These are the days of lush green grass on baseball fields, but some ballparks still have a dirt strip between the pitcher's mound and home plate. There are reasons for the "keyhole," which is the shape created when you connect the strip of dirt with the mound and the batter's box, and there are many theories as to why the dirt strip is no longer popular.
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Pitching is one of the more difficult skills to master in baseball. When a hitter digs in in the batter's box, your job is to throw him a pitch he isn't looking for -- curve, fastball, slider, sinker -- in a location that will ...
The stride in baseball occurs when the player is in the batter's box, facing the pitcher. To get his momentum going toward the pitcher, he takes a stride as the pitch is coming in. While some batters may step as much as 18 inch...
A catcher's job is like that of a coach on the field. He is responsible for calling the pitches in a game and giving signals to the pitcher to let him know which pitch he should throw next. Those signals are part of the languag...
In softball, much of the game's action occurs in the batter's box and surrounding area. The umpire, batter and catcher all inhabit that space, and every pitch during the game comes sailing through. Just as with other aspects of...
Standing in the batter's box requires the ability to suspend reality. When you get ready to face a pitcher who might be able to throw the ball at speeds approaching 95 mph, you must suspend reason. When the pitcher fires the ba...
Some pitchers are blessed with an overpowering fastball or a biting curveball. Others are not. But no matter a pitcher's natural talent, it won't be enough unless he works on his craft. There are a number of things a pitcher ca...
In baseball, the umpire is responsible for officiating the game to ensure the game is fair and that each team has an equal opportunity to come out victorious. But umpires do not simply call an out here and an out there for nine...
Before thinking about whether to lay down the bunt, slap the ball through the left side or swing for the fences, you have to situate yourself in the batter's box. Becoming comfortable at the plate requires familiarizing yoursel...