The strike zone is your target area as a pitcher. If you are a batter, this is the area that you want to protect. Anything thrown within this area is considered a “strike.” Anything thrown outside of this area is regarded as a “ball.” This zone is what your umpire uses to determine whether each … Read more
Baseball bats come in a variety of lengths and weights. The bat’s weight depends on what it is made of and how long it is. The weight of your bat is often a personal choice. Your bat speed, strength, and the type of hitter you are can influence how heavy your bat is. The level … Read more
The term “QAB,” or “Quality At-Bats,” is a statistic used to determine a hitter’s offensive value for his team. A “Quality At-Bat” is any plate appearance that results in a positive outcome. This does not necessarily mean that a player reaches a base. To determine a ‘QAB Percentage,’ the number of ‘Quality At-Bats’ is divided … Read more
Pitchers have many choices to make when it comes to what type of pitch they want to throw. In this post, we’re going to take a look at the 4-seam fastball vs. the 2-seam fastball. We’ll discuss how each pitch is thrown and how it affects hitters. Lastly, we’ll give you our take on which … Read more
You know what a win is, so what is a save? A save is a statistic that shows that a pitcher helped a pitcher of record keep a win. It is meant to show that another pitcher finished the game while your team was already winning. The save has changed a bit over the years, … Read more
So you are rolling through the statistics of a baseball game and see the acronym “WHIP.” Don’t know what it means? You should know it is a fairly simple pitching statistic that has been around since the late 1970s. WHIP is one of the most effective statistics to evaluate pitchers. In this post, we will … Read more
A no-hitter in baseball is a game in which no player on an opposing team gets on base as a result of hitting a pitch. No-hitters are rare. Only 316 have happened in Major League Baseball from 1876 to date. This article will answer common questions you might have about no-hitters. What is a no-hitter? … Read more
Don’t you understand why your game ended early? It may have been because of the Mercy Rule. The definition of a “Mercy Rule” is when the game ends early because your team is winning or losing by a large amount. The amount of runs and the number of innings that this happens in depends upon … Read more
It is a question commonly heard in a quiz and answered by baseball fanatics… how much does a baseball weigh? The answer is that it weighs between 5 and 5.25 oz, or 142 and 149 grams. Made from cork and rubber core and tightly wrapped yarn, two tight-fitting pieces of white leather are sewn together … Read more
A PO is a putout, a term used to describe when a fielder is directly responsible for completing an out. This can be stepping on the base for a force out, catching a batted ball during a play, tagging a runner, or catching a third strike. It can be hard to keep up with so … Read more
An RBI is given to a batter whose appearance results in a run being scored. As with most rules in baseball, there are exceptions. Most significantly, a batter will not receive an RBI credit when the run gained is ground into a double play or the result of an error. It should be no surprise … Read more
An average of 84 to 120 baseballs are used in an MLB game. The higher end of balls used in a game will total around 120, which will be considered a high amount. Throughout nine innings, 120 balls may seem excessive. However, it all starts to add up with warm-ups between innings, foul balls, balls … Read more
The Little League pitching distance is 46 feet. This is measured from the back point of the home plate and ends at the front of the pitcher’s plate. Everything from the distance between the bases to the infield and outfield dimensions is smaller in little league baseball, so there is a lot to learn. These … Read more
There are many different types of pitchers in baseball. Some pitchers are specialists, while others can be used in a variety of situations. In this blog post, we will take a look at the different types of pitchers and their roles on the team. Whether you’re a pitcher or not, it’s important to understand the … Read more
A baseball bat can be used for softball, but it would probably be harder to hit a softball with a baseball bat for most softball players, especially in fastpitch softball. It would be harder to hit because most baseball bats are shorter and heavier in weight than softball bats. Conversely, baseball bats have a larger … Read more
The baseball diamond is a unique place. It’s a place where players can use their athleticism and skill to play the game they love. And, as in any sport, there are positions that are more difficult than others. So what is the hardest position in baseball? Let’s take a look. Pitcher The pitcher is the … Read more
Pine tar is used to help baseball players keep hold of the grip of their wood bats. Using a sticky substance like pine tar is not different from why a batter would choose to wear batting gloves. Having a solid grip on a bat allows a player to control where the bat’s barrel is heading … Read more
One of the unique rules in baseball is the dropped third strike rule (also known as the uncaught third strike). This rule can only occur on a strikeout pitch. There is a bit of nuance to its implementation, and it can result in the rare occurrence where more than three outs are required to end … Read more
Have you ever wondered why Little League uses aluminum bats? You’re not alone! Many people are curious about the reasoning behind this choice. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the benefits of using aluminum bats in Little League and why they’ve become the standard. Stay tuned to learn more! A noticeable … Read more
There’s nothing worse than picking up a baseball bat only to find that it’s dead. But how do you know when it’s time to retire your bat? Here are a few tips to help you determine if your bat is dead. Picture this. The bases are loaded with two outs and a full count. The … Read more
A strikeout occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes without putting the ball into play. The strikes can be swinging or looking. A foul tip counts as a strike but cannot be the final strike in the at-bat (unless it’s a bunt attempt). A foul tip caught by the catcher is also considered a third … Read more
There is nothing more American than spending a day taking in the sights and sounds of a baseball game. Everything from the crack of the bat to the sound of a pitcher popping the leather of a catcher’s glove, the smell of steamed hot dogs, and the thrill of seeing a well-struck ball leave the … Read more
Baseball games can vary widely in length. The game’s length can be discussed in terms of how many innings the game will last or how many minutes the game will last. Part of the beauty and complexity of baseball is that there is no clock. Therefore, games will not end after a specific amount of … Read more
The double play, also known as a “twin killing” or “turning two,” is one of the more impactful plays in a baseball game. It occurs when a defense can produce 2 out of 3 outs for a half-inning on one play. A double play can be instrumental in getting pitchers out of sticky situations. Because … Read more
Understanding the difference between a USA or USAAA bat may seem confusing or overwhelming, but it is not all that complicated. The first thing to know is that USA Baseball and USAAA are both sport governing organizations – USA Baseball is specific to baseball, as the name implies, while USSSA, or the United States Specialty … Read more
ERA, or earned run average, is one of the most important stats in baseball. It tells you how well a pitcher has been doing and is a good tool for comparing different pitchers. But what is ERA and how is it calculated? Read on to find out! Definition of ERA ERA is a baseball acronym … Read more
Do you know what wood baseball bats are made of? Most people don’t. Most people think that all baseball bats are made of maple. That’s not the case, though! Baseball bats can be made from a variety of different woods. So, what kind of wood are baseball bats made from? Let’s take a closer look … Read more