Baseball: Explainer
Browse SportsMonkie's explainer about baseball, organized in one crawlable topic hub.
19 articles in this topic.
What Is WHIP in Baseball? Good WHIP Explained
WHIP in baseball is walks plus hits per inning pitched. What counts as a good WHIP, the record holders, and how WHIP compares to ERA.
What Does DFA Mean in Baseball? The 7-Day Process
DFA means designated for assignment. Learn what leaves the 40-man roster, what happens during the seven-day window, and how waivers and pay work.
What Does OPS Mean in Baseball? Formula and Examples
OPS means on-base plus slugging. Learn the exact formula, what .800 and 1.000 mean, how walks count, and when OPS+ is the better comparison.
Ideal Attack Angle in Baseball: What It Is and Why It Matters
The ideal attack angle in baseball is generally 10 to 15 degrees upward through the zone, matching the pitch plane to lift the ball for extra bases.
Baseball Terminology Glossary: Every Key Term Explained
A complete baseball terminology glossary covering hitting, pitching, fielding, baserunning, and scoring terms every fan needs to know.
Baseball Umpire Signals Explained: Safe, Out, Strike, Fair, and More
Baseball umpire signals explained: safe, out, strike, ball, foul, fair, home run, infield fly, time, and count gestures with meanings.
How to Read a Baseball Box Score: A Line-by-Line Guide
Learn how to read a baseball box score: the line score, batting lines (AB, R, H, RBI), pitching lines (IP, ER, ERA), and every abbreviation decoded.
Slider vs Curveball: Grip, Spin, and Movement Compared
Slider vs curveball compared: grip, spin axis, velocity, and movement shape, plus a table showing exactly how to tell the two pitches apart.
How Do the MLB Playoffs Work? (12-Team Format)
The MLB playoffs are a 12-team bracket: six per league — three division winners and three wild cards — through the Wild Card Series, Division Series, LCS and World Series.
How Does the MLB Wild Card Work?
MLB's wild card gives each league three playoff berths to the best non-division winners. The lower seeds meet in a best-of-three Wild Card Series.
Types of Pitches in Baseball: The Complete Guide
The main types of pitches in baseball are the fastball, sinker, cutter, slider, curveball, changeup, splitter and knuckleball. See how each grip, speed and movement works.
What Is the Designated Hitter (DH) in Baseball?
The designated hitter bats in place of the pitcher and never plays the field. Since 2022 the universal DH applies in both the American and National Leagues.
Does MLB Have a Salary Cap? No — Here's Why
MLB has no salary cap. Instead it uses a competitive balance (luxury) tax to slow big spenders, which is why baseball payrolls vary more than any major US league.
What Is a Bullpen Game in Baseball?
What is a bullpen game? A team uses a chain of relief pitchers instead of a starter. Why it happens, how the win is decided, and if it works.
What Is a Cycle in Baseball? Rarity and Records
A cycle in baseball is one single, one double, one triple and one home run by the same batter in a single game. How rare it is, plus records.
What Is the Mendoza Line in Baseball?
The Mendoza Line is a .200 batting average, the informal benchmark for poor hitting in baseball. Its origin, meaning and use beyond sport, explained.
What Is Tommy John Surgery?
Tommy John surgery rebuilds a pitcher's torn elbow ligament with a tendon graft. Why pitchers need it, recovery time, and whether they throw harder after.
What Is WAR in Baseball? Explained
WAR in baseball is wins above replacement: how many wins a player adds versus a replacement-level fill-in. What a good WAR is, records, and bWAR vs fWAR.
Highest-Paid MLB Players: Total Value vs AAV in 2026
The highest-paid MLB players in 2026: Juan Soto's $765m tops total value, Kyle Tucker's $60m sets the AAV record, and Ohtani's deal leads neither.