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A sweeper is a breaking ball with big sideways movement and less drop than a slider. How it moves, how fast it is, and how it compares with other breaking balls.

A Maddux is a complete game shutout on fewer than 100 pitches, named for Greg Maddux. What it takes, why it is rare, and how it compares with other feats.

A baseball slang glossary: 42 terms from ace and can of corn to golden sombrero, Uncle Charlie and yakker, with what each one means.

An MLB game uses about 100 to 120 baseballs, and the average ball lasts about six pitches. Why balls leave play and how many are used in a season.

Why every MLB baseball is rubbed with mud before games: what Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud is, where it comes from, and how it helps pitchers grip.

Baseball’s unwritten rules explained: don’t bunt to break up a no hitter, don’t steal with a big lead, don’t admire homers, and how players enforce the code.

What is inside a baseball: a cork and rubber center, layers of wool and cotton yarn, a cowhide cover and 108 hand sewn stitches. Every layer explained.

A baseball has 108 double stitches, or 216 individual stitches, sewn by hand with red thread. How the seams are made and why they matter to pitchers.

How far apart are the bases? MLB bases are 90 feet apart, home to second is 127 feet, 3 3/8 inches, plus pitching distances and youth league sizes.

An official baseball weighs 5 to 5 1/4 ounces and measures 9 to 9 1/4 inches around. Full specs, plus how it compares with softballs and other balls.