Mike Pritchard wrote:
>
> Debra, What's all this talk of 'routine infield outs', 'One batter draws a
> walk', 'baserunner'
> and people having 'four balls'. Unless there is an immediate translation for
> the brits, someone over in the UK (Azeem?) will be writing to explain the
> ins and outs of reverse sweeps, googlies and flippers.You have been warned.
LOL! I've just gotten home and see there's already more info from my
favorite cricket teacher, Azeem. Such a fascinating game, and so unruly
with batters hitting any-which-way, anywhere they choose, and pitchers
(ok, bowlers) charging like bulls sometimes and then flinging almost
their whole body toward the batter. Wild men! Looks like a veritable
free-for-all on the field. And then sometimes they all gather quietly
near the batter like it's time for a meditation session.
And none of them ever have four balls. It's impossible for them really.
The manly men of baseball, though, can even have a base on balls!!!,
which is probably why they so often "adjust" themselves, especially when
the tv camera is in for a closeup.
So as for the high-energy Scotsman's experience (and at the risk of
telling you way more than you want to know once I get started)... in the
joke it's obviously a (momentary) ho-hum time of the game where not much
is happening. It's probably early in the game and people in the stands
are chatting, passing beers, hotdogs, money, napkins, and change between
the vendors in the aisle and the people sitting in the middle of the row
(it's a communual undertaking), filling out the scorecard with the
lineup... that kind of thing... talking about work, I'd probably say to
my companion something about how beautiful the field looks and then he'd
certainly say "you say that every time we come here", and I'd say,
"yeah, I know, I'll probably say it next time too", whatever, and the
guys on the field are hitting little tappers into the infield, which is
the area inside the bases, so it's easy for one of the infielders (a
baseman or shortstop or even the pitcher) to catch the ball and toss it
over to first base before the runner can get to it, thereby getting that
runner out. Ho hum when that keeps happening. No smack of the bat
sounds, no suspense or split second twisty double plays, no throws from
the outfield zapping into homeplate just as the runner comes screeching
sliding in...
Oh, you weren't asking about the EXPERIENCE? Just the definitions? Oh.
So all of the easy catches and tosses over to first base are routine
infield outs. A batter draws a walk when the pitcher has thrown him
four pitches that are outside the strike zone (such a pitch is called a
"ball"; there ya go, there's the four balls). The strike zone is the
area between the batter's shoulders and knees, and the width of
homeplate (12 inches across I think). The pitcher is trying to get the
batter out by throwing three strikes, which don't have to be consecutive
(there are other ways to get a batter out, but it's very efficient if
the pitcher can do it).
The four balls don't have to be consecutive, either, although it's
especially sad when a pitcher does that, unless it's on purpose if a hot
homerun hitter is up and there are runners on base and the manager would
rather let that hitter walk to first than take a chance that he could
get all the runners in... hmmm, where was I? Is it becoming any clearer?
A baserunner is any player who's gotten on base, either by drawing a
base on balls (also known as a walk, and the player usually just trots
or even literally walks to first base then, no need to rush, since the
ball's not live he's not "racing" it to the base), or hitting the ball
and no one could catch it after it hits the ground and throw it to the
teammate covering the base (usually first) before the hitter gets there
by running as fast as he can. If a player in the field catches a hit
ball before it's touched the ground, it's a fly ball, and then the
hitter is automatically out. That happens a lot.
Seems a little confusing. There are balls, and then there's the "ball",
the actual physical baseball, and then there's a "ball", which is a kind
of pitch. Four of those and the batter walks.
Apologies to all Americans, both North and South, and also Japanese list
members who probably know all about this already.
And, Mike, if you or anyone else have never seen a baseball diamond or
watched a game and you've read this far through what will be complete
gibberish, well, that shows admirable perseverance through chaos, or
something like that.
atb,
Debra Shea
NP: On tv, my Mets playing the San Francisco Giants. Mets 2, Giants 2,
into extra innings... it might be a very long game.
-------------------
A Scotsman is visiting the United States for the first time and decides to
take in a baseball game. As the game progresses, he tries to pick up the way
the game is played so he can cheer the teams on accordingly, but at first
nothing much happens, just a couple of routine infield outs. Finally one
batter draws a walk. As the batter walks to first base, the Scotsman,
excited that now maybe something is finally happening, yells at the top of
his voice "RRRUNN, LADDIE. RRRUNN! RRRUNN!" All heads within earshot of him
turn to stare at him. The Scotsman sits down, totally embarassed. The
spectator next to him tries to explain to him "That's OK, it means he has
four balls." The Scotsman stands up and yells to the baserunner "WALK WITH
PRIDE, LADDIE. WALK WITH PRIDE!"
