Glossary of baseball (V) facts for kids
Baseball has many unique words and phrases! Here are some terms that start with the letter "V" that you might hear when watching or playing the game.
Understanding "V" Terms in Baseball
What Does "Visit" Mean in Baseball?
In baseball, the word "visit" can mean a couple of different things.
Visiting Team
When a baseball team plays a game away from their home stadium, they are called the visiting team. The fans who travel to watch them play in another city are also considered "visitors." It's like when you go to a friend's house – you're visiting them!
Visit to the Mound
Sometimes, you'll see a coach, manager, or catcher walk out to the pitcher's mound to talk to the pitcher. This is called a visit to the mound. They might do this to give advice, calm the pitcher down, or discuss strategy during the game.
What is VORP?
VORP stands for Value Over Replacement Player. It's a special way to measure how good a baseball player is. A smart person named Keith Woolner created this method.
How VORP Works
VORP helps teams figure out a player's true worth. It compares a player's performance, like how many runs they help score, to an "imaginary" player. This imaginary player is called a "replacement-level" player. Think of a replacement-level player as someone who is just good enough to be in the league and can be hired for a very low salary.
If a player has a high VORP, it means they are much better than a basic replacement player. This helps teams decide if a player is worth their salary and how valuable they are to the team's success.
What is a "Vulture" in Baseball?
In baseball, a "vulture" is a nickname for a certain type of relief pitcher. A relief pitcher is someone who comes into the game after the starting pitcher.
How a Reliever Becomes a "Vulture"
A relief pitcher gets called a "vulture" when they earn a win in a game without doing a lot of pitching work. This often happens when their team is losing, and the reliever comes into the game. If their team then makes a big comeback and takes the lead while that reliever is pitching, the reliever gets credited with the win. It's like they "swooped in" and took the win, even if they only pitched for a short time.
