Every sport has its set of rules. Football has its own, about fouls, scoring, the ball going past each of the lines, and so on and so forth. Rules are here to make the sport playable and competitive. You cannot measure someone’s skills in a competitive environment without having rules. Boxing has rules that might make other people question it constantly, but that doesn’t stop enthusiasts from the popular Joshua vs Ruiz betting. Other sports have stricter rules, which is why many people prefer soccer or basketball over boxing for example.
Baseball, like all the other sports, has its own rules. The rules might change very slightly from league to league, but the general idea of playing the game stays the same. Football can also vary from one league to another, yet the general rules of scoring, fouling and handling the ball remain the same. Here is everything you need to know about playing baseball.
The Baseball Field – Lines and Bases
The baseball field is consisted of the infield and the outfield. There are four bases, starting from the home base, and three additional ones, all apart from one another by the same distance, and a 90 degree angle, thus making a square. Within the square, or rather, infield, you can find the pitcher’s mound, where the pitcher stands. Outside the infield is the dirt infield. Two lines extend from the home base to the third and first base, and go far beyond them. They are called foul lines. The game is played with aluminium or wooden bats and a ball which is white with red stripes.
The Number of Players – Teams
The game is played between two teams of nine players. The two teams take turns. One is the batting team and the other is the fielding team. In layman terms, the batting team hits the ball while the fielding team throws it and catches it after a successful bat. The fielding team actually has more players on the field compared to the batting team. The fielding team consists of the following position, pitcher, catcher, first, second and third baseman, shortstop, those being the infield players. There are also three outfield players, the left, center and right field players.
How to Win Points – Scoring
The way you earn points in baseball is by either successfully batting the ball and running for the bases, or by making it so that the batter cannot hit the ball, thus earning a strike. Three strikes, and the batter is out, the next one taking his place. The fielding team also earns points if they catch the ball and out the batter. There are several ways to out a batter. Catching the ball without it bouncing after it being hit is called the fly out. If the defensive player makes it to the base before the batter, it is called a force out. If the batter is hit with the ball while running to a base, it is called a tag out. Strikeouts are when a batter fails to hit the ball three times.
The Game – 9 Innings
The game of baseball is played in innings. Each inning means that both the teams will be the fielding team once and the batting team once. Once the batting order is established, it cannot be changed. The game allows substitutions. Substitute players must bat in the order of the player they replaced.
Home Runs – The Dream
A home run is typically scored when the ball leaves the playing field, by being hit too hard. A home run means that the batter runs over each of the three bases and returns to the home base. Home runs are worth the most points.
The game of baseball is over once one team scores more than another, be it after 9 innings or after an additional one, if the game is tied. This is how to play baseball. Have fun!
