Definitions for Newcomers

Baseball uses a special lexicon that many newcomers may not know. As a public service, Reality Check provides you with accurate definitions for selected baseball terms.

Around the Horn: NESN strategy to use Disarcina, Eckersley, and Rice for commentary, dropping Sam Horn from the lineup

Aspirin: What NL managers require for Interleague Play

Back Through the Box: Where many fans want to go when listening to Tim McCarver or Joe Morgan commentary

Bad ball hitter: Pitches in the dirt, see also protective gear, Carlton Fisk

Base: (see battery)

Battery: part of what Wes Gardner was and Brett Myers is.

Beanball: Strategy employed by A's GM Billy Beane

Bleachers: Everything not a Box Seat at Fenway

Box Seat: everything not a bleacher seat, frequently previously a 'grandstand' or lower-priced seat.

Bullpen: off field site for growing tomatoes

Can't Miss: see soft-tossing lefthanders, as in hitters 'can't miss' their pitches

Caught looking: ballplayers syping on attractive female fans; see baseball classic Ball Four by Jim Bouton

Choke Hitter: Yankee fan term of endearment for Alex Rodriguez

Closed stance: Frequent Sox management negotiating positions for overpaid stars (see Damon or Martinez)

Clubhouse lawyer: agent, as opposed to other parts of posse

Clutch: see Ortiz, David

Comebacker: witty retort to bench jockeying

Cripple: see Bonds, Barry

Cup of Coffee: leaded, see amphetamines or greenies

Double Steal: Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb

Fan: short for fanny, as in fannies in the seats

Fungo: road trip to gentleman's club or bar

Green light: undervalued contract

Gun: see NBA, as in "that player has a gun"

Hit-and-run: what the best players do, running after hitting

Hit for the Cycle: see Ben Rothlisberger

Hot corner: see Fungo

Journeyman: player who likes 'rock music' as opposed to hip hop, i.e. fan of Journey

Juice: performance enhancing drug

Leg hitter: see Battery

Magic Number: what player must receive in contract to be respected

Out Man: disabled list player

Payoff pitch: off-field employment, as in endorsements

Pitch count: the number of times the Remdawg hypes his website, upcoming television events, or All-Star game gala

Punchout: see Brett Myers

Rubber: see Fungo

Screwball: many lefthanded pitchers

Squeeze: attempt to lowball player on contract; see closed stance

Stopper: valuable adjunct for players who prefer hard liquor to beer

Stuff: see juice, as in 'on the stuff'

Whitewash: MLB and Players' Union approach to performance-enhancing drug use, see juice, see stuff

As a matter of taste, our editors have decided to omit some other popular baseball definitions...