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Baseball Glossary
Learn the language of Baseball — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
5 terms
- Hip-Shoulder SeparationProHip-shoulder separation is the difference in rotation between the hips and the shoulders during the swing. The hips fire first while the shoulders stay back, creating stored torque that whips the bat through.
- Horizontal BreakProHorizontal break is the lateral movement a pitch generates from spin, measured in inches to the arm side (positive) or glove side (negative).
- Induced Vertical Break (IVB)ProInduced vertical break is the vertical movement a pitch achieves purely from spin, measured against a hypothetical spinless ball — isolating the Magnus effect from gravity.
- Seam-Shifted Wake (SSW)ProSeam-shifted wake (SSW) is an airflow effect where off-center seams disturb the air unevenly. It causes movement that spin rate or axis alone can't predict.
- Whiff on Spin vs VelocityProWhiff on spin vs velocity splits a hitter's swing-and-miss rate by pitch type. It shows whether breaking and off-speed pitches or hard fastballs cause the misses.
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