Baseball Rules

Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each. The objective is to score more runs than the opponent by hitting a ball and running around a series of four bases. While the game has many intricate rules, the basic structure is straightforward.

The Game's Structure

* A game is divided into nine innings, with each inning consisting of two halves.

* In the top half of an inning, the visiting team bats while the home team fields. In the bottom half, the teams switch roles.

* The goal of the offensive team (batting) is to score runs by having players hit the ball and touch all four bases—first, second, third, and home plate—in order.

* The goal of the defensive team (fielding) is to get three "outs," which ends the half-inning and switches the teams' roles.

Ways to Get an Out

There are several ways a player can be called out, including:

* Strikeout: A batter gets three strikes. A strike is called when the batter swings and misses, or when a pitch is in the "strike zone" (the area over home plate between the batter's knees and shoulders) and the batter does not swing.

* Fly Out: A batter hits the ball in the air, and a fielder catches it before it touches the ground.

* Force Out: A runner is forced to advance to the next base (for example, when a batter hits a ball with a runner on first base), and a fielder with the ball tags the base before the runner arrives.

* Tag Out: A runner is not on a base and is touched by a fielder with the ball.

* Dropped Third Strike: If a catcher drops the ball on the third strike and first base is unoccupied, the batter can run to first base. The batter is out if the catcher throws the ball to first base before the runner arrives.

Scoring Runs and Advancing on the Bases

* A run is scored when a player on offense successfully touches home plate after touching first, second, and third base.

* Players can advance on the bases after a hit. A "single" means the batter reaches first base safely, a "double" means they reach second, a "triple" means they reach third, and a "home run" means they hit the ball out of the field, allowing them and any other runners on base to score.

* A "walk" or "base on balls" is awarded to a batter if the pitcher throws four pitches outside of the strike zone. The batter is allowed to go to first base, and any other runners on base who are forced to advance also move up a base.

* A player can also steal a base by running to the next base while the pitcher is throwing to the batter.

These are the fundamental rules that govern the game of baseball. Understanding them provides the foundation for appreciating the strategy, skill, and excitement of the sport.