Baseball/temp/article

Baseball is a team sport that is popular in the Americas and East Asia.

In its standard form, the game of baseball is played between two teams of nine players on a playing field consisting of four bases, arranged in a diagonal square ("the diamond") and a large outfield extending from two adjacent sides of the diamond. The main pieces of equipment are the baseball and the baseball bat which is used to hit the ball. The sport is closely related to cricket, sharing many rules and a similar play strategy.

In the United States, baseball has often been called the "national pastime" and the total attendance for Major League games is more than that of all other American professional sports combined. In Japan, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and several other countries, baseball is the most popular sport by any measurement. Among American television viewers, however, it has been surpassed in popularity by American football and car racing.

Objective and overview

Baseball team game consisting of nine players per team played between bat and ball. The goal of each team is to score runs (points) by taking turns to bat. At the end of the game, the team with the maximum number of runs wins.

Each game is divided into nine innings. Each inning is composed of two half-innings. During the first half-inning, the away team bats, followed by the home team in the next. The team batting is 'on offense'; while the opposition, the team which is in the field — fielding is 'on defense'. The goal of the batting team is to score runs, while the fielding team tries to get the offensive players out — dismiss him so that he can bat in the game only after his remaining eight team mates are also put out. The half-inning is closed once three players are put out.

Field description

The field is divided into two main sections: the infield containing the four bases, and the outfield which beyond the region between first and second and second and third base of the diamond. The other two sides of the diamond form 'V-shaped' divergent lines called the foul lines which extend into the outfield as well. The area enclosed by these lines is called the fair territory and the area outside is the foul territory.

The size of the outfield varies from ground to ground, however in most grounds, is it is least 325 feet (99.1 m) along each foul line and at least 400 feet (121.9 meters) in center field. Numbered counter-clockwise, the first, second and third bases are 15-inch (38 cm) squares, which stick up from the ground; together with home base, they form a square with sides of 90 feet (27.4 m) in length. The home base is a pentagonal plate — known as the home plate.

A pitcher's mound is present near the center of the infield. The mound measures 18 feet (5.5 m) in diameter and is 10 inches (25 cm) high at its center. A slab of white rubber called the pitcher's rubber is embedded into the ground at the center of the mound. The plate measures 24 inches (61 cm) x 6 inches (15 cm). The mound lies 60 feet 6 inches (18.4 m) from home plate.

Game play

At the start of the game, the home team fields, with all nine players on the field at once, while players on the visiting team come to bat one at a time. The game is played under the authority of one or more officials, called umpires. There are usually four umpires in major league games; up to six may officiate depending on the league and the importance of the game. One umpire is placed behind the catcher, while three are placed at each base, to adjudicate on various kinds of 'outs'.

The basic contest is always between the pitcher for the fielding team, and the batter of the opposition. The pitcher stands on the pitcher's rubber and throws — pitches the ball towards home plate where the batter, who stands in one of the batter's boxes, tries to hit the ball with a bat. In general, the pitcher attempts to prevent this by pitching the ball in such a manner, that the batter cannot hit it cleanly. The catcher, a member of the fielding squad who squats behind the home plate, has to catch any ball that the batter misses or does not swing at.

In baseball parlance, each time a pitcher pitches a ball, and the outcome of that pitch is known as a play. To score a run, the batter must first face the pitcher at home base, then touch all the bases in order (usually through a series of plays) and finally end up back on home plate. It is very rare to see a batter score a run in a single play in this fashion, without the risk of getting out.

The batter attempts to hit the ball into fair territory — between the foul lines so that he can advance to the next bases. If he succeeds in hitting the ball in the above area, it is known as a fair ball. He must now run to first base, and may continue or stop at any base unless he is put out. Once he stops at a base he is known as a base runner. After turning into a base runner, another member of the offensive team is sent to the home-plate to bat. If all the four bases are occupied in this manner, it is known as bases are loaded. In an enclosed field, a fair ball hit over the fence is normally an automatic home run, which entitles the batter and all runners to touch all the bases and score.

Some ways of getting out

A batted ball which is not hit into the air, and touches the ground within the infield before it can be caught, is called a ground ball. After collecting the ball, fielders try to throw the ball to the infielders. An infielder stands with a foot on the base. If he collects the ball before the batter has touched the base limits, the batter is out — ground out (or forced out). A batter can also be out fly-out, if the hit ball is caught 'on the fly' by a fielder. Batters can be tagged out, which means that a fielder can touch the batter with the ball in hand while running between bases.

