Are you new to baseball or just simply trying to learn more? Well, we welcome you and are glad we can help you better understand the game. Here at sportswarrior365, we love many sports and have spent many years playing, coaching and supporting our kids in their journey through sports.
We believe that sports can be one of the greatest development tools throughout childhood. So many life lessons can be learned through participating in many different sports.
We love baseball and hope that our overview of how baseball is played and some of the basic rules that guide the game will help you better understand and be a better player, fan, or supporter of your kid.
As adults, we continue to look for opportunities to play sports as we love the workout, the team camaraderie and the competition that sports can bring well into adulthood.
How is Baseball Played
Baseball is played on a field with two teams competing against each other. The game can be between 6 to 9 innings long and each team plays defense and offense in each inning. When on defense, the pitcher throws a small round ball and the hitter attempts to hit the ball safely into the field and get to first base before the defense can get the ball there. There are a total of 3 outs for each half of the inning and a team scores a run when a hitter is able to advance to each base and eventually cross home plate.
Below we will provide a comprehensive overview and provided detailed information in the following categories:
- Baseball Essential Rules
- Baseball Basics
- Scoring in Baseball
- Winning the Game
- Tips for Baseball Players
Baseball Essential Rules
Below is a list of the most essential rules of baseball.
- Each game consists of somewhere between 6 and 9 innings. In each inning, each team gets an opportunity to bat and send at least three hitters to the plate. The team in the field will have a pitcher and 8 other defenders.
- Each half inning consists of three outs. An unlimited amount of runs are able to be scored until the 3 outs are made. In some little league locations, they will have a max number of runs per innings.
- Each hitter starts with a 0 – 0 count. If three strikes are thrown prior to hitting the ball, the player is considered to have struck out. A strike can count when a ball is over the plate and between the knees and upper mid section or if a player swings and misses regardless of where the ball crossed. A full count is considered when there are 3 balls and 2 strikes. There is a good chance there will be a strike out, a walk or a batted ball on the next pitch.
- If 4 balls are thrown prior to a batted ball or three strikes, the runner is considered to have walked and is awarded first base.
- When the ball is hit, if the defense catches the ball prior to it hitting the ground the batter is automatically out.
- If a ball is hit and it hits the ground before the fielder can obtain the ball, the fielder can try to throw the ball to first base. If the ball arrives before the runner, the runner is out. If the runner beats the ball, he is considered safe and stays there for the next batter.
- The base runner is allowed to steal 2nd or 3rd base as the pitcher throws the ball towards home plate. THe catcher has the opportunity to try to throw the runner out. In this situation, the fielder would have to catch the ball and tag the runner before he gets to the base.
- A force out is always available at first base or at a base where a runner must advance to on a batted ball. For example, if a runner is on first base and batted ball occurs, he must get to second base because the hitter has to go to first base. The infielders can decide whether to throw the ball to 1st base or 2nd base for a force play.
- The goal of the game is to get more hitters to eventually cross home plate and score when compared to the other team. The defense is trying to get three outs as quick as possible before runs score and the offensive team is trying to string multiple hits together and reach base safely in order to score runs before the defensive team can get three outs.
- This back and forth last for anywhere between 6 and 9 innings.
- The visiting team bats in the first half or the top of the inning. The home team bats in the 2nd half of the inning or the bottom of the inning. This rotation continues for the duration of the game. If the home team is winning when it is their turn to bat in the last inning, they do not bat because the game has already been won.
Baseball Basics
- There are 9 players in a lineup for each team. In some leagues a Designated Hitter (DH) can be used to hit in place of one of the hitters.
- The 9 defensive positions include: pitcher, catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, shortstop, 3rd base, left field, center field and right field. We have a complete post on all 9 positions in baseball. It it worth check out.
- The pitchers mound is 60 feet 6 inches from home plate. Each base is separated by 90 feet. These are the high school, college, minor league and major league dimensions. IN little league the dimensions are often much smaller and the bases might be as short as 60 feet.
- The home run fence or wall in the major leagues are typically around 325 feet down each foul line, 375 feet in the gaps, and around 400-405 feet in center field. These numbers are variable depending on each ballpark.
