Nubber Meaning in Baseball

A nubber in baseball describes a weakly hit ball that travels only a short distance. The bat contacts the ball with very little force. The ball usually rolls slowly along the infield grass or dirt. This weak contact often occurs when the bat hits incorrectly. Inside pitches sometimes cause hitters to produce nubbers. The ball leaves the bat with almost no forward momentum. Fielders often charge quickly toward the slowly rolling ball. Quick reaction becomes essential for recording the out. Sometimes the batter reaches base if fielders hesitate briefly. Pitchers often prefer inducing weak contact like this. Weak ground balls reduce chances of extra base hits. Infielders practice charging slowly moving balls during training sessions. Proper footwork helps secure the ball before throwing accurately. During a game a batter hits a slow nubber toward the pitcher. The pitcher fields the ball and throws to first base.