Baseball is played between two teams of nine players each on a baseball field, under the authority of one or more officials, called umpires. There are usually four umpires in major league games; up to six (and as few as one) may officiate depending on the league and the importance of the game. There are four bases. Numbered counter-clockwise, first, second and third bases are cushions (sometimes informally referred to as bags) shaped as 15 in (38 cm) squares which are raised a short distance above the ground; together with home plate, the fourth "base," they form a square with sides of 90 ft (27.4 m) called the diamond. Home base (plate) is a pentagonal rubber slab known as simply home. The playing field is divided into three main sections:
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1 l9 N3 U. j- N' ]6 u- x" wtvb now,tvbnow,bttvbThe infield, containing the four bases, is for general defensive purposes bounded by the foul lines and within the grass(or AstroTurf) line (see figure). 5 M6 _- u2 @8 p3 S: `! v, o8 I9 O
The outfield is the grassed area beyond the infield grass line between the foul lines, and bounded by a wall or fence.
& N4 _) [. q4 m5 d/ Xtvb now,tvbnow,bttvbFoul territory is the entire area outside the foul lines. |