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changed to allow shoulder-high deliveries. Until 1887, batters could call for either a high or low pitch, and the strike zone was either above or below the waist. In 1885, the rules changed, to allow bats to be flat on one side; beginning in 1893, they had to be round. In 1887, the rules changed so that batters could no longer call for a pitch; and the strike zone was defined as from the shoulders to the knees. During this period, the pitcher's mound was much closer to home plate, foul balls were not counted as strikes, batters got four strikes, and the number of "called balls" resulting in a walk—which initially included strikes and foul balls- went from 9 to 8 to 7 to 6 to 5 and, in 1889, to 4. In that same year, the number of strikes went from 4 to 3. In 1887, a rule was adopted for that year counting only walks as hits, which played havoc with statistics. In 1892, the 154 game schedule was adopted. In 1893, the pitching position was changed from behind a line 50 feet from home plate to contact with a rubber slab 60.5 feet away. In 1894, foul bunts were made strikes, and the
1547:) play fewer. Most high school games last seven innings, and Little League has six innings. A single game between two teams during NCAA competition is nine innings. A doubleheader in NCAA competition may be two seven inning games, two nine inning games, or one nine inning game and one seven inning game between the same teams. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. If the home team is ahead when the middle of the last inning is reached, it is declared the winner, and the last half-inning is not played. If the home team is trailing or tied in the last scheduled inning (or in an extra inning, see below) and they score to take the lead, the game ends as soon as the winning run touches home plate; however, if the last batter hits a home run to win the game, he and any runners on base are all permitted to score.
1266:(abbreviated HBP) and the batter is awarded first base, unless the umpire determines that the ball was in the strike zone when it hit the batter, or that the batter did not attempt to avoid being hit. In practice, neither exception is ever called unless the batter obviously tries to get hit by the pitch; even standing still in the box will virtually always be overlooked, and the batter awarded first. In addition, if the batter swings at a pitch that hits him, it counts as a strike. If the catcher's mitt, catcher's mask, or any part of the catcher comes in contact with the batter and/or the batter's bat as the batter is attempting to hit a pitch, the batter is awarded first base, ruled "catcher's interference".
1802:(which instituted the Designated Hitter in 1973 to boost offensive output). A designated hitter (or DH) is a player whose sole purpose is to hit when it would normally be the pitcher's turn (or, in some leagues, if the pitcher is a good batter, another weaker batter). This is not considered a substitution, but rather a position, albeit a purely offensive one. A designated hitter does not play in the field on defense and may remain in the game regardless of changes in pitchers. If the designated hitter is moved to a fielding position, the team loses the DH, and the fielder whose position was taken by the former DH is replaced by the pitcher, who assumes that player's position in the hitting lineup.
1104:—whether the ball is hit over the fence does not matter (if the ball is not hit over the fence and the batter touches all bases, it is usually referred to as an "inside-the-park home run"). Once a runner is held to a base, he may attempt to advance at any time, but is not required to do so unless the batter or another runner displaces him (called a force play). A batter always drops his bat when running the bases; otherwise, the bat would slow him down and could give rise to a call of interference if it were to contact the ball or a fielder. However, if a batter hits the ball, and the batter or the dropped bat touches the ball, it is considered a dead ball.
668:. Originally the first, second and third basemen played very near their respective bases, and the shortstop generally played "in" (hence the term), covering the area between second, third, and the pitchers box, or wherever the game situation required. As the game evolved, the fielding positions changed to the now-familiar "umbrella", with the first and third baseman generally positioned a short distance toward second base from their bases, the second baseman to the right side of second base standing farther away from the base than any other infielder, and the shortstop playing to the left of second base, as seen from the batter's perspective.
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appeal in which the defensive team player with the ball touches the base from which that runner departed prematurely. If a runner tagged up and tries to run to the next base in sequence, they are deemed out if tagged by an infielder at any point before reaching the base or the ball arrives at the base ahead of the runner. However, if the runner is not forced to run to the next base in sequence, they are not deemed out until they are tagged. This often leads to a runner being trapped between two or more infielders trying to tag them before reaching any base: a situation known as being "caught in no-man's-land".
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1787:, in which a pitching change is accompanied by the simultaneous replacement of another fielder. If the pitcher is due to bat soon, and the outgoing fielder batted recently, the new pitcher will take the outgoing fielder's place in the batting order, thus delaying his next time at bat. A common variation on this involves the introduction of a player who has just pinch hit (or pinch run for the pinch hitter) into the defensive alignment; unless this player becomes his team's next pitcher, another field player departs the game, and the new pitcher then assumes that player's place in the batting order.
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replaced by another pinch-hitter without having come to the plate, in which case the first pinch-hitter is considered to have entered the game and is ineligible to do so later. However, the defensive manager may not replace a pitcher who has not pitched to at least one batter (three batters in MLB as of 2020), except in case of injury. The reentry of a replaced player into the game is a violation of the permanent substitution rule; if the defense has more than nine players on the field at any time, the umpire must determine who is the tenth player, and that player is ejected from the game.
1558:. As many innings as necessary are played until one team has the lead at the end of an inning. Thus, the home team always has a chance to respond if the visiting team scores in the top half of the inning; this gives the home team a small tactical advantage. In theory, a baseball game could go on forever; in practice, however, they eventually end. In addition to that rule, a game might theoretically end if both the home and away team were to run out of players to substitute (see Substitutions, below). In Major League Baseball, the longest game played was a 26-inning affair between the
839:. If it then becomes necessary to use a "position player" as a pitcher, major league teams generally have certain players designated as emergency relief pitchers, to avoid the embarrassment of using a less skillful player. In baseball's early years, squads were smaller, and relief pitchers were relatively uncommon, with the starter normally remaining for the entire game unless he was either thoroughly ineffective or became injured; today, with a much greater emphasis on pitch count, over the course of a single game each team will frequently use from two to five pitchers. In the
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409:. The winner is the team with the most runs after nine innings. If the home team is ahead after the top of the ninth, play does not continue into the bottom half. When this happens, an X is put on the scoreboard for the home team's score in the ninth inning. In the case of a tie, additional innings are played until one team comes out ahead at the end of an inning. If the home team takes the lead anytime during the bottom of the ninth or of any inning after that, play stops and the home team is declared the winner; this is known as a walk-off.
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delivering the ball. The catcher's job is to receive any pitches that the batter does not hit and to "call" the game by a series of hand movements that signal to the pitcher what pitch to throw and where. The catcher also usually signals the desired location of the ball within the strike zone and "sets up" behind the plate or holds his glove up in the desired location as a target. The catcher's role becomes more crucial depending on how the game is going, and how the pitcher responds to a given situation. Each pitch begins a new
691:. The first baseman fields balls hit near first base. The first baseman also has to receive throws from the pitcher in order to tag runners out who have reached base safely. The position is less physically challenging than the other positions, but there is still a lot of skill involved. Infielders don't always make good throws to first base, so it is the first baseman's job to field any ball thrown toward him cleanly. Older players who can no longer fulfill the demands of their original positions also often become first basemen.
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looking for a good pitch to hit. Two strike hitting, the strategy is changed where the batter will protect the plate by fouling off pitches until the batter is able to find a pitch to hit. This style of hitting allows the hitter to look for a good pitch to hit, and makes the pitcher throw more pitches so that he will tire out faster. This is critical if the batting team is facing a very skilled pitcher who, if allowed to, will take over the game with his ability to get batters to do what he wants them to do.
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476:. After the fielding team has put out three players from the opposing team, that half of the inning is over and the team in the field and the team at bat switch places; there is no upper limit to the number that may bat in rotation before three outs are recorded. Going through the entire order in an inning is referred to as "batting around" and it is indicative of a high-scoring inning. A complete inning consists of each opposing side having a turn (three outs) on offense.
1216:—he is charged with an additional strike if there are less than two. Thus, a foul ball with two strikes leaves the count unchanged. (However, a noted exception to this rule is that a ball bunted foul with two strikes is a strikeout.) If a pitch is batted and a member of the defensive team is able to catch it, before the ball strikes the ground, the batter is declared out. In the event that a bat deflects the ball sharply and directly back toward the catcher's box, it is a
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1516:. The most common occurrence of contact of this nature is at home plate between the runner and the catcher, as the catcher is well padded and locked into position that completely blocks home plate from the runner, and the runner will often try to knock the ball out of the catcher's hand by running him over. Since the catcher is seen (symbolically and literally) as the last line of defense, it seems natural that more physical play happens.
