Baseball Definitions

Appeal - is the act of a fielder in claiming violation of the rules by the offensive team. Common example is  a catcher appealing to the home plate umpire to check with his/her partner on a check swing if it was originally called a ball.

Balk - is an illegal act by the pitcher with runners on base, entitling all runners to advance one base.

Ball - is a pitch which does not enter the strike zone in flight and is not struck at by the batter.

Base on Balls - is an award of first base granted to a batter who, during his time at bat, receives four pitches outside the strike zone.

Batter - is an offensive player who takes his/her position in the batter's box.

Batter-Runner  is a term that identifies the offensive player who has just finished his time at bat until he is put out or until the play on which he became a runner ends.

Batter's Box - is the area within which the batter shall stand during this time at bat.

Bunt - is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat and tapped slowly within the infield.

Dead Ball - is a ball out of play because of a legally created temporary suspension of play.

Fair Territory - is the part of the playing field within, and including the first and third base lines, from home base to the bottom of the playing field fence and perpendicularly upwards. All foul lines are in fair territory.

Fly Ball - is a batted ball that goes high in the air in flight.

Force Play - is a play in which a runner legally loses his right to occupy a base by reason of the batter becoming a runner.

Foul Ball - is a batted ball that settles on foul territory between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or that first falls on foul territory beyond first or third base or that while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or play or any other object foreign to the natural ground. A foul fly shall be judged according to the position and flight of the ball in addition to the foul line, including the foul poles situated in the outfield. Not whether the infielder is on foul or fair territory at the time the ball is touched. If a batted ball is not touched by an infielder and hits the pitching rubber bounds into foul territory again without being touched, between third and home and first and home, it is deemed to be a foul ball.

Foul Tip - a pitch that is swung at, hits the bat and goes directly from the bat into the catcher's hands or glove and is legally caught. It is not deemed a foul tip if it bounds into fair play area. It is declared no catch if it hits the dirt. The ball must be caught and must hit the catchers glove or hand first before touching the ground. If caught, it is a strike, on the third strike the runner is declared out and the ball remains alive. This means runners on base can advance and steal at their own risk on a foul tip.

Illegal Pitch - is a pitch delivered to the batter when the pitch has disengaged his pivot foot with the pitcher's rubber or a quick return pitch or an illegal pitch with runners on base which constitutes a balk.

Infield Fly - is a fair fly ball that is not a line drive or bunt that can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort with runners on first and second or first, second and third with less than two out.