How to Play Baseball: The Ultimate Guide

BYLINE: Ever wondered the in’s and out’s of baseball?  Do you have a bet going with your friends whether a foul tip is a strike or not?  This article dives deep into necessary lingo and fundamentals of baseball, America’s most beloved game.  Whether you are interested in learning how to play or brushing up on skills, this how-to guide will send you to the diamond in no time.

The Basic Idea: Baseball players advance around bases by batting and running in an effort to score. Points, called “runs,” are scored when a player on the batting team touches all the bases (including home plate) without being tagged or put “out” by a player on the fielding team. The team scoring the greater number of runs in the allotted number of innings wins the game. Each inning is divided into two halves: top and bottom. The visiting team always bats in the first half (top) of the inning. Both teams are allowed three outs per half inning. Usually, if a game ends in a tie, extra innings are played until one team outscores the other. The home team, if trailing, always gets a final turn at bat.

Equipment Needed: A fielder’s glove, hard leather baseball, baseball bat (made of aluminum or wood), cleats or sneakers, matching uniform, baseball cap, and batting helmet. For the catcher: face mask, chest protector, shin guards, catcher’s glove, and athletic supporter with cup.

Positions:  Two teams of nine players compete on a baseball field which is divided between an infield and an outfield. The infield, called the “diamond,” is where the bases (bags) are located. Players in the field include three outfielders, four infielders, one pitcher, and one catcher. Substitutions may take place any time the ball is not in play. Once substituted, however, a player may not reenter the game.

Pitcher (or “hurler”) - Throws the ball from an elevated “pitching mound” located in the center of the diamond. He tries to get opposing batters out by pitching into the “strike zone,” using assorted pitches such as the fastball or curve ball.

Catcher- Plays in a crouched position directly behind home plate and catches the baseball thrown by the pitcher. Along with the pitcher, he decides which pitches should be thrown to each batter.

First Baseman- Positioned next to the bag at first. He fields the baseball when it is hit down the first base foul line and also covers the base on “force plays.”

Second Baseman- Plays in the gap between second base and the first baseman. He fields the “grounders” and “pop-ups” hit to this part of the infield, covers plays to second, and relays throws from the outfielders.

Shortstop- Stands between second and third base and fields balls hit to this side of the infield. He is often involved in force plays and “double plays” with the second baseman.

Third Baseman- Plays just to the left of third base. He covers third when runners approach and is responsible for fielding balls hit down the third base foul line.

Outfielders (Left, Center, and Right) - These three players catch the “fly balls”    and field the base hits that go through the infield. They need to have strong throwing arms to get the baseball back into the infield to prevent runners from advancing along the bases.

Batting: Batting takes place at home plate from within a “batter’s box.” The batter stands at the plate and swings his bat in an attempt to hit the pitched ball into fair play. Batters must swing at the ball when it is pitched in the strike zone or else the pitch may be called a “strike.” When a batter hits a “fair ball,” he becomes a base runner and sprints to first base. In the attempt to get to first base before the baseball is thrown there, the batter may overrun the bag without the worry of being tagged out. This rule applies only to first base.

Base Hit- Occurs when a batting player hits the ball in fair play and then “safely” reaches a base. It is called a single if the batter reaches first base, a double when he reaches second, a triple if he makes it to third base, and a “home run” if he crosses home plate.

Home Run (“homer” or “four bagger”)- Happens when a batter hits a fair ball far enough for him to reach all four bases without being tagged out. In many baseball parks a fence encloses the outfield. It is an automatic homer when the ball is hit over this fence on a fly. A home run scores one run for the batter and a run for each player on base.

Fair Ball- A ball hit within the foul lines.

Foul Ball- A batted ball that lands outside fair territory or touches fair ground, but rolls out-of-bounds before reaching first or third base. A foul ball counts as a strike, unless there are already two strikes; in this case, the player continues to bat.

Strike- Called when a player swings and misses a pitch; swings and fouls off a pitch; or does not swing when a pitch is in the strike zone. A batter strikes out when he gets three strikes in one turn at bat (so long as the third strike is caught by the catcher); “foul tips” a third strike that is caught by the catcher; or “bunts” the ball foul when there are two strikes.

Ball- Called by the umpire when the batter does not swing at a pitch thrown outside the strike zone.

Outs: The objective for teams playing in the field is to get three players on the batting team out. A batter is out when 1) he hits a ball, fair or foul, that is caught by a fielder before it touches the ground, 2) he is tagged, or first base is touched by a fielder holding the ball before the batter gets there, or 3) he strikes out. A base runner is out when 1) he is between bases and is tagged by a fielder holding the ball or 2) he is forced out.

-Anthony

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