# Is there a term for this situation in baseball?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 3, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881 "2008-09-03T15:38:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/1 "2008-09-03T15:38:12Z")

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I’m ghostwriting a newsletter and need a specific baseball term. I’m trying to describe a situation in which a batter has gotten a hit and begun rounding the bases, only to find himself trappped between two or more players on the opposing team who are tossing the ball back and forth to keep him from advancing, retreating, or scoring. Is there a specific term for this quandary?

Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/2 "2008-09-03T15:39:44Z")

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It’s called a [rundown.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rundown)

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**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/3 "2008-09-03T15:40:09Z")

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Caught in a “run down”?

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**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/4 "2008-09-03T15:52:31Z")

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Rundown. “Pickle” and “hot-box” may also be acceptable.

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**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/5 "2008-09-03T16:45:37Z")

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Another confirmation for “rundown.”

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/6 "2008-09-03T22:08:13Z")

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> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#):
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> Another confirmation for “rundown.”

Thanks to everyone who answered. Rundown is actually perfect for the piece I’m writing given its other possible meanings.

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**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/7 "2008-09-03T22:25:56Z")

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> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
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> Thanks to everyone who answered. Rundown is actually perfect for the piece I’m writing given its other possible meanings.

A favorite expression of cliche-monger announcer Joe Garagiola used to be “He’s caught in No Man’s Land!!”

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**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-term-for-this-situation-in-baseball/461881/8 "2008-09-03T22:28:37Z")

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> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#):
>
> A favorite expression of cliche-monger announcer Joe Garagiola used to be “He’s caught in No Man’s Land!!”

ETA: never mind.