Fielding team

The team in the field is the defensive team, trying to stop the team at bat from scoring. The fielding team has the pitcher, who stands on the mound, and the catcher, who squats behind home plate. This pair is often called the battery. The remaining seven fielders can be positioned anywhere in the fair territory, but almost always there are four infielders, who stand at the edge of the infield, and three outfielders, who stand in the outfield. All players in fielding positions may switch positions with one another at any time.

The pitcher's main role is to pitch the ball toward home plate with the goal of getting the batter out. A pitcher also assists fielders as necessary by fielding the ball himself, covering bases — with his foot on a base (for a potential tag out or force out on an approaching runner), or backing up throws.

The catcher's main role is to receive the pitch if the batter does not hit it. Catchers are also responsible for defense in the area immediately surrounding home plate. Together with the pitcher and coaches, the catcher plots game strategy by suggesting different pitches and by shifting the starting positions of the other fielders.

Fielders

The four infielders are the first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman. The first and third basemen usually play near their respective bases. The second baseman and the shortstop position themselves at a roughly equal distance from second base, but tend to stay in the between the bases than the first and third baseman. Originally, the second baseman played very close to second base, until the shortstop was developed by relocating what was previously a fourth out-fielder.

The team's strongest hitter is often also their first baseman. The first baseman's job consists mostly of standing with his foot on first base and receiving the batted balls that the other infielders throw to him so that he can force out the batter-runner. The second baseman covers the area to the right of second base, and provides backup for the first baseman. The shortstop fills the critical gap between second and third bases, where right-handed batters generally hit ground balls. The shortstop must be versatile—he also covers second or third bases and the near part of left field.

The third baseman's primary requirement is a strong throwing arm so that he can throw the ball all the way across the infield to the first baseman. Quick reaction time is equally important for a third baseman. Third basemen tend to see more sharply hit balls than other infielders, as they play on the side of the field where right-handed batters hit most of their hardest balls. Also, third basemen are often positioned shallower—closer to home plate—than the middle infielders, giving them less time to react to a sharply hit ball.

The three outfielders are called the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder; each position is named from the catcher's perspective. The center fielder has more territory to cover than the other two outfielders, so he must be very fast and agile, and should have a strong arm to throw balls in to the infield. Also, the center fielder is considered the outfield leader and left and right-fielders should cede to his direction when fielding a fly ball.

Pitching

Main article: Pitching

Effective pitching is vitally important to a baseball team, as pitching is the key for the defensive team to retiring batters and runners to hold the other team at bay. A full game usually involves over one hundred pitches thrown by each team, and most pitchers begin to tire before they reach this point. In many cases, multiple pitchers are called upon in a single game including the starting pitcher and members of the bullpen (an area where pitchers warm up before they play). Pitchers are substituted for one another in the usual way (see below), and the rules do not limit the number of pitchers that can be used in a game. The pitcher's weapons are their variation of pitches, the three variables being accuracy, velocity, and movement. Most pitchers attempt to master two or more pitches.

The pitcher must keep one foot in contact with the top or side of the pitcher's rubber during the entire pitch, so he cannot take more than one step forward in delivering the ball. Nevertheless, an average pitcher can throw the ball up to ninety miles per hour (145 km/h).

Batting team

The team at bat sends its nine players up to home plate as batters in an order called a lineup. Each team sets its batting lineup at the beginning of the game and may not change the order, except by sending in substitute players. A substitute player fills the same spot in the order as the player he replaced; however, he is not required to play the same position in the field. After the ninth player has batted, the order returns to the beginning with the first player in the lineup. Batting out of turn is not allowed, the batter is declared to out if this rule is violated.

Once a runner reaches home plate, thereby scoring a run, they are "removed" from the bases (they go and sit down) and replaced by the next player in the lineup. Thus, if nine players are 'removed' before the three outs are recorded, the first player in the lineup bats again in that half-inning.

Batting

Each player's turn at the plate is a plate appearance. When the batter hits a fair ball, he must run to first base, and may continue or stop at any base unless he is put out. A batter always drops his bat when running to first base — the bat would slow him down and also be a danger to fielders otherwise. A successful hit where the batter reaches only first base is a single; if he reaches second base, a double; or third base, a triple. A hit that allows the batter to touch all bases in order on the same play is a home run, whether or not the ball is hit over the fence. Once a runner is held to a base, he may attempt to advance at any time, but is not required to do so unless the batter or another runner displaces him.

