List of baseball jargon (C)

Cactus League

:The group of teams that conduct their pre-season spring training exhibition games in Arizona where the cactus grows in abundance. See also Grapefruit League.

caddy

:A caddy's sole function is to come in as a substitute in the late innings of a lopsided game to act as a defensive replacement for an aging power hitter or to pinch run; sometimes called a "scrub".

called shot

:A reference to Babe Ruth's Called Shot home run in the fifth inning of Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, held on October 1, 1932 at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

called up

:A Major League team may call up or promote a player from the minor leagues during the season to take a spot on its roster, often to replace a player who has been sent down to the minor leagues or else placed on the disabled list. Players who have been in the major leagues previously (and were sent down) may be said to be recalled rather than called up. After August 31^st, several minor leaguers may be called up to take a spot on the expanded roster.

campaign

:A season. The "2006 campaign" is the 2006 Major League season. "Johan Santana has never had a losing record against the Tigers in a season, but he could have one in 2007 if he doesn't win this game. He's 1-2 with a 3.12 ERA against Detroit, after going 10-2 against them prior to this campaign." [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/daily?page=dd/070913 ESPN.com - MLB - Diamond Daily ] ]

can of corn

:An easily-caught fly ball. Supposedly comes from a general store clerk reaching up and dropping a can from a high shelf. Frequently used by Chicago White Sox broadcaster Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson. Also, a phrase used in the expression of mild excitement, general agreement or indication from one person to another that completion of said task is in order.

Captain Hook

:A manager who often takes a pitcher out of the game at the first sign of trouble. Sparky Anderson is perhaps the best example of a "Captain Hook" at the major league level. See hook.

=catbird seat=

:A desirable or auspicious situation. Popularized by Red Barber, longtime broadcaster for the Brooklyn Dodgers. James Thurber wrote in his short story of the same title: " [S] itting in the catbird seat" means sitting pretty, like a batter with three balls and no strikes on him." The catbird is said to seek out the highest point in a tree to sing his song, so someone in the catbird seat is high up.

catch up to a fastball

:As if a batter were running a footrace with a fastball, he's said to "catch up" to a fastball if his reaction time and bat speed are quick enough to hit a fastball by a power pitcher. "Our scouting reports indicate he can still hit and still catch up to a fastball. As long as he can catch up to a fastball, he's going to get the money." [ [http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2007/11/a_few_things_20.html Waiting on Lowell - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog ] ]

=catcher's interference=

:It is catcher's interference when the catcher physically hinders the batter's opportunity to swing at a pitch. Play continues, and after continuous playing action ceases, the umpire calls time. The penalty is that the batter is awarded first base, any runner attempting to steal is awarded that base, and all other runners advance only if forced. The catcher is charged with an error. This is one of many types of interference call.

caught napping

:A baserunner who is tagged out because he wasn't paying attention to what the defensive players were doing is "caught napping." Often this involves a pickoff play in which the infielder sneaks up behind the runner and takes a throw from the pitcher, or, less often, the catcher.

cellar

:Last place, bottom of the standings. A team that spends too much time in last place, especially over a stretch of years, tends to acquire the unflattering title of cellar dweller. SYNONYM: basement.

chair, the

:Specifically regarding a batter: A seat on the bench, as opposed to reaching base or remaining in the batter's box. As in, "throw him the chair." The expression is an encouragement to the pitcher to strike out the batter, sending him back to the dugout, thus "throwing him the chair" — forcing him to sit down.

challenge the hitter

:When a pitcher is aggressive and throws strikes, perhaps his best fastball, he may be said to "challenge the hitter." Akin to pounding the strike zone or attacking the strike zone.

changeup

:A changeup or a change is a pitch meant to look like a fastball, but with less velocity; short for change of pace. A variety of this pitch is the circle change, where a circle is formed using the thumb and index finger on the last third of a ball. This causes the ball to break inside and down to right-handed batter from a right-handed pitcher, frequently resulting in ground balls. Also, a straight change, made famous by Pedro Martínez of the New York Mets, can be utilized. The grip requires all fingers to be used in holding the ball, resulting in more friction, thus slowing the ball down tremendously.

charging the mound

:*Charging the mound refers to a batter assaulting the pitcher after being hit by a pitch. The first incidence of a professional charging the mound has not been identified but the practice certainly dates back to the game's early days. Charging the mound is often the precipitating cause of a bench-clearing brawl and will most likely result in the batter's ejection.

