- baseball
- I(Roget's IV) n.Syn. ball, the Major Leagues, Little League, the national pastime.The major league teams in the United States include --- National League: Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Montreal Expos, New YOrk Mets, Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies; American League: Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, Kansas City Royals, Oakland A's or Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners, New YOrk Yankees.II(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.ball, sport, game, national pastime, athletic competition. ''The greatest conversation piece ever invented in America.''— Bruce Catton. ''An island of surety in a changing world.''—William Veek.WORD FIND(common abbreviations)• AAA: the minor league from which big league players are drawn• AA: the second-tier minor league. Also known as a bush league• A: the third-tier minor league. Also known as a bush league• AB: at bat• AL: American League• BA: batting average• BB: base on balls/walks• DP: double play• DH: designated hitter• E: error• ERA: earned run average• FP: fielding percentage• G: game• H: hit• HR: homerun• IP: innings pitched• K: strikeout• MVP: most valuable player• NL: National League• R: run• RBI: runs batted in• SB: stolen base• SHO: shutout• SO: strikeout• SS: shortstop• 2B: double• 3B: triple• TP: triple play• WP: winning pitcher• ambidextrous hitter: switch hitter• base: bag• baseball, slang for: apple, horsehide• bat, illegal: corked bat• bat’s heavy warmup weight: donut• batting fourth in the lineup: batting cleanup• bench area for players, enclosed: dugout• batter’s grip, improves: pine tar• batter’s spot: batter’s box• British game: rounders• catch, spectacular: circus catch, shoestring catch• championship, league: pennant; World Series• dirt track skirting outfield wall: warning track• double play started by the shortstop (6) who throws to the second baseman (4), who completes the play to the first baseman (3): 6-4-3 double play• drawing of players from schools and minor leagues: draft• fantasy baseball based on statistics: Rotisserie League• fastball, slang: *fireball, *hummer, *smoke• fan’s fanciful game of: Rotisserie League Baseball• first-year player: rookie• flyball, high infield: pop up• flyball, short: blooper• fly balls, practice catching: shag flies• grounder, bouncing: chopper• hit ball that bounces into stands: ground rule double• hit often used as sacrifice to move runner on, very short infield: bunt• hit that causes an out but moves an on-base runner along: sacrifice• hitter who can be counted on in critical situations: clutch hitter• hitter who substitute hits for pitcher: designated hitter• hit, weak: nubber, squibber, Texas Leaguer• homerun driving in a total of four runs: grand slam• homerun: four-bagger• homerun, to hit a: go downtown; air it out• illegally alter ball or bat: doctor• locker room, office, etc.: clubhouse• minor leagues: AAA AA, A, farm system, bush leagues• mishandled ball: bobbled; error• out-of-play ball: foul• partial swing of bat not counting as strike: check swing• perform badly, especially in a tense situation: choke• pitch a fastball: *blow it by, *blow smoke, *throw a fireball, *put some mustard on it• pitch, curving or altering trajectory: breaking ball, curveball, forkball, knuckleball, screwball, sinker, slider, spitball, splitfingered fastball• pitch, deceptively slow: off-speed pitch• pitch hitting batter, intentionally wild: beanball• pitch intentionally thrown for a ball outside: pitchout• pitch nearly hitting batter intentionally: brushback pitch• pitch, slow and easy to hit: lollipop• pitch thrown deceptively slow: change-up• pitcher, closing: closer, reliever, stopper• pitcher, illegal motion made by: balk• pitcher, lefthanded: southpaw• pitcher, team’s best: ace• pitcher who uses clever pitches instead of speed: finesse pitcher• pitcher’s warmup area: bullpen• player making game-losing error: goat• player not currently under contract and free to change teams: free agent• players’ nickname: boys of summer• rectangles batter stands in at bat: batter’s box• screen, protective: backstop• signal, secret: sign• sign, no pepper: stenciled sign warning players not to play games of pepper, the infield batting and fielding drill that sometimes damages the playing field• statistical rundown in newspaper: boxscore• strike criteria, full swing: break the wrists• strikeout, to: fan, *whiff• strikes, to be called out on: go down looking• substitute runner: pinch runner• throwing arm, powerful: *bazooka, *shotgun
English dictionary for students. 2013.
