Baseball games last for nine innings, consisting of 2 halves, so that both teams get to bat in each inning. Each half is ended when the defensive team on the field gets three outs. A batter can be walked to first base if the pitcher throws four balls before he throws three strikes. The batting line-up remains the same throughout the game, so you can always know when your favorite player is coming up. He will also be in the batter’s circle warming up when the player before him is at bat. Runs are scored when a player rounds all the based and touches home plate without being tagged out.
Outs can be achieved by the pitcher throwing three strikes and the batter striking out, a defensive player catching a fly ball, or a player being tagged by a defensive player holding the ball. The defensive player with the ball in hand can also force an out by tagging the bag before the runner gets there if there are runners on every base behind the bag they are tagging. Force outs also apply to tagging first base before the batter reaches it.
A “long out” is a fly ball which threatens to be hit out of the park, but is caught at the last second. A “one-two-three” or “three up, three down” refers to getting all three outs on the first three batters. ERA stands for earned run average, referring to how many earned runs a pitcher allows in the game. This is a common stat that fans will track. RBI stands for run batted in and is another common tracking stat. This is the credit given to the batter for hitting the ball which allows another runner to make it to home plate to score a run. The “clean up hitter” is often fourth in the lineup and is considered the strongest batter who can hopefully hit a “grand slam” when the “bases are loaded” with a player on every base and he hits a “home run” bringing all the players home to score, himself included.
Pass the Hat is played by everyone putting a dollar or quarter into a hat. One person holds it for each at bat. When the batter changes, the hat gets passed to another person. The person holding the hat on the third out wins the pot, and everyone antes up again. Ground Ball vs. Fly Ball is pretty self-explanatory. You guess whether the batter is going to hit a ground or fly ball. If you guess wrong, you have to drink. If the batter strikes out everyone drinks. If he walks, no one drinks.
The teams are listed on the far left of the score line. Reading from left to right, the hits and runs scored are listed below the inning numbers running along the top of the grid. They are designated by the letters “H” and “R. ” The boxes following the ninth inning column are the sum of the hits and runs for the game, letting you know who is in the lead.
Gather some buddies and try watching the games for a full season. You just may learn to love baseball.
Sport a team shirt if you really want to get into the game, but avoid the visiting team’s jersey if you don’t want to be picked on by drunk strangers.
The Cleveland at Marlins Park in Miami is not just a club, it’s a party, complete with a bar and a swimming pool. Bring your trunks. [7] X Research source In Chicago, you can have a view of the stadium and the game when you buy tickets to one of the rooftops of the surrounding apartment buildings.
Be a kid again and grab some cotton candy from the nearest vendor. Eat out of a baseball hat. You can order plastic baseball hats filled with nachos or ice cream. As a bonus, it’s a fun souvenir to take home. Try the stadium special you won’t find anywhere else. The D-Bat Dog is an 18 inch corndog served at Chase Field. Target field serves up the Brat Dog, which is a brat stuffed with a hot dog and wrapped in bacon. Miller Park Inside the Park Nachos are actually beef and beans rolled in crushed Doritos and deep-fried. Feel free to throw your peanut shells on the floor. This is one place where you are allowed to make a huge mess, so go for it.
Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox would write “chai” in the batters box every time he approached the plate. Kevin Rhomberg of the Cleveland Guardians (formerly Cleveland Indians) always tagged the player back who tagged him out. Luis Valbuena of the Chicago Cubs flips his bat instead of throwing it when he gets a hit. [10] X Research source Koji Uehara is a fan favorite spreading unabashed joy through hard-hitting high fives every time he returns to the dugout. Get out of the way or put your hand in the air!
