SESKStuff Everyone Should Know

Games · Sports & Fitness

Stuff Every Baseball Player Should Know

Strikes and balls, outs, the infield fly rule, positions, scorekeeping and safety.

Start Stuff Every Baseball Player Should Know ⚡ Today's sprint 🚗 Drive mode

Print the first 50 cards (free)Get the whole test as a printable PDF: $3 (pre-order)

Free to start, no sign-up. 66 cards so far. One Knowledge Score and day streak across all your courses.

⏱ Timed practice exam

SESK practice exam: 50 questions, 50 minutes, pass with 40 right (80%).

Take it like the real thing: a countdown, no hints until you finish, then your score by topic, every miss explained, and a readiness score from your last 3 exams.

Take a timed practice exam For SESK members. See plans

Try 3 cards

  1. In MLB, where is the top of the strike zone?
    Show the answer

    Midway between shoulders and top of the pants. The rulebook puts the top of the zone at the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants. It is judged from the batter's stance, ready to swing.

  2. A pitch hits the ground, then bounces through the strike zone. The batter does not swing. What is it?
    Show the answer

    A ball. The rulebook says a pitch that touches the ground and bounces through the strike zone is a ball. Only a pitch that goes through the zone in the air can be a called strike.

  3. How many strikes does it take for a batter to strike out?
    Show the answer

    Three. A batter strikes out on three strikes. Strike three can be called, swinging, a caught foul tip, or a two-strike foul bunt.

All 66 practice questions

The first 50 are free, with the answer, why it's right and the official sources. The other 16 (🔒) are for SESK members. Or play them as a game and track what you've learned.

Show all 66 questions
  1. In MLB, where is the top of the strike zone?
  2. A pitch hits the ground, then bounces through the strike zone. The batter does not swing. What is it?
  3. How many strikes does it take for a batter to strike out?
  4. How many balls earn a batter a walk to first base?
  5. When an announcer says the count is 3 and 1, what does the 3 mean?
  6. A batter with two strikes swings and hits a regular foul ball. What happens?
  7. With two strikes, a batter bunts the ball foul. What is the call?
  8. With two strikes, the batter tips a pitch straight into the catcher's glove and it is caught. What happens?
  9. A pitch hits a batter who did not swing at it. What does the batter usually get?
  10. A pitch is inside the strike zone when it hits the batter. What is the call?
  11. In baseball slang, what is a "can of corn"?
  12. A batter pops the ball up into foul territory and a fielder catches it. Is the batter out?
  13. On a ground ball, how does the defense usually get the batter out?
  14. Normally, when can a fielder holding the ball tag a runner out?
  15. In a force play, how can the defense get the forced runner out?
  16. Runner on first. The batter is thrown out at first base first. Now how must they get the other runner at second?
  17. When can the infield fly rule be called?
  18. The umpire calls "infield fly," the ball lands fair, and the infielder drops it. What happens to the batter?
  19. A fly ball is caught. What must a runner do before running to the next base?
  20. A pitcher balks with runners on base. What happens?
  21. In MLB since 2023, what happens if a pitcher's third pickoff try in one at bat fails?
  22. Bases empty, the catcher drops strike three. What can the batter do?
  23. Runner on first, one out. The catcher drops strike three. What happens to the batter?
  24. A fly ball hits the foul pole. What is it?
  25. A ground ball bounces over first base, then rolls into foul territory. Fair or foul?
  26. How many innings is a regulation MLB game?
  27. The home team leads after the top of the ninth inning. What happens?
  28. In MLB regular season games, how does each extra inning start?
  29. In MLB since 2023, how long does a pitcher have to pitch with the bases empty?
  30. In MLB, what happens when a pitcher does not start his pitch before the pitch clock runs out?
  31. In 2023, MLB made its bases bigger. How big are they now?
  32. Who does the designated hitter bat in place of?
  33. When did MLB's National League adopt the designated hitter for good?
  34. How far is the pitcher's rubber from home plate in MLB?
  35. How far apart are the bases on an MLB field?
  36. Which scorekeeping number is used for the shortstop?
  37. What does a 6-4-3 double play mean?
  38. How is batting average calculated?
  39. What does ERA measure for a pitcher?
  40. When does a batter usually earn an RBI?
  41. What is the most common way a batter hits a home run?
  42. How many runs score on a grand slam?
  43. What four hits make up hitting for the cycle?
  44. What is a no-hitter in baseball?
  45. What turns a no-hitter into a perfect game?
  46. Which of these does NOT count as an official at-bat?
  47. In scorekeeping, when is a fielder charged with an error?
  48. What happens on a sacrifice fly?
  49. Under MLB's Pitch Smart guidelines, what is the daily pitch limit for ages 11 to 12?
  50. In Little League, how much rest must a pitcher age 14 or under take after 66 pitches in a day?
  51. In Little League, when must batters wear a protective batting helmet? 🔒
  52. Which piece of a catcher's gear protects the throat? 🔒
  53. What should a ballplayer's sunglasses block? 🔒
  54. What does Tommy John surgery rebuild? 🔒
  55. Where was Abner Doubleday in 1839, the year a myth says he invented baseball in Cooperstown? 🔒
  56. Which Knickerbocker Base Ball Club member is often cited as a major contributor to modern baseball? 🔒
  57. What did Jackie Robinson do in 1947? 🔒
  58. What is the World Series? 🔒
  59. How must fastpitch softball pitchers throw the ball? 🔒
  60. How many innings are in a regulation softball game under USA Softball rules? 🔒
  61. In adult women's fastpitch softball, what are the base and pitching distances? 🔒
  62. What is a fielder's choice? 🔒
  63. Which letter marks a strikeout in a scorebook? 🔒
  64. How many called balls in a plate appearance normally award the batter first base? 🔒
  65. What is usually an earned run? 🔒
  66. In MLB, where is the bottom of the strike zone? 🔒