Unofficially, the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) season has already begun with the Padres and Dodgers facing off at the Seoul Series which began on Wednesday, March 20th in Korea. With the official Opening Day set for Thursday, March 28th, the remainder of baseball fans must now wait another week in eager anticipation for all 30 teams in the league to start playing. We’re certainly biting at the bit for the Miami Marlins home opener at LoanDepot park against the Pittsburgh Pirates on the 28th. Yet Opening Day isn’t just an exciting opportunity for existing fans but also an excellent chance for non-fans, of every kind, to start getting involved with the MLB.
You Can’t Beat Baseball
Trust us, few things in life compare to the thrills offered by following a baseball team through the highs and lows of the full regular season that doesn’t end until September, 26th. The all-star, playoff, and World Series games that follow only add to the fun. Even streaming television services, with their huge budget productions, have nothing on baseball when it comes to pure thrills, entertainment, and even drama. Nothing breaks up the monotony of life better than a day out at the ballpark. They don’t call baseball America’s favorite pastime for nothing.
Shared Experience
Look past the obvious, however, and one will find that MLB is as much about entertainment as it is about shared experience, be that with family, friends and the local community. Following the sport provides an unparalleled sense of belonging and identity, that we as humans always crave. It’s that shared hot dog, pretzel, churro, Dippin’ Dots ice cream or Doc Popcorn in the stands with your parents or best friends that create everlasting memories. Baseball also provides the sort for common ground to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Talking about the game makes for the perfect ice breaker for work colleagues, the cabbie, or even strangers at a dinner party.
MLB Basics
That said, getting involved or reacquainted with a sport either as a spectator or player can sometimes feel intimidating or even insurmountable. People sometimes question whether they know enough about the rules, the players, the latest news etc. Others, in many instances, are confused on even where to start. Baseball, where long-time fans can rattle off player statistics as easily as they do the names of their children or their home address, can sometimes feel inaccessible. In reality, baseball is one of the easiest sports to follow once you know the basics. Below, we’ve put together a short basic guide to MLB.
MLB Season Structure
Major League Baseball (MLB) is structured with two separate leagues: the National League (NL) and the American League (AL). Each league is further divided into three divisions: East, Central, and West. This makes a total of six divisions across MLB.
- National League (NL):
- NL East
- NL Central
- NL West
- American League (AL):
- AL East
- AL Central
- AL West
Each division contains five teams, making a total of 30 teams in Major League Baseball. The teams compete against each other within their respective leagues and divisions throughout the regular season.
At the end of the regular season, the top team from each division, as well as two wildcard teams from each league (the teams with the best records among those that didn’t win their division), advance to the postseason or playoffs.
The postseason consists of several rounds of playoffs, including the Wild Card Games, Division Series, League Championship Series, and ultimately the World Series, where the champions of the American League and National League face off to determine the overall MLB champion.
MLB Game Rules
Like any other sport, MLB has many rules, but if ones the rules below they’ll be in pretty good position to enjoy and discuss each game:
- Nine Players on the Field: Each team fields nine players on the field during a game. These positions typically include a pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop, and three outfielders.
- Batting Order: Teams have a batting order consisting of nine players. This order dictates the sequence in which players will bat during the game. The lineup must be declared before the game and cannot be changed during the game, except in certain situations (e.g., injury).
- Pitching: The pitcher stands on a raised mound and throws pitches towards home plate. The pitcher’s main objective is to prevent the batter from hitting the ball safely. Different types of pitches include fastballs, curveballs, sliders, and changeups.
- Batting: The batter attempts to hit the pitched ball with a bat. If the batter hits the ball and reaches base without being put out, it is considered a hit. A batter can also reach base via a walk (four balls thrown outside the strike zone) or being hit by a pitch.
- Scoring Runs: Runs are scored when a player successfully advances around the bases and touches home plate. This can occur through hitting, base running, or fielding errors by the opposing team.
- Outs: Each team is allowed three outs per inning when playing defense. Outs can be recorded through various means, including striking out a batter, catching a batted ball before it touches the ground (a flyout), tagging a baserunner with the ball, or forcing a base runner out at a base.
- Fair and Foul Balls: A batted ball that lands within the foul lines is considered fair, while a ball that lands outside those lines is foul. Foul balls count as strikes unless the batter already has two strikes, in which case they do not count as strikes unless the batter hits the ball into fair territory.
- Inning and Game Duration: A standard baseball game consists of nine innings, with each team having a turn to bat and play defense in each inning. In the event of a tie after nine innings, extra innings are played until a winner is determined.