Once the batter and any existing runners have all stopped at a base or been put out, the ball is returned to the pitcher, and the next batter comes to the plate. This continues until three outs have been recorded, at which point all runners are removed from the bases and the teams exchange sides for the next half-inning. After the opposing team bats in its own order and three more outs are recorded, the first team's batting order will continue again from where it left off.

Each plate appearance consists of a series of pitches, in which the pitcher throws the ball towards home plate while a batter is standing in the batter's box. With each pitch, the batter must decide whether or not to swing the bat at the ball in an attempt to hit it. The pitches arrive fast, so the decision must be made in a split second. This decision is largely based on whether or not the ball is in the strike zone, a region defined by the area directly above home plate and between the batter's knees and underarms. In addition to swinging at the ball, a batter who wishes to put the ball in play may hold his bat over home plate and attempt to tap a pitch very lightly; this is called a bunt.

On any pitch, if the batter swings at the ball and misses, he is charged with a strike. If the batter does not swing, the home plate umpire judges whether or not the ball passed through the strike zone. If the ball passes through the zone, it is ruled a strike; otherwise, it is declared to be a ball. The number of balls and strikes thrown to the current batter is known as the count. If the pitcher throws four balls, the batter is automatically promoted to the first base. This is called a base on balls or walk. A walk may also occur if the catcher touches the swinging bat or in the case of the pitcher hitting the batter with the ball.

Each batter tries to enable the base runners to score or become a base runner himself in such a way that the defending players cannot get him or the base runners out. Depending on the situation, the batter who helped him score may be credited with a run batted in.

Running the bases

Main article: Baserunning

The goal of each batter is to become a base-runner himself (usually by a safe hit or a base on balls), or to help move other base-runners along. Once a batter gets a hit, a base on balls, or otherwise reaches base, he is said to be "on" that base until he attempts to advance to the next base, he is put out, or the half-inning ends. Runners on second or third base are considered to be in scoring position since ordinary hits, even singles, will often score them.

A runner who is touching a base which he is entitled to occupy is "safe" — he may not be tagged out. Runners may attempt to advance from base to base on any fair ball that touches the ground. When a ball is hit in the air, a fly ball, and is caught by the defending team, runners must return and touch the base they occupied at the time of the pitch — called tagging up — after the ball is caught. Once they do this, they may attempt to advance at their own risk.

Base-runners may attempt to advance — or steal a base — while the pitcher is throwing a pitch. The catcher — or pitcher, in lieu of delivering the pitch — often tries to prevent this by throwing the ball to one of the infielders in order to tag the runner, a pick-off attempt; if successful it is called a pick-off. If the runner attempts to advance to the next base but is tagged out before reaching it safely, he is caught stealing.

The standard dimensions of a baseball field, with 90 feet (27.4 m) between bases, generate many close base-running plays. In tag plays, a good slide can affect the outcome of the play, and even a standard play at first base can occur within fractions of a second. In general, base-running is a tactical part of the game requiring good judgment by runners (and their coaches) to assess the risk in attempting to advance.

Other outs

If the catcher catches the ball on the fly, known as a foul-tip, it is regarded as a strike rather than an out.
If the batter hits the ball into foul territory, he is charged with a strike only if he has less than two strikes to his name. However, if he bunts the ball into foul territory with two strikes to his name, he is out.
If the batter runs into a fair ball, he is also out.

Substitutions

Each team is allowed to substitute for any player at any time, but no player, once removed from the game, can return. A batter who replaces another batter is referred to as a pinch-hitter; similarly, a pinch-runner may be used as a replacement for a base-runner. The above two roles are permanent substitutions.

It is common for a pitcher to pitch for several innings and then be removed in favor of a relief pitcher. Because pitching is a specialized skill, many pitchers are not good hitters, so it is common to substitute for a pitcher when he is due to bat. This pinch hitter is then replaced by a relief pitcher when the team returns to the field on defense, but more complicated substitutions are possible, most notably the double switch.

