Glossary of baseball (T) facts for kids

Baseball is a super fun sport with lots of special words and phrases! This guide will help you understand some of the unique terms used in baseball, especially those starting with the letter 'T'. Get ready to learn how players talk about hitting, pitching, and fielding in the game.

Baseball Terms Starting with 'T'

Tabasco: A Fast Pitch

When a pitcher throws a ball with a little extra speed, it's sometimes called a "tabasco" pitch. It means the ball is super fast!

Tablesetter: Getting Ready to Score

A "tablesetter" is a player who bats early in the game. They are good at getting on base and stealing bases. This helps the stronger hitters behind them get chances to hit home runs and score runs. It's like they are setting up the table for a big meal! Sometimes, an unexpected event early in a game, like a mistake by a fielder or a batter getting hit by a pitch, can also be called a "tablesetter." It means it sets the stage for how the rest of the game might go.

Tag: Touching a Runner or Hitting the Ball Hard

• A "tag" is when a fielder touches a runner with the ball (or their glove holding the ball) while the runner is in danger of being out. If they do this, the runner is out! This is called a tag out.
• To "tag" the ball also means to hit it very hard, often for an extra-base hit like a double or a home run.

Tag Up: Going Back to Base

When a batter hits a ball that is caught in the air (meaning the batter is out), any runners on base must go back to the base they just left. This is called "tagging up." Once they touch that base again, they can then try to run to the next base. If a runner forgets to tag up, they can be called out later.

Tailgate: The Catcher's Rear

"Tailgate" is a funny way to refer to a catcher's rear end. If an announcer says a catcher "didn't keep his tailgate down," it means a pitched ball was very low and went between the catcher's legs.

Take a Pitch: Not Swinging

When a batter decides not to swing at a pitch, they "take the pitch." A coach might give a "take sign" to tell the batter not to swing. This often happens when the count is 3 balls and 0 strikes, as the batter is likely to get a walk.

Take Something Off the Pitch: Throwing Slower

This means a pitcher throws a pitch slower than usual. It's often done with an off-speed pitch, like a curveball or changeup, to trick the batter.

Take the Bat Out of His Hands: Intentional Walk

To "take the bat out of his hands" means to give a batter an intentional walk. This is when the pitcher purposely throws four balls to let the batter go to first base. Teams do this to avoid a strong hitter from hitting a home run or a big hit that could score many runs.

Take the Crown: Winning the Championship

When a team "takes the crown," it means they win the championship! They have beaten the previous champions and are now the best team.

Take the Field: Starting Defense

When the defensive players run out to their positions at the start of an inning, they have "taken the field." The pitcher "takes the hill" when they go to the pitcher's mound.

Take-Out Slide: Breaking Up a Double Play

A "take-out slide" is a slide into a base that tries to stop the defense from making a play. For example, a runner sliding into second base might try to hit the fielder there. This can make it harder for the fielder to throw the ball to first base and complete a double play. Baseball has rules about how runners must slide. They need to touch the ground before the base and be able to reach the base with a hand or foot. They also shouldn't change their path just to hit a fielder.

Tap: A Soft Hit

To "tap" the ball means to hit a very slow or easy ground ball, usually right back to the pitcher. A ball hit this way is called a "tapper."

Tape Measure Home Run: A Very Long Home Run

An "especially long" home run is called a "tape measure home run." This term started in 1953 when Mickey Mantle hit a ball so far that people actually measured how far it went! Announcers might also call it a "tape measure job."

Tater: Another Word for Home Run

"Tater" is a slang term for a home run. The baseball itself has sometimes been called a "potato" or "tater" for a long time.

Tattoo: Hitting the Ball Hard

To "tattoo" the ball means to hit it very, very hard. It's like the bat's brand mark gets "tattooed" onto the ball because of how hard it was hit.

Tea Party: A Mound Meeting

A "tea party" is when many players, like the pitcher, catcher, and sometimes coaches or managers, gather on the pitcher's mound to talk. It's also called a pow wow.

Tee Off: Hitting Easy Pitches

When a pitcher throws pitches that are easy to hit, batters are said to be "teeing off." It's like hitting a ball off a batting tee, which is very easy.

Terminator: The Pitcher's Best Pitch

A pitcher's "terminator" is their best pitch, the one they use to get batters out when it really matters. It's their most reliable pitch.

Texas Leaguer: A Lucky Hit

A "Texas Leaguer" is a weakly hit fly ball that luckily falls to the ground between an infielder and an outfielder for a single hit. It's also called a flare, blooper, or "bloop single." It got its name from a player named Ollie Pickering in the Texas League who had many such lucky hits in one game.

