BASEBALL 101:
The Little Professor Asks... |
CAN OF CORN
= an easy, routine high fly ball requiring very little effort by the outfielder to
make the catch.
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MENDOZA LINE = an imaginary line
separating those batters whose batting averages are above or below .215, though more
common usage today pegs the line at .200. For example, a player with a batting average of
under .215 (or .200, depending on usage) is said to be "below the Mendoza Line."
Named after Mario Mendoza, whose nine-year major league career batting average was .215.
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APARICIO DOUBLE
= a walk and a stolen base. (Named after Luis Aparicio, a shortstop
for the White Sox, Orioles, and Red Sox in the '50s, '60s, and '70s.)
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UNCLE
CHARLIE = a curve ball. Not to be confused with a LORD CHARLES, which is an outstanding, sharp-breaking,
just-plain-nasty, and basically unhittable curve ball.
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SOUTHPAW = comes from the fact that baseball
fields in the old days were laid out so the sun would be going down behind home plate,
thereby keeping it from shining in the hitter's eyes. Therefore, with the pitcher throwing
west, a lefty's pitches came from the south side of the field. It also explains why
rightfield is called the "sunfield." One should
remember that baseball was for many years played only in the afternoon. Even today,
baseball fields are usually laid out with the same orientation.
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CLUBHOUSE
LAWYER = a player or coach who is a chronic complainer, with an opinion on just
about anything relating to baseball, whether it's an on-the-field or off-the-field matter.
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PUNCH-AND-JUDY
HITTER = a batter who pokes at the ball in an attempt to get a
well-placed single ("bingle"), rather than taking a full cut to belt a hard one
somewhere.
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MLB RECORD
FOR MOST RBI IN ONE GAME = Jim Bottomley
(Sept. 16, 1924) and Mark Whiten (Sept. 7, 1993) with 12 RBI. Both established the record
while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
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FIRST MLB
PLAYER TO PLAY ALL NINE POSITIONS IN ONE GAME =
Bert Campaneris, playing for the Oakland A's, on September 8,
1965.
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FEWEST
NUMBER OF PITCHES THROWN BY A SINGLE PITCHER
IN A COMPLETE GAME = 58, by Red Barrett, Boston Braves, pitching vs. the Cincinnati Reds, August
10, 1944, at Crosley Field, Cincinnati. Braves won the game, 2-0.
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THE FIRST
FATHER-AND-SON DUO TO PLAY FOR THE SAME TEAM IN A GAME = Ken
Griffey Sr. and Jr., for the Seattle Mariners, August 31, 1990
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MOST
RECENT WINNER OF MLB'S TRIPLE CROWN (BA, HR, RBI) =
Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox, 1967, with .326 BA, 44 HR, 121 RBI
Frank Robinson won the Triple Crown in 1966
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MLB
CAREER RECORD FOR STRIKEOUTS = Reggie Jackson, with 2597
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THE ALL-TIME MLB LEADER IN YEARS PLAYED =
Nolan Ryan with 27 years in the big leagues
Tommy John played 26 years
Both Ryan and John were pitchers. For
position players, Eddie Collins (25)
and Pete Rose (24) are the leaders in years played.
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THE ALL-TIME MLB
RECORD-HOLDER FOR TOTAL BASES IN ONE GAME =
Joe Adcock, Milwaukee Braves, July 31,
1954 -- 18
four homers & one double
Next, with 16 total bases = Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy
Foxx, Pat Seerey, Rocky Colavito, Fred Lynn
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NICKNAMES
...
Carlton Fisk (Red Sox) = Pudge
Phil Rizzuto (Yankees) = Scooter
Leo Durocher (Dodgers) = The Lip
Harold Reese (Dodgers) = Pee Wee
Ted Williams (Red Sox) = The Splendid Splinter
Enos Slaughter (Cardinals) = Country
Frank Baker (Philadelphia Athletics) = Home Run
Luke Appling (White Sox) = Ol' Aches & Pains
Walter Johnson (Washington Senators) = The Big Train
James Bell (Kansas City Monarchs--Negro League) = Cool Papa
Bonus: Mr. Sunshine =
Ernie Banks (Chicago Cubs)
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ON-BASE PERCENTAGE (OBP)
=
Divide the total number of hits, bases on balls, and hit by pitches
into the total number of at bats, bases on balls, hit by pitches, and sacrifice flies.
(For purposes of computing OBP, ignore being awarded first base by interference or
obstruction.)
OBP = AB
+ BB + HBP + SF
H
+ BB + HBP More Questions |
ALPHONSE & GASTON
PLAY =
A fielding situation in which a player yields to another, usually resulting
in a ball being unplayed or dropped at the last instant so the batter
reaches base safely. Example: a high fly ball (i.e., a
can of corn) under which both the
leftfielder and centerfielder are poised to make the catch, with each
backing off at the last instant thinking the other was going to make the
play--and the ball dropping uncaught to the ground. (Named after two long-ago cartoon characters who were
always yielding to one another to the point nothing got done because of
their exaggerated politeness...such as both of them deferring to the other
to enter a doorway resulting in neither one stepping through. From The
Dickson Baseball Dictionary.)
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MOST HITS IN A
NINE-INNING GAME? =
Rennie Stennett, Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman, went 7-7 on September
16, 1975, as the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 22-0. Stennett tied Wilbert
Robinson's 19th century record of seven hits in one game, established in
1892. More Questions |
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The Battling Beavers