The following

outline Outline or outlining may refer to: * Outline (list), a document summary, in hierarchical list format * Code folding, a method of hiding or collapsing code or text to see content in outline form * Outline drawing, a sketch depicting the outer edge ...

is provided as an overview of and topical guide to baseball: Baseball – bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond.

What ''type'' of thing is baseball?

Exercise Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic ...

– bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health or wellness. *

Game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...

– structured activity, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more concerned with the expression of ideas. However, the distinction is not clear-cut, and many games are also considered to be work (such as professional sports). ** Ball game – game played with a ball. *** Bat-and-ball game – field game played by two teams which alternate between "batting" and "fielding" roles. The fielding team defends, so only the batting team may score, but they have equal chances in both roles. * Sport – form of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. ** Competitive sport – sport in which one or more participants or teams compete against one another. The one that is the most successful in achieving the objective of the game or sport event is the winner. ** Team sport – sport that involves players working together towards a shared objective. **

Recreation Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...

al sport – sport engaged in as a leisure time activity. **

Spectator sport A spectator sport is a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its competitions. Spectator sports may be professional sports or amateur sports. They often are distinguished from participant sports, which are m ...

– sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. Spectator sports are a form of entertainment. ** Professional sport – sport in which the athletes receive payment for their performance.

General baseball concepts

Equipment of the game

* Baseball bat * Baseball (ball) * Baseball glove *

Baseball field A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...

** Batter's eye **

Bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if t ...

** Infield **

On-deck In baseball, on-deck refers to being next in line to bat. In a professional game, the batter who is on deck traditionally waits in a location in the foul territory called the on-deck circle. Being ''on-deck'' only guarantees the batter will get ...

** Outfield ** Warning track

Rules of the game

* Baseball rules ** Balk **

Baserunning In baseball, base running is the act of running from base to base, performed by members of the team at bat. Base running is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home base (home plate) to score a run. Batters strive to ...

Batting out of turn In baseball, batting out of turn or batting out of order refers to an event in which a batter makes a plate appearance out of sequence from the batting order specified in the lineup card submitted by the manager to the home plate umpire before ...

Bunt Bunt may refer to: * Bunt (community), an elite social group from Karnataka, India * Bunt (baseball), a batting technique in baseball * Bunt (sail), a part of a ship's sail * Bunt Island, island in Antarctica * The Bunt, nickname of the Bunting ...

** Business rules (see ''

The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book ''The Official Professional Baseball Rules Book'' governs all aspects of the game of Major League Baseball beyond what happens on the field of play. There are a number of sources for these rules, but they all ultimately are sanctioned by the Offi ...

'') **

Catch Catch may refer to: In sports * Catch (game), children's game * Catch (baseball), a maneuver in baseball * Catch (cricket), a mode of dismissal in cricket * Catch or reception (gridiron football) * Catch, part of a rowing stroke In music * Catc ...

Defensive substitution A defensive substitution in the game of baseball occurs when a currently non-playing player is placed into the field in place of another player, typically due either to injury or the appearance of a pinch hitter. In the American League, a pinch ...

** Designated hitter ** Double switch ** Extra innings **

Fair ball In baseball, a fair ball is a batted ball that entitles the batter to attempt to reach first base. By contrast, a foul ball is a batted ball that does not entitle the batter to attempt to reach first base. Whether a batted ball is fair or foul is ...

Force play In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled (or ''forced'') to vacate their starting base (time-of-pitch base) and try to advance to the next base. When a runner is forced to advance to a base, they are forced out if an o ...

** Forfeit **

Foul ball In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that: * Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or * Bounces and then goes past first or third base on or over foul territory, or * Has its first bounce occu ...

** Foul tip ** Fourth out **

Ground rule double A ground rule double is a baseball rule that awards two bases from the time of pitch to all baserunners including the batter-runner, as a result of the ball leaving play after being hit fairly and leaving the field under a condition of the ground ...

Ground rules In baseball, ground rules are special rules particular to each baseball park (grounds) in which the game is played. Unlike the well-defined playing field of most other sports, the playing area of a baseball field extends to an outfield fence in fa ...

** Hit **

Hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...

