safety squeeze
- noun
- Jargon
- In a safety squeeze, the runner at third waits to see where the bunt is going before heading for home.
Examples
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In a safety squeeze, the runner on third base waits for the batter to successfully bunt before running home.
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During the game, the coach decided to use a safety squeeze to ensure the runner at third would score.
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A safety squeeze does not always result in an RBI.
Blog text (5) -
The safety squeeze play caught the defense off guard, allowing the runner on third to score easily.
Synonyms
A baseball play where a runner on third base tries to score as the batter bunts
A baseball play where a runner on third base waits for a bunt then runs home to avoid being out
How Risky
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term combines everyday words but the specific baseball meaning (a bunt where the runner delays until contact is sure) is not directly derivable from the general senses of 'safety' and 'squeeze'. However, 'safety' does cue a safer variant of a 'squeeze' play, so there is a partial, predictable relation that still requires sport-specific knowledge.
Etymology
Safety squeeze comes from the picture of a runner on third being gently squeezed toward home but held back for safety, because the runner waits until the batter makes a good bunt before running. So the term means 'a less risky bunt play where the runner waits to be sure before trying to score'.