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824:
In previous eras, pitchers would often throw up to four complete games (all nine innings) in a week. With new advances in medical research and thus a better understanding of how the human body functions and tires out, starting pitchers tend more often to throw fractions of a game (typically six or seven innings, depending on their performance) about every five days (though a few complete games do still occur each year).
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835:(s). Pitchers are substituted for one another like any other player (see above), and the rules do not limit the number of pitchers that can be used in a game; the only limiting factor is the size of the squad, naturally. In general, starting pitchers are not used in relief situations except sometimes during the post-season when every game is vital. If a game runs into many extra innings, a team may well empty its
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1235:, an exception to the third strike rule: If the catcher drops the third strike, the batter is permitted to attempt to advance to first base if there are two outs in the inning or if it is unoccupied. In this case, the batter is not out (although the pitcher is awarded a strikeout). The catcher can try to get the batter out by tagging him with the ball or throwing the ball to first base to put him out. (See
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umpire might make the quick call of safe, but if the runner then slides beyond the base and is tagged before he can retreat to it the umpire has the right to change the call. A runner initially called out can be subsequently ruled safe if the fielder putting the runner out drops the ball (on either a tag or force play), pulls his foot off the base (in the case of a force play), or otherwise illegally
702:. The cut-off provides an intermediary between an outfielder and the infield so that the outfielder does not have to throw the entire distance if they've been forced to field the ball near the outer edge of the outfield. The shortstop fills the critical gap between second and third bases—where right-handed batters generally hit ground balls—and also covers second or third base and the near part of
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no longer replayed; however, though undecided, and not factored in the championship standings and the playoff reckoning, a tie game goes on the record and player and team statistics from it are counted. Inclement weather may also shorten games, but at least five innings must be played for the game to be considered official; four-and-a-half innings are enough if the home team is ahead. Previously,
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easier pitch to hit and can look for a particular pitch in a particular zone or take a riskier or bigger swing. The count is considered to be in the pitcher's favor when there are fewer balls than strikes (e.g., no balls and two strikes). This gives the pitcher more freedom to try enticing the batter to swing at a pitch outside the strike zone or throwing a pitch that is harder to control (e.g. a
687:, he must throw it to the first baseman who must catch the ball and maintain contact with the base before the batter gets to it for the batter to be out. The need to do this quickly often requires the first baseman to stretch one of his legs to touch first base while catching the ball simultaneously. The first baseman must be able to catch the ball very well and usually wears a specially designed
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outs, the count (balls and strikes) on the batter, the number and speed of runners, the ability of the fielders, the ability of the pitcher, the type of pitch thrown, the tendencies of the hitter, and the inning cause the fielders to move to more strategic locations on the field. Common defensive strategies include: playing for the bunt, trying to prevent a
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of an attempt to reach base, unless that fielder is fielding a batted ball. (Noted exceptions to the dangerous contact rule are found throughout amateur competitions, including youth leagues, high school, and college baseball.) A good slide is often more advantageous than such contact, and "malicious" contact by runners is typically prohibited as offensive
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1180:, a region defined by the area directly above home plate and between the hollow beneath the batter's knee and the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants. In addition to swinging at the ball, a batter who wishes to put the ball in play may hold his bat over home plate and attempt to tap a pitch lightly; this is called a
1370:. He may also, as part of a planned sequence, throw a pitch well outside and high of the strike zone to his catcher who is waiting for it upright there, and is thus better prepared to throw out a runner trying to steal; this sequence is called a "pitchout." If the runner attempts to steal the next base but is tagged out before reaching it safely, he is
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706:. This player is also a cut-off for the outfield. This position is the most demanding defensively, so a good shortstop doesn't need to necessarily be a good batter, though this has changed in modern times. The third baseman's primary requirement is a strong throwing arm, in order to make the long throw across the infield to the first baseman. Quick
1128:, requiring the batter and all runners to return to their respective bases, whether it is caught or not. Additionally, if a ground ball or a bunted ball lands in foul territory and the ball rolls back into bounds before reaching either first or third bases without being touched by either a fielder or a runner, then said ball is considered fair.
1043:) sends its nine players to the batter's box (adjacent to home plate) where they become batters. (Each team sets its batting lineup at the beginning of the game. Changes to the lineup are tightly limited by the rules of baseball and must be communicated to the umpires, who have the substitutions announced for the opposing team and fans. See
904:, who threw one of the fastest fastballs in the history of the game, threw sidearm (though not submarine) rather than a normal overhand. True underhanded pitching is permitted in Major League Baseball. However, it is difficult to generate enough velocity and movement with the underhand motion. Among modern Major League pitchers,
1366:, while the pitcher is preparing to make a pitch, while he is making a pitch, or while waiting for a return throw from the catcher after a pitch. The pitcher, in lieu of delivering the pitch, may try to prevent this by throwing the ball to one of the infielders in order to tag the runner; if successful, it is called a
1316:, when all previous bases are occupied and a batted ball that touches the ground is a fair ball. The runner forced to advance toward the next base is considered "forced out" if a fielder holding the baseball touches the intended base before the baserunner arrives. When a batted ball is hit in the air, i.e., a
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Pitching is a specialized skill, particularly in the collegiate and professional ranks; so most pitchers are relatively poor hitters, or, those who were skilled batsmen are simply unable to adequately hone their hitting skills to be comparable to regular position players. As a result, unless keeping
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and the absence of adequate lighting caused more ties and shortened games—now, games interrupted from ending in such circumstances are, at least initially, suspended. Also, with more modern playing surfaces better able to handle light rains, the process for calling or shortening a game due to weather
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During the course of play many offensive and defensive players run close to each other, and during tag plays, the defensive player must touch the offensive player. Although baseball is considered a non-contact sport, a runner may be allowed to make potentially dangerous contact with a fielder as part
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Another fundamental tenet of the rules of baseball is that a runner who was initially ruled out can subsequently be ruled safe, but once a runner is ruled safe he cannot be called out on the same play, unless he overruns the base. For example, if a baserunner steals second base, beating the throw, an
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Effective pitching is critical to a baseball team, as pitching is the key for the defensive team to retire batters and to prevent runners from getting on base. A full game usually involves over one hundred pitches thrown by each team. However, most pitchers begin to tire before they reach this point.
