Help Me Learn about baseball.

The Game Room
1

I’ve decided to learn about baseball…my daughter likes to go to games, even though she knows next to nothing about it, either–probably just because she likes spending time with whomever is taking her (grandpa, me, etc.). I’ve also got a five year old son, so I figure there’s a good chance he may grow up liking baseball. But I know next to nothing about it at all, and so consequently I’m bored to absolute tears trying to watch it.

So what’s the best way to go about this? It seemed growing up that every kid somehow just magically knew all about baseball (and football and basketball, too), but I have no idea how on earth these kids learned so much about it that I didn’t. Anyone have any suggestions of where I should start? I’m hoping understanding something about the game will make it enjoyable to watch—a lot of people seem to like it, and I want to know what, if anything, I’m missing out on.

2

Pick a team and watch games!

Read Pure Baseball by Keith Hernandez - best book about how to play and strategy that I have read. He takes a couple of average mid-season games and breaks them down pitch by pitch in a fascinating way.

3

I will greatly second just watching a game.

A lot of sports nuts always say how stupid the commentary is because it tells you things you already know…but it will help in your case.

Also Wikipedia never hurts

4

see, it’s the watching games part that’s hard because I have no clue what’s going on. And the few times I’ve tried, I saw very little playing…just an awful lot of people standing around while some sportscaster rambles on and on. I’m thinking maybe a live game would be better, and there’s a minor league team that plays near hear quite a bit (another incentive—there’s almost always somebody giving tickets away to go see them).

But I’m not sure if the book is going to be above me; I really know nothing other than “the guy with the bat hits the ball and tries to run around the bases”. I don’t know what a shortstop is. I don’t know when it’s OK to run and when it’s not. I know pretty much nothing else. Is it really the sort of thing I can just figure out from watching people do it a few times?

5

I come from a land far away, where we play soccer, rugby and cricket.

However I have seen US films on baseball and the general idea is similar to rounders. :slight_smile:

So when I came to Vegas for a Dopefest :cool: , I was happy to watch the 51s play.
I spent the time in various ways:

  • watching the game :eek: (trying to follow the pitch and the swing; deciding who the best fielder was; cheering a good play)
  • doing maths stuff (predicting the score; looking at the statistics on display and in the programme)
  • soaking up the atmosphere (singing ‘take me out to the ballgame’; doing the Mexican Wave; buying a hotdog; crowd-watching)
  • enjoying the experience (chatting to friends; revelling in the sunshine*; buying souvenirs for my friends back home)

And the most important point is one you mentioned:

‘my daughter likes to go to games, even though she knows next to nothing about it, either–probably just because she likes spending time with whomever is taking her’

Seriously, this is priceless. Quality time spent with your kids is better than the Nectar of the Gods.
(*only available in England for a couple of days in July)

6

You mentioned “grandpa” – if he is knowledgeable and patient, he might be your best source. Also, you might try the library to check for “Baseball for Dummies.” Minor-league ball is *great *-- low cost, the athletes usually are accessible for autographs for the kids, and you can learn a lot. Plus if you get lucky and sit near the right people, they will be happy to explain what’s going on to you. Probably less so at a big-league game where people are so focused; the minors are more laid-back.

My father never told me a thing about sports and I learned a lot about baseball on my own, just by watching on TV and reading books.

I don’t recommend Watching Baseball Smarter; I borrowed it from the library and was glad I hadn’t bought it. I can’t remember the specifics now but the subtitle says it’s appropriate for beginners. I don’t agree. I have a number of other books that are more advanced but you should start with the basics.

7

They watched it and played it. You learn about baseball exactly the same way you learn about anything else.

My suggestion is that you watch it for awhile. Then you will have many specific questions, and we’ll be happy to answer them.

If you’re starting off absolutely devoid of ANY understanding, read the Wikipedia on baseball, which has a lot of the little details you need; it’ll tell you who the shortstop is (he’s the fielder who plays in the infield to the left of second base) and when it’s okay to run and all that. Then start asking us questions based on your synthesis of that article plsu watching some games. Baseball is actually very straightforward as a general concept; you hit the ball and run around the bases and score a point for every guy who gets al lthe way around. But in terms if DETAIL, it’s extremely complex, and learning it can offer a lifetime of enjoyment.

Here’s the basics. Read them one at a time. I am simplifying and avoiding discussion of really arcane rules.

  • The object is to score the most runs. You score a run by having a player advance all the way around the bases in order, touching first, second, third and then home. Home plate is where the batter stands and where a runner must return to score. The bases go counterclockwise.

  • The batter attempts to reach base by striking the ball in such a manner that he can safely reach at least first base without being made out. The batter must strike the ball so that it falls in the ninety-degree arc between first and third base; if it goes to the left of third base or the right of first base it is a foul ball, and dead.

