Glossary of baseball (K) facts for kids

Baseball Terms Starting with K

This section explains some important baseball words that start with the letter 'K'. Knowing these terms will help you better understand the game!

K: What is a Strikeout?

The letter K is the short way to write strikeout in baseball. When you see a 'K' next to a player's name in a scorebook, it means they got out by striking out. Sometimes, a 'K' written backwards (like a mirror image) means the batter struck out without swinging at the third strike. This is called a called strikeout.

A famous writer named Henry Chadwick came up with using 'K'. He picked the letter 'K' because it was a strong letter and made him think of a "knockout" in boxing. This is why sometimes announcers say a pitcher "punched out" a batter, meaning they got them out with a strikeout.

Keep Off the Boards

When a team "keeps off the board" (or "keeps off the boards"), it means they stop the other team from scoring any runs. If a team doesn't score, they don't add numbers to the scoreboard.

For example, if a pitcher like Wainwright has "kept runs off the board" better than Lester, it means Wainwright has been more successful at stopping the other team from scoring. Another example: "After loading the bases, the Gators were kept off the board," means the Gators had runners in scoring position but couldn't get any runs across home plate.

Keep the Hitter Honest

A pitcher needs to "keep the hitter honest" by throwing different kinds of pitches. This makes it hard for the batter to guess what pitch is coming next. If a pitcher always throws the same pitch, batters will know what to expect and hit the ball easily.

To keep a hitter honest, a pitcher might throw fastballs, curveballs, or even a brushback pitch. A brushback pitch is thrown close to the batter to make them step back from the plate. This stops the batter from leaning over too much to hit pitches on the outside edge of the plate.

Keep the Line Moving

"Keep the line moving" means that batters keep getting on base and moving other runners around the bases. It's like an assembly line where each person does their part to keep things going. In baseball, it means one batter gets a hit, then the next batter gets a hit, and so on, helping runners score.

The 2015 Kansas City Royals were very good at this. During their amazing run to win the World Series in 2015, they often got many hits in a row. This helped them score lots of runs without relying on just one big home run.

Keystone

The word "keystone" has two meanings in baseball:

• Second Base: It can refer to second base itself.
• Keystone Combination: It also refers to the two players who play closest to second base: the shortstop and the second baseman. These two players often work together to make double plays, which are plays where two offensive players are put out.

Kicked

When a player makes an error while trying to field a ground ball, people might say they "kicked the ball" or "kicked it." This means they mishandled the ball, often letting it get past them or bounce off their glove in a bad way.

Kill

The word "kill" has a couple of meanings in baseball:

• Kill the Ball: If a batter hits the ball very far and hard, people might say they "killed the ball."
• Kill the Rally: When a pitcher stops the other team from scoring runs during an offensive rally, they are said to have "killed the rally." This means they got the necessary outs to end the scoring threat.

Knee-Buckler

A "knee-buckler" is a type of breaking ball, usually a curveball, that drops very sharply. It looks like it's coming right at the batter, which might make their knees feel like they're buckling from fear! But then, at the last moment, the ball drops perfectly into the strike zone. This sudden drop often makes it very hard for the batter to hit.

Knock

The word "knock" has several uses in baseball:

• Knock In: To "knock in" a run means to get an RBI (Run Batted In). This happens when your hit allows a runner to score. For example, "Kenny Lofton knocked in the winning run with a single."
• A Hit: "Knock" can also simply mean a hit. For instance, "a two-base knock" means a double.
• Knocks: This term can refer to hard hits or extra-base hits (like doubles, triples, or home runs). It doesn't always mean runs were scored. "Curtis had some solid knocks today" means he hit the ball well multiple times.
• Knocked Around: If a pitcher gives up many hits and is taken out of the game, they are said to have been "knocked around" or "knocked out of the game." This means the opposing team hit their pitches very well.
• Knock Down: When an infielder stops a hard-hit line drive from getting into the outfield, they "knock it down." They might then pick up the ball and throw the runner out.
• Knock Off: To "knock off" an opponent means to win the game against them. "Hawai'i knocks off Santa Clara" means Hawai'i defeated Santa Clara.
• Knock the Cover Off the Ball: This is a fun phrase meaning to hit the baseball extremely hard. It's an exaggeration, of course, as the cover doesn't actually come off!

Knuckleball

A knuckleball is a special pitch that has almost no spin. Pitchers usually throw it by holding the ball with their knuckles or fingertips. Because it doesn't spin, the ball flutters and moves in unpredictable ways as it flies toward home plate. This makes it very difficult for batters to hit.

Sometimes, a batted ball that flutters in the air is also described as flying "like a knuckleball." Other names for a knuckleball include: knuckler, flutterball, butterfly ball, or floater.