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on an approaching runner), or backing up throws. The catcher's main role is to receive the pitch if the batter does not hit it. Together with the pitcher and coaches, the catcher plots game strategy by suggesting different pitches and by shifting the starting positions of the other fielders. Catchers
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The squad in the field is the defensive team; they attempt to prevent the baserunners from scoring. There are nine defensive positions, but only two have a mandatory location (pitcher and catcher). The locations of the other seven fielders are not specified by the rules, except that at the moment the
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The pitcher's mound is located in the center of the infield. It is an 18-foot (5.5 m) diameter mound of dirt no higher than 10 inches (25 cm). Near the center of the mound is the pitching rubber, a rubber slab positioned 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) from home plate. The pitcher
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Some significant rule changes continued in the first quarter of the 20th century but were much less frequent. In 1903, the
American League adopted the foul strike rule. In 1907, the sacrifice fly rule was adopted. In 1910, cork centers were added to balls. In 1925, the minimum distance for a home run
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In the postseason, rosters are fixed at 25 men. Until 2007, teams could not replace players on their playoff rosters in the event of an injury and had to play out the series shorthanded. Starting in 2007, an injured player could be placed on the disabled list and replaced by another player who was
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in the middle of the game, who became a relief pitcher. Later in the game, after Musial had faced one batter, the players switched back, with Haddix relieving the outfielder-turned relief pitcher. This meant that in practical terms, the starting pitcher was relieved by another pitcher, but then came
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is also important for third basemen, as they tend to see more sharply-hit balls than do the other infielders, thus the nickname for third base as the "hot corner". Also, because there are far more right-handed hitters than lefties, there are more ground balls hit to the left side of the infield due
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The nine positions most commonly used (with the number scorekeepers use) are: pitcher (1), catcher (2), first baseman (3), second baseman (4), third baseman (5), shortstop (6), left fielder (7), center fielder (8), and right fielder (9). Note that, in rare cases, teams may use dramatically differing
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Any replacement is a permanent substitution; the replaced player may not return to the game under any circumstances. Thus, a pitcher that has been removed from the game and replaced by a relief pitcher cannot return to pitch later in the game, and any batter who is replaced by a pinch-hitter cannot
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There is a short break between each half-inning during which the new defensive team takes the field and the pitcher warms up. An existing pitcher is permitted five warm-up pitches and a new pitcher is permitted eight warm-up pitches. The starting pitcher is permitted eight warm-up pitches to begin
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In Japan's Nippon
Professional Baseball, if the score remains tied after nine innings, up to three extra innings may be played (6 in the playoffs) before the game is called a tie. Since 2011 only regular season games have a 3-hour, 30-minute time limit. Some youth or amateur leagues will end a game
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In Major League
Baseball, games end with tie scores only in rare cases when conditions make it impossible to continue play. A tie game does not count as a game in the standings—a 2008 rule change made all tie games suspended unless and until not needed for the sake of determining playoff teams, and
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A major strategy in batting at competitive levels of baseball is patient hitting. An example of patient hitting is when a batter has a zero strike count, the batter will almost always look for his perfect pitch. One strike hitting is very similar to no strike hitting and the batter usually is still
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Once a batter becomes a runner and reaches first base safely, he is said to be "on" that base until he attempts to advance to the next base, until he is put out, or until the half-inning ends. In order to be safe a runner must beat the ball to the bag. When two or more runners are on the basepaths,
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Only the pitcher's and catcher's locations are fixed, and then only at the beginning of each pitch. Thus, the players on the field move around as needed to defend against scoring a run. Many variations of this are possible, as location depends upon the situation. Circumstances such as the number of
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To illustrate pitching strategy, consider the "fastball/change-up" combination: The average major-league pitcher can throw a fastball around 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), and a few pitchers have even exceeded 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) . The change-up is thrown somewhere between 75 and
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formed in 1876. Its rules changed almost yearly for the next quarter century. In 1880, a batter was out if the catcher caught the third strike; otherwise, the batter got four strikes. Before 1883, pitchers were required to deliver pitches with their hand below their hips; in that year, the rule was
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format was adopted, replacing the previous rule that the first team to score 21 runs won. The next year called strikes were recognized, and a batter was out if a ball, fair or foul, was caught on the fly or after one bounce. Called balls and the walk were introduced in 1863. In 1867, the batter had
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The number of players on a major league roster is dictated by the labor agreements worked out between players and management. According to prior rules, a team may have a maximum of 25 men on a roster from
Opening Day until August 31. Beginning in the 2012 season, a major league team was allowed to
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Batters also remain keenly aware of the count during their at bat. The count is considered to be in the batter's favor when there are more balls than strikes (e.g., two balls and no strikes). This puts pressure on the pitcher to throw a strike to avoid a walk so the batter is more likely to get an
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When a runner reaches home plate, he scores a run and is no longer a base runner. He must leave the playing area until his spot in the order comes up again. A runner may circle the bases only once per plate appearance and thus can score no more than a single run. In the
American, Pacific, and both
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often has the weakest arm, as they generally do not need to throw the ball as far in order to prevent the advance of any baserunners. The left fielder still requires good fielding and catching skills, and tends to receive more balls than the right fielder due to the fact that right-handed hitters,
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uses six-inning games. An inning is broken up into two halves in which the away team bats in the top (first) half, and the home team bats in the bottom (second) half. In baseball, the defense always has the ball—a fact that differentiates it from most other team sports. The teams switch every time
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infield vacated by the fielder covering second base. This is because coverage of second base against a steal is best achieved by whichever fielder is closer to second base, the shortstop or the second baseman; and such positioning is aimed at defending against the natural tendency of the hitter.
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Once the batter and any existing runners have all stopped at a base or been put out, the ball is returned to the pitcher, and the next batter comes to the plate. After the opposing team bats in its own order and three more outs are recorded, the first team's batting order will continue again from
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play) in an attempt to advance runners. On a hit-and-run play the batter will often try to hit to the opposite field (the opposite of the natural tendency for the right-handed hitter to pull the ball to left field and vice versa). Hitting to the opposite field will likely find an opening in the
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If the runner retouches the origin base at any time after the fly ball is first touched by a fielder, he may attempt to advance to the next base or bases at his own risk. The penalty for failing to retouch (if the defensive team notices this) is that the advancing runner can be put out on a live
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and tries to hit the ball with a bat. The pitcher must keep one foot in contact with the top or front of the pitcher's rubber—a 24 by 6 inches (610 mm × 150 mm) plate located atop the pitcher's mound—during the entire pitch, so he can take only one step backward and one forward in
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in terms of difficulty. The most difficult position is the catcher, while the least difficult is first base. Designated hitter, while on the scale, is not part of the defense at all. Pitchers, while part of the active defense, are so specialized in their role that they usually make only routine
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if it hits the ground within the infield before it can be caught, often due to being hit in a downward trajectory. Several different names are used to describe fly balls, depending on their trajectory. A ball hit high in the air and seemingly almost straight up is called a "pop-up". A ball hit
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who are much more common, tend to "pull" the ball into left field. Each outfielder runs to "back up" a nearby outfielder who attempts to field a ball hit near both their positions. Outfielders also run to back up infielders on batted balls and thrown balls, including pick-off attempts from the
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This "permanent substitution" rule is in contrast to some other sports, such as basketball, hockey and
American football, that practice "free substitution". In some cases, if the defensive manager responds to the entrance of a pinch-hitter by bringing in a new pitcher, the pinch-hitter may be
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Batters attempt to "read" pitchers through pre-game preparation by studying the tendencies of pitchers and by talking to other batters that previously faced the pitcher. While batting, batters attempt to "read" pitches by looking for clues that the pitcher or catcher reveal. These clues (also
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After August 31, during the regular season teams may call up additional personnel to the active roster, up to a maximum of 40 players. This number is seldom actually approached, however, with most teams' September rosters peaking at around 30 players. In 2020 the number was limited to 28.
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This was not the case during baseball's early days, particularly in the late 19th century, when rules were changed significantly and often yearly. The modern game began to take shape in the late 1880s, with additional significant rule changes made during the rest of that century.
1088:, where the player is allowed to run and reach base safely if able. When the batter hits a fair ball, he must run to first base and may continue or stop at any base unless he is put out. A successful hit occurs when the batter reaches a base: reaching only first base is a
1485:, who try to make contact with the ball to put it in play, and then run fast to reach base. The third batter is generally the best all-around hitter on the team, who tries to help baserunners to score runs, and if possible to reach base himself. The fourth batter is the
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was adopted with one out. In 1895, foul tips were made strikes, but not foul balls. In 1898, the first modern balk rule was adopted, as well as the modern rule for recognizing stolen bases. In 1901, the infield fly rule was extended to apply when there were no outs.
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In order for the batting team to score a run, at least one of its players has to succeed as a batter (left). If the batter puts the ball in play, they then generally have to beat a throw to first base (center), and from there, can try to eventually reach home plate
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85 miles per hour (121 and 137 km/h). Since the batter's timing is critical to hitting a pitch, a batter swinging to hit what looks like a fastball, would be terribly fooled (swing and miss, hopefully) when the pitch turns out to be a much slower change-up.
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a given pitcher in the game is a higher priority than the prospect of immediate offense, it is common to substitute for a pitcher when he is due to bat. This pinch hitter is often then replaced by a relief pitcher when the team returns to the field on defense.
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Unlike many other sports, the
Official Baseball Rules have remained mainly static during the modern era of the game. Many baseball players, fans and administrators view the rules and traditions of professional baseball as time-tested and nearly sacrosanct.
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has changed; it is more common than in the past to delay a game as much as two hours before a cancellation; also, a delay usually does not occur anymore until the rain is moderate-to-heavy and/or there is standing water on some part of the playing field.
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Depending on the way the ball comes off the bat, the play has different names. A batted ball is called a fly ball if it is hit in the air in an upward arc, such that a fielder might be able to catch it before it hits the ground. A batted ball is called a
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take the field in the following inning (or even bat again if his turn comes up again in the same inning). Note however, that two players can switch defensive positions at any time, and both can still stay in the game—because neither has actually been
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referred to as "tipping pitches") include movements of the pitcher's arms, shoulders, body, etc., or the positioning of the catcher's feet and glove. Batters can attempt to "read" the spin of a ball early in the pitch to anticipate its trajectory.
