baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

and

softball Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) ...

, part of the

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field, between first base and third base. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns pla ...

s' and pitcher's jobs is to cover bases. That is, they stand next to a base in anticipation of receiving the ball thrown from another fielder, so that they may make a play on an opposing baserunner who is approaching that base. On a force play, the fielder covering the base stands with one foot on that base. In general, the

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

covers first base, the

second baseman In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...

covers second, the

third baseman A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the Baseball scorekeep ...

covers third, and the

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...

covers

home plate A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...

. However, on ground balls hit to the first baseman away from first base, the

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

will cover first base instead. On a ground ball to either the shortstop or the second baseman, the other of those will cover second base. With a runner on first base, when a ground ball is hit to the third baseman, second base will be covered by the second baseman, because unlike the shortstop he does not have to turn his back to the third baseman in order to get to second base. Likewise, with a runner on first base, when a ground ball is hit to the first baseman, second base will be covered by the shortstop, who unlike the second baseman does not have to turn his back toward the first baseman in order to get to second base. When a runner on first base attempts to steal second base, the shortstop and second baseman will have arranged in advance which one will cover second base to receive the ball from the catcher. Likewise, when the pitcher attempts to pick off a runner at second base, the shortstop and second baseman will have arranged in advance which one will cover second base. With baserunners on first and second bases, sometimes the shortstop will cover third base on a bunt, a coverage plan known as the "rotation play" or "wheelplay." This occurs if the batter bunts the ball toward third base so that the third baseman cannot cover third base because he is moving forward to field the ball. If the defense is employing an extreme shift, with the shortstop playing on the first-base side of second base and with the third baseman playing near second base (because by reputation the batter is anticipated to hit the ball to the right side of the infield), in some cases the pitcher may need to cover third base. When the pitcher throws a

wild pitch In baseball, a wild pitch (WP) is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, or the batter (on an uncaught third st ...

, or when the catcher permits a

passed ball In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control, and, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a run ...

, so that in either case the catcher has to retreat farther into

foul territory In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that: * Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or * Bounces and then goes past first or third base on or over foul territory, or * Has its first bounce occu ...

away from home plate to retrieve the ball, if there is a runner on third base the pitcher will cover home plate. Depending on the situation, however, various fielders can cover any base, and sometimes even an

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

can cover a base.

Figurative expression

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the Languages of the United States, most widely spoken lang ...

, the expression "cover your bases" used outside of a baseball setting means to be thoroughly prepared for something.

References

{{Baseball Baseball terminology