** Home run **

In flight In baseball, the rules state that a batted ball is considered in flight when it has not yet touched any object other than a fielder or his equipment. Such a ball can be caught by a fielder to put the batter out. Once a batted ball touches the g ...

** Infield fly rule **

Injured list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...

(historically known as "disabled list") **

Inning In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team ...

Instant replay in baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) uses instant replay review to allow league officials to review certain types of plays in order to determine the accuracy of the initial call of the umpires on the field. Reviews may be initiated either by a team's mana ...

Interference Interference is the act of interfering, invading, or poaching. Interference may also refer to: Communications * Interference (communication), anything which alters, modifies, or disrupts a message * Adjacent-channel interference, caused by extra ...

** Invisible runner rule **

Knickerbocker Rules The Knickerbocker Rules are a set of baseball rules formalized by William R. Wheaton and William H. Tucker of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club in 1845. They have previously been considered to be the basis for the rules of the modern game, althoug ...

** Live ball **

Neighborhood play In baseball, a neighborhood play is a force play in which a fielder receiving the ball in attempting to force out a runner at second base, catches and quickly throws the ball to first base in a double play attempt without actually touching second ...

** Obstruction **

Out Out may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 * ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander * ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...

** Pace of play ** Pitch clock ** Pitching position ** Quick pitch **

Rainout A rainout is the process of precipitation causing the removal of radioactive particles from the atmosphere onto the ground, creating nuclear fallout by rain. The rainclouds of the rainout are often formed by the particles of a nuclear explosion it ...

Run Run(s) or RUN may refer to: Places * Run (island), one of the Banda Islands in Indonesia * Run (stream), a stream in the Dutch province of North Brabant People * Run (rapper), Joseph Simmons, now known as "Reverend Run", from the hip-hop group ...

** Rundown **

Safe A safe (also called a strongbox or coffer) is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or fire. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face being removable or hinged to form a door. The body and ...

** Strike zone **

Suspended game A suspended game in baseball occurs when a game has to be stopped before it can be completed, and the game is meant to be finished at a later time or date. Suspended games are used in Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, and may also be u ...

Tag out In baseball and softball, a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because a fielder touches him with the ball or with the hand or glove holding the ball, while the ball is live and the runner is in jeopa ...

** Tag up ** Time of pitch **

Uncaught third strike In baseball and softball, an uncaught third strike (sometimes referred to as dropped third strike or non-caught third strike) occurs when the catcher fails to cleanly catch a pitch for the third strike of a plate appearance. In Major League Base ...

History of baseball

* History of baseball ** Origins of baseball

Baseball leagues, teams, and organizations

National team competitions

* Baseball World Cup * World Baseball Classic * WBSC Premier12 * Baseball at the Summer Olympics *

Baseball at the Pan American Games The baseball tournament at the Pan American Games has long been considered to be one of the premier international baseball events in the world, even higher than the Olympic Games. This is because the level of competition is higher than in the Olym ...

In North America

* Major League Baseball * National League ** Atlanta Braves ** Arizona Diamondbacks **

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

Colorado Rockies The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors Fie ...

** Los Angeles Dodgers **

Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The franc ...

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

** New York Mets **

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

** San Diego Padres ** San Francisco Giants ** St. Louis Cardinals ** Washington Nationals * American League ** Baltimore Orioles ** Boston Red Sox ** Chicago White Sox ** Cleveland Indians **

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

** Los Angeles Angels **

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

** New York Yankees **

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

** Seattle Mariners ** Tampa Bay Rays ** Texas Rangers ** Toronto Blue Jays * Minor League Baseball ** see

List of Minor League Baseball leagues and teams There are 14 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) leagues and 206 teams in operation across the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada, which are affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) teams. They are organized by one of five classes (fro ...

* Mexican League * Winter Leagues ** Colombian Professional Baseball League **

Dominican Winter Baseball League Dominican may refer to: * Someone or something from or related to the Dominican Republic ( , stress on the "mi"), on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles, in the Caribbean ** People of the Dominican Republic ** Demographics of the Domi ...

Mexican Pacific League The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule run ...

