Bees, Ducks, Quail, and Sombreros: Baseball’s Strangest Phrases

Wed, Jun 3, 2026
by CapperTek

America’s National Pastime is a staple of the sports betting scene in the USA. The game is also growing in popularity elsewhere in the world, with punters assessing the best sports betting sites UK increasingly checking out the MLB picks for the upcoming slate of games.

In many ways, baseball is ideally designed for betting purposes, with its game pattern, array of standard markets, and natural micro-betting opportunities. And, of course, those plotting which team will add their name to the list of World Series winners have a sea of stats and data to help make their decisions. As the inspiration for Moneyball and the birthplace of sabermetrics, baseball is a true heaven for the statistically inclined.

To those new to the sport, the stats can take a little getting used to but soon become second nature. But what about the lingo? The likes of Grand Slam, In the Hole, and Full Count are relatively straightforward. However, there are other terms which perhaps take a little more explaining…

Aspirin Tablet: A pitch thrown at such velocity that the ball appears to be little more than a tiny white pill as it hurtles towards the batter.

Baltimore Chop: The Baltimore Chop occurs when a struck ball hits home plate, or the hard ground just in front of it, and bounces so high into the air that the batter can make it to base before the fielders make a play.

Bees in the Hands: This refers to the stinging sensation produced when the ball strikes the bat's handle.

Bow Tie: A high, inside fastball, which whizzes past the batter’s neck.

Can of Corn: An easy catch. This harks back to the days when shop owners kept cans of corn on out-of-reach top shelves and used a pole to tip the can over the edge before making the catch.

Chuck-n-Duck: A pitcher of such limited ability that he may be best advised to duck as soon as he releases the ball.

Ducks on the Pond: Runners on base.

Dying Quail: A weak fly ball that drops like a shot bird into the area between the infielders and outfielders.

Golden Sombrero: Striking out three times in one game is often referred to as a hat trick. Striking out four times deserves a bigger hat, hence the Golden Sombrero, closely related to the Platinum Sombrero (five strikeouts) and Titanium Sombrero (six strikeouts).

Hanging a Snowman: When a team scores exactly eight runs in a single inning.

Hit it with the Sunday Times: A ball struck so softly you might think the batter was using a rolled-up newspaper.

Jam Sandwich: An inside pitch that jams the batter’s action, often striking the handle of the bat and causing bees in the hands.

Mendoza Line: A batting average of a meagre .200, named after Mario Mendoza, who finished below this mark five times in his nine seasons as a pro.

Piano Mover: Refers to a runner whose top speed is on the slow side.

Punch ‘n’ Judy: A batter with limited power. This phrase takes its inspiration from the classic British puppet show in which the characters would jab each other ineffectually with short sticks or batons.

Rabbit Ears: An umpire with a short fuse who overhears everything said about him and often reacts.

Skip Rope: Refers to a batter who sensibly jumps out of the way of a low, inside fastball.

Snow Cone: A catch where the ball is caught in the tip of the glove, giving the appearance of an ice-cream cone.

Vulture: A relief pitcher with a solid win record.

Worm Burner: A groundball that takes a series of low bounces.