⚾ Stuff Every Baseball Player Should Know: Training Guide

The Playing Surface

An MLB infield is a square with 90 foot sides. That means first, second, third, and home plate form the corners of the diamond. A batter runs 90 feet from home to first, and each base is 90 feet from the next.

The pitcher's rubber is 60 feet 6 inches from the back point of home plate. The rubber is a 24 by 6 inch slab that sits 10 inches higher than home plate.

Since 2023, MLB's first, second, and third bases are 18 inch squares, up from 15 inches. Home plate did not change. Bigger bags give fielders and runners more room and help avoid collisions.

The foul lines and foul poles count as fair territory. A batted ball that hits the foul pole on the fly is a home run. A ground ball that bounces over first base and then rolls foul is still fair, because it passed over the base in fair territory.

The Nine Fielders and Their Numbers

Scorekeepers number the nine fielders from 1 to 9. The pitcher is 1, the catcher is 2, first base is 3, second base is 4, third base is 5, and shortstop is 6.

The outfielders are left field 7, center field 8, and right field 9. Notice that the shortstop is number 6, even though shortstop plays between second and third base, not at a numbered base.

These position numbers appear in scorebooks to record plays. For example, a 6-4-3 double play means shortstop to second base to first base.

Innings and Extra Time

A regulation Major League Baseball game lasts nine innings. Each team gets a turn to bat in half an inning. If the score is tied after nine innings, the game goes to extra innings.

If the home team is winning after the visitors finish the top of the ninth inning, the home team does not need to bat in the bottom of the ninth. The game is already over. That is why a scoreboard sometimes shows an X for the home team's ninth inning turn.

In MLB regular season games, each extra half inning starts with an automatic runner on second base. The runner is the player who batted just before that inning's leadoff hitter, or a pinch runner. This rule began in 2020 and became permanent in 2023.

Softball under USA Softball rules lasts seven innings, two fewer than baseball. If a softball game is tied after seven innings, it continues until one side leads after a complete inning, or the home team takes the lead in its half.

The Designated Hitter, the Pitch Clock, and Softball Sizes

The designated hitter, or DH, bats in place of the pitcher. The DH does not play defense. The pitcher stays in the game on the mound but does not bat.

The American League adopted the DH in 1973, and the National League kept pitchers batting until it adopted the DH for good in 2022. Now every MLB game uses a designated hitter.

Since 2023, MLB uses a pitch timer. With the bases empty, a pitcher has 15 seconds to start the pitch. With runners on base, the time was 20 seconds, then cut to 18 seconds in 2024.

If a pitcher does not start the pitch before the clock runs out, the umpire charges an automatic ball. If a batter is not in the box and ready by the 8 second mark, the umpire charges an automatic strike.

Adult women's fastpitch softball uses 60-foot bases and a 43-foot pitching distance. Adult men's fastpitch uses the same 60-foot bases but a 46-foot pitching distance.

The Strike Zone

The top of the strike zone is a horizontal line at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants. The bottom is the hollow just below the kneecap. Umpires judge the zone from the batter's stance, ready to swing.

A pitch only counts as a called strike if it passes through the strike zone in the air. If a pitch hits the ground first and then bounces through the zone, it is called a ball, as long as the batter does not swing.

Part of the ball only has to cross part of home plate inside the zone to be a strike. The ball does not have to be entirely over the plate.

The Count

A batter strikes out on three strikes. Strike three can be a called strike, a swinging strike, a caught foul tip, or a two-strike foul bunt.

A batter earns a walk, also called a base on balls, after four pitches outside the strike zone that the batter does not swing at. The batter goes to first base.

Announcers and rulebooks list balls first, then strikes. A count of 3 and 1 means three balls and one strike. A full count is 3 and 2.

Since 2017, an MLB manager can signal an intentional walk without the pitcher throwing four pitches. Normally, though, four called balls still award first base.

Foul Balls and Foul Tips

A foul ball counts as a strike only when the batter has fewer than two strikes. With two strikes, a regular foul ball cannot be strike three, so the count stays the same and the at-bat continues.

A bunt is different. If a batter bunts a ball foul with two strikes, it counts as strike three and the batter is out. Any bunt that goes foul counts as a strike, even with zero or one strike already.

A foul tip is a batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher's hand or glove and is caught. A caught foul tip counts as a strike, and with two strikes it means strike three. If the catcher does not catch it, it is just a foul ball.

When the Pitch Hits the Batter

A batter hit by a pitch he did not swing at is usually awarded first base. It does not count as a hit, but it does count as reaching base for on-base percentage.

If the pitch is in the strike zone when it hits the batter, the call is a strike, not a hit by pitch. Strikes beat hit by pitches. The batter must also try to avoid the pitch; a batter who leans into it does not get first base.

The ball only has to touch part of the uniform or gear, like a helmet or shin guard, to count as a hit by pitch. Even that small contact can send the batter to first, as long as the pitch was not a strike and the batter tried to avoid it.

Catching and Throwing for Outs

A routine fly ball to an outfielder is sometimes called a "can of corn". When a fielder catches a fly ball in the air, the batter is out on a flyout. This is true even if the ball is popped up into foul territory, as long as a fielder catches it.

On a ground ball, the defense usually gets the batter out by throwing to first base or stepping on first before the batter arrives. Catching a ground ball after a bounce never makes an out by itself.

A fielder's choice happens when a fielder fields a ground ball and throws to get a runner ahead of the batter, instead of throwing to first base. The batter reaches base safely but is charged an at-bat and gets no hit.