- Substitutions: Teams can make substitutions during the game, replacing players in various positions. Pitchers, in particular, are often substituted based on their pitch count, performance, or strategic considerations.
5 Most Common Baseball Terms
Loads of terms will be thrown around the park on game day, but here are the five most common to get started with:
- Home Run: When a batter hits the ball out of the playing field (over the outfield fence) in fair territory without the ball being caught, it’s called a home run. The batter and any baserunners score automatically, and the batter circles the bases to touch home plate, scoring one run.
- Strikeout (K): A strikeout occurs when a pitcher throws three strikes to a batter, and the batter fails to hit any of them. Strikes are typically swinging strikes or called strikes by the umpire. If a batter strikes out, they are out, and the next batter comes up to bat.
- Double Play: A defensive play in which the defending team records two outs in the same play. This often occurs when there’s a runner on first base or first and second base, and a ground ball is hit to an infielder, who then throws to another infielder to get a force out at second base and then throws to first base to get the batter out.
- Base Hit: When a batter hits the ball into fair territory and safely reaches base without any errors or outs by the defense, it’s considered a base hit. Base hits can vary in type, including singles (one base), doubles (two bases), triples (three bases), and home runs (four bases).
- Error: An error is a defensive misplay that allows a batter or baserunner to reach base or advance to an additional base when they should have been put out. Errors can occur due to mishandled balls, errant throws, or fielding mistakes. Errors are recorded in the scorebook and can affect a player’s fielding statistics.
The Stats
As we highlighted earlier, stats can be one of the more difficult aspects of baseball to grasp. While they aren’t essential they will certainly provide an enhanced understanding of the game and player success. The most commonly quoted are as follows:
- Batting Average (AVG): This is perhaps the most well-known statistic in baseball. It represents the ratio of hits to at-bats for a batter. It’s calculated by dividing the number of hits by the number of at-bats. For example, a player with 50 hits in 200 at-bats would have a batting average of .250.
- Earned Run Average (ERA): This statistic is used to measure the effectiveness of a pitcher. It represents the average number of earned runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings pitched. Lower ERAs indicate better pitching performance. ERA is calculated by multiplying the number of earned runs allowed by nine and dividing the result by innings pitched.
- Runs Batted In (RBI): RBI measures a batter’s effectiveness in driving in runs. It counts the number of runs scored as a result of a batter’s hits, walks, or other productive outs. It does not include runs scored as a result of errors or passed balls.
The Seventh Inning Stretch
The “seventh inning stretch” is a tradition in baseball that occurs during the middle of the seventh inning of the game. It’s a brief break in the action where fans typically stand up from their seats, stretch their legs, and often sing along to the song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
The tradition dates back to the early 20th century and has become a beloved part of the baseball experience. Its origins are often attributed to President William Howard Taft, who reportedly stood up and stretched during the seventh inning of a game in 1910, sparking others in attendance to do the same.
The song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is usually played by the ballpark’s organist or over the stadium’s sound system, and fans join in singing the familiar lyrics. It’s a light-hearted and fun moment that adds to the festive atmosphere of a baseball game.
During the seventh inning stretch, some ballparks also feature other entertainment activities or promotions to engage fans and enhance their experience at the game. Overall, the seventh inning stretch is a cherished tradition that brings fans together and adds to the unique charm of baseball.
The Snacking
We like to think of the seventh inning stretch as one of the many perfect times to grab a snack at an MLB game. What would a baseball game be without the snacks? Those attending a Marlins game at LoanDepot stadium are truly spoiled with a choice of our full range of Dippin’ Dots ice cream and Doc Popcorn products available all season long during game time. For those who are watching the game, but couldn’t make it to the stadium in person, we’ve got you covered through our online shop or via door delivery services Uber Eats and DoorDash. Looking to host a Marlins or other MLB themed event then get in contact with us here and one of experienced catering teams will be in touch right away.
About Total Snacks
Total Snacks’ mission is to always provide the highest quality snack food for people to enjoy wherever and whenever. The business began in 2015 by entrepreneurs Eleazar López Contreras and Mabe León-Ponte, a husband and wife team, who immediately noticed a lack of high quality snacking options around their new home in Miami, Florida. From its humble beginnings as a single retail kiosk, the couple has worked tirelessly and creatively to bring the best in class snack foods to the region.
Today, Total Snacks stands out as the premier provider of snack foods and catering in Miami. Its products can be found in over 300 independent outlets, the company provides contract catering solutions to some of the largest sporting and entertainment venues in the area, while bringing smiles to thousands of people a year through its corporate and private catering activities. Despite its success, Total Snack has never wavered from its core mission to offer the highest quality snack foods and the best customer service.
