small ball
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A baseball strategy that relies on baserunning, singles, and hitting for average rather than hitting home runs.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “small ball” mean?
A baseball strategy that relies on baserunning, singles, and hitting for average rather than hitting home runs.
Is “small ball” formal or informal?
small ball is generally slang.