:*In the famous Pine Tar Game, George Brett charged home plate to protest the umpire's ruling that his apparent 2-run home run was hit with an illegal bat. Brett was tossed from the game.

chase

:*To chase (or chase after) is to swing at a pitch well outside of the strike zone.:*A pitcher who is removed from the game by the manager because he gave up too many runs is said to have been "chased from the game" or "chased from the mound" by the opposing batters. "Pettitte was chased from the game in the seventh inning following an RBI single by Willy Taveras and a two-RBI triple by Kazuo Matsui." [Ryan Thorburg, "Rockies Play Hardball vs. Yanks," [http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/jun/21/rockies-play-hardball-vs-yanks/ DailyCamera.com, June 21, 2007.] ] :*A player or coach who is ejected from the game by an umpire can be said to be chased. "Martin was tossed by umpire Lee Weyer in the fourth game of the 1976 Series, seven years after Weaver was chased by Shag Crawford in the fourth game in 1969." [George Voss, "Umpire Confrontations," [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_1_61/ai_80599486/pg_5 Baseball Digest, January 2002.] ]

chatter

:To verbally challenge or taunt to distract the opposing batter. Fans and players, alike, participate in chatter. "Heybattabattabatta" is an example of common baseball chatter.

check the runner

:When the pitcher looks in the direction of a runner on base, and thereby causes him to not take as large of a lead as he would otherwise have taken.

checked swing

:A batter checks a swing by stopping it before the bat crosses the front of home plate. If he fails to stop it in time, the umpire will call a strike because he swung at the pitch. Often the umpire's view of the swing is obstructed. If the umpire calls the pitch a ball, a defensive player such as the catcher or pitcher can ask the home plate umpire to ask another umpire whether the batter swung at the pitch. In such a case, the home plate umpire always accepts the judgment of the other umpire.

cheese

:A fastball. Also high cheese.

chin music

:A high and tight, up and in pitch meant to knock a batter back from home plate to avoid being hit on the chin. Also known as a "brush-back" or "purpose pitch".

chinker

:A blooper, a dying quail, a bleeder.

chopper

:A chopper refers to a batted ball that immediately strikes the hardened area of dirt directly in front of home plate. This causes the ball to jump high into the infield air. Fast batters can convert such choppers into base hits.

choke up

:A batter "chokes up" by sliding his hands up from the knob end of the bat to give him more control over his bat. It reduces the power and increases the control. Prior to driving in the Series-winning hit with a bloop single in the 2001 World Series, Luis Gonzalez choked up on the bat. Thus he came through, and did not "choke" in the clutch.

chuck

:Throw. A pitcher is sometimes referred to as a chucker or someone who can really chuck the ball. In San Francisco, sometimes the fans are referred to as battery chuckers, referring to an incident a few years ago where many fans threw batteries onto the field.

circus catch

:An outstanding catch, usually one a fielder has to leave his feet or go through contortions to make, resembling a circus acrobat in the process.

