As the baseball season winds down it’s time for Florida Man to get you ready for the World Series by reviewing some of the most current baseball slang.
These terms go past the lively, rapid fire-meaningless chatter of “batter, batter, batter” and “no hitter, no hitter” and “chuck that pea” and “give him the cheese.”
Some of these terms are perhaps a bit more sophisticated, perhaps not.
Here are a few:
- A hit that drives in a run is a “steak dinner” which means run batted in or RBI aka rib eye. Clever no?
- Questioning how hard the pitcher is throwing is “What’s the velo?”
- “Bang” as in don’t bang your head against the wall, in baseball means “call off or postpone.” If it’s raining they may “bang” the game.
- If a player is “fringy” he’s probably pretty good and might hit .250 but he’s really not all that great.
- A “boat race” in baseball means a wipe out, as in a 10 run lead. “They boat-raced us,” is a rout.
- “Rake” is a word used to describe a player who hits to all parts of the field as opposed to a “pull hitter” who usually hits to left or right field depending on whether his hits left or right handed.
- A “guy” is an okay player as opposed to a “dude” who is a star.
This is not an exhaustive summary but these terms are not your “normal” baseball repartee like “goose egg,” “slump,” “web gem” and “can of corn.”
I think, however, they will make you a “guy” when you’re talking to an average fan who just isn’t up on the latest jargon.
You can dazzle them when you say that they won’t boat race us because we have a dude who isn’t fringy and can rake the ball for some steak dinners no matter what the velo. Unless, of course, the game is banged.
This inside baseball knowledge might even earn you a Pabst Blue Ribbon at the local sports bar. If so, drink up and say thanks to Florida Man.