Third of an Inning: Pitching Statistics

In baseball statistics, a "third of an inning" is used to show how many outs a pitcher got if they didn't finish a full inning. For example, "3.1" means 3 full innings and 1 out, and "5.2" means 5 full innings and 2 outs.

Three-Bagger or Three-Base Hit: A Triple

A "three-bagger" or "three-base hit" is another name for a triple. This is when a batter hits the ball and safely reaches third base.

Three True Outcomes: Walks, Home Runs, Strikeouts

The "three true outcomes" are the three ways a batter's turn at bat can end without any fielders needing to make a play:

• A walk (the batter gets to first base for free)
• A home run (the batter hits the ball out of the park)
• A strikeout (the batter swings and misses three times, or gets three strikes)

These outcomes show a player's power and patience, even if they don't get many regular hits.

Three Up, Three Down: A Quick Inning

When a pitcher faces only three batters in an inning, it's called "three up, three down." This is a great goal for any pitcher because it means they got three outs quickly. Even if a batter gets on base, if the next two batters create a double play, it can still be a "three up, three down" inning.

Through the Wickets: A Ball Through the Legs

If a batted ball goes right through a fielder's legs, it's said to have gone "through the wickets." This term comes from the game of croquet, where balls are hit through arches called wickets. When this happens in baseball, it usually means the fielder made a mistake, and it's often recorded as an error.

Throw a Clothesline: A Hard, Flat Throw

When a fielder throws the ball so hard and straight that it barely arcs, they have "thrown a clothesline." It's like a rope stretched tight.

Throw Him the Chair: A Strikeout

This is a fun way to say a pitcher got a strikeout. It means the batter is out and has to go "sit down" in the dugout.

Thrower: A Pitcher with Less Control

A "thrower" is a pitcher who throws the ball very hard but might not have great accuracy or command over where the ball goes. A "pitcher" usually has better control and is more successful at getting batters out.

Throwing Seeds/Throwing the Pill/Throwing BBs: A Very Fast Fastball

These phrases mean a pitcher's fastball is so fast and good that the baseball seems tiny and hard to hit, like a seed, a pill, or a BB.

Tie Him Up: Pitching Inside

To "tie him up" means to throw a pitch very close to the batter's body, especially on their hands. This makes it hard for the batter to swing properly.

Tilt: A Game or Matchup

"Tilt" is another word for a game or a face-off between two teams or competitors. You might see a headline like "Phillies beat Mets in key NL East tilt."

Time Play: Scoring Before the Third Out

A "time play" happens when a run scores on the same play as the third out. For the run to count, the runner must touch home plate before the third out is made, as long as the third out isn't a force out or the batter being out before reaching first base.

Tin Glove: A Poor Fielder

Someone who is not good at fielding (playing defense) is sometimes said to have a "tin glove." This is a sarcastic joke, comparing it to the Gold Glove award given to the best defensive players. A tin glove would be stiff and hard to use!

Tipping: Giving Away the Pitch

"Tipping" or "telegraphing" pitches is when a pitcher accidentally shows what kind of pitch they are about to throw. This could be a small movement, how they hold their glove, or how they stand. It's like a "tell" in poker, where a player's actions give away information. Coaches and players on the other team watch closely for these "tells" to try and guess what pitch is coming. Pitchers and their coaches often study videos to make sure they aren't "tipping" their pitches.

Toe the Slab: To Pitch

"Toe the slab" or "toe the rubber" means to take the mound and pitch. It literally refers to the pitcher putting their foot on the rubber on the pitcher's mound.

Took the Ball Out of the Catcher's Glove: A Late Swing

When a batter swings a little late and hits the ball to the opposite side of the field, a broadcaster might say they "took the ball out of the catcher's glove." This means the batter hit the ball just before the catcher could catch it.

Took the Collar: Went Hitless

If a batter "took the collar," it means they didn't get any hits in a game. See collar.

Tomahawk: Hitting a High Pitch

To "tomahawk" a pitch means to hit a high pitch, sometimes one that's outside the strike zone. The batter might swing downwards, like they are swinging a tomahawk.

Tools: Player Skills

"Tools" refers to the different skills a baseball player has, like hitting for power, hitting for average, running fast, throwing well, and fielding well. A player with all these skills is called a 5-tool player.

Tools of Ignorance: Catcher's Gear

"Tools of ignorance" is a playful nickname for a catcher's protective gear, like their mask, chest protector, and shin guards. It's a joke because catchers put themselves in a dangerous position behind home plate.

Top of the Inning: The First Half

The "top of the inning" is the first half of an inning when the visiting team bats. It's called "top" because of how it looks in the scorecard.

Top-Step Pitcher: Manager Ready to Make a Change

When a pitcher is struggling and might be taken out of the game, the manager might stand on the "top step" of the dugout. This shows they are ready to go to the mound and replace the pitcher at any moment.