- There is a left field line (down the third base line) and a right field line (down the first base line). These “foul lines” are actually in fair territory. If the ball hits the “foul line” it is actually considered fair.
- A single is when a hitter reaches first base after a hit to the field and the runner stops at first base. A double is when the runner gets to second base safely. A triple is when a hitter gets to third base safely. A home run is when a hitter gets to home plate safety. Typically a home run is a result of the ball being hit over the outfield fence or wall.
- An out is considered when a batted ball is caught before it hits the ground. Or when a fielder is able to field a ball and get the ball to the 1st base prior to the runner getting there safely. There are also options to get outs at other bases on force plays or if a batter tries to advance a single into a double, triple or home run.
- There are anywhere from 1 to 4 umpires on average. The home plate umpire determines and calls balls and strikes. If there is more than one umpire they are assigned to the bases in the field. They have to monitor fair and foul balls, outs in the field, and watch for the pitcher balking. Umpiring can be stressful due to the pressure from the players, the coaches and the fans.
Scoring in Baseball
- The typical baseball score ranges from 1 run scored maybe up to 15. Every now and then you will see a score even higher than 15. At the little league level it is more common for a team to exceed 15 runs. Often times this is a result of many walks taking place or really bad defense.
- The ultimate goal of baseball, when hitting, is to score as many runs as possible. This is often a combination or base hits, walks and possibly even home runs. The goal is to hit the ball hard and far and run fast. Smart base running is essential and players typically look at the first and third base coaches on advice of when to run and when to stop at a base.
Winning the Game
- The team with the most runs at the end of the number of innings to be played is considered the winning team.
- In some leagues a mercy rule might be in place after 4 or 5 innings if a team is winning by 10 to 15 runs, depending on the league. This helps the game from getting completely out of hand. The major league baseball level does not have a run rule.
Levels of Baseball
| Age Level | Name of Level | Pitcher |
| 5-6 | T Ball | Tee/Coach |
| 7-8 | Mighty Mites | Coach |
| 9-10 | Minors | Coach/Player |
| 11-12 | Majors | Player |
| 13-14 | Pony | Player |
| 15-16 | Colt | Player |
| 15-18 | High School | Player |
| 18+ | College, Minors, Major | Player |
Baseball Tips for Players
Baseball players should work to develop their basic skills with: catching, throwing, hitting and running bases. Awareness of where the proper play is and how to run the bases are typically learned at a young age, but take some quality coaching to help the players understand the appropriate play in the field.
Pitching is another difficult skill to develop, especially early on as some players may lack arm strength of the ability to be accurate. Baseball is a highly skilled game that takes many hours, days and years to develop the overall skill. Below are the three best tips we have for beginning baseball players.
How to Hit For Beginners:
How to Throw a Ball for Beginners:
How to Catch a Ball for Beginners:
Related Questions…
Is baseball fun?
Many kids and adults seem to enjoy the game. While it is slower than basketball or soccer, it does bring different elements and skill levels to the game. Some people enjoy the slower nature of the game.
The key is to make sure a kid has some success early on with hitting the ball and running the bases. Young kids love to run the bases and feel like they accomplished something when they scored, since that is truly the goal in baseball.
How long does a baseball game last?
Baseball is one game without a clock. However, must little league games will last around 1.5 to 2 hours and sometimes have a time limit involved. Major League games typically last at least 3 hours. Complete post on length of a baseball game, here.
What if I know nothing about baseball, but my kid wants to play?
Make sure you sign your kid up to play in a local league. The coaches there can help your kid develop and further understand the game. We also have plenty of posts on the many of the basic questions associated with the game of baseball. Check out our other posts, here.
What happens if the ball bounces over the home run wall or fence?
When this occurs it is considered a ground rule double and the hitter and each base runner advances two bases from where they were at the time of the pitch.
What is a cycle in baseball?
When a player hits for a single, double, triple and a home run over the course of a game. It is very rare. Check out this post for more information on a cycle in baseball.
Take Action…
If you are new to the game of baseball, check out some of our many posts that we have on baseball related topics, here. Go ahead and check out a baseball game at a local park or attend a major league baseball game.
Now that you have a basic overview of the game, watch for the basic rules and some of the little things that take place at a game. Many people enjoy baseball because there are little intricacies that are unique to the matchups on the field.