** Puerto Rico Baseball League ** Venezuelan Professional Baseball League *

Amateur baseball in the United States Amateur baseball is baseball in which the players either are not paid for playing, or (as in Town Team Baseball) receive only a modest stipend or employment arranged by the team's boosters. Amateur baseball is played in the United States by pl ...

** All-American Amateur Baseball Association ** National Baseball Congress **

National Adult Baseball Association The National Adult Baseball Association (NABA) is an adult, amateur baseball organization, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. It offers competitive and recreational baseball for players in over 125 leagues in over 40 U.S. states. Over 25,000 pla ...

** American Legion Baseball ** NCAA Baseball ** American Amateur Baseball Congress ** Pony League ** Little League

Other Latin American Leagues

Brazilian Baseball Championship The Brazilian Baseball Championship ( pt, Campeonato Brasileiro de Beisebol) is the highest competition of baseball in Brazil. It is organized by the Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation (CBBS). The tournament consists of 16 local teams ...

* Pan American Baseball Confederation (COPABE) *

Baseball in Cuba Baseball was popularized in Cuba by Nemesio Guillot, who founded the first major baseball club in the country. It became the most played sport in the country in the 1870s, before the period of American intervention. Despite its American origin, ...

** Cuba national baseball team ** Cuban National Series * Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League

Baseball in Europe

* Confederation of European Baseball *

European Cup The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competit ...

* Austrian Baseball League * Vlaamse Baseball en Softball Liga (Belgium) * Ligue Francophone Belge de Baseball-Softball (Belgium) * Ceskomoravska League (Czech Republic) * Croatian Baseball League *

Division Élite The Division Élite is the highest level of Baseball in France. Its clubs compete for the Championnat de France de baseball. Organization It is an eight-team league that plays a 28-game schedule on weekends, with the season running from late Mar ...

(France) * Bundesliga (Germany) * British Baseball Federation (Great Britain) * Hellenic Amateur Baseball Federation (Greece) * Danish Baseball Federation * Irish Baseball League * Italian Baseball League * Honkbal Hoofdklasse (Netherlands) * Norway Softball and Baseball Federation * Portuguese Baseball and Softball Federation * Slovak Baseball Federation (Slovakia) *

División de Honor de Béisbol Division de Honor de Béisbol is the highest level of baseball in Spain.Spanish baseball competitions

(Spain) *

Elitserien Elitserien (literally, "the Elite League") is the name of several Swedish nationwide sport leagues. In many sports, Elitserien is the highest league, with the second highest named Allsvenskan. Elitserien leagues at present: * Elitserien (badmint ...

(Sweden) * Turkish Baseball Softball American Football and Rugby Federation * Federation Baseball Softball Ukraine

Baseball in Asia

* Nippon Professional Baseball (Japan) * Central League ** Chunichi Dragons ** Hanshin Tigers ** Hiroshima Carp ** Tokyo Yakult Swallows ** Yokohama BayStars ** Yomiuri Giants * Pacific League ** Chiba Lotte Marines ** Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks ** Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters **

Orix Buffaloes The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team formed as a result of the 2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment by the merger of the Orix BlueWave of Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes of Osaka, Osaka Prefectur ...

** Saitama Seibu Lions ** Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles * China Baseball League (People's Republic of China) *

Korea Professional Baseball The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...

(Korea) *

Baseball Philippines The Philippine Amateur Baseball Association (PABA) is the national governing body for amateur baseball in the Philippines. Presidents *Dominador Pangilinan (?–1986) *Hector Navasero (1986–2013) *Ely Baradas (2013; acting) *Marty Eizmendi (2 ...

* Chinese Professional Baseball League (Taiwan)

Baseball in Africa

* African Baseball & Softball Association

Baseball in Oceania

* Australian Baseball League * New Zealand Baseball

Defunct Leagues

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

** Leagues *** Negro National League (1920–31) *** Eastern Colored League (1923–28) *** American Negro League (1929) ***

Negro Southern League (1920–36) Negro Southern League may refer to either or both of two Negro baseball leagues in the US in the first half of the twentieth century: * Negro Southern League (1920–36) * Negro Southern League (1945–51) See also * NSL (disambiguation) NSL m ...

