home safely while the baseball is in play on the field are infrequent. In very rare cases, a fielder attempting to catch a ball in flight may misplay it and knock it over the outfield fence, resulting in a home run. An official scorer will credit the batter with a hit, a run scored, and a run batted in (RBI), as well as an RBI for each runner on base. The pitcher is recorded as having given up a hit and a run, with additional runs charged for each base-runner that scores. Home runs are among the most popular aspects of baseball ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tag (baseball)
In baseball and softball, a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because a fielder touches him with the ball or with the hand or glove holding the ball, while the ball is live and the runner is in jeopardy of being put out (usually when he is not touching a base). A baserunner is in jeopardy when any of the following are true: # he is not touching a base (excluding overrunning of first base or when advancing to an awarded base, such as on a base on balls) # he is touching a base he has been forced to vacate because the batter became a baserunner (a forced runner) # he has not tagged up on a caught fly ball # he failed to touch a base when he last passed it, or failed to touch them in order # he is touching a base that a preceding baserunner is also touching (excludes touching a base he was forced to advance to, in which case the preceding baserunner is in jeopardy unless also forced to advance to an awarded base) A tag is therefore ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
