Tradition and Usage
 

Obviously some baseball terms do not mean what they appear to mean. For example:

Dropped Third Strike (see thread)
Ground Rule Double (same thread)
Forkball or Splitter (my favorite)

I would ask our readers, if interested, to discuss their favorites?

My favorite is when an announcer, such as Joe Buck, who just did it last night, says, "that ball was foul tipped off the catcher's shoe," or words to that effect, instead of saying, "that ball was fouled off the catcher's shoe." Drives me up a wall. Makes me want to get hit by a foul tip sometime during my lifetime.

I got hit all the time by foul tips when I was catching. Also 100% of those hit my hand or glove first.:D

A couple questions (for "technical" fun):
-Should the foul lines and foul poles be called "fair lines" and "fair poles"?
-Should we should say "zero" instead of "O" when indicating the ball and strike count?
(Zero is a number and O is a letter).

And a curious one from softball:
Why do announcers, coaches, etc. refer to the "pitchers mound" when in fact there is no mound on the softball field?

The english language is fun!
Sam

Try as I might I could never throw a knuckleball. I had to use my fingernails like everyone else who throws it.

How about this "you-know-what-I-mean-not-what-I-said" question a coach asked me prior to a game a couple season's ago:
Coach: "Hey Blue, do you have any balls?"
Me: "Yes! I've been told I do."
Coach: (Smiling) "I mean baseballs for the game."
Me: (Smiling) "Yes."
The coach was smooth all game long.
Sam

Coach: "Hey, Blue, I'm appealing."


Umpire: "Not as much as you think."



Tim.

And a curious one from softball:
Why do announcers, coaches, etc. refer to the "pitchers mound" when in fact there is no mound on the softball field?


I'll admit that the only brodcast softball I ever watch is the Women's College WS, but at least there they always call it "the circle".

What the heck is a Dropped Third Strike ? :confused:

Is there something wrong with my rule book ?

I can't find a Dropped Anything anywhere ?

Ahhhhhhhhhh ! :eek:

Help me someone PLEASE !!!!

Okay, I'll help.

SAump was illustrating this very point by listing terms which are not technically correct, but are commonly used. He knows full well that it isn't a Dropped Third Strike. Apparently that whizzed right past your HSM, since that was the whole purpose of this thread.:rolleyes:

"Catchers Interference" should be "Catchers Obstruction" as it is a delayed dead ball.
Sam

CI should be obstruction, but not for the reason given: it should be obstruction (and is called as much in FED) because it's committed by the defense.

Not all interference is an immediate dead ball: batter interference, for instance.

Steve...

I can see I am going to have to send you an email in advance to let you know when I am posting a smarta$$ comment. :cool:

Or maybe just a disclaimer in the post. With some posters the line between "smartass" and "dumbass" is perilously thin.

My point/opinion (as the reason for the OP)
Interference=immediate dead ball
Obstruction=delayed dead ball
Should be catchers obstruction and batters obstruction (not interference)
Let's call it what it is - will the rules folks ever append the "words"?
Sam