clean hit

:When a batter hits a ball through the infield without it being touched by a fielder, he may be said to have a "clean hit." Similarly, if a batter hits a ball over an outfielder's head, he may have a "clean hit." "Tris truly loved to hit and would always get a thrill when getting a 'clean' hit that travelled over an outfielder's head." [http://www.deadball.com/speaker.htm]

clean inning

:When a team pitches and plays defense without mental or physical errors or allowing the other team to score runs or advance runners easily. "I want to see clean innings," Cooper said. "This is a time when we should be seeing them -- crisp, clean innings. Yet we're hitting guys that are trying to bunt, walking guys on four pitches. . . . This is not young kids doing this stuff. This is ridiculous. I don't care who it is. It shouldn't be happening. We've got to clean it up. I'd like to see some clean innings sooner or later. We should be throwing strike one, strike two, make some pitches. We're all over the place. We're not even close to the strike zone." [Alyson Footer, "Cooper Unhappy with Fundamentals," [http://houston.astros.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080325&content_id=2458522&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou&vkey=spt2008news MLB.com, March 25, 2008] .]

=cleanup hitter=

:The fourth batter in the lineup, usually a power hitter. The strategy is to get some runners on base for the cleanup hitter to drive home. In theory, if the first three batters of the game were to load the bases, the #4 hitter would ideally "clean up" the bases with a grand slam home run.

clear the bases

:A batter who drives home all the runners on base is said to "clear the bases." "Dikito's bases-clearing triple sent the pro-Falcon crowd into a frenzy." [Jon Perez, "Falcon's Sweep Masters," [http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=2&newsID=69969 "Saipan Tribune", July 1, 2007] .]

climbing the ladder

:A tactic where a pitcher delivers a succession of pitches out of the strike zone, each higher than the last, in an attempt to get the batter to swing at a pitch "in his eyes."

=closer=

:A relief pitcher who is consistently used to "close" or finish a game by getting the final outs. Closers are often among the most overpowering pitchers, and sometimes even the most erratic. Alternatively, they might specialize in a pitch that is difficult to hit, such as the splitter or the cut fastball.

=clutch=

:Good performance under pressure when good performance really matters. May refer to such a situation (being in the clutch), or to a player (a good clutch hitter or one who "can hit in the clutch"), or to specific hits ("that was a clutch hit"). Most baseball fans believe that clutch hitting exists, but there is significant disagreement among statheads whether clutch hitting is a specific skill a player can possess or instead just something that good hitters in general do. An old synonym for clutch is pinch, as in Christy Mathewson's book, "Pitching in a Pinch".

collar

:Symbol of going hitless in a game, suggested by its resemblance to a zero, along with the implication of "choking"; to wear the collar: "If Wright doesn't get a hit here, he'll be wearing an 0 for 5 collar on the day." Also, to take the collar: "Cameron Maybin took the collar in his major league debut, striking out twice." [ [http://fantasybaseball.usatoday.com/content/column.asp?sport=MLB&column=5&articleid=28756 Fantasy Baseball - USATODAY.com ] ]

comebacker

:A ball batted directly back to the pitcher.

command

:The ability of a pitcher to throw a pitch where he intends to. More than just the ability to throw strikes, it is the ability to hit particular spots in or out of the strike zone. Also see location.

complete game

:A complete game (denoted by CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A complete game can be either a win or a loss. A complete game can be awarded to a pitcher even if he pitches less than (or more than) nine-innings, as long as he pitches the entire game.

contact hitter

:A hitter who does not strike out often. Thus, he's usually able to make contact with the ball and put it in play. This doesn't mean he's necessarily a pitty-patty slap hitter. He may hit for power, but typically with more doubles/triples instead of home runs. Pete Rose and Wade Boggs are both excellent examples of contact hitters.

contact pitcher

:See pitch to contact.

control artist

:A pitcher who gives up very few bases on balls or has excellent command of his pitches. Also known as a control pitcher.

corked bat

:A bat in which cork (or possibly rubber or some other elastic material) has been inserted into the core of the wooden barrel. Although modifying a bat in this way may help to increase bat speed or control by making the bat lighter, contrary to popular belief it does not impart more energy to the batted ball. [Robert K. Adair, "The Physics of Baseball" (New York: HarperCollins, 2002), pp.136-139.] A batter could achieve a similar effect by choking up on the bat or using a shorter bat. A player who is caught altering his bat illegally is subject to suspension or other penalties. The last such case in Major League Baseball involved the slugger Sammy Sosa. [At the time of the Sosa incident, a list of well-known cases of doctoring the bat was published by ESPN.com [http://espn.go.com/mlb/s/2003/0603/1562807.html] .]