Tore the Cover Off the Ball: Hitting Very Hard

This phrase means a batter hit the ball so incredibly hard that it's like they literally "tore the cover off the ball."

Tossed: Ejected from the Game

When a player or manager is "tossed," it means an umpire has ordered them to leave the game. This usually happens because they argued too much with an umpire. It's similar to getting a "red card" in soccer. See ejected.

Total Bases: Measuring Hitting Power

"Total bases" is a way to measure a batter's hitting power. It's the sum of the bases a batter gets from their hits:

• Single = 1 base
• Double = 2 bases
• Triple = 3 bases
• Home Run = 4 bases

If you divide total bases by the number of times a batter is at bat, you get their slugging average, which shows how much power they have.

Touch All the Bases: Hitting a Home Run

To "touch all the bases" or "touch 'em all" means to hit a home run. A player must literally touch every base (first, second, third, and home plate) after hitting a home run, or they can be called out!

Touched Up: A Pitcher Giving Up Hits

When a pitcher gives up several hits and runs, they are said to have been "touched up." It means the opposing team hit them pretty well.

Touchdown: A Seven-Run Difference

This term comes from American football. A "touchdown" in baseball means a seven-run difference between two teams. For example, if a team is ahead 10-3, they are "up by a touchdown."

TR: Throws Right

"TR" stands for "Throws Right." It's used in a player's description to show which hand they throw with, like "John Doe (TR, BR)" means he throws right and bats right.

Track Down: Catching a Ball

To "track down" a ball means a fielder has to run a good distance to stop a ground ball or catch a fly ball. For example, a great outfielder can "track down flies" in the outfield.

Trap: A Ball That Hits the Ground First

When a fielder tries to catch a batted ball in the air but it hits the ground just before it goes into their glove, they have "trapped the ball." It looks like a catch, but it's not. Sometimes, it's hard for the umpire to tell if it was a catch or a trap. If it's a trap, the batter is not out.

Triple: A Three-Base Hit

A "triple" is a hit where the batter safely reaches third base.

Triple Crown: Leading in Three Categories

• For a batter, winning the "triple crown" means they lead their league in three main categories at the end of the season: home runs, runs batted in (RBI), and batting average.
• For a pitcher, winning the "triple crown" means they lead their league in earned run average (ERA), wins, and strikeouts. This is a very rare and impressive achievement!

Triple Play: Three Outs on One Play

A "triple play" is when three outs are made on just one play. This is extremely rare in baseball. It usually happens when:

• The batter hits a sharp ground ball to an infielder, who quickly throws the ball around the bases to get three runners out.
• Runners are trying to steal bases, but an infielder catches a hard-hit line drive. The infielder then quickly throws to the bases to get the other runners out before they can get back.

An even rarer "unassisted triple play" happens when one fielder makes all three outs by themselves!

Turn Two: Making a Double Play

To "turn two" means to successfully complete a double play, getting two outs on one play.

Twin Bill: A Doubleheader

A "twin bill" is another name for a doubleheader, which is when two games are played back-to-back on the same day.

Twin Killing: A Double Play or Winning Both Games

• A "twin killing" can mean a double play.
• It can also mean winning both games of a doubleheader.

Twirler: An Old Term for a Pitcher

"Twirler" is an old-fashioned term for a pitcher. In the early days of baseball, pitchers would sometimes "twirl" their arms in circles before throwing the ball. This motion was called a "windup." The term "hurler" is a more modern word for a pitcher.

Two Away or Two Down: Two Outs

When there are two outs in an inning, announcers might say "two away" or "two down."

Two-Bagger or Two-Base Hit: A Double

A "two-bagger" or "two-base hit" is another name for a double. This is when a batter hits the ball and safely reaches second base.

Two-Seam Fastball: A Pitch with Movement

A "two-seam fastball" is a type of fastball where the pitcher holds the ball so that only two seams are visible to the batter as it spins. This grip makes the ball move slightly downward and away from the pitcher's arm as it crosses the plate. It's also called a "two-seamer" or a sinker.

Two-Sport Player: Playing Two Professional Sports

A "two-sport player" is someone who plays two different professional sports at a high level. While many college athletes play two sports, it's very rare for someone to play two major league professional sports at the same time. Famous examples include Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders, who played both baseball and American football.

Two-Way Player: Good at Pitching and Hitting (or Offense and Defense)

• A "two-way player" is a player who is good at both pitching and hitting. The most famous example is Babe Ruth, who started as an amazing pitcher and later became one of the greatest home run hitters ever.
• Sometimes, the term is also used for a player who is excellent at both offense (hitting) and defense (fielding).