Baseball/Basics

Basics

Baseball players in their formation

You need a glove (the catcher and first baseman use mitts) and a bat. The person with the baseball bat hits the ball and the person with the glove or mitt tries to catch the ball and do it 5 times (or your choice). The pitches that the pitcher throws are either balls or strikes. A strike is a pitch that is thrown within the strike zone. Traditionally the strike zone is a pitch thrown across the plate and between the knees and uniform letters of the player and not outside of the sides of the home plate. A ball is a pitch thrown outside this area. It is important to remember that final call on whether a pitch is a strike or ball is decided by the home plate umpire.

The game baseball is played on a field called a diamond. The infield is made up of a home plate, first base, second base and third base, set up in a diamond shape. The total number of players that can play on the diamond at one time is 9 (defensive). There is a pitcher (who throws the ball to the batter), the catcher, catches the ball thrown by the pitcher. There is a first baseman who catches the balls hit to the infielders and mans first base. The second baseman plays in between first and second base. Next to the second baseman on the other side of second base, between second base and third base is the shortstop. This position was originally called the shortfielder because it was play in the outfield in front of the outfielders and behind the infielders. The outfield consists of three players: left, middle, and right field. All are located in the grass far beyond the diamond.

The bat is made of wood or aluminum. At younger levels aluminum is used, while in professional leagues they use wooden bats.