corner outfielder

:The left fielder and right fielder are corner outfielders.

cornerman

:A third baseman.

cornucopia

:Texas Rangers TV announcer Bill Land once called an easily-caught fly ball in a game incorrectly by stating, "It's a cornucopia!" In the background, you could hear color commentator, Tom Grieve mumbling "can...of...corn.." It is not uncommon to hear fans in the lower rows of Section 15 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington yelling "CORNUCOPIA!"

=count=

:The number of balls and strikes a batsman has in his current at bat. Usually announced as a pair of numbers, for instance "3-0" (pronounced "three and oh"), with the first number being the number of balls and the second being the number of strikes. A 3-2 count – one with the maximum number of balls and strikes in a given at bat – is referred to as a full count. A count of 1-1 or 2-2 is called even. A batter is said to be ahead in the count (and a pitcher behind in the count) if the count is 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, or 3-1. A batter is said to be behind in the count (and a pitcher ahead in the count) if the count is 0-1, 0-2, or 1-2.

country mile

:"He hit the ball a country mile." He hit the ball a long way -- a long home run.

cousin

:A pitcher who is easy for a particular batter to hit.

covering a base

:*Part of the infielders' job is to cover bases. That is, they stand next to a base in anticipation of receiving the ball thrown from another fielder, so that they may make a play on an opposing baserunner who is approaching that base. On a force play or an appeal play, the fielder covering the base stands with one foot on that base when he catches the ball.:*When a fielder goes to make a play at a base that is not his position (usually because the fielder for that base is unavailable to catch the ball at that base because he is busy fielding the batted ball). A common example is when the first baseman fields a batted ground ball, but is too far from the base to put the runner out. The pitcher runs over to "cover" first base to take the throw from the first baseman (play would be scored as "31", meaning first baseman to pitcher).

crack of the bat

:The sound of the bat hitting the ball. The term is used in baseball to mean "immediately, without hesitation." For example, a baserunner may start running "on the crack of the bat," as opposed to waiting to see where the ball goes.

:Outfielders often use the sound of bat-meeting-ball as a clue to how far a ball has been hit. As physicist Robert Adair has written,"When a baseball is hit straight at an outfielder he cannot quickly judge the angle of ascent and the distance the ball will travel. If he waits until the trajectory is well defined, he has waited too long and will not be able to reach otherwise catchable balls. If he starts quickly, but misjudges the ball such that his first step is wrong (in for a long fly or back for a short fly), the turn-around time sharply reduces his range and he will again miss catchable balls. To help his judgment, the experienced outfielder listens to the sound of the wooden bat hitting the ball. If he hears a 'crack' he runs out, if he hears a 'clunk' he runs in." Robert K. Adair, "The Crack-of-the-Bat: The Acoustics of the Bat Hitting the Ball," Acoustical Society of America, 141st Meeting, Lay Language Papers (June 2001). [http://www.acoustics.org/press/141st/adair.html] ]

:Similarly, with metal bats, the outfielders have to learn to distinguish a "ping" from a "plunk".

crackerbox

:A small baseball field considered to be friendly to power hitters and unfriendly to pitchers. A bandbox.

crackerjack

:A player or team with power and whom are exceptionally skilled.

crank

:To hit a ball for extra bases, typically a home run. "Jeter cranked a homer to left to make it 6-5. . . ." [ [http://heartlandpinstripes.mlblogs.com/heartland_pinstripes/2007/06/wild_win.html Heartland Pinstripes: Wild Win ] ]

crooked number

:A number other than a zero or a one, referring to the appearance of the actual number. A team which is able to score two or more runs in an inning is said to "hang a crooked number" on the scoreboard or on the pitcher.

