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All the baseball basics players and fans need Was that a pop fly or a fly ball? With
Baseball For Dummies, you'll master all the terminology of the game, along with the rules and strategies that make baseball so intriguing. Learn the ins and outs of baseball leagues, including the latest changes to the world of Major League Baseball. You'll find exclusive insights on how to play the game from baseball legend and coauthor Joe Morgan. If you want to follow baseball and sharpen your knowledge as a spectator or on the field, this Dummies guide knocks it out of the park.
Inside... - Baseball equipment and gear
- Official rules of the game
- Batting tips and techniques
- Pitching and defensive plays
- T-ball and minor league ball
- What coaches and managers do
- Playing fantasy baseball
- Glossary of baseball terms
List of contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting Started with Baseball 5 Chapter 1: The Lowdown on Baseball 7
Chapter 2: Suiting Up: Equipment 17
Chapter 3: Tackling the Rules of Baseball. 33
Part 2: Taking Your Swings - Playing Offense 49 Chapter 4: Preparing to Swing the Lumber: Life in the Batter's Box 51
Chapter 5: Hitting Like a Major Leaguer 67
Chapter 6: The Science of Baserunning 89
Part 3: The Ball in Play - Playing Defense 113 Chapter 7: Knowing the Players and Plays 115
Chapter 8: Winning the Arms' Race: Pitching Like a Major Leaguer 131
Chapter 9: Behind the Plate: The Catcher 155
Chapter 10: Playing Infield 169
Chapter 11: Playing the Outfield: Where Fly Balls Go to Die 193
Part 4: From Little League to the Major Leagues - Organized Baseball 203 Chapter 12: T-Ball to College Baseball and Everything in Between 205
Chapter 13: The Majors, the Minors, and Other Leagues 215
Chapter 14: The Rest of the Field: Managers and Coaches 231
Chapter 15: Identifying the Rest of the Cast of Characters in the Ballpark 241
Chapter 16: Measuring Performance: Calculating Baseball's Statistics 251
Chapter 17: Going All the Way: MLB Postseason Play and the World Series 259
Part 5: The View from the Stands - A Spectator's Guide 267 Chapter 18: Following the Bouncing Baseball 269
Chapter 19: Baseball Bans: Don't Do the Crime If You Can't Do the Time 293
Chapter 20: Keeping Up Online, on the Air, and on the Newsstand 303
Chapter 21: Playing Fantasy Baseball 313
Part 6: The Part of Tens 323 Chapter 22: Joe Morgan's Top Ten Toughest Pitchers He Batted Against 325
Chapter 23: Joe Morgan's Ten Smartest Players 333
Appendix: Baseball Speak: A Glossary 339
Index 361
