TL;DR: Baseball slang is the shorthand language players, coaches, and fans use on and off the field. This guide covers more than 50 terms, including WHIP (a pitching stat), whiff (a strikeout), and tater (a home run), with clear definitions sourced from Dickinson’s Baseball Dictionary.
What Does WHIP Mean in Baseball?
WHIP is a pitching statistic that stands for Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched, and it measures how many baserunners a pitcher allows per inning. A lower WHIP means a pitcher is keeping more batters off base. You calculate it by adding the total walks and hits a pitcher has allowed, then dividing that number by total innings pitched. A WHIP under 1.00 is considered elite at the major league level.
WHIP is one of the most useful numbers for judging a pitcher because it focuses on what the pitcher directly controls: how many runners reach base. It does not account for fielding errors, so it gives a cleaner picture of pitching performance than ERA alone.
| Stat | Full Name | What It Counts | Lower Is Better? |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHIP | Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched | Walks + Hits allowed per inning | Yes |
| ERA | Earned Run Average | Earned runs allowed per 9 innings | Yes |
What Does Whiff Mean in Baseball?
A whiff in baseball means a pitcher strikes out a batter, or a batter swings and misses. When a pitcher whiffs a hitter, he gets a strikeout. When a batter whiffs, he swings and makes no contact with the pitch. The word captures the sound and motion of a swing that cuts only air.
You will hear the term used both ways. A broadcaster might say a pitcher “whiffed three in a row” to praise his performance, or say a batter “took a whiff” on a sharp breaking ball. Either way, the meaning is the same: the swing missed.
What Is a Tater in Baseball?
A tater in baseball is a home run. The term is longtime slang used by players, coaches, and broadcasters to describe a ball hit over the fence for a home run. The exact origin is debated, but the word has been part of baseball language for decades. You might also hear a home run called a gopher ball (from the pitcher’s point of view), a curtain call moment, or simply “going to the big show” for the batter.
Related slang you should know alongside tater:
- Gopher ball – A pitch the pitcher throws that is destined to be hit for a home run.
- Curtain call – When a player comes out of the dugout to acknowledge the fans, usually after hitting a home run.
- Warning track power – A batter who can hit the ball to the warning track but not quite far enough for a home run.
Full A to Z Baseball Slang Glossary
The terms below come from Dickinson’s Baseball Dictionary and cover the colorful language used across every level of the game, from youth baseball practice drills all the way up to the major leagues.
- At ’em ball
- A ball hit right at a defensive player.
- Baltimore Chop
- A ground ball that hits in front of home plate, or off of it, and takes a large hop over the infielder’s head.
- Bases drunk
- Bases loaded.
- Bazooka
- A strong throwing arm. “He’s got a bazooka.”
- Big show / The Show
- The major leagues.
- Bush league
- Lesser minor-league teams in small cities or towns.
- Catch napping
- To surprise a less than alert runner so that he is picked off or caught between bases.
- Chin music
- A beanball or knockdown pitch that passes close to the batter’s jaw.
- Circus catch
- A spectacular catch that suggests the moves of a circus acrobat.
- Crackerjack
- A term used to describe a first-rate or spectacular player or team.
- Curtain call
- The practice of a player coming out of the dugout to acknowledge the fans, usually after a home run.
- Deuce
- The curveball, usually signaled from catcher to pitcher by holding down two fingers.
- Dying quail
- A batted ball that drops suddenly and unexpectedly, like a bird that has been shot on the wing.
- Fence buster
- A heavy hitter.
- Free pass
- Base on balls (a walk).
- Friendly confines
- A phrase used to describe many home ballparks, but most often used for Wrigley Field. The charm of Wrigley Field extends beyond the game itself, creating a haven for players and fans alike. It is a place where families come together, often using the surrounding greens for youth baseball practice drills, perfecting their skills in the shadow of the iconic ivy-covered walls. Each swing of the bat echoes the rich history of baseball, inspiring the next generation of athletes.
- Glass arm
- A sore throwing or pitching arm.
- Golden Sombrero
- A batter who strikes out four times in the same game is said to wear the golden sombrero.
- Goose egg
- A zero on the scoreboard.
- Gopher ball
- A pitch destined to be hit for a home run; one that will “go for” a run.
- Guess hitter
- A batter who tries to anticipate or out-guess the pitcher based on the situation at hand.