935:, establishing a 15 second time limit between pitches with the bases empty, and 20 seconds with at least one baserunner, as well as an automatic ball for violations of the clock. The rule does not exist in other top-level leagues, such as Japan's
495:—between the baselines—in such a way that the defending players cannot get them or the baserunners out. In general, the pitcher attempts to prevent this by pitching the ball in such a way that the batter cannot hit it cleanly or, ideally, at all.
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carry a 26th man on its roster when playing the second game of a double-header that was scheduled at least 48 hours in advance. As of 2020, the number has been increased to 26, of whom no more than 14 may be pitchers, with 27 for a doubleheader.
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The use of the designated hitter, which reduces the need for complicated strategy such as the double-switch, is opposed by many baseball traditionalists. Nevertheless, it is used today at most levels of baseball in the United States and abroad.
358:) shaped as 18 inches (46 cm) square in Major League Baseball, or 15 inches (38 cm) in other rulesets (including Little League, Babe Ruth, American Legion, and NFHS) which are raised a short distance above the ground; together with
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were restricted by the OBR starting in 2023, which mandated that two infielders must be positioned on either side of second base before each pitch is thrown. South Korea's KBO League is expected to introduce a similar restriction in 2025.
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rule. This was probably the most controversial rule change in baseball's history and is still subject to lively debate. It was not adopted by the
National League until 2022. Also controversial when adopted was the later introduction of
1121:. A "shallow" fly ball, hit with just enough force to possibly land between the infielders and the outfielders, is often called a "blooper". A "deep" fly ball is hit with enough force to approach and possibly clear the outfield fence.
873:, which attempts to mimic the delivery of a fastball, but has slight topspin rotation allowing the baseball to sink as it approaches the batter due to the position of the index finger and middle finger being "split" on the baseball; a
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344:, the game is under the authority of several umpires. There are usually four umpires in major league games; up to six (and as few as one) may officiate depending on the league and the importance of the game. There are three
1770:
leagues allow a starting player who was removed to return to the game in the same position in the batting order under a re-entry rule. Youth leagues often allow free and open substitution to encourage player participation.
362:, the fourth "base", they form a square with sides of 90 feet (27.4 m) called the diamond. Home plate is a pentagonal rubber slab 17 inches (43 cm) wide. The playing field is divided into three main sections:
561:. The reason the shortstop seems out of order has to do with the way fielders positioned themselves in the early years of the game; the shortstop was positioned in the shallow outfield. Each position is weighted on the
1542:
consists of each team having one turn in the field and one turn to hit, with the visiting team batting before the home team. A standard game lasts nine innings, although some leagues (such as high school baseball and
1867:
881:, which is held either by the knuckles closest to the nails or by the nails themselves allowing the pitcher to throw a baseball with little or no spin on the ball allowing the baseball to move in any direction; a
288:
In 1961, the 162-game schedule was adopted by MLB. In 1969, the pitcher's mound dropped five inches and the strike zone reduced: from the armpits to the top of the knees. In 1973, the
American League adopted the
1734:
may be used as a replacement for a baserunner. Any player who replaces another player between innings, or while the team is in the field, is known as a "defensive replacement". A replacement pitcher is called a
1222:. If a ball ruled as a foul tip is caught, with two strikes in the count, it is considered a counted third strike and an out; if not initially caught by the catcher, it remains a foul ball with two strikes.
377:
must have one foot on the rubber at the start of every pitch to a batter, but the pitcher may leave the mound area once the ball is released. The desired alignment of the field (home plate to second base) is
889:, which is held in the palm of the hand with the index finger curled around the side of the baseball, allowing the pitcher to mimic the delivery of a fastball but arrives at a significantly lower velocity.
340:
Baseball is played between two teams with nine players in the field from the team that is not batting at that point (the batting team would have one batter in play at "home plate" on the field). On a
1347:. Either such occurrence is very rare. Thus, after a play, at most three runners may be on the basepaths, one on each base—first, second, and third. When three runners are on base, this is called
514:, which entitles the batter and all runners to touch all the bases and score. On a field with foul poles, a ball that hits a pole is also a home run. A home run hit with all bases occupied ('
148:, first published its own official rule set in 2023; the WBSC had previously relied on a modified set of the OBR. WBSC rules are largely similar to the OBR, with minor differences including
1991:
1831:
not included on the initial 25-man roster, but the injured player becomes available for the next round of the playoffs should his team advance. This rule applies in most circumstances.
885:, which seeks to mimic the delivery of a fastball but arrives at a significant lower velocity due to the pitcher holding the baseball with the middle and ring fingers slightly apart; a
900:,' a very efficient sidearm or near-underhand motion. Pitchers with a submarine delivery are often very difficult to hit because of the angle and movement of the ball once released.
171:
167:
298:. On the other hand, rule changes banning the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing substances have had widespread support as protecting the integrity of the game.
857:). Most pitchers attempt to master two or three types of pitches; some pitchers throw up to 6 types of pitches with varying degrees of control. Common pitches include a
924:
1759:
back to relieve the relief pitcher. Note that this did not violate baseball's permanent substitution rule in any way, as at no time did either player leave the game.
55:'s history, the rules have frequently changed as the game continues to evolve. A few common rules most professional leagues have in common are that four balls are a
456:
Each half-inning, the goal of the defending team is to get three members of the other team out. A player who is out must leave the field and wait for his next turn
1465:
In general, base running is a tactical part of the game requiring good judgment by runners (and their coaches) to assess the risk in attempting to advance. During
1170:(either right or left). With each pitch, the batter must decide whether to swing the bat at the ball in an attempt to hit it. The pitches arrive quickly, so the
2023:
1873:
2049:
1207:; the count is always given balls first, then strikes (such as 3–2 or "three and two", also known as a "full count", which would be 3 balls and 2 strikes).
908:
had the closest to an underhand delivery, with his knuckles sometimes scraping the ground. However, he is still usually considered a "submarine" pitcher.
262:
was made 250 feet. Until 1929 (AL) and 1931 (NL), a ball that bounced over the outfield fence in fair territory was a home run, not a ground rule double.
254:
Because of the frequent and often radical rule changes during this early period, the "modern era" is generally considered to have begun in 1901, when the
1197:
judges whether the ball passed through the strike zone. If any part of the ball passed through the zone, it is ruled a strike; otherwise, it is called a
549:
pitch is delivered, they must be positioned in fair territory and not in the space between the pitcher and the catcher. These fielders often shift their
483:, touching all the bases in order (via one or more plays), and finally touching home plate. A player may also become a baserunner by being inserted as a
122:
592:, who squats behind home plate. These are the two fielders who always deal directly with the batter on every pitch, hence the term "battery", coined by
225:
1343:. However, if the trail runner reached the base having been forced there, it is the lead runner who will be out when tagged for failing to reach his
636:. Due to the exceptional difficulty of the position, catchers are universally valued for their defensive prowess as opposed to their ability to hit.
840:
218:
160:
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and the batter is automatically out unless the pitch is not caught by the catcher or if the pitch bounces before it is caught. It is then ruled an
853:
While delivering the ball, the pitcher has a great arsenal at his disposal in the variation of location, velocity, movement, and arm location (see
444:
for the fielding team waits (in a crouched stance) to receive it. Behind the catcher stands the home plate umpire. The batter stands in one of the
1983:
163:(NCAA), aside from governing the games of that organization's members, is also used by several other competitions involving college-aged players.
1910:
1461:
Baserunners generally stand a short distance away from their base between pitches, preparing themselves to either go back or steal the next base.
1154:
The strike zone, which determines the outcome of most pitches, varies in vertical length depending on the batter's typical height while swinging.
1033:
The ultimate goal of the team at bat is to score runs. To accomplish this task, the team at bat successively (in a predetermined order called a
265:
After that, the rules remained virtually static for decades. Most top-level international leagues were formed during this period, including the
2507:
2142:
133:
87:
2198:
366:
The infield, containing the four bases, is for general defensive purposes bounded by the foul lines and within the grass line (see figure).
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1671:
1722:
Each team is allowed to substitute for any player at any time the ball is dead. A batter who replaces another batter is referred to as a
1250:, it is called a walk, and the batter becomes a runner, and is entitled to advance to first base without risk of being put out, called a
316:. These rules have been gradually adopted in North America (and in WBSC competition), but generally do not exist elsewhere in the world.
