Baseball: A Game of Words

Last Tuesday, Dave Duncan and Tony LaRussa were separated for a ball game for the first time in the legendary duo’s career. Duncan took a leave of absence sighting “personal reasons” for his decision to leave the ball club, yet another first for Duncan.

Just one day later Duncan rejoined the ball club. Upon his arrival he simply told the media that he is back and that he is not going to comment on the reasons he left the Cardinals for a night. He continually repeated himself, just stating that he was back and that was the end of the story, almost as though his absence on Monday night had never even happened.

While Duncan is allowed to keep his silence for personal reasons, he is a public figure and does have the responsibility of talking to the media because that is what public figures do. This normally wouldn’t be that big of a deal if it weren’t for the timing of Duncan’s personal leave. Last week, his son, Chris Duncan, was released from the Red Sox organization after hitting .188 for Triple A Pawtucket. It is speculated that Dave Duncan’s leave was to attend to his son for mental support, though this is all just hearsay.

His silence may also be from the way Duncan believes his son was treated in the media and this is a chance for Duncan to “get back” at St. Louis outlets, which have never been known for being overly tough on players.

Of course, this is all just speculation. But the timing of Duncan’s silence is rather unusual. He will talk eventually. He’s going to have to.

This is just one example of the relationship between sports figures and the media. Players and coaches put up a stone wall and it’s up to the reporters to break down the façade brick by brick until the person either says something stupid or just gives up and starts talking.

However, staying silent is not the best way to do this. What is? Why, sports clichés of course. The simple phrases and mumbo jumbo that comes out of a player or a coach’s mouth to describe how a game went or how a player has struggled or been on fire are meant to make you sound like you’re saying something without saying anything at all. Tony LaRussa has become a master at this.


You can’t read or listen to a sports interview without hearing at least one cliché. But the trick is learning the subtext of what a player is actually saying when he tells a reporter these one-liners. For your education, I present several well known baseball phrases along with their actual meaning in the game of baseball, especially Cardinal baseball.


CLICHÉ: It’s a beautiful day for baseball.

MEANING: It’s sunny, but the temperature is 98 degrees with a humidity level of 200%. But the field looks terrific!



CLICHÉ: He’s got the batters eating out of his hand.

MEANING: The Cardinals are facing an unproven rookie who is most likely left-handed.



CLICHÉ: We’re going to play a hard nine.

MEANING: The Cardinals were down 2-0 in the bottom of the ninth, but somebody got hit with a pitch and Colby Rasmus walked so Albert Pujols hit a walk-off home run. Total hits on the night? One.



CLICHÉ: He really grinds out at-bats.

MEANING: He fouls off a lot of pitches and forces a full count before striking out. This most likely means Skip Schumaker.





CLICHÉ: He’s got good mechanics.

MEANING: He sucks.



CLICHÉ: He’s a gritty player.

MEANING: He sucks but he’s most likely short and tries really hard.






CLICHÉ: We got a real pitcher’s duel going on right now.

MEANING: This game is really, really boring.






CLICHÉ: This game is a real slugfest.

MEANING: Todd Wellemeyer is on the mound.





CLICHÉ: He’s trying to pitch out of a jam.

MEANING: Jason Isringhausen is trying to close out a game.





CLICHÉ: They are one strike away.

MEANING: Brad Lidge is on the mound about to give up a heartbreaking home run to Albert Pujols in the 2005 playoffs.




CLICHÉ: That’s a home run in any other ballpark.

MEANING: Somebody just flied out to the centerfield wall at Minute Maid Park over 420 feet away.





CLICHÉ: We’re happy to make it out of here with a victory.

MEANING: The bullpen made a laugher into a 1-run game.




CLICHÉ: It was a total team effort.

MEANING: Chris Carpenter pitched a shutout with someone other than Pujols or Holliday hitting a home run.



CLICHÉ: We’re going to savor this victory.

MEANING: I’m stopping by Taco Bell on the way home to get some nachos and then I’m going to bed because we play the same team at noon again tomorrow.


CLICHÉ: They caught us on an off-night.

MEANING: Neither Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright nor Joel Pineiro were on the mound tonight.


These are just a few. Feel free to add your favorites and say what they mean.