What to Know Before a Game!
A Baseball Game is between 2 teams with 9 kids-of-all-ages each. To play we would need a ball, a bat, baseball gloves. We also need helmets for the safety.
Baseball is played on a baseball field that looks like a diamond. White bags on the corners of a diamond called bases: First, Second, Third and Home Plate.
Baseball is a fair game. Like any other game teams try to win by scoring more points than the other. Teams take turns, a baseball game has 9 turns known as innings for each team to play offense and defense. In Baseball points called Runs.
Baseball Insider Note: No ties in Baseball
Offense team is the one hitting a ball and running around bases. Their goal is to Score Runs.
Baseball Insider Note: Bases look like pillows and are safe places.
Defense Team is playing in the field, pitching, throwing, catching a ball just to make sure the offensive team does not get on base, stopping the other team from scoring Runs.
Baseball Insider Note: Baseball is a Simple and Fun game: One team hits and the other team is trying to get them out.
Baseball has Officials also known as Umpires, They’re also known as Blues Men in blue (not police officers) are assuring safety, who is in, who is out, calling balls and strikes using their voices and hand gestures.
Baseball Insider Note: Umpires have a peculiar mannerism to communicate with the fans & players. In 1888 William Hoy couldn’t hear or speak so he asked an umpire to help. The umpire made up signs to use and they have stayed ever since.
How to Watch a Game!
How Offense scores
Each player on the team has a turn to hit the ball
with a bat. If he hits the ball, he gets to run and take a base. Then, every
time another player on the team hits the ball, all other players try to advance
to the base, and when a player circles around all the bases from the 1st to Home Plate, a point or Run is scored.
Baseball Insider Note: The most spectacular hit
when the ball flies over the ballpark’s wall, it is called a Homerun, and a hitter is awarded with a Run.
Defense
Any time when you look on the field you see a team standing near bases and around the fields in their defensive positions who are ready to catch every ball hit their way and get offense team’s hitters Out.
In the center of a diamond is a Pitcher who throws a ball to a Catcher, a guy seating behind a home plate wearing a hockey looking mask. Home team starts a game in defense first.
Baseball Insider Note: A pitcher, a catcher, position players together work as one oiled machine to get three offensive players Out. A Pitcher by making a batter miss three times known as a Strike Out. If a hitter successfully hits a ball, defensive players are trying to a. catch a ball on a fly (Fly Out) or b. if catching a fly ball is not possible then to throw the ball to a base before a runner from offensive team gets to a base for safety (Ground Out).
Defense after 3 outs, switches with offense with a chance to score. The other team becomes a defense, gets 3 outs and goes to hit, repeat, 9 times, 9 innings of fun and suspense.
How to Read a Baseball Scoreboard
Scoreboard shows a number of Runs per inning.
Look for a Game Score, Pitcher-Batter Count and how fast a Pitcher is throwing.
Pitchers vs Batter mini duel Count is displayed in section Ball, Strike.
A Game within a Game: PITCHER – BATTER DUEL
Strikes and Ball Count
A Pitcher and a Batter have a mini duel of outsmarting and out-skilling each other in their own Game within a Game.
This is where it gets interesting. Besides game’s scored Runs a hitter facing a pitcher with goal to get on base has 2 lives at the time to hit a ball, a pitcher has 3 lives to miss a strike zone.
Baseball Insider Note the Pitcher’s job is to throw a ball into a specific virtual area over a home plate called a strike zone, marked an as a red frame on a picture, making hard for batters to hit the ball and get them, betters out.
Who is a winner in Pitcher-Batter Match up
A Better Wins If the pitcher messes up three times missing a strike zone, then the batter gets to walk to first base
A Pitcher Wins If the batter messes up three times, then the batter is out.
Baseball Insider Note: Strike zone is an imaginary area that is as wide as the home plate, and that goes from the batter’s knees and up to his chest.
Strike is when a batsman swings & misses a pitch, or does not swing after a pitch that goes through Strike zone.
Ball the opposite of strike, is a pitch that does not cross the ‘strike’ zone, and which the batsman chooses not to go after.
Who is the decider if a ball crosses within or outside of a frame
A home plate umpire is the decider and keeps the count of who is ahead by counting balls and strikes (Stri-iiii-ke). Balls and Strikes count are displayed on a scoreboard for fans to root for their favorites.
Exciting plays in Baseball
1. Home Run, there is nothing more spectacular in any of the sports as to hit a ball outside of the baseball park.
2. Strike Out by a pitcher on 3 straight throws.
3. Double Play: Defensive Team’s Fast thinking and athleticism to get 2 runners OUT on one play
Baseball Insider Note: To hit a ball in baseball is the hardest skill in any of the sports. A player who hits 3 out of 10 is a star.
IT's MORE THAN JUST A GAME, IT's BASEBALL!
Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball, the rules and realities of the game – and do it by watching first small-town teams.
Where is a clock
The game played 9 innings and it could go from 2.5 to 3 hours of fun!
Where are the goal Posts?
There are none! Points are scored by hitting the ball and running around 4 bases.
Wait, Is That a Goalie?
A guy seating behind a home plate wearing a hockey looking mask is a Catcher, he is from a defensive team, catching baseballs thrown by his team’s pitchers.
How Fast a Pitcher is throwing?
A pitcher in Pro Baseball would get a speeding ticket on a highway if he would be driving as fast as he is throwing!
Why is there a wall?
Each baseball Field is unique with a wall. Every player wants to hit the ball over the ballpark. This makes a Homerun, which is the most amazing hit by a player
Is a baseball cap a part of a uniform or a fashion statement?
Depends on who you ask; also, baseball caps come in different colors.
Baseball terminology as English idioms
Eyes on the ball: focus on the goal; pay attention!
Step up to the plate: to take responsibility for doing something.
Hit a home run: to succeed at something
Get Three strikes: to fail while giving your best effort
Throw a curve ball: to surprise someone