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1628:
843:
1945:
29:
This article is about the rules of baseball. For the tort law rule governing liability for injuries to spectators from foul balls, see
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A baserunner who has successfully touched home plate without being retired (called out) after touching all previous bases scores a
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far enough in the air that a baserunner can advance after the catch, or simply making contact with the ball on a hit-and-run play.
1814:
was the most prominent league that required pitchers to bat, until allowing the designated hitter beginning with the 2022 season.
1595:
early if one team is ahead by ten or more runs, a practice officially known as the "runs ahead rule" (sometimes referred to as a "
1632:
593:
558:
2434:
137:
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can affect the outcome of the play. Managers will sometimes simultaneously send a runner and require the batter to swing (a
1017:
1308:"—in most situations he may not be put out. Runners may attempt to advance from base to base at any time (except when the
1613:
1189:
936:
270:
214:
126:
2013:
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The second baseman covers the area to the first-base side of second base and provides backup for the first baseman in
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The outfield is the grassed area beyond the infield grass line between the foul lines and bounded by a wall or fence.
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2260:
2045:
1811:
1618:
1336:
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1199:
237:
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the game. Traditionally, the break between the top half and the bottom half of the seventh inning is known as the
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in response to specific batters or game situations, and they may exchange positions with one another at any time.
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2192:
2074:
1928:
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Only one runner may occupy a base at a time; if two runners are touching a base at once, the trailing runner is
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1039:
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has often been added to it, especially at games in New York City and
Washington, D.C., as well as during the
460:. There are many ways to get batters and baserunners out; some of the most common are catching a batted ball
3456:
3319:
3221:
3101:
2953:
2618:
2300:
1730:
1724:
1635:. In Atlanta and Baltimore it has been a tradition since 1974 to play "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" after "
1513:
1077:
2104:"What is good about Japanese baseball? A Canadian Hanshin fan's wish: "Don't chase all the new MLB rules.""
479:
The goal of the team at bat is to score more runs than the opposition; a player may do so by batting, then
3389:
3354:
3334:
3261:
3166:
3116:
3071:
3056:
2685:
2223:
1608:
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for famous examples of dropped third strikes that dramatically altered the course of post-season series.)
153:
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2705:
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1807:
1795:
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1447:
1232:
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378:
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170:(NFHS) hold sway over U.S. high school and high school-age baseball, governing and shaping the sport at
102:
83:
1532:, with the batting team usually gathering at home plate to celebrate the scoring of the winning run(s).
557:
schemes, such as switching an outfielder for an infielder. The numbering convention was established by
1374:. An illegal attempt by the pitcher to deceive a runner, among other pitching violations, is called a
1210:
If the batter swings and makes contact with the ball, but does not put it in play in fair territory—a
3309:
3128:
2330:
1862:
1309:
897:
550:
535:
206:
2103:
1320:, and caught by the defending team, runners must return and "retouch" the base they occupied at the
951:
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3181:
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202:
196:
79:
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1963:
205:
played by amateur urban clubs of the 1840s and 1850s. These rules were first published in 1848 by
129:) also use modified versions of the OBR, though these generally have more pronounced differences.
113:. Many amateur and youth leagues use the OBR with only a few modifications for safety, including
36:
3146:
2988:
2943:
2891:
2670:
2625:
2565:
2545:
2340:
2082:
1968:
1600:
1260:(abbreviated BB). If a pitch touches the batter (or the batter's clothes), the umpire declares a
1145:
869:, which seeks to mimic the delivery of a fastball but arrives at significantly lower velocity; a
576:
562:
531:
210:
141:
75:
1174:
must be made in less than a tenth of a second, based on whether the ball is hittable and in the
809:
398:
while the other pitches and defends in the field. High school baseball plays seven innings and
3409:
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3339:
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2782:
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1623:
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847:
684:
428:
290:
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The fifth and sixth batters often help baserunners to score runs. They often "sacrifice" his
850:
victories were complete games by the starters, a highly noteworthy event in the modern game.
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1204:
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1069:
1052:
958:, infielders playing "in" for the expected bunt and the possible play at the plate with the
920:
828:
604:
586:, who stands on the rubber of the mound, which is also known as the pitching plate, and the
434:
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334:
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242:
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1008:
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If both teams have scored the same number of runs at the end of a regular-length game, a
1167:
445:
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depth", and moving fielders to locations where hitters are most likely to hit the ball.
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Cuban leagues, there is a tenth player, a designated hitter, who bats for the pitcher.
1057:
901:
832:
770:
754:
727:
688:
652:
608:
492:
405:
394:
341:
282:
82:. Most rule sets are generally based on the Official Baseball Rules (OBR) published by
17:
1450:), but that is also harder to hit. Thus the batter will take a more protective swing.
1115:
forcefully in a fast-moving and seemingly almost straight-line trajectory is called a
273:(1950). Already-existing leagues in the Western Hemisphere were integrated into MLB's
3450:
3377:
3364:
3294:
3216:
3018:
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2812:
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2457:
2424:
2078:
1751:
1555:
1544:
1505:
1423:
1399:
1321:
1252:
1171:
1100:; and a hit that allows the batter to touch all bases in order on the same play is a
1061:
977:
905:
750:
742:
733:
707:
672:
664:
646:
491:
to score or to become a baserunner himself. The batter attempts to hit the ball into
399:
313:
114:
106:
56:
30:
1911:"Major milestone in international baseball: WBSC unveils Official Rules of Baseball"
999:
943:
said in 2023 that it would implement a pitch clock "at the earliest possible date."
3329:
3304:
3066:
3046:
3033:
2896:
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2452:
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1856:
1490:
1403:
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959:
916:
783:
761:, so this player must be quick and agile with a strong arm to throw balls into the
721:
515:
484:
354:, first, second, and third bases are cushions (sometimes informally referred to as
278:
209:, often credited as "the father of baseball", though they were actually written by
540:
2208:
2124:
1566:
on May 1, 1920. The game, called on account of darkness, ended in a 1–1 tie. Two
1184:. Good bunting technique has been described as "catching the ball with the bat."
1076:('FC') are less common; and somewhat rarely a player may reach base by virtue of
3256:
3231:
3171:
3136:
3106:
3008:
2978:
2963:
2938:
2792:
2772:
2732:
2588:
2315:
2305:
1859:, for civil law in the United States pertaining to baseball and its institutions
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1715:
1640:
1363:
1275:
1240:
1187:
On any pitch, if the batter swings at the ball and misses, he is charged with a
1176:
1110:
1081:
971:
967:
912:
878:
778:
676:
633:
480:
309:
305:
149:
1203:. The number of balls and strikes thrown to the current batter is known as the
777:
leader, and left- and right-fielders often cede to his direction when fielding
329:
3278:
3273:
3196:
3191:
3023:
2913:
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1838:
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680:
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473:
461:
412:
98:
There are several major codified sets of rules, which differ only slightly.
60:
1611:. During the "stretch", fans in the United States often sing the chorus of
1386:
a runner from reaching a base that he otherwise would have reached safely.
931:
in 2015. The clock was introduced to Major League Baseball starting in the
301:
The most recent significant rule changes to the OBR occurred in 2023, when
233:
the right to call for a high or low pitch, to be determined by the umpire.
1378:, allowing all runners to advance one base without risk of being put out.
970:, moving to a shallow position to throw out a runner at home, playing at "
877:, which is made to curve laterally by rotation imparted by the pitcher; a
632:) or baserunning plays, most commonly when an opposing player attempts to
3061:
2998:
2973:
2881:
2854:
2839:
2700:
2660:
2583:
2419:
2357:
2243:
2239:
1218:
1101:
939:(NPB), where there exists some resistance to its adoption. South Korea's
858:
774:
699:
510:
52:
2203:
86:(MLB), though various minor variations exist from league to league; the
3251:
3246:
3236:
3076:
2958:
2757:
2414:
2409:
2389:
2125:"KBO to bring back full-time manager for nat'l team, adopt pitch clock"
1767:
1466:
1340:
1163:
836:
818:
793:
789:
738:
616:
588:
582:
465:
440:
422:
2075:"Pitch timer, shift restrictions among announced rule changes for '23"
1056:. Batters can advance to first base safely in one of seven methods: a
624:
are also responsible for defense in the area near home plate (such as
152:
timing and extra-innings tiebreakers. These rules do not apply to the
3241:
3111:
2573:
2528:
1587:
1538:
1497:
1326:
1166:
throws the ball towards home plate while a batter is standing in the
457:
385:
229:
110:
64:
1895:
Baseball in the Garden of Eden: the Secret History of the Early Game
1868:
Comparison of Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball
2139:"Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals Box Score, September 28, 1952"
2046:"NCAA rules for college baseball are designed to speed up the game"
1934:. Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. 2022 – via MLB.com.
