The Basics Of Baseball
By Gary Is
August 30 2003
Are you new to baseball and don't yet know how the game is played? This section of the site provides you with all the basics of the game. In no time at all you will know everything there is to know about the game.
Object Of The Game
The object of the game is to win by scoring more runs than your opponent. Runs are scored by advancing the batter from home plate around the three bases until he gets back to home.
The Players
Each team consists of nine players: pitcher, catcher, four infielders (first baseman, second baseman, third baseman and shotstop), and three outfielders (left, centre and right fielder). Although the positions they occupy on the field are more or less standardisedm there are no restrictions on where the fielders can play.
How Runs are Scored
If the batter hits the ball and it is 'fair' (that is, it goes between the foul lines) he must run to first base - or further, if he can do so without getting out. If e reaches first base safely, he has registered a single base hit; if he gets to second, it's a double base hit; to third and it's a triple - these are also called 'extra-base hits'. If a hitter manages to run all the way to home plate on a fair ball, he's scored an 'inside the park' home run - but this is extremely rare. A ball hit over the outfield fence is called a 'home run' - it's the equivalent of a six in cricket.
Cat and Mouse
If the batter gets safely to first base, the next batterin the lineup takes his position at home plate - while he's been waiting he's been 'on deck'. The original batter is now at first base, which is now said to be 'loaded' with a runner. You can only have one member of the batting side on one base, But runners can try to run to the next base at any time, unless the batter hits a fly ball. If this happens, everyone has to wait to see whether it's caught or not: if it is, the batter is out. If it's not, the batter has to run to first base - which means that the runner on first base also has to run, and so on. The art of advancing as the pitcher begins his throw is know as 'stealing' a base, and if often starts a cat and mouse game between the pitcher, catcher and base runner.
How a Better Gets Out
The duel between pitcher and batter is the essence of baseball, though the fielders also try to get the batter out. The batter defends the striker zone behind his body, and the pitcher, depending on the situation of the game, either tries to get the ball past the batter and into the strike zone, or deliberately misses it. If the pitcher throws a ball, and the umpire says it passed outside the strike zone and the batter left it, the pitch is called a ball. If the pitcher throws four of them in a single at bat, the batter can 'walk' to first base - it's called a 'base on balls'. But if a better lets go or misses a pitch that is in the strike zone, the umpire calls a strike. We all know the phrase: 'three strikes and you're out'. That's what happens. The batter is out, and a new batter enters play.
A batter can also be given a strike in another way. If he hits the ball off the field of play (outside the foul lines), a 'foul ball is called. For each of the first two foul balls a batter hits in one at bat, a strike is called. But the batter cannot be given out on a foul ball unless it's caught, so the third - and any further - foul balls in an at bat don't count as strikes.