Some leagues, notably Major League Baseball's American League, allow a designated hitter, a player whose sole purpose is to hit when it would normally be the pitcher's turn. This is not considered a substitution but rather a position, albeit a purely offensive one. A designated hitter does not play in the field on defense and may remain in the game regardless of changes in pitchers.

Many amateur leagues allow a starting player who was removed to return to the game in the same position in the batting order under the re-entry rule to encourage player participation.

Determining a winner

An inning consists of each team having one turn in the field and one turn to hit, with the visiting team batting before the home team. A standard game lasts nine innings, although some games use seven-inning games. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. If the home team is ahead after eight-and-a-half innings have been played, they are declared the winner, and the last half-inning is skipped.

If both teams have scored the same number of runs at the end of a regular-length game, a tie is avoided by the addition of extra innings. As many innings as necessary are played until one team has the lead at the end of an inning. Thus, the home team always has a chance to respond if the visiting team scores in the top half of the inning; this gives the home team a small tactical advantage.

In theory, a baseball game could go on forever; in practice, however, they eventually end. In Major League Baseball the longest game played was a marathon 26-inning affair between the Brooklyn Robins and Boston Braves on May 1, 1920. The game ended in a 1-1 tie called on account of darkness.

In Major League Baseball, games end with tied scores only because conditions have made it impossible to continue play. A tie game does not count as an official game in the standings unless it is finished later or replayed; however, individual player statistics from tie games are counted. Inclement weather may also shorten games, but at least five innings must be played for the game to be considered official; four-and-a-half innings are enough if the home team is ahead. In Japan, if the score remains tied after 9 innings, up to 3 extra innings can be played. If the game remains tied in the 12th inning, however, the game will be called a tie. Some youth or amateur leagues will end a game early if one team is ahead by 10 or more runs, a practice known as the "mercy rule" or "slaughter rule".

In rare cases, baseball games are forfeited, and the score is recorded as 9-0. In Major League Baseball this usually only happens most often when the fans disrupt the game to a point where the staff of the stadium cannot control them. In these cases the home team is forced to forfeit.

Other personnel

Each team is run by a manager, whose primary responsibility during the game is to assign players to fielding positions, determine the lineup, and decide how to substitute players. Managers are also assisted by coaches in helping players to develop their skills.

Any baseball game involves one or more umpires, who make rulings on the outcome of each play. At a minimum, one umpire will stand behind the catcher, to have a good view of the strike zone, and call each pitch a ball or a strike. Additional umpires may be stationed near the bases, thus making it easier to see plays in the field.

Another noteworthy role in baseball is that of the official scorer. The results of baseball games are summarized in tables called box scores. The scorer is responsible for a number of judgments that go into the box score. For example, if a batted ball is misplayed by a fielder, the scorer may choose to charge the fielder with an error instead of crediting the batter with a hit. Within certain guidelines, the scorer also determines which pitchers are credited with winning and losing the game, and whether a relief pitcher will be awarded a save.

Playing style

Baseball has an antique, unhurried pace. Most other sports have fixed time durations, and fans must often watch games end while one team degrades the competitive element of the game by [...] the clock rather than competing directly against the opposing team. But baseball has no clock; a team cannot win without getting the last batter out, and a rally can start at any time.

In recent decades, observers have criticized professional baseball for the length of its games, with some justification as the time required to play a baseball game has increased steadily through the years. One hundred years ago, games typically took an hour and a half to play; today, four-hour nine-inning games are not uncommon. This is due to longer commercial breaks and a decrease in playing speed. Increased offense and more pitching changes also prolong the length of the game.

A leisurely game on the surface though some would say boring, baseball is sudden and quick beneath. Baseball requires skill and athleticism, but also has a depth of strategy and anticipation which often goes unrecognized by those less familiar with the sport.

Statistics

Main article: Baseball statistics

As with many sports, statistics are integral to baseball. Statistics have been kept for the Major Leagues since their creation, and presumably statistics were around even before that. General Managers and baseball scouts study player statistics to decide what players to try to get for their team. Managers, catchers, and pitchers study statistics of batters on opposing teams to figure out how best to pitch to them. Managers and batters study opposing pitchers to figure out how best to hit them. Managers often base their decisions during the game on statistics, such as choosing who to put in the lineup, or which relief pitcher to bring in.

Traditionally, statistics like batting average for batters — the number of hits divided by the number of at bats — and earned run average — approximately the number of runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings — have governed the statistical world of baseball. However, the advent of sabermetrics has brought an onslaught of new statistics that better gauge a player's performance and contributions to his team from year to year.