, minor league ***

East-West League East West (or East and West) may refer to: *East–West dichotomy, the contrast between Eastern and Western society or culture Arts and entertainment Books, journals and magazines *'' East, West'', an anthology of short stories written by Salm ...

(1932) *** Negro National League (1933–48) ***

Negro Southern League (1945–51) Negro Southern League may refer to either or both of two Negro baseball leagues in the US in the first half of the twentieth century: * Negro Southern League (1920–36) * Negro Southern League (1945–51) See also * NSL (disambiguation) NSL ma ...

, minor league ***

Negro American League The Negro American League was one of the several Negro leagues created during the time organized American baseball was segregated. The league was established in 1937, and disbanded after its 1962 season. Negro American League franchises :''An ...

(1937–60) ** Teams in the Negro leaguesListed are teams in operation for five or more years * Former Major Leagues **

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

(1882–91) **

Union Association The Union Association was a league in Major League Baseball which lasted for just the 1884 season. St. Louis won the pennant and joined the National League the following season. Seven of the twelve teams who were in the Association at some poi ...

(1884) **

Players' League The Players' National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, popularly known as the Players' League (PL), was a short-lived but star-studded professional American baseball league of the 19th century. The PL was formed by the Brotherhood of Prof ...

(1890) ** Federal League (1914–15) * Cuban League *

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

Baseball publications

* ''

Baseball America ''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form o ...

'' * ''

Baseball Magazine ''Baseball Magazine'' is a now-defunct baseball magazine, the first monthly baseball magazine published in the United States. The magazine was founded by Boston sportswriter Jake Morse prior to the 1908 season. It continued publishing until Sep ...

'' * ''

Baseball Digest ''Baseball Digest'' is a baseball magazine resource, published in Orlando, Florida by Grandstand Publishing, LLC. It is the longest-running baseball magazine in the United States. History and profile It was created by Herbert F. Simons, a spor ...

'' * '' Baseball Hobby News''

Persons influential in baseball

Contributors

* List of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame *

Ford C. Frick Award The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball". It is named for Ford C. Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Before h ...

, presented annually by the Hall of Fame for excellence in baseball broadcasting (article includes a list of honorees) *

BBWAA Career Excellence Award The BBWAA Career Excellence Award, formerly the J. G. Taylor Spink Award, is the highest award given by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). It is given "for meritorious contributions to baseball writing" and voted on annually by ...

, presented annually by the Baseball Writers' Association of America for excellence in baseball writing (article includes a list of honorees) * Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, presented no more often than every three years by the Hall of Fame for outstanding contributions to baseball's image (article includes a list of honorees) * People not directly connected with the sport who nevertheless made a contribution: ** Roger Angell, essayist and Spink Award winner **

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...

, documentarian **

Charles Feltman __FORCETOC__ Charles Feltman (1841–1910) was a German-American restaurateur. He is one of several claimed inventors of the hot dog. From pushcart to restaurant mogul Feltman was born in 1841 in Germany and emigrated to America in 1856, at the ag ...

, inventor of the hot dog **

Bill James George William James (born October 5, 1949) is an American baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics. ...

, author and statistician ** Michael Lewis, author of ''

Moneyball ''Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game'' is a book by Michael Lewis, published in 2003, about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its general manager Billy Beane. Its focus is the team's analytical, evidence-based, sabermetric approa ...

'' **

Topps Chewing Gum The Topps Company, Inc. is an American company that manufactures chewing gum, candy, and collectibles. Formerly based in New York City, Topps is best known as a leading producer of American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, ...

, producer of baseball cards

Players

* Lists of Major League Baseball players * List of 19th-century baseball players *

List of Negro league baseball players This list comprises players who have appeared in Negro league baseball. Complete list of players The complete list is divided into four pages to reduce the size: * List of Negro league baseball players (A–D) * List of Negro league baseball ...

Umpires

* List of Major League Baseball umpires

Managers and Coaches

* List of Major League Baseball managers by wins *

List of college baseball coaches with 1,100 wins This is a list of NCAA baseball coaches with 1,100 career wins through the completion of the 2021 season. Key Coaches with 1,100 career wins References {{College athletic coaching wins leaders in the United States * Baseball Ba ...

Owners

* List of Major League Baseball principal owners