- “Hit ’em where they ain’t”
- A rallying cry for batters since 1897, when Wee Willie Keeler hit .432. Asked how a man of his size put together such an average, Keeler said: “Simple. I keep my eyes clear and I hit ’em where they ain’t.”
- Hot stove league
- The gab, gossip, and debate that takes place during the winter months when baseball is idle.
- Iron glove
- Sloppy fielding; prone to errors.
- Lollipop
- A soft pitch or weak throw.
- Mendoza line
- The figurative boundary in batting averages between hitters above and below .215, which was Mario Mendoza’s career average.
- Picasso
- A control pitcher; one who paints the black (the edges of the strike zone).
- Platter
- Home plate.
- Play by the book
- To play in line with the conventional wisdom of the game.
- Pow wow
- A meeting on the playing field, usually involving several players and a coach who has come out to talk strategy.
- Punch-and-Judy
- Said of a hitter who tends to hit well-placed but weakly hit balls for singles. The first reference came from former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Walter Alston when asked about a home run by Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants: “When he belts a home run, he does it with such authority it seems like an act of God. You can’t cry about it. He’s not a Punch and Judy belter.”
- Rhubarb
- A ruckus with the umpires; confusion; a fight between players.
- Right down Broadway
- A pitch delivered right in the middle of the strike zone.
- Room service
- A pitch or batted ball that comes right to a defensive player.
- Shoestring catch
- A catch made by a running fielder just before the ball hits the ground.
- Tater
- A home run.
- Texas Leaguer
- A poorly hit ball that loops meekly over the infield and lands for a hit.
- Tools of ignorance
- The catcher’s equipment: shin guards, chest protector, helmet, mask, and glove.
- Twin killing
- A double play.
- Warning track power
- Enough power to hit a ball to the warning track, but not enough to clear the fence for a home run.
- Whiff
- For a pitcher to strike out a batter, or for a batter to swing and miss.
- Whitewash
- To shut out a team, holding them to zero runs.
- Worm burner
- A batted ball that moves across the ground hard and fast.
Source: Dickinson’s Baseball Dictionary
Quick Recap
- WHIP stands for Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched. It is a pitching stat. Lower is better.
- A whiff means a pitcher struck out a batter, or a batter swung and missed.
- A tater is a home run.
- Bases drunk means bases loaded. A free pass means a walk. A twin killing means a double play.
- The golden sombrero is earned when a batter strikes out four times in one game.
- The Mendoza line is the .215 batting average mark, based on Mario Mendoza’s career average.
- The Show and the Big Show both mean the major leagues.
- Chin music is a pitch thrown close to the batter’s jaw. A deuce is a curveball.
- Friendly confines most often refers to Wrigley Field.
- Tools of ignorance is the full set of catcher’s gear.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does WHIP mean in baseball?
WHIP stands for Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched. It tells you how many batters a pitcher allows to reach base per inning. You calculate it by adding walks and hits allowed, then dividing by innings pitched. A WHIP under 1.00 is elite.
What do WHIP mean in baseball stats?
In baseball stats, WHIP measures a pitcher’s ability to prevent baserunners. It combines walks and hits into one number and divides by innings pitched. A lower WHIP means the pitcher gives up fewer baserunners per inning.
What does whiff mean in baseball?
A whiff means a strikeout from the pitcher’s side, or a swing and miss from the batter’s side. A pitcher who whiffs a lot of batters is a high-strikeout pitcher. A batter who whiffs often struggles to make contact.
What is a tater in baseball?
A tater is a home run. It is one of the oldest and most common slang terms in the game. A batter who hits a tater gets credit for a home run and any runners on base score.
What is a golden sombrero in baseball?
A golden sombrero is when a batter strikes out four times in the same game. It is a step beyond the hat trick, which is three strikeouts in one game.
What is the Mendoza line in baseball?
The Mendoza line is the .215 batting average mark. It is based on Mario Mendoza’s career average and is used as a shorthand for the minimum acceptable batting performance.
What does chin music mean in baseball?
Chin music is a pitch thrown close to the batter’s jaw or chin, also called a beanball or knockdown pitch. Pitchers sometimes throw it to move a batter off the inside part of the plate.
Start Using the Right Language on the Field
Knowing baseball slang helps you communicate faster with teammates and coaches and shows you understand the game at a deeper level. Bookmark this glossary and share it with your team before your next practice. If you want to sharpen your skills beyond the vocabulary, explore our youth baseball practice stations for structured drills that build real game-ready habits.