crossed up

:*When a catcher calls for the pitcher to throw one type of pitch (e.g., a fastball) but the pitcher throws another (e.g., a curveball), the catcher has been crossed up. This may lead to a passed ball, allowing a runner on base to advance. "Barrett's passed ball allowed the last of three runs to score in the fifth as the Reds increased their lead to 7-2. Williams' pitch crossed him up. 'I was looking for a sinker, and it cut away from me,' Barrett said. 'I had a play at the plate, but my shin guard stuck in the grass. It was a frustrating day.'" [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20060406/ai_n16195669] :*When a batter has been set up to expect a certain type of pitch but instead receives a different one, he may be crossed up, perhaps leading to a weakly hit ball or a swing and a miss.

crowding the plate

:When a batter sets his stance extremely close to the plate, sometimes covering up part of the strike zone. This angers pitchers and, if done repeatedly, can lead to a brush-back pitch or even a beanball being thrown at the batter to clear the plate.

crush the ball

:A batter who hits a ball extremely hard and far might be said to crush the ball, as if he had destroyed the baseball or at least changed its shape. Related expressions are crunched the ball or mashed the ball. Indeed, a slugger is sometimes described as a masher. Illustration: "Though the 25-year-old has impressed with two homers in five games, he's more of a pure hitter than a masher".

:Other types of baseball destruction include knocking the stuffing out of the ball and knocking the horsehide [cover] off the ball.

cue the ball

:When a ball is hit off the end of the bat, the batter may be said to have "cued the ball" (as if he hit it with a pool cue). "Kendrick took third on a broken-bat ground-out and scored on a cued grounder to first base by Ryan Shealy. . . ." [Jack Magruder, "Team USA Wins Revenge Game," [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/2005oly/051117daytwo.html BaseballAmerica.com, November 17, 2005] .]

cup of coffee

:A short time spent by a minor league player at the major league level. The idea is that the player was only there long enough to have a cup of coffee. It can also be used to describe a very brief stay (less than a season) with a major league club.

curtain call

:A player who has excited the fans because of a great play or hit may come back onto the field or out of the dugout to wave or tip his cap to the crowd. A term obviously derived from the theater.

curveball

:A pitch that curves or breaks from a straight or expected flight path toward home plate.

cut

:*A swing of the bat.:*To be removed from the roster or from the team.

cut fastball

:A cut fastball or cutter is a fastball that has lateral movement. A "cut fastball" is another name for a slider that is more notable for its speed than its lateral movement.

cut down on his swing

:When a batter reduces the amplitude of his swing, either by choking up on the bat or just by starting his swing a less far behind his head, he "cuts down on his swing," thereby helping him to get his bat around faster. Also "shorten his swing." "Guerrero swung so hard during an 0-for-5 night Tuesday he looked as if he might come right out of his spikes. So, Hatcher suggested Wednesday that Guerrero widen his stance slightly, a move that forces hitters to cut down on their swing a bit." [Mike DiGiovanna, "Angels' Guerrero makes adjustments to his swing," [http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-angrep24apr24,0,7289734.story "Los Angeles Times", April 24, 2008] .]

cut-off

:A defensive tactic where a fielder that moves into a position between the outfielder that has fielded the batted ball and the base where a play can be made. This fielder is said to "cut off" the throw or to be the "cut-off man". This tactic is increases accuracy over long distances and shortens the time required to get a ball to a specific place. It also gives the cut-off man the choice of putting out a trailing runner trying to advance on the throw if he thinks it impossible to make the play at home. Missing the cut-off (man) is considered a mistake by an outfielder (though not scored as an error) because it may allow a runner to advance or to score.

cut-off man

:A fielder that "cuts off" a long throw to an important target. Often the shortstop or second baseman will be the "cut-off man" for a long throw from the outfield to third base or home plate. "Hit the cut-off man" is a common admonition from a coach.

cycle

:See hit for the cycle.

References