The Slingers Slang

Pretty funny to sit back and listen to Baseball Lingo - a language that has taken form over the years and a life of its own. Sometimes the lingo makes logical sense, sometimes listening to it as an outsider is ludicrous. For any baseball player - there is a deep understanding of the language, that to others simply sounds like noises…Here is a breakdown of some of that lingo as it pertains to our slingers (Pitchers).

• Gas can – pitcher who gives up bombs (not a compliment!).

• Ace – #1 pitcher on the staff.

• Bulldog: Tough, competitive starter.

• Opener / Bridge / Setup man / Stopper: Roles before the closer; “bridge” covers the middle.

• Immaculate inning: 3 strikeouts on 9 pitches.

• Quality start (QS): 6+ IP, ≤3 ER.

• Fireman / Closer – late-inning relief specialist.

• Stuff – overall quality of pitches.

• Pitch-to-contact – pitcher who relies on fielders, not strikeouts.

• Backdoor / back-foot: Break a pitch across the outside corner / at the hitter’s back foot.

• Quick pitch – delivering before batter is set.

• Climb the ladder – fastballs higher and higher to change eye level.

• Waste pitch – intentionally throwing outside the zone to set up next pitch.

• Dirty / Filthy – unhittable stuff.

• Nasty – wicked movement.

• Wipeout – devastating breaking ball.

• Knee-buckler – breaking pitch that freezes the hitter.

• Slide step: Short stride to speed up the time to the plate.

• Rubber arm: Can throw a ton without wearing down.

Fastball Variations

• Heater / Gas / Cheese – a really fast pitch.

• Blowing smoke – throwing heat past a hitter.

• Paint the black – perfectly hitting the edge of the plate.

• Frozen rope – a straight, blazing heater.

• Climb the ladder: Go higher with fastballs to change eye level.

Breaking Balls

• Yakker / Hammer / Uncle Charlie – curveball.

• Bender – curveball that breaks hard.

• Twelve-to-six – curve with straight vertical drop.

• Frisbee – big, sweeping slider.

• Slurve – slider/curve mix.

• Hammer / 12–6: Big, straight-down curveball.

• Sweeper: Wide, lateral slider.

Off-Speed

• Change-piece / Dead fish – changeup.

• Pulling the string – taking speed off a pitch to fool the hitter.

• Bugs Bunny change – changeup that makes hitters look silly.

• Eephus: Super slow, arc-y surprise pitch.