Tags and Force Plays

A fielder holding the ball can tag a runner who is not touching a base they are entitled to. The fielder must keep control of the ball through the tag. Dropping the ball immediately after the tag means the out is not recorded.

A force play happens when a runner is forced to run to the next base because the batter became a runner. The defense only has to touch that next base with the ball before the runner arrives, rather than tagging the runner.

If the defense first gets out the trailing runner on a force play, the force is removed for other runners. Then the defense must tag those runners to get them out. This is why most double plays go to second base first, then to first base.

Fly Ball Rules and the Infield Fly

When a fly ball is caught, a runner must retouch the base he started on before trying to advance. Runners may leave as soon as the fielder first touches the ball, not when the catch is finally held.

The infield fly rule applies to a fair, easy pop up with runners on first and second, or the bases loaded, before two outs. It stops infielders from dropping the ball on purpose to start a double play.

Once the umpire calls "infield fly" and the ball remains fair, the batter is out even if the fielder drops the ball. Runners may still advance at their own risk. Line drives and bunts can never be an infield fly.

Balks, Pickoffs, and Uncaught Third Strikes

A balk is an illegal act by the pitcher with runners on base. When a balk is called, every runner advances one base. Balk rules stop pitchers from tricking runners.

Since 2023, MLB pitchers get two disengagements, such as pickoff tries or step offs, per plate appearance. A third pickoff try is a balk unless it gets the runner out. The limit resets if a runner advances.

If the catcher does not catch a third strike cleanly, the batter can try to run to first base when first base is open or there are two outs. The pitcher still gets credit for a strikeout.

If first base is occupied with fewer than two outs, the batter is out on an uncaught third strike. This rule stops catchers from dropping the ball on purpose to start a double play. With two outs, the batter can run even if first base is occupied.

Reading a Scorebook

Scorebooks use a letter K for a strikeout. A backward K means the batter took a called third strike without swinging.

A walk is marked BB, which stands for base on balls. A fielder's choice is marked FC. These short marks let one scorekeeper record every play quickly.

Position numbers show who handled the ball on each play. For example, a 6-4-3 double play means the shortstop (6) threw to the second baseman (4), who threw to the first baseman (3) for two outs.

Batting Numbers

Batting average is hits divided by official at-bats. Walks, sacrifice flies, and hit by pitches do not count as at-bats. A .300 average means about three hits for every ten official at-bats.

An RBI, or run batted in, is credited to a batter whose plate appearance makes a run score. A hit, sacrifice fly, bases-loaded walk, or hit by pitch can earn an RBI. Runs scored on an error or a double play do not count.

A sacrifice fly happens when a batter hits a fly ball out that allows a runner to score. The batter gets an RBI, but the sacrifice fly does not count as an official at-bat.

Pitching and Fielding Numbers

ERA, or earned run average, measures earned runs a pitcher allows per nine innings. It is nine times earned runs, divided by innings pitched. A lower ERA is better, because the pitcher's job is to keep runs from scoring.

An earned run is a run that scores against a pitcher without the help of an error or a passed ball. The automatic runner in extra innings is an exception; if that runner scores, the run is not charged to the pitcher as earned.

A fielder is charged with an error when he misplays a ball an average fielder should handle, or lets a runner move up with a poor play. Runs that would not have scored without an error are not earned runs for the pitcher.

Big Hits and Rare Feats

Most home runs happen when a batter hits a fair ball over the outfield fence in the air. Everyone on base, including the batter, scores. If the bases are loaded, that home run is called a grand slam and scores four runs.

Hitting for the cycle means a batter gets a single, a double, a triple, and a home run in the same game. It is a rare and complete display of hitting.

A no-hitter means the opposing team gets no hits. Batters can still reach base on a walk, hit by pitch, error, or dropped third strike. A perfect game is even rarer: all 27 opposing batters fail to reach first base, with no hits, walks, hit batters, or errors.

Protecting Young Arms

MLB's Pitch Smart program sets daily pitch limits by age to protect young arms from fatigue. For ages 11 to 12, the daily limit is 85 pitches.

Little League also has rest rules. A pitcher league age 14 or under who throws 66 or more pitches in a day must rest four calendar days. Throwing 51 to 65 pitches in a day means three calendar days of rest.

Tommy John surgery rebuilds the ulnar collateral ligament, or UCL, on the inside of the elbow, often using a tendon graft. Any thrower with elbow pain should see a doctor, not hide the pain and keep throwing.

Gear That Protects You

Little League requires batters to wear protective NOCSAE helmets during games and practice. A helmet can protect the head from a bad pitch or a batted ball.

Little League catchers need a catcher's helmet with a face mask and a throat guard. They also wear a chest protector and shin guards. The throat guard is the piece that shields the neck.

Sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays give the best protection for your eyes and the skin around them. Wrap-around sunglasses are a good choice because they stop UV rays from sneaking in from the side.

Baseball's Story: Myths, Pioneers, and Champions

An old story says Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown in 1839. The Baseball Hall of Fame says that myth has been refuted. Doubleday was at West Point in 1839, not in Cooperstown.

Alexander Cartwright helped lead the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in New York during the 1840s. He served on the club's rules committee in 1848. The Hall of Fame calls him a major contributor to modern baseball.

Jackie Robinson first played for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. He became the first African American player in the 20th century to appear in the American or National League.

The World Series decides the MLB champion. The American League pennant winner faces the National League pennant winner. The first modern World Series, in October 1903, paired the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans.