Opener (baseball)In baseball, an opening pitcher, more frequently referred to as an opener, is a pitcher who begins a game, but is only expected to get a few outs before being replaced by a long reliever (or follower), in contrast with starting pitchers, who are traditionally expected to pitch as many innings as possible before being replaced.
PitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the defensive numbering system used in baseball, the pitcher is assigned the number 1.
BullpenIn 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 they have not yet played in a game, rather than in the dugout with the rest of the team. The starting pitcher also makes his final pregame warm-up throws in the bullpen.
Relief pitcherIn baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game because of fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection, high pitch count, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather delays or pinch hitter substitutions.
BaseballBat-and-ball gameBaseball is a bat-and-ballsport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play beginning when a player on the fielding team, called the pitcher, throws a ball that a player on the batting team, called the batter, tries to hit with a bat.
Closer (baseball)In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer (abbreviated CL), is a relief pitcher who specializes in getting the final outs in a close game when his team is in the lead. A closer who successfully gets the final outs for their team in the final inning of a game is recorded as a save in baseball statistics. The role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. Before the 1990s, pitchers in similar roles were referred to as a fireman and stopper.
Batting (baseball)In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher. The three main goals of batters are to become a baserunner, to drive runners home or to advance runners along the bases for others to drive home, but the techniques and strategies they use to do so vary.Long relieverA long reliever or long-relief pitcher is a relief pitcher in baseball who enters the game if the starting pitcher leaves the game early. Long relievers often enter within the first three innings of a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue due to either ineffective pitching, lack of endurance, rain delay, injury, strategy, or ejection. The strategy is that the long reliever will pitch enough innings to preclude using many different relievers from the bullpen.
Games startedIn baseball statistics, games started (denoted by GS) indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he throws the first pitch to the first opposing batter.
Glossary of baseball termsThis is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other jargon used in baseball, along with their definitions, including illustrative examples for many entries. Contents: 0–9ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWYZSee alsoReferencesExternal links0–90"Oh and ..." See count.1The number 1 in baseball refers to the pitcher's position, a shorthand call for throwing to first, a single hit, and a fastball sign.
SoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams on a diamond-shaped field, who take turns batting and fielding. There are two primary forms: Fast-pitch and slow-pitch. In both forms, the pitcher throws the ball underhand to batters. In fast-pitch, the ball is typically thrown with a "windmill" motion and releasing the ball at hip level. Pitchers throw balls up to 77 miles per hour (124 km/h).
Setup manIn baseball, a setup man (or set-up man, also sometimes referred to as a setup pitcher or setup reliever) is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the eighth inning, with the closer pitching the ninth. As closers were reduced to one-inning specialists, setup men became more prominent. Setup pitchers often come into the game with the team losing or the game tied.Ace (baseball)In baseball, an ace is a starting pitcher considered the best pitcher on a team's starting rotation. Barring injury or exceptional circumstances, a team's ace typically starts on Opening Day. In addition, aces are usually preferred to start crucial playoff games, sometimes on three days' rest. The term may be a derivation of the nickname of Asa Brainard (real first name: "Asahel"), a 19th-century star pitcher, who was sometimes referred to as "Ace".*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.