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CHAPTER 1 THE BASICS The Dream .............. ... The Draft ....... ... .:.. . ... .. 5 The Road to the Major Leagues . ... ....... ..... 7 Leagues. Divisions and Tearns . . . . . . . . . .... . 8 Spring Iraining . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Regular Season . ... . . ... .... 1 The Postseaso ............... ........ CIAPTER 2. PITCHERS AND CATCHERS W\ait for Your Pitch! ..... . 14 S ign s . .. . ... .. .... . . . ... ..... . 22 Pitch Sequence ....- . ... .... 25) Location, Location, Location. . .. . . . . . ... . .. 27 The Count .... ....28 "Balk!". . ....... .... .. 29 "O f ' D ays .............. . ........ .. . 32 Charts and Videotape ............ 32 Staying in Shape . .... ....... .. ......... .. 34 Going the Distance ........ 3 5 What Do Thev Talk About on the Mouncd?. . . . . . . . . 37 "Tr y John ...... ... . .. . - 9.... The C Young Award . . . . . .40 CHAP EER 3 HITT NG The Lineup , ... . . . . . . 42 The On-Dec CCirc . ..... 45 Fund mentas.. ... . . .....45 Bunting . . ... . ....... ... .. 47 Funny Stances .... ........ . 50 Switch-Hitting ..... ..50 H itting with Two Strikes . . ................... . 51 Run Factory ..... . .. 52 O uch! . ... .. . . . ..... . .52 Broken and Flying Bats ... . . . . ... 53 151 W ays to Hit the Ball...... ... .. ... ..... . 54 CHAPTER 4. BASERUNNING The Rules . . . . . . . . .. 56 Strategies .. .. ... .. 59 Signs . ...... . . ... . . . 64 The Value of Speed.. ...... . .... .. .. 66 Base-Stealing 67 Hit-a nd-Run.. .. .. . ... I7 Squeeze... . ........ . ... 73 H u stle .. . . . ... .. . . .... . ..... . ..... 74 CHAPTER 5. FIELDING Defensive Alignment....... . . . . 75 R ghties and Lefties . ...... .... . .... 77 How M any Outs? . .. ....... . ...... .. 78 Back That Base Up .... . ... .. . .... . 79 It Is Po ite to Point ...... . ..... . . .. ....... 79 "I Got It! l Got It! Y Take t" ... . . ..... .. ... . 80 The Inield Fly vRule ... .. . .. ... . ..... .. . .80 Defensive Indifference .. .. ....... .. 81 A ppeal .. ... .. . . . . .. .. ..... . 82 Playing Outfield .. . . . . ... 82 Playing Infield ... .. .. ... . 85 The Pitcher . . . . ....... 86 Tie Catcher . ..... .. .. . ... . 88 The First Raseman ...... .91 The Second Baseman . . ... . ...... . . . 94 The Third Baseman ... . ...... 97 'The Shortstop ... ........ . .... . .. 98 The Gold Gove Award. . . . ...... 00 CHAPTER 6. STADIUMS Unique Fields . .... . ....... 102 AstroTurf . . .... . .. . . . 109 The Sun . . .. . .. . . . ....... . 110 Welcome to [Insert Ugly Name Here] Field . . ... . .. . . Ballpark Diagranms .... ..... . .... ... 112 CHAPTER 7. UMPIRES Fough Job ....... . .. . 11 3 he Fair Ball Quiz.............. 1 6 The Strike Zone ... . ..... 17 "Yer utta H ere! ....... ........ 118 Borderline Calls ... ... .... . . 121 Arguing .... . ....... . ...... ].22 Randorn Ump Stuff.. . . . .......123 Answers to the Fair Bail Quiz . . . . . . .. . ... . 127 CHAPTER 8. STATISTICS The Numbers Game .... . . .. . . ...... 129 Stat H istory . ...... . .. ... ...... ... ...130 M'ath Is Fun .......... 134 Batting Average .. .. .. ..... 1 37 The "Mel Me! Me!" of Batting Average .......... . .139 Batting Average Reference Guide ... ... 140 Earned Run Average ....... . . . . . ... . 140 Earned Run Average Reference Guide ... ... . . . .... 141 You Stink .. I Think ... ...... .. . .. .. .. 142 R-O-L-A-1-D-S Spells Relief . ............ . . 143 The Official Scorer . . ..... 144 How to Keep Score. . .. ... . . . . ... . .... 147 How to Read a Box Score ....... .. ....... 149 Leading the League... .... . .. ... .... 153 Incredible Feats . . ...... .. .... . . .. . 154 CHAPTER 9. RANDOM STUFF TO KNOW G rab This . . .. . .. .. .. ..... .. . 60 "K " . . . . . . . . . . . .. . : . . . . . . . . . 16 1 Unwritten Rules .... ..... ..... . 161 Cities and Names . .. ..... .......... . 163 The Rookie of the Year Award ........ . ....... 164 The Most Valuable Player Award ...... ... . 165 The All-Star Gam e ... . . .. ........... ...... . 166 The Hall of Fame ......... .. ... . ...... 166 Uniform Numbers ......... .... .......... . . 168 Cheating .... ..... 170 Attendance . .... .... 172 Let It Rain ... .. .. ...... .... ..... . 172 The Seventh-Inning Stretch ... . . . ..... . . . 173 Superstition . ...... . ............174 D ouble Sw itch ..... . ........... ....... . .. 75 The Magic Number . . . . ...... .... . 175 Rosters, Transactions, and Contracts .... ... 176 F2ree at Last . .. . ... . . . 179 Controversial issues . . . . . .. .. . . 180 CHAPTER 10. RANDOM STUFF TO NOTICE A Mvays Chewing . ................... .. 187 Read My Lips . . . . . . . . . 187 Get Dirty ....i . . .. 188 The M usic .. . ... .. . . . ...... 189 The Sounds oF the Game . ...... .... 189 The Announcers .. ...... .. .... . i 190 Around the Horn... . . . .... 190 Staying Informed. . .. ...... .. .... 191 C.,aps .I . . 192 IB B . . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 2 Warm-up Pitches .. .., ........ 193 The First Basemran's Ball. . .. .. ...... 194 N ew Ball . . . U l 1 . . . . . . ... .. . . ... . ... . 194 A!ert Fans . . . . . . . ... . . . . 194 Blinkers . .............. 195 s31inA s e?rvqS . ............ .. . 195 M ute Button . . . . . . . .. ... . . .. 195