Some sabermetrics have entered the mainstream baseball statistic world. On-base plus slugging is a somewhat complicated formula that gauges a hitter's performance better than batting average. It combines the hitter's on base percentage—hits plus walks plus times hit by pitches divided by plate appearances—with their slugging percentage—total bases divided by at bats. Walks plus hits per inning pitched gives a good representation of a pitcher's abilities, it is calculated exactly as its name suggests.

Also important are all of those statistics in certain situations. For example, a certain hitter's ability to hit left-handed pitchers might cause his manager to give him more chances to face lefties. Some hitters hit better with runners in scoring position, and the manager of the fielding team might simply elect to intentionally walk him and face a worse hitter.

History

Main article: History of Baseball

Baseball is thought to be a direct descendant of cricket, rounders, and town ball, though the game's origins are uncertain. Alexander Cartwright published his first list of rules in 1845 to meet the demands of the popular sport, and today's rules of baseball have continually evolved from them.

After professional baseball began around 1865, the National League was founded in 1876, and professional baseball began to take off in the United States. Several other leagues formed and failed. The American League, formed in 1893 as the Western League, however, did succeed. While rivals who fought for the best players, the two major leagues began playing a World Series in 1903. The early part of the century has now become known as the "Dead-ball era" as games were lower scoring, and pitchers more successful. The 1920s marked the end of the dead ball era, with several new rules giving advantages to hitters, and the rise of the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth, who showed the world what power hitting could produce.

In the United States, after a "gentlemen's agreement" had barred non-white players from the major leagues, Negro Leagues had formed. Finally in 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and entered the National League to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although it was not instantaneous, baseball has since become fully integrated. The middle of the century led baseball to the west of the United States, and also became a time when pitchers dominated. Scoring became so low in the American League due to pitching dominance, that they implemented the Designated hitter rule, a rule now one of the main differences between the leagues.

In 1938, the International Baseball Federation was founded to promote the sport worldwide. It is in charge of the Baseball World Cup, the World Championships, and the Baseball Olympic Tournament. This organization has 112 member countries and therefore provides competitions that are truly global and international compared to the "World Series." Cuba has held the Baseball World Cup title for at least twenty-three times.

International baseball however, has been played sparingly since the 1870s. Professional baseball leagues began to form in countries outside of America in the 1920s and 1930s, including the Netherlands, Japan, and Australia. Most of Europe, Italy, and South Korea have leagues as well.

Equipment and clothing

Bat: A rounded, solid wooden or hollow aluminum bat. Wooden bats are traditionally made from ash wood, though maple is also sometimes used. Aluminum bats are not permitted in professional leagues, but are frequently used in amateur leagues.
Ball: A cork sphere, tightly wound with layers of yarn or string and covered with a stitched leather coat.
Mitt: Leather glove worn by players in the field. Long fingers and a webbed "pocket" between the thumb and first finger allow the fielder to catch the ball more easily.
Catcher's mitt: Leather glove worn by catchers generally larger and better-padded than the standard fielder's mitt.
Batting glove: Glove often worn on one or both hands by the batter. Offers additional grip and eliminates the shock when making contact with the ball.
Hat: Baseball cap worn by all players. Designed to shade the eyes from the sun, this hat design has become popular with the general public.
Batting helmet: Helmet worn by batter to protect the head and the ear facing the pitcher from the ball.
Catcher's helmet: Protective helmet with face guard worn by the catcher.
Uniform: Shirt and pants worn by all players. Each team generally has a unique pattern of colors and designs.
Athletic supporter and cup: A hard plastic shell which protects the genitals from injury. The "cup supporter" (also known as a jockstrap or jock) is a special undergarment designed to hold the cup in place without restricting movement.
Sliding shorts: Padded support shorts sometimes worn to protect the thighs when the player slides into the bases.
Spikes: Baseball shoes have spikes to increase traction on dirt and grass. Different levels of competition may allow different types of spikes. For example, Major League Baseball allows metal spikes to be worn while lower levels of competition (such as T-Ball or beginner baseball) may only allow plastic spikes. Base-runners will often use the spikes to their advantage by executing an aggressive slide by sliding feet first towards the fielder, intimidating them with the goal of breaking up a double play. Spikes are also sometimes referred to as cleats.