1301:
since ordinary hits, even singles, will often allow them to score.
201:
Many of the modern rules of baseball originated with the so-called
125:. Most professional leagues outside North America (such as Japan's
90:
maintains its own official rule set for international competition.
1709:
1599:" or "slaughter rule"). Rarely, a game can also be won or lost by
1456:
1353:
1149:
950:
808:
539:
411:
328:
78:
in the mid-19th century, and its modern rules are based mainly on
35:
1394:
The goal of each batter is to become a base runner himself (by a
911:
One example of variation in professional leagues is the use of a
3041:
2834:
2018:
1375:
865:, which is made to curve by rotation imparted by the pitcher; a
2212:
683:. When an infielder picks up a ball from the ground hit by the
607:
the ball toward home plate with the goal of getting the batter
1654:
827:
A single game often requires multiple pitchers, including the
769:, teams tend to emphasize defense at this position. Also, the
384:
At the college/professional level, baseball is played in nine
749:
due to the need to make throws on runners attempting to take
453:, which might consist of nothing more than the pitch itself.
40:
Cover of Official Base Ball Rules, 1921 edition, used by the
1964:"Debate Over Baseball's Origins Spills Into Another Century"
1064:('BB' for base-on-balls) are by far the most common; being
1297:. Runners on second or third base are considered to be in
416:
A batter follows through after swinging at a pitched ball.
403:
the defending team gets three players of the batting team
675:'s job consists largely of making plays at first base on
372:
Foul territory is the entire area outside the foul lines.
136:(WBSC), which governs international tournaments like the
1414:) or to help move other base runners along (by another
611:. Pitchers also play defense by fielding batted balls,
1750:
In a notable example from 1952, the starting pitcher,
168:
National Federation of State High School Associations
1984:"Pitch clock for baseball? Experiment begins in SEC"
487:. To that end, the goal of each batter is to enable
3287:
3125:
3032:
2821:
2564:
2516:
2433:
2356:
2268:
1124:When a ball is hit outside the foul lines, it is a
596:and later reinforced by the implied comparison to
156:, which is organized jointly by the WBSC and MLB.
1639:" during the seventh-inning stretch. At Boston's
1358:Pick-off attempt on runner (in red) at first base
915:, which some leagues use to speed up the game's
1946:"RULE DIFFERENCES FROM OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES"
1193:. If the batter does not swing, the home plate
741:'s perspective looking out onto the field. The
228:(NABBP) Rules which governed until 1870, the 9-
1775:Pitchers as batters, and the designated hitter
1225:When three strikes occur on a batter, it is a
1162:consists of a series of pitches, in which the
508:hit over the fence on the fly is an automatic
2224:
1874:The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book
711:to the natural motion of the batter's swing.
312:, extra-inning base runners, and restricting
8:
1877:, for Major League Baseball's business rules
1481:Typically, the first and second batters are
1312:). A runner that must attempt to advance is
861:, which is the ball thrown at high speed; a
813:The typical motion of a right-handed pitcher
757:has more territory to cover than the corner
745:generally has the strongest arm of all the
2231:
2217:
2209:
2073:Castrovince, Anthony (September 9, 2022).
1714:Pitchers are generally substituted during
1643:, a tradition has brought the singing of "
1324:. The common name for this requirement is
101:The Official Baseball Rules, published by
2119:
2117:
2068:
2066:
1718:(team gatherings at the pitcher's mound).
1698:Learn how and when to remove this message
1050:A batter's turn at the plate is called a
896:Some pitchers choose to throw using the '
698:situations. He also is a cut-off for the
226:National Association of Base Ball Players
2204:Evolution of 19th Century Baseball Rules
2014:"Pitch clock for Double-A, Triple-A use"
1523:
438:—the ball towards home plate, where the
420:The basic contest is always between the
277:and thus subject to the OBR, namely the
161:National Collegiate Athletic Association
1886:
1362:Baserunners may attempt to advance, or
1905:
1903:
1647:" in the middle of the eighth inning.
105:, govern all professional play in the
1897:. New York: Simon & Schuster 2011
1754:, switched positions with outfielder
1304:A runner legally touching a base is "
1281:the runner farther along is called a
134:World Baseball Softball Confederation
88:World Baseball Softball Confederation
7:
2127:. Yonhap News Agency. July 20, 2023.
2026:from the original on October 2, 2015
1994:from the original on August 24, 2011
919:. The rule was first implemented in
388:in which each team gets one turn to
269:(1936) and its modern-day successor
3429:
2336:Comparison of baseball and softball
1670:tone or style may not reflect the
1528:Baseball games sometimes end in a
1044:
25:
1783:A more complicated tactic is the
1390:Batting and base running strategy
933:2023 Major League Baseball season
927:, and added to certain levels of
3428:
3416:
3405:
3404:
1841:
1680:guide to writing better articles
1659:
1520:Innings and determining a winner
1016:
1007:
998:
488:
2145:from the original on 2017-09-24
2052:from the original on 2016-01-25
1289:; any other runner is called a
1241:Mickey Owen (1941 World Series)
544:The standard fielding positions
2199:2006 NCAA Baseball Rules (pdf)
1962:Thorn, John (March 13, 2011).
1554:is avoided by the addition of
1493:, who tries to hit home runs.
603:The pitcher's main role is to
1:
159:The baseball rulebook of the
80:those first published in 1848
1614:Take Me Out to the Ball Game
937:Nippon Professional Baseball
644:The four infielders are the
426:for the fielding team and a
389:
271:Nippon Professional Baseball
127:Nippon Professional Baseball
63:, and three outs end a half-
1637:Take Me Out To The Ballgame
3473:
1619:September 11, 2001 attacks
1273:
1143:
1092:; reaching second base, a
816:
781:. Of all outfielders, the
529:
504:. In an enclosed field, a
308:introduced rules adding a
194:
28:
3398:
2251:
1929:"Official Baseball Rules"
250:Modern era (1901-present)
2164:"Designated Hitter Rule"
1237:Doug Eddings (2005 ALCS)
737:, are so named from the
267:Japanese Baseball League
2193:Official Baseball Rules
2191:Major League Baseball:
2170:. Major League Baseball
1674:used on Knowledge (XXG)
719:The three outfielders,
219:New York Knickerbockers
18:Batting team (baseball)
3390:Variations of baseball
3355:Seventh-inning stretch
3335:List of baseball films
3167:Defensive indifference
3117:Tie goes to the runner
1719:
1678:See Knowledge (XXG)'s
1617:. However, since the
1609:seventh-inning stretch
1533:
1500:. This can be done by
1462:
1359:
1155:
962:
814:
545:
417:
337:
154:World Baseball Classic
59:, three strikes are a
48:
3269:Uncaught third strike
3014:Striking out the side
2696:Hitting for the cycle
1808:Major League Baseball
1796:Major League Baseball
1713:
1527:
1460:
1357:
1233:uncaught third strike
1153:
1068:('HBP'), reaching by
1060:(abbreviated 'H') or
954:
929:Minor League Baseball
812:
626:dropped third strikes
543:
481:becoming a baserunner
432:. The pitcher throws—
415:
332:
103:Major League Baseball
84:Major League Baseball
39:
3310:Bench-clearing brawl
2599:Batting out of order
1863:Cheating in baseball
1504:the ball, hitting a
871:splitfinger fastball
536:Baseball positioning
207:Alexander Cartwright
191:Early era (pre-1901)
3300:Baseball statistics
2743:Lefty-righty switch
2022:. 15 January 2015.
1790:Many leagues allow
1576:Rochester Red Wings
1339:and will be out if
1132:where it left off.
990:Batters and runners
580:is composed of the
392:and tries to score
224:In 1857, under the
197:Origins of baseball
3147:Blocking the plate
2671:Ground rule double
2626:Charging the mound
2341:fastpitch softball
2083:MLB Advanced Media
1969:The New York Times
1792:designated hitters
1720:
1534:
1463:
1360:
1156:
1146:Batting (baseball)
963:
846:, all four of the
815:
800:Defensive strategy
773:is considered the
563:defensive spectrum
546:
532:Baseball positions
418:
338:
211:William R. Wheaton
142:Baseball World Cup
76:bat-and-ball games
49:
3444:
3443:
3227:Neighborhood play
3202:Hidden ball trick
2969:Pitching position
2919:Immaculate inning
2641:Designated hitter
2276:Rules of baseball
1747:from the game.
