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Baseball Slang Dictionary from P-S

A Continuing Collection of Baseball Terms and Slang

May 22, 2007

From Painting the Black to the Platinum Sombrero to Hitting a Seeing Eye Single past the Pivot Man, the lexicon of baseball terms continues.

Click on the links for earlier chapters of the Baseball Slang Dictionary:

Baseball Slang Terms from A to C

Baseball Slang Terms from D to H

Baseball Slang Terms from I to O

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And now, the continuining baseball slang dictionary.

P

Painting the Black. Pitching the ball on the edge of the plate, which is lined in black rubber.

Payoff Pitch. A pitch thrown with a full count.

Pickle. When a baserunner is caught in a rundown

Pitcher’s Best Friend. A double play.

Pivot Man. Another term for a second baseman.

Platinum Sombrero. When a batter goes 0 for 5 with 5 strikeouts. (Ex: Wayne Garrett took the Golden Sombrero today when he struck out in all five at-bats against Ed Halicki.)

Plunked. To get hit by a pitch (also known as pegged, plugged, nailed, or HBP).

Portsider. A left-handed pitcher. The name comes because the “port” is the left side of a ship (when facing the bow).

Punch and Judy Hitter. Refers to a competent but light-hitting batsmen who keeps his job by racking up singles, infield hits and sacrifice bunts. A good example is St. Louis Cardinals’ shortstop David Eckstein.

Punch-out. A strikeout

Q

Quality Start: A start in which the starting pitcher provides at least six innings pitched and surrenders three or fewer earned runs.

Quick Hook. Refers to a situation where the manager removes a pitcher in the early innings because the hurler is getting shelled.

Rabbit Ears.Term for an umpire who spends too much time and energy listening to the complaints and catcalls from the fans to pay proper attention the game.

Rag Arm. A term for a player (often an outfielder) who has a weak throwing arm.

Rally Caps. A term for a superstitious practice among players and fans alike that turn their caps inside out and/or backwards in a close game in the hopes of getting their team hitting.

Rainmaker. A fly ball that is hit very high.

Ran into a Buzz Saw. A term referring to a team who is playing well but loses to a particularly hot pitcher or team.

Rhubarb. A fight or fracas on the field. Originated by longtime Dodgers and Yankees broadcaster Red Barber.

Riding the Pine. Refers to a player who is sitting on the bench, often because he is underperforming. (Example: Bobby Meacham has been riding the pine since his back-to-back-to back Platinum Sombreros earlier in the week.)

Ribbie. Another term for an RBI (Run Batted In)

Right Down the Pipe. A pitch, usually a fastball that is thrown right in the heart of the hitter’s strike zone.

Ring Up (or rung up): Refers to a pitcher striking a batter out. (Example: Nolan Ryan rung up Fred 'Chicken' Stanley on three pitches, again.)

Round Tripper. A home run. (Example: Chase Wright surrendered four straight round trippers to the Red Sox).

Rubber Game. The deciding game of a 3 or 5 game series that is tied 1-1 or 2-2.

S

Sawed off. Refers to a situation where a batter swings at an inside pitch and either hits a weak pop-up or breaks the bat. (Example: Mariano Rivera sawed off David Ortiz with a hard cut fastball.)

Scoring Position. A runner who is on second or third base is said to be in scoring position because, usually, a single will score him.

Scroogie. Slang term for a screwball.

Seeing Eye Single. A weakly hit ground ball that is placed strategically (or luckily) between the infielders and reaches the outfield for a hit.

Senior Circuit. Refers to the National League, which has been in existence since 1876, as compared to the American league, which was founded in 1901.

Set the Table. To get runners on base ahead of the power hitters in the lineup.

Shell (or got shelled). Refers to a pitcher who is getting hit hard by the offense, surrendering a large number of hits and runs. (Example: Astros starter Mark Lemongello got shelled by the Mets this afternoon, giving up nine runs in three innings.)

Side Retired. When the third out of an inning is called, the side is retired.

Skip or Skipper. Refers to a team’s manager.

Slurve. A slow, big-breaking curve ball

Small ball or playing small ball. Refers to an offensive approach where the team uses bunts, walks, infield hits, hit and run plays, stolen bases, and sacrifices to manufacture runs. (Example: Billy Martin's teams were known for playing small ball.)

Southpaw. A left-handed pitcher. The word was created to describe a lefty because, traditionally, baseball stadiums were built with the pitching mounds facing west and the batter facing east, to prevent the sun from shining in the hitter’s eyes. Thus, when standing on the mound, the lefthander is facing west, but his arm is facing south.

Stanza(s). Another term for Inning(s).

Swing from the Heels. Refers to a hitter who takes honest healthy full swings at pitches, often in an attempt to get an extra base hit. “Reggie Jackson is really swinging from the heels this evening."

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