Baseball field

Baseball Field

A baseball field, also known as a ball field or a baseball diamond, is a field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also refer to the entire area of play, including the outfield and other areas beyond the infield.

Design and specifications

A baseball field is typically diamond-shaped, with four bases (including home plate) forming the corners. The distance between each base is 90 feet in professional baseball, with the distance from home plate to the farthest part of the outfield wall varying depending on the specific field.

The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (the pitcher, catcher, and basemen) play. The outfield is the area beyond the infield, and it is typically grass-covered. The outfield is divided into left field, center field, and right field.

Key features

Home plate

Home plate is a five-sided slab of rubber that serves as the origin for all measurements on the field. It is where the batter stands to hit the ball and is the final base that a runner must touch to score a run.

Bases

First base, second base, and third base are the three bases that a runner must touch after hitting the ball and before returning to home plate to score a run. They are each 90 feet apart from each other and are marked by white square bags.

Pitcher's mound

The pitcher's mound is a raised area in the center of the infield from which the pitcher throws the ball to the batter. The top of the mound is a rubber slab, known as the pitcher's plate or rubber.

Outfield

The outfield is the area of the field beyond the bases. It is typically divided into left field, center field, and right field. The outfield is primarily the domain of the outfielders, who are tasked with catching fly balls and preventing runners from advancing on hits that reach the outfield.

See also

• Baseball rules
• Baseball positions
• Baseball statistics
• Baseball strategy