A Guide to Baseball Rules
Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played by two teams, and each team plays nine innings attempting to score maximum runs. The goal of this bat-and-ball game is to hit the thrown ball with a bat, and score runs by touching the series of four bases that are arranged at the corners of 90ft diamond or square. The goal of each team is to score more runs than the opponent team, which can be done by one circuit of four bases placed on the diamond. Nine players from the pitching team try to prevent the other team from scoring, and if the scores are tied, extra innings are played to conclude the game.
Rules of baseball vary from league to league, but the basic gameplay is quite similar. The substitute players can be brought in the game in case of fatigue, injury or tactical reasons of current players, but once the player has been replaced, he cannot return to the game. After three outs, teams switch roles, and in case of tie after nine innings, extra innings are played to conclude the game. The rules of official baseball have not changed much during modern era, and most baseball fans, players and administrators consider the traditions and rules as nearly sacrosanct.
Baseball has no clock, and to win, the team has to out the last batter. To play the game, pitcher stands on the mound and throws ball to the hitter standing on the home plate. The hitter must hit the ball inside the foul lines, and then run to the first base where he can either stop, or continue to next base. If hitter stops on any base, he becomes a base runner, and can advance once next hitter is batting.
The field nearest to the bases is called infield and the farther grassy reaches are called outfield. The pitcher stands in the middle of the mound, and begins the action by throwing the ball towards home plate. Wins, losses, innings pitches, saves, earned run average and winning percentage are the basic pitching statistics. The team scoring maximum runs at the end of nine innings is the winning team.
Dimensions of infields are regulated specifically, and only constraint regarding shape and size of outfield is that it must have the minimum distance of 99m from the home plate to fences in left and right field, and 122m to the center. Each team must stick to the bating order throughout the game. Each umpire is authorized to order the coach, player, manager or club officer to do or not do anything that can affect administering the basic rule, and enforce the prescribed penalties. In World Series, champions of two leagues match up and play the best of seven series with AL rules and NL rules.
