Baseball is a sport that has many traditions and history. It is a game played between two teams that have nine players each. The game is broken into nine innings with each team batting and fielding in one inning before swapping roles. The team with the most points at the end of the ninth inning is deemed the winner of the game.
The field is divided into an infield and outfield. The infield has three bases arranged in a diamond shape and home plate, while the outfield has four bases. The pitcher, who throws the ball to the batter, stands on a raised area called the pitching mound in the centre of the infield.
When a player from the batting team hits the ball, they drop their bat and begin to run around the bases in an orderly fashion. If the batter manages to touch all of the bases without being tagged out by the fielders, their team scores a point. Players run around the bases counterclockwise, beginning with first base and continuing to second, third, and then home plate. If a player manages to make it back to home plate safely, their team earns another point.
While a player is running around the bases, members of the fielding team try to catch or throw the ball to the batter before they can reach a base. If the catcher or a fielder catches the ball before it reaches a player on the bases, the runner is out and that player’s turn to bat ends.
Each inning in baseball lasts for six pitches, or at least one full batting rotation by the visiting team. Each inning is split into a top half and a bottom half. The top half is when the away team bats, and the bottom half is when the home team bats. This means that the away team has the advantage of being first up to bat, as they will have a chance to score more runs before their opponents can get ahead.
To win a baseball game, the batting team must outscore the opposing team by making as many runs as possible. The batting team sends its players up to the home plate in an orderly fashion, which is known as the lineup.
Each player has a designated role to play in the game. The pitcher is responsible for throwing the ball to the batter, while the catcher is responsible for tracking down the ball and calling out any fouls. The rest of the players on the fielding team are spread out among the infield, the area surrounding the bases. There are also three players in the outfield who stand in left field, centre field, and right field. In addition to these positions, there is a bullpen that is used to warm up and practice before the game starts.