Baseball is important for many reasons. One, it has given us some wonderful expressions we can use at any given moment to describe, to discuss, to opine. Two, as the game continues on its course, there will probably be more useful phrases and slogans ahead. Here then a selection of somewhat random slogans you can sling around the dug out:
Bang-Bang Play: The baserunner touches the base just a split second before the ball arrives… or vice versa.
Dish: Home plate baby.
Can of Corn: An easy catch in the field…. (Huh?)
Hot corner: That be third base.
Gopher ball: A pitch that was either hit wayyyyy out there for a home run, or, at minimum, a hit with at least one run scoring that is not good for the other team, no sir…
Chin music (aka a close shave): Knockdown pitch or beanball that whistles mighty close to a batter’s jaw. Mighty close!
Whiff: Steeeeerikkkkkke swinging!
Right down Broadway: Now this here is a pitch thrown smack down the middle of the strike zone. Dat gotta be a hit bro!
Rope: Look out!!! A hard line drive. On occasion embellished as a frozen rope.
Uncle Charlie: Someone help me to understand how this came to be, or I may look it up (ok, fine I will look it up), but this remark is synonymous with a curve ball.
Free pass: A walk… ie, a base on balls. Pass go, all that.
Bases drunk: The bases are loaded, quote unquote. The bases I said, not the fans, the bases!
Shoestring catch: Picking up that ball in your mitt on a fly just in the nick of time, that is, just before it hits the ground, in effect right off the tip top of either or both of your shoes. Soon to be on the highlight reel…
Dinger: A homer. Can also use the word “tater” if you prefer.
Brushback: Cousin to chin music — a pitch that comes real close to hitting the batter, and possibly thrown with some level of deliberation…
Jam: Here is one with at least two meanings, first if a pitch is “in on the hands”, crowds the batter, jams him, and the other if a pitcher gets in trouble during the inning, well then, he is “in a jam…”
Cutter: Late breaking fastball. Short, sweet, zam!
And let’s close with…
The sweet spot: This a phrase we all use at some point, but in baseball this is that sahhhweeeeet part of the bat.. just a few inches from the barrel.
