What are the basic rules of baseball?

Question

I am visiting NYC from the UK with my fiance for his 30th B'day. I have never been to America b4 and so excited! I have booked 2 tickets to c the Metz play against the Giants. Was going to c Yankees but they are not at home.
Please explain basics as we dont want to look like mongs when we call out at the wrong time!!!!!

Answer 1

alright heres the simplest explanation to keep u in the game...two teams have 9 players in the game at all times, the team that is in the field (spread out everywhere) consist of the pitcher who stands in the middle of the infield on an elevated circle and throws the balls to HOME PLATE, where the catcher recieves it, the other positions as if u are standing where the catcher is looking out to the field u have the closest guy on ur right is the first baseman he covers the white padded base, then behind the pitcher on the right side of the base in the middle of the field (which is second base) u have the second baseman, on the other side of the base u have the shortstop, and the base on the far left (third base) is the 3rd baseman, so to help u remember if u go counter clockwise it goes firstbaseman (next to the first base), the second basemen, then second base, on the other side of what they call the diamond (the field) is the shortstop, and next to the white line on the opposite side as the first basemen is the 3rd baseman...then u have three players that play farther back closer to the wall, called outfielders, now if u pretend ur standing where the catcher stands (at home plate) the outfielder in the middle of the outfield is the CENTERfielder, the one on the left side of the outfield is the LEFTfielder, and u probably figured out the guy on the right side of the outfield is called the RIGHTfielder.. Okay the object of the players in the field is to either catch the ball that is hit by the batter (ill explain later) before it hits the ground, if the ball hits the ground the fielders can throw it to the firstbaseman before the runner (ill explain later) gets to the base, theres a lot of other complicated ways but those two and another one called a strikeout (ill explain later) count as outs...the object is for the team in the field to get 3 outs! once they get 3 outs the teams switch, so lets say the mets were in the field, now they all run into a dugout, which is a bench where the team sits, and they take turns trying to hit, much like cricket, they pitcher throws the ball, and the batter tries to hit it...theres a certain area basically a ball that u can hit, called a strike zone, if the pitcher throws it in the strikezone and the batter doesnt swing its a strike, or if the batter swings at a pitch thats anywhere (in or outside of the strikezone) that is also a strike, if the batter gets 3 strikes he is out, that was the other out i told u about earlier, once a batter is out he goes back to the dugout and the next batter gets a chance... okay so now if the pitcher throws to him and the batter doesnt swing and the ball is outside of the strikezone its called a ball, if the pitcher throws 4 balls before the batter strikesout or hits the ball he is rewarded first base (thats called a walk), the next batter comes up to hit, and if he hits the ball, both him and the guy on first (called a runner) try and run counter clockwise from homeplate to first, to second, to third base, now if a runner ever gets all the way around back to home plate that is a point (called a run in baseball) the teams keep playing until they get 3 outs, once both team succsesfully get 3 outs that part is over its called an inning, a game consist of 9 innings and whoever scores the most runs in those 9 innings is declared the winner...

Answer 2

Here are the Basics.

9 players on each team
9 innings per game- each team bats once an inning, this is called a half inning.
3 outs per each half inning
Each batter gets 3 strikes or 4 balls, whichever comes first.
3 strikes = a strikeout (1 out)
4 balls = a walk (the batter goes to first)
If the ball is hit into the air and caught, the batter is out.
If the ball is hit on the ground and thrown to first base before the batter reaches first base, the batter is out.
Any runner tagged with the ball while not standing on a base is out.
A run is scored when a runner touches home plate.

In the game you will be seeing, the Giants will bat first and the Mets will "be in the field" (play defense) first. After three outs the Mets will bat and the Giants will be in the field.

The winning team is the team with the most runs after nine innings.

I could go on and on, so if you have any specific questions visit one of the websites listed by the other users, or send me an email ([e-mail]). Enjoy your visit and the game.

Oh, and try a hot dog at the game.....somehow they taste better than any other hot dog you'll ever have.

Answer 3

Two teams face each other. Each team takes "nine" turns at being on defense and being on offense.
When on defense, the team defends certain positions on the field.
When on offense, the team tries to hit a ball pitched at them, and send the ball away from the defenders.
The offensive team must advance around four bases, or safe points, on a diamond. When the offensive team can advance all the way around the diamond, they score a point, or "run."
During each of the nine turns as the offensive side, the team has three "outs." You get out by having the defensive team catch a batted ball that goes into the field of play, or by "tagging out" or touching an offensive player who is not on base or n the safe spot.
Team with highest amount of runs wins.

Answer 4

I don't know what a mong is but I'm guessing it does not have a positive connotation.
This website explains the basic rules.

http://baseball-rules.com/basicbb.htm

Answer 5

Unlike many places on the web you can find this info, since you're from the UK I am going to compare baseball to cricket.

You will find similarities to cricket, as long as you don't try to stretch them too much. You have one team in and the other out (at-bat vs. fielding teams); only one batsman at a time. On the fielding team there are 7 fielders plus pitcher (bowler) and catcher (wicketkeeper). Unlike cricket, their positions are relatively fixed, with specific named positions (1st, 2nd, 3rd base and shortstop in the infield, and left, center, right in the outfield).

You score a run by going around all 4 bases - anything short is not a run. Just as in cricket, there are multiple ways of getting out: (1) struck out (similar to being bowled out, except no wicket so it takes 3 "strikes", i.e. like a ball that would have "struck" the wicket). (2) caught out, (3) run out (fielding team touches the base you're running to). There is no equivalent of LBW.

Once 3 batters get out, that sides' half of the inning (not "innings") is over. Then the other team goes to bat. The two teams together 3 outs each = 1 inning. There are 9 innings in a game. Since there are only 9 players and 3 outs per inning, each player may be up to bat any number of times in a game. His turn at bat is over when he either is out, or gets on base with a hit.

Getting on base with a hit is called a "single", "double", or "triple" (unlike cricket no runs are scored, just means you get to go to 1st, 2nd, or 3rd base). If you hit the ball out of the park (equivalent to a cricket sixer), you get a home run, and you and everybody in front of you on the bases gets to run home. A cricket "boundary" is called a "ground rule double" and it's just like you hit a double: you go to 2nd base.

Answer 6

just look it up on the internet and thank you so so so so so so so so much for chosing mets.....mets are better then the yankees and i hate the yanks...well not really i just like the mets a lot more but look it up on the internet and have fun......welcome to america and baseball is da bomb!!!

Answer 7

See the ball,hit it,run as fast as you can,cross the plate more than the other guys

Answer 8

3 strikes you're out
4 balls you're walked
4 bases - run


9 players on each team
positions are 1b, c, p, 2b, ss, 3b, lf, cf, rf, and dh

want more? email me

Answer 9

Only thing you need to know, three strikes your out!