スリーボール

スリーボール is a wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English) baseball term meaning a count of three balls. It is heard mainly in TV/radio commentary, in baseball video games, and in casual baseball talk. In English-language baseball, the count is simply expressed as "three balls" or as part of a count like "3-2."

Common collocations

• カウントはスリーボール: the count is three balls
• スリーボールから投(な)げる: to pitch from a 3-ball count
• スリーボール・ノーストライク: 3-0 count
• スリーボール・ツーストライク: 3-2 count (the same as フルカウント, "full count")
• スリーボールに追(お)い込(こ)まれる: to be cornered into a 3-ball count

Related words

• ツーストライク: two strikes
• フルカウント: full count (3 balls and 2 strikes)
• フォアボール: walk / base on balls
• ボールカウント: ball-strike count
• ストライク: strike
• ボール: ball (a pitch outside the strike zone)

Usage

• In Japanese broadcasts the count is conventionally given balls-first: スリーボール・ツーストライク (3-2). MLB-style English counts give strikes-first ("3 and 2" still works because it is balls-first too, but "two strikes, three balls" would sound odd).
• スリーボール is also very common in baseball manga and anime as a way of building tension before the next pitch.