1708:
1707:
1700:
1672:encyclopedic tone
1624:God Bless America
1572:Pawtucket Red Sox
1530:walk-off home run
1489:, and is often a
1322:time of the pitch
1172:decision to swing
956:1906 World Series
947:Fielding strategy
848:Chicago White Sox
679:hit to the other
615:(for a potential
325:General structure
291:designated hitter
258:was also formed.
215:William H. Tucker
166:The rules of the
123:Cal Ripken League
16:(Redirected from
3464:
3432:
3431:
3420:
3408:
3407:
3212:Infield fly rule
3182:Fielder's choice
3087:Scoring position
2934:Intentional walk
2929:Intentional balk
2763:Plate appearance
2483:Pitching machine
2375:Baseball diamond
2346:16-inch softball
2291:Infield fly rule
2233:
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2048:. 7 March 2011.
2042:
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2010:
2004:
2003:
2001:
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1990:. May 26, 2010.
1980:
1974:
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1703:
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1683:
1682:for suggestions.
1663:
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1412:fielder's choice
1404:hit by the pitch
1299:scoring position
1295:following runner
1287:preceding runner
1160:plate appearance
1096:; third base, a
1074:fielder's choice
1066:hit-by-the-pitch
1053:plate appearance
1020:
1011:
1002:
921:college baseball
855:types of pitches
829:starting pitcher
352:counterclockwise
335:baseball diamond
303:MLB Commissioner
296:interleague play
243:infield fly rule
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3187:Fifth infielder
3162:Covering a base
3157:Caught stealing
3127:
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3052:Caught stealing
3028:
2924:Inside pitching
2860:Vulcan changeup
2850:Brushback pitch
2825:
2817:
2711:Inside-the-park
2666:Golden sombrero
2560:
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2478:Glove (defense)
2429:
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2326:Unwritten rules
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2110:. May 15, 2023.
2106:(in Japanese).
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1847:
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1812:National League
1800:American League
1777:
1728:; similarly, a
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1693:
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1677:
1668:This section's
1664:
1660:
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1560:Brooklyn Robins
1522:
1483:contact hitters
1392:
1372:caught stealing
1291:trailing runner
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887:circle changeup
883:Vulcan changeup
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717:
715:The outfielders
642:
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538:
528:
518:') is called a
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281:(1947) and the
256:American League
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238:National League
203:"New York game"
199:
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146:WBSC Premier 12
138:Summer Olympics
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46:National League
42:American League
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2636:Cleanup hitter
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2609:sacrifice bunt
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2579:Baltimore chop
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2186:External links
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2005:
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1737:relief pitcher
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1649:
1645:Sweet Caroline
1580:33-inning game
1521:
1518:
1487:cleanup hitter
1469:plays, a good
1420:sacrifice bunt
1408:fielding error
1391:
1388:
1274:Main article:
1271:
1268:
1246:On the fourth
1144:Main article:
1141:
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978:Infield shifts
948:
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902:Walter Johnson
833:relief pitcher
817:Main article:
806:
803:
801:
798:
771:center fielder
765:; as with the
755:center fielder
728:center fielder
716:
713:
653:second baseman
641:
640:The infielders
638:
613:covering bases
594:Henry Chadwick
571:
568:
559:Henry Chadwick
527:
524:
493:fair territory
446:batter's boxes
379:east-northeast
374:
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342:baseball field
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314:infield shifts
283:Mexican League
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1657:
1656:
1651:Substitutions
1650:
1648:
1646:
1642:
1638:
1634:
1630:
1629:All-Star Game
1626:
1625:
1620:
1616:
1615:
1610:
1604:
1602:
1598:
1592:
1589:
1583:
1581:
1577:
1573:
1569:
1565:
1564:Boston Braves
1561:
1557:
1556:extra innings
1553:
1548:
1546:
1545:Little League
1541:
1540:
1531:
1526:
1519:
1517:
1515:
1509:
1507:
1503:
1499:
1494:
1492:
1488:
1484:
1479:
1476:
1472:
1468:
1459:
1455:
1451:
1449:
1445:
1441:
1435:
1431:
1429:
1425:
1424:sacrifice fly
1421:
1417:
1413:
1409:
1405:
1401:
1400:base on balls
1397:
1389:
1387:
1385:
1379:
1377:
1373:
1369:
1365:
1356:
1352:
1350:
1346:
1342:
1338:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1323:
1319:
1315:
1311:
1307:
1302:
1300:
1296:
1292:
1288:
1284:
1277:
1269:
1267:
1265:
1264:
1259:
1255:
1254:
1253:base on balls
1249:
1244:
1242:
1238:
1234:
1230:
1229:
1223:
1221:
1220:
1215:
1214:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1201:
1196:
1192:
1191:
1185:
1183:
1179:
1178:
1173:
1169:
1165:
1161:
1152:
1147:
1139:
1137:
1133:
1129:
1127:
1122:
1120:
1119:
1113:
1112:
1105:
1103:
1099:
1095:
1091:
1087:
1083:
1079:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1063:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1048:
1046:
1045:Substitutions
1042:
1041:
1040:batting order
1036:
1019:
1010:
1001:
989:
984:
982:
979:
975:
973:
969:
961:
957:
953:
946:
944:
942:
938:
934:
930:
926:
922:
918:
914:
909:
907:
906:Chad Bradford
903:
899:
894:
890:
888:
884:
880:
876:
872:
868:
864:
860:
856:
851:
849:
845:
842:
838:
834:
830:
825:
820:
811:
804:
799:
797:
795:
791:
786:
785:
780:
776:
772:
768:
764:
760:
756:
752:
748:
744:
743:right fielder
740:
736:
735:
734:right fielder
730:
729:
724:
723:
714:
712:
709:
708:reaction time
705:
701:
697:
692:
690:
686:
682:
678:
674:
673:first baseman
669:
667:
666:
665:third baseman
661:
660:
655:
654:
649:
648:
647:first baseman
639:
637:
635:
631:
627:
622:
618:
614:
610:
606:
601:
599:
595:
591:
590:
585:
584:
579:
578:
569:
567:
564:
560:
554:
552:
542:
537:
533:
526:Fielding team
525:
523:
521:
517:
513:
512:
507:
503:
502:
496:
494:
490:
486:
482:
477:
475:
471:
467:
463:
459:
454:
452:
447:
443:
442:
437:
436:
431:
430:
425:
424:
414:
410:
408:
407:
401:
400:Little League
397:
396:
391:
387:
382:
380:
371:
368:
365:
364:
363:
361:
357:
353:
349:
348:
343:
336:
333:Diagram of a
331:
324:
319:
317:
315:
311:
307:
304:
299:
297:
292:
286:
284:
280:
276:
275:minor leagues
272:
268:
263:
259:
257:
249:
247:
244:
239:
234:
231:
227:
222:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
