Pepper (baseball)

Pepper is both a common batting and fielding exercise and a competitive game in baseball, during which one player hits brisk ground balls to a group of fielders who are standing nearby.

Pepper is a common pre-game exercise in which one player hits brisk grounders and line drives to a group of fielders who are standing about twenty feet away.

This exercise keeps the fielders and batter alert, and helps to develop quickness and good hand-eye coordination.

If the fielder makes an error in fielding the ball, he must move to the back of the line.

Some ballparks have banned pepper games because of the danger of balls landing in the stands and injuring spectators, as well as because its concentrated play damages the grass.