  • Once the batter reaches base he is a “runner.” Only one person can occupy a base. A runner on a base is safe; if he leaves the base he can be tagged out.

  • Each team gets nine “innings” in which to score as many runs as possible. In each inning they get three outs. Once three outs are recorded the other team bats, and so on until each team gets nine chances. When an inning ends, all runners on base are cancelled; when the team comes back to bat they start over with empty bases.

  • An out is made when

  1. A batter strikes out - that is, three pitches are thrown which the batter either swings and misses, OR hits foul, OR he does not swing at but the umpire judges the ball to have passed through the “Strike zone,” which is an imaginary rectangle over the plate and between the batter’s knees and the middle of her/his chest. A foul ball cannot be a third strike in most situations.
  2. The batter hits a ball that is caught by a fielder before it touches the ground or a wall/fence,
  3. The batter strikes the ball and the ball is brought to first base and the base touched by the fielder with the ball before the batter can reach it,
  4. Any runner is tagged with the ball, or with a hand or glove that holds the ball, when not touching a base,
  5. A force play, which I’ll explain in a moment, or
  6. A lot of unusual and rare ways you can break a rule and get called out.
  • A force play is when a runner must advance to the next base. Since only one runner can safely occupy a base at one time, a ball being hit into play may result in a force play. When a batter hits a ball into play he MUST advance at least to first and so there is a force play at first. Plus, if there is a runner already at first, that runner can be forced out at second. And if there are runners at first AND second, then the runner at second can be forced out at third, the runner at first can be forced out at second. To accomplish a force play the fielding team only needs to have a fielder with the ball TOUCH THE BASE, with any part of his body, before the runner gets there, to make the runner out.

If the pay is not a force play - for instance, if a atter hits the ball a long way, gets to first, and then decides to try to get to second - he must be physically tagged with the ball or a hand/glove holding the ball. Unlike a force play it is not sufficient for the fielder to tag the runner with any part of his body; it must be the hand holding the ball.

  • The man who pitches the ball is (duh) the pitcher. He must deliver the ball from the pitcher’s mound. If he throws three strikes to the batter before the batter hits a ball into play the batter is out. If he throws four"balls," which are pitches that the batter does not attempt to swing at and which, in the umpire’s judgment, do NOT pass through the strike zone, the batter gets a free pass to first base, called a “Walk” or a “Base on balls.”

  • If a batter hits the ball and reaches a given base he is credited with a single for reaching first, a double for reaching second, and a triple for reaching third. If the batter can advance entirely around the basses and to home on his own hit that is a home run. If a batter strikes the ball with such force that it goes over the outfield wall, and is not a foul ball, he is automatically awarded a home run.

There are nine fielders:

  • The pitcher
  • The catcher, who receives the pitches
  • The first baseman, who plays near that base
  • The second baseman, who plays near second on the first base side
  • The shortstop, who plays near second on the third base side
  • The third baseman, who plays near third base
  • The left, center and right fielders, who play in the outfield in accordance with their descriptions.

That’s a heck of a lot of info. Hope it helps!

8

And it is helpful to mention the main difference between the American League and the National League: The Designated Hitter. In the National League, the pitcher is expected to take his turn at bat just the same as his teammates. Pitchers usually are not very good hitters, but there are some notable exceptions.

In the American League, the pitcher has only one job: pitching. When the time comes for what would be his turn at bat, a substitute comes to the plate in his place.

In interleague play, the rule of the host team is followed. So if an American League team is visiting a National League park, the pitcher is going to have to put in some unaccustomed batting practice and probably get razzed a little.

9

This.

Honestly, stop reading everything else people are going to post - it’s going to be far too much information. Watch games, and pay attention to how people get out. Don’t worry about the names of the positions for now, or what a designated hitter is, or what sort of lineup positions there are - just watch the games and figure out how people get “out”. Once you have that down, build on it. But it’s the basics that aren’t very basic, and take time to soak in.

Seriously - stop reading now.

10

As a long time baseball fan, I can say that the game does not transfer well to TV. it is much more fun in person.

but it IS the kind of thing you have to pay attention to, to see how well the pitcher is playing, or to watch a play develop.

Watching highlights on ESPN might be a good way to see some exciting plays in baseball, to see if exciting baseball is appealing to you.

11

Ok, I just finished reading the Wiki article and all of your posts. I’m kind of excited to watch a game and see if I can make sense of it. So…has baseball season even started yet? I live in NJ—when’s my next chance to see a game?

12

it is spring training. the teams are getting ready. there is a world competition going on right now, called the World Baseball Classic. There are games on ESPN and ESPN 2. check your local listings.

