Commentary

Understanding baseball's rulebook

It is certainly not easy to comprehend some of the sport's complicated procedures

Updated: January 18, 2010, 11:06 AM ET
By Tim Kurkjian | ESPN The Magazine
Editor's note: Hot Stove U. is a six-week course devoted to higher learning, a series consisting of 30 need-to-know topics for 2010.

The setup

Baseball is a very simple game in some respects, but its rules are very complicated. So complicated, in fact, that some managers and players don't even know them all.

Take some time and read the rulebook. When you're done, you will have learned about 100 things you didn't know, and perhaps a bunch of things you didn't want to know. When you're done, you will be able to explain the balk rule, but won't be able to see one when it happens.


Think you know baseball rules? Well, think again. Become an Insider and find out what you're missing!

Tim Kurkjian

MLB reporter
  • Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com
  • Analyst/reporter ESPN television
  • Has covered baseball since 1981

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