198:
190:
188:
184:
177:
175:
173:
169:
164:
162:
157:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
130:
128:
124:
120:
116:
115:Little League
112:
108:
107:United States
104:
99:
93:
91:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
68:
66:
62:
58:
57:base on balls
54:
47:
43:
38:
32:
31:Baseball Rule
27:
19:
3427:
3415:
3403:
3345:Scorekeeping
3330:Injured list
3320:Doubleheader
3305:Bench jockey
3222:Interference
3102:Squeeze play
3067:Left on base
3047:Bases loaded
3034:Base running
2954:Perfect game
2907:split-finger
2753:Mendoza Line
2691:Hit by pitch
2619:squeeze play
2556:Pace of play
2517:Game process
2453:Batting cage
2385:Batter's eye
2380:Batter's box
2301:Interference
2286:Ground rules
2275:
2259:
2253:
2172:. Retrieved
2167:
2158:
2147:. Retrieved
2133:
2108:Daily Sports
2098:
2088:September 9,
2086:. Retrieved
2054:. Retrieved
2040:
2028:. Retrieved
2017:
2008:
1996:. Retrieved
1988:USAToday.com
1987:
1978:
1967:
1957:
1940:
1923:
1914:
1894:
1889:
1872:
1857:Baseball law
1829:
1825:
1821:
1804:
1789:
1782:
1778:
1765:
1761:
1749:
1744:
1741:
1731:pinch runner
1729:
1725:pinch hitter
1723:
1721:
1716:mound visits
1694:
1685:
1669:
1622:
1612:
1605:
1593:
1584:
1568:minor-league
1549:
1537:
1535:
1514:interference
1510:
1495:
1491:power hitter
1480:
1464:
1452:
1436:
1432:
1393:
1380:
1371:
1367:
1364:steal a base
1361:
1349:bases loaded
1348:
1334:
1325:
1317:
1310:ball is dead
1303:
1298:
1294:
1290:
1286:
1282:
1279:
1263:hit by pitch
1261:
1257:
1251:
1245:
1226:
1224:
1217:
1211:
1209:
1198:
1188:
1186:
1175:
1168:batter's box
1157:
1134:
1130:
1125:
1123:
1116:
1109:
1106:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1084:('PB') on a
1078:interference
1051:
1049:
1038:
1034:
1032:
985:Batting team
976:
964:
960:bases loaded
917:pace of play
910:
895:
891:
852:
826:
822:
792:or from the
784:left fielder
782:
732:
726:
722:left fielder
720:
718:
693:
677:ground balls
670:
663:
657:
651:
645:
643:
634:steal a base
630:wild pitches
602:
587:
581:
575:
573:
555:
547:
519:
516:bases loaded
509:
499:
497:
485:pinch-runner
478:
455:
450:
439:
433:
427:
421:
419:
404:
393:
383:
375:
355:
345:
339:
300:
287:
279:Cuban League
264:
260:
253:
235:
223:
200:
185:
181:
165:
158:
131:
100:
97:
69:
50:
26:
3434:WikiProject
3257:Triple play
3232:Passed ball
3172:Double play
3137:Appeal play
3107:Stolen base
3072:Obstruction
3057:Hit and run
3009:Strike zone
2979:Quick pitch
2964:Pitch count
2939:Knuckleball
2793:Strike zone
2773:Pull hitter
2733:Infield hit
2686:Hit and run
2589:Batted ball
2316:Strike zone
2306:Pitch clock
2030:October 11,
1998:October 12,
1756:Stan Musial
1641:Fenway Park
1578:, played a
1570:teams, the
1475:hit-and-run
1428:hit and run
1337:in jeopardy
1283:lead runner
1276:Baserunning
1270:Baserunning
1177:strike zone
1111:ground ball
1082:passed ball
1080:('I') or a
972:double play
968:stolen base
913:pitch clock
879:knuckleball
759:outfielders
747:outfielders
570:The battery
551:positioning
489:baserunners
350:. Numbered
310:pitch clock
306:Rob Manfred
150:pitch clock
119:PONY League
51:Throughout
3279:Wheel play
3274:Wall climb
3262:unassisted
3197:Fourth out
3192:Force play
3097:Small ball
3024:Wild pitch
2914:Full count
2877:Emery ball
2827:(softball)
2798:Sweet spot
2748:Line drive
2706:Grand slam
2493:Shin guard
2149:2018-03-27
2056:2015-10-12
1882:References
1794:, notably
1688:April 2015
1633:postseason
1597:mercy rule
1345:force base
1327:tagging up
1118:line drive
941:KBO League
751:third base
704:left field
681:infielders
530:See also:
520:grand slam
474:strikeouts
470:force outs
462:in the air
360:home plate
195:See also:
172:this level
3315:Dead ball
3004:Strikeout
2984:Screwball
2949:No-hitter
2892:four-seam
2867:Curveball
2788:Strikeout
2676:Hat trick
2656:Foul ball
2614:slap bunt
2546:Positions
2435:Equipment
2400:Foul pole
2296:In flight
2281:Ejections
1582:in 1981.
1384:obstructs
1228:strikeout
1213:foul ball
1126:foul ball
1086:strikeout
1072:('E') or
867:change-up
863:curveball
779:fly balls
767:shortstop
659:shortstop
621:force out
598:artillery
506:fair ball
217:, of the
70:Baseball
61:strikeout
3451:Category
3410:Category
3360:Shagging
3126:Fielding
3062:Lead off
2999:Spitball
2974:Pitchout
2887:two-seam
2882:Fastball
2855:Changeup
2840:Beanball
2823:Pitching
2721:Moonshot
2716:Walk-off
2701:Home run
2661:Foul tip
2584:Bat flip
2498:Stirrups
2473:Doughnut
2420:Outfield
2370:Backstop
2358:Ballpark
2331:Cheating
2261:Glossary
2246:concepts
2244:softball
2240:Baseball
2143:Archived
2079:New York
2050:Archived
2024:Archived
1992:Archived
1915:WBSC.org
1835:See also
1631:and the
1506:fly ball
1448:splitter
1416:base hit
1402:, being
1396:base hit
1368:pick-off
1318:fly ball
1219:foul tip
1102:home run
1058:base-hit
1047:below.)
1027:(right).
859:fastball
805:Pitching
775:outfield
700:outfield
511:home run
466:tag outs
320:Gameplay
285:(1955).
53:baseball
3383:winning
3374:Streak
3288:Related
3252:Tag out
3247:Rundown
3237:Pickoff
3077:Rundown
2989:Shutout
2959:Pickoff
2758:On-deck
2726:Chinese
2566:Batting
2529:Innings
2503:Uniform
2410:Infield
2390:Bullpen
2255:Outline
2168:mlb.com
1951:. WBSC.
1818:Rosters
1768:amateur
1745:removed
1601:forfeit
1588:curfews
1502:bunting
1164:pitcher
1140:Batting
837:bullpen
819:Pitcher
794:catcher
790:pitcher
763:infield
739:catcher
617:tag out
589:catcher
583:pitcher
577:battery
566:plays.
441:catcher
435:pitches
423:pitcher
386:innings
178:History
74:out of
72:evolved
3422:Portal
3378:losing
3350:Series
3340:Pepper
3325:Jargon
3242:Putout
3142:Assist
3112:Tag up
2994:Slider
2944:Maddux
2902:sinker
2897:cutter
2872:Eephus
2808:Triple
2783:Single
2646:Double
2574:At bat
2395:Dugout
2197:NCAA:
1539:inning
1498:at-bat
1444:slider
1341:tagged
1314:forced
1195:umpire
1190:strike
1098:triple
1094:double
1090:single
1035:lineup
875:slider
753:. The
731:, and
685:batter
662:, and
600:fire.
472:, and
458:at bat
429:batter
230:inning
221:club.
144:, and
121:, and
111:Canada
65:inning
3370:Slump
3177:Error
3152:Catch
3092:Slide
2362:field
2269:Rules
1949:(PDF)
1932:(PDF)
1766:Many
1471:slide
1440:curve
1426:, or
1410:, or
1293:or a
1285:or a
1256:or a
1205:count
1158:Each
1070:error
605:pitch
347:bases
94:Rules
3082:Safe
3042:Balk
2835:Balk
2813:Walk
2604:Bunt
2443:Ball
2242:and
2176:2022
2090:2022
2032:2015
2019:ESPN
2000:2015
1574:and
1562:and
1418:, a
1406:, a
1398:, a
1376:balk
1306:safe
1258:walk
1248:ball
1239:and
1200:ball
1182:bunt
1062:walk
925:2010
844:ALCS
841:2005
831:and
696:bunt
689:mitt
671:The
628:and
574:The
534:and
451:play
395:runs
356:bags
236:The
213:and
132:The
109:and
44:and
2681:Hit
2551:Run
2541:Out
2468:Cap
2448:Bat
1810:'s
1798:'s
1552:tie
1536:An
1467:tag
1446:or
1430:).
1037:or
923:in
619:or
609:out
501:run
406:out
390:bat
67:.
3453::
2258:·
2166:.
2141:.
2116:^
2081::
2077:.
2065:^
2016:.
1986:.
1966:.
1913:.
1902:^
1739:.
1621:,
1603:.
1442:,
1422:,
1351:.
796:.
725:,
656:,
650:,
522:.
468:,
464:,
381:.
174:.
140:,
117:,
2360:/
2232:e
2225:t
2218:v
2178:.
2152:.
2092:.
2059:.
2034:.
2002:.
1972:.
1917:.
1701:)
1695:(
1690:)
1686:(
1676:.
1329:.
33:.
20:)
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