13

Most of the 2009 professional baseball season will start the first week of April. Depending on where in New Jersey you are, you might want to go see the Phillies or the Orioles; the Trenton Thunder AA (minor league) will be at home on April 7.

14

Pop Quiz:

  1. If the Umpire should call the infield fly rule on a struck ball , but the fielder is pushed out of the way by the baserunner starting from second,who is then hit by the ball which then rolls foul on the outfield side of the third base line and is touched by a spectator, what is the ruling?

:wink: Just kidding
Have fun.
95% of baseball takes about 3 hours to figure out. The other 5% will take years, and the last 1% would take a lifetime, and nobody knows anyway, and it doesn’t stop anybody from having fun.

15

Great…now I just have the other obstacle to overcome: finding time to watch one. I’d like to see a few on TV, where I can rewind or pause to figure something out. I work two jobs, so I don’t have a lot of time, but if I plan in advance I can find time to go to see the Lakewood Blue Claws with my kids. I’m not sure where I’m going to find the time to watch a whole game, but I suppose I don’t really need to watch them in their entirety to get a feel for what’s going on.

16

From April to October there is pretty much always a baseball game on TV if you have any sort of cable package.

Major league baseball teams play almost every day of the week; they only average about a day off every two weeks. Minor league teams play shorter seasons but they’re still well above a hundred games a season in the top three levels. There is a LOT of pro baseball to watch.

17

Cool. Since I don’t give a damn which team I’m watching, it shouldn’t be any trouble for me to find one (I work for Cable TV, so I prettty much have every station they offer)

18

batsto, I’d recommend learning two things-

**Hitting is about timing.

Pitching is about interrupting timing.**

With those two things in mind, baseball becomes caveman chess. Now hie thee over to this page and learn about the pitches; Learn all the fastball variations except for the ‘Fosh’, the curveball and slider, the straight change, circle change and knuckleball.

After you’ve learned the pitches, their speeds and trajectories, sit back and watch a game on TV. Usually the broadcasters will review a pitcher’s repertoire at the beginning of a game (or when a reliever comes in). Once you can recognize the pitches by sight/speed, see if you can ‘call’ the game for the pitcher (keeping in mind that Fastball is the default).

If the last pitch was a high inside fastball, and the hitter was early on it and crushed it foul, you’ll probably want to come back with something ‘offspeed’ (catchall term for breaking balls and change-ups) low and outside.

If the last pitch was a big curveball down the middle and the batter took it because he was fooled, you might be tempted to throw another, but he’s already seen it once and may have learned his lesson and hit your second attempt a country mile.

If you threw him a slider just off the plate and he checked his swing, do you tempt him with another one or do you bust him in on the fists with a fastball?

That’s my advice-learn the pitches and dictate them to the pitcher. Sigh and shake your head when you give up a homer, but laugh maniacally when the pitcher goes against your call and gives up a bases-loaded double.

That will give you a rooting interest in the games even if you don’t know exactly who is playing, and you’ll pick up most of the rest in a few weeks.

19

I wrote a book several years ago called Baseball for Rookies that does what exactly what the OP asks for - it explains the game to people who know nothing at all about it. I have taken the book off the market, but there are used copies available on amazon.com.

20

batsto - Two things. Just two things.

The foul ball.
A hit ball that goes outside the “foul lines” (the long lines running down first base and third base) is a foul ball.

With a count of no or one strike, this results in a strike.

With a count of two strikes, this results in…nothing.

Seriously. No penalty, no concession, it’s not even unofficially frowned upon. He can hack and slash and flail and thrash at pitch after pitch, for an hour if he feels like it, and he won’t get so much as a warning*.

Note that if he holds the bat in front of him (bunts), going foul with two strikes results in an out. But only if he bunts. Swinging, unlimited free cracks.

How to make him stop? Um…walk him. Or give up a hit, that also works.

The pickoff
When a runner gets on base, he will take a lead, that is, advance a small distance toward the next base to get a jump on it. When this happens, the pitcher may, instead of delivering a pitch, throw to the fielder at the base in an attempt to “pick off” the runner. If the fielder delivers the tag before the runner can return to the base, it’s a successful pickoff and the runner is out.

This fails the vast majority of the time. Forutnately, however, there is no limit to the number of times the pitcher can attempt this. He can make play catch with the fielders for an hour if he feels like it, and there’s nothing stopping him from going another hour. No penalty, no concession, it’s not even unofficially frowned upon. He is literally at greater danger of being ejected for one pitch (a single beanball can get a pitcher ejected) than 800 straight failed pickoffs.

How to make him stop? Um…get picked off. That’s about it.

If you can get used to these, NOTHING about baseball will ever bore you again. :slight_smile:

  • I’m well aware that this is also possible in cricket, but at least that sport has a continuous bowler rotation, so it’s impossible to wear out any one bowler with such tomfoolery.