Baseball is America's national sport. So it is not unusual that many popular expressions come from baseball. But first, let me explain a little about the game.

Each baseball team has nine players. The pitcher of one team throws the ball to a batter from the other team. The batter attempts to hit the ball. If he misses, it is
called a strike. If a batter gets three strikes, he loses his turn at bat and is called out. The batter also is out if he hits the ball in the air and an opposing
player catches it. But if the batter hits the ball and it is not caught, the batter tries to run to one or more of the four bases on the field. The batter can run to all four bases if he hits the ball over the fence or out of the ballpark. Such a hit is called a home run.

Now, here are some common expressions from baseball. Someone who is on the ball is intelligent and able to do a good job. But a person who threw a curveball did something unexpected. Someone who steps up to the plate is ready to do his or her job. A pinch hitter takes the place of someone else at a job or activity.

A person who strikes out or goes down swinging attempted something but failed. We also might tell the person that three strikes and you are out. But someone who hit a home run or hit it out of the park did something extremely well.

Sometimes I have to give information quickly, without time to think it over. Then I would say something right off the bat. If someone is doing an extremely good job and is very successful, you might say he or she is batting one thousand.

If I say I want to touch base with you, I will talk to you from time to time about something we plan to do. I might say I touched all the bases if I did what is necessary to complete a job or activity. And if I covered my bases, I was well prepared. However, someone who is way off base did something wrong or maybe even dishonest or immoral. A person with strange ideas might be described as out in left field.

Let us say I want to sell my car, but I do not know exactly how much it is worth. If someone asks me the price, I might give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate.

If someone offers me an amount that is close to my selling price, I might say the amount is in the ballpark. However, if I say we are not in the same ballpark, I mean we cannot agree because my ideas are too different from yours.

Finally, when a situation changes completely, we say that is a whole new ballgame.

棒球是美國的全民運動，自然有許多常用的慣用語都源自於棒球，但首先讓我來說明一下棒球比賽的規則。

主客兩隊各派九名球員上場。各隊有一名投手，投球給對方打擊手，打擊手試圖揮擊出去。如果打者沒擊出安打，這球就判「一好球」。如果打擊手累積三好球都沒敲出安打，他就失去本次打擊的回合而「出局」。若他擊出飛球，遭到對方守備接殺，也算出局。但若打出去的球沒被接到，打擊者就能跑壘，依序站上場上四個壘包。若擊出的球飛越場邊圍牆，或飛出場外，他就可以跑完所有壘包奔回本壘，這球就叫做「全壘打」。

接著讓我介紹一些棒球衍生出來的用語。形容一個人「像強投一樣總能投出好球」，意指這人聰明機靈，有能力把事情辦好。但說一個人「投了顆曲球」，代表他做了件出乎意料的事。「就打擊位置」意指他／她準備好要開始工作。當「代打」則指代替別人做他們的工作或活動。

說一個人「被三振出局」或「揮棒落空下場」，代表他／她試圖嘗試但卻失敗，我們也可以說他／她已經「三好球出局」。但若說某人「擊出一支全壘打」或「擊球飛出場外」，代表他／她表現相當出色。

有時候我們得立刻提供訊息，沒時間仔細思考，代表我們就像「被球擊中，立即彈飛的球」一樣，立即回應。若某人表現出類拔萃、非常成功，你可以說他／她「像敲出一千支安打」一樣厲害。

如果我跟你說我想「和你踩壘」，代表我會不時與你溝通聯繫，討論我們計畫要做的事。若我說「已經踩完所有壘包」了，代表我已經盡力做完所有該做的事項。若我已經「涵蓋所有壘包」，代表我是有備而來。但若說某人「離壘包很遠」，代表他／她犯了錯或甚至可能犯了不誠實、不道德的過失。想法古怪特異的人，可能會被形容成擊出少見的「左外野」飛球的人，和正常人不同。

假設我想賣我的車，但我不知道它確切值多少錢。如果有人問我價格，我可能會像「估計球場觀眾人數」一樣，給他一個概略的數字或估計。

如果有人出價接近我的銷售價格，我可以說這金額「在球場內」表示在我的預估範圍內。但如果我說「我們不在同一個球場內」，代表我們無法取得共識，因為我的想法和你有極大出入。

最後，當局勢完全改觀時，我們會形容說這像是一場「全新的球賽」。