“What Did He Say?” – A Texas Rangers Fan’s Quick Guide to Baseball Jargon

Apr 6, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers president

talks with fans during the game against the Los Angeles Angels at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Angels won 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

You love baseball. You love watching baseball. You love everything about it, the history, the friendly rivalries, the statistics, and the obscure facts that someone else might not know and you love baseball lingo/jargon. You’re pretty confident in your knowledge of all these things until the dreaded part-time baseball friend of yours comes over and watches a game with you. Why? Because of the commentators and the colorful commentary they use to describe the game and your friend looks at you and says “What did he say?”

Look, we’ve all been there. Heck, I’m there just about every single game due to the fact that my loved ones have never paid attention to a single baseball game until me and now I have to try to explain to them what Steve Busby and Tom Grieve are talking about during Texas Rangers games. I know my baseball terminology, but when I explain one thing, the family comes up with about another dozen questions or so. Then my brain gets all jumbled because I get frustrated that they don’t understand the SIMPLE explanation and not-to-mention I am missing the game!

So, during the last couple of games I jotted down a few of these terms, along with other things happening during a game, that I have been asked about, as well as a few others. Hopefully, you’ll find this list helpful the next time you have some part-time baseball fans over to watch the Texas Rangers and Buzz says

"With runners at the corners, the pitcher, behind in the count working from the stretch throws a cutter to Beltre. Adrian Beltre chopped it up the middle for a double. Elvis Andrus scores giving Beltre his third RBI of the game”"

you can show this them this handy list of terms and keep watching the game.

*Note: All definitions are from “The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, Third Edition”*