"Chicks Dig the Long Ball" and MLB's 25 Greatest Phrases and Terms
Over the years, there have been some inventive terms that announcers have used to describe events that occur in baseball games. Other terms are heard on highlight shows.
Many of the terms should be recognized by even the most casual of baseball fans. However, some of the terms may not have been heard by many fans before.
25) Dying Quail
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A dying quail is a bloop hit that lands just past the infielder and in front of the outfielder. The term is used in part of one of Kevin Costner's speeches in Bull Durham. He mentions it when talking about the difference between batting .250 and .300. However, the term was first used by Brooks Robinson.
24) Seeing-Eye Single
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A seeing-eye single is a ground ball that manages to find its way by the infielders for a base hit. Former New York Mets second baseman Luis "Slappy" Castillo got many of his hits this way.
23) AAAA Player
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This is a player who had tremendous success at the AAA level but struggles in the majors. Recent players who have been considered AAAA players are Jack Cust and Jake Fox.
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22) Murderers' Row
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This term originated with the 1927 New York Yankees. Their powerful lineup featured Earle Combs, Mark Koenig, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bob Meusel and Tony Lazzeri in the first six spots of their batting order. These were some of the top players in MLB at the time.
The term is now used to describe a lineup that features a number of power hitters.
21) Got Good Wood
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This term describes when a player makes solid contact with the ball. The derivation of the term is fairly simple. A baseball bat is made of wood; thus, when solid contact is made, a player got a lot of the wood on the ball.
20) Human Rain Delay
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This term refers to a player, either a batter or a pitcher, that takes a long time in between pitches, thus extending the time of the game.
The term was first used to describe Mike Hargrove because of his long routine at the plate. The term was also more recently used to describe Steve Trachsel, who would take a lot of time between each pitch.
19) Warning Track Power
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The term is used to describe players who cannot quite get the ball out of the ballpark. These players may hit a lot of doubles, but they struggle to get the ball any further than the warning track.
18) Ducks on the Pond
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This term refers to multiple men on base. The phrase was originally used by Washington Senators broadcaster Arch McDonald. He was a big hunter, and this likely influenced this term.
17) Can of Corn
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A can of corn is a fly ball that is easy for an outfielder to make a play on. It is rumored that the origin of the term, which dates back to the late 1890s, comes from the fact that grocers would knock a can of corn off a high shelf with a stick and then catch it.
16) Hit 'Em Where They Ain't
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Some of the best advice in baseball. If a hitter can hit the ball where the fielders are not, it will drop in for a hit. This strategy is seen in many hitters who have a high BABIP.
15) Uncle Charlie
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An Uncle Charlie is a devastating 12-to-6 curve. There is no reason behind why this term represents a curve.
14) Web Gem
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This term has become synonymous with an outstanding defensive play. The term was created by Baseball Tonight in 2000.
13) Golden Sombrero
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This is something that a player never wants to experience. Striking out four times in a game is an embarrassing experience. The only thing worse than getting a golden sombrero is getting a platinum one for striking out five times.
12) Twin Killing
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This term is another name for a double play. Its name comes from the fact that two batters are out on the same play. Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker were one of the best duos of all time when it came to turning double plays.
11) Bang-Bang Play
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These close plays can be very controversial. A poor call on a bang-bang play cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game last season. These calls happen often, and Galarraga had no ill feelings towards umpire Jim Joyce afterward.
10) Texas Leaguer
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This is yet another term for a blooper that falls in between an infielder and an outfielder.
The term's origins are debated. One theory is that there was a Texas League team that hit a lot of bloop singles. Another possible origin is the fact that Ollie Pickering, a Texas League player, once reached base on seven straight bloop singles.
9) Fall Classic
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The greatest event of any baseball season. The World Series has been played in the fall for almost every season in Major League Baseball history. As a result, it gained its current nickname.
8) Touch 'Em All
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This phrase is a baseball classic. After a home run a batter gets to take a trot around the bases and touch 'em all.
7) The Show
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It is a big moment in a young player's career when he finally makes it to the Show. This term is so tied to baseball that it is used in the name of MLB video games.
6) Bleacher Creatures
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The Bleacher Creatures are a group of fans from Yankee Stadium that are relentless. They are one of the most dedicated groups of fans in baseball.
5) Chin Music
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It's a pitch that's high and tight. This usually sends a message to the opposing batter that the pitcher wants him to back off the plate and that he is trying to get in his head.
4) Duck Snort
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This seemingly odd phrase is used to describe a bloop single. This was initially referred to as a duck fart, but White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson coined the term duck snort to make it more family-friendly.
3) Bush League
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This term is used to refer to poor-quality baseball. Bush League originates from the fact that in the early days many minor-league teams were in the bushes or the sticks. The term now has meaning outside of baseball and can refer to a substandard action or decision made by anyone.
2) Chicks Dig the Long Ball
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This phrase comes from a Nike commercial featuring Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and Mark McGwire. Heather Locklear is giving McGwire all the attention because he hits home runs while she doesn't care about Glavine or Maddux's Cy Young Awards.
1) It's Outta Here
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This is the best call in baseball. It is a classic and one that is heard after many home runs. There is nothing more exciting in baseball than the home run.
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