On The Screws
Hard hit
Example
The ball was hit on the screws but right at the center fielder for the second out
Related Slang
| On the button | Hard hit ball |
| Mash | To hit a baseball well |
| Line drive | Hard hit baseball in the air |
| Baltimore chop | Baseball hit that takes a large hop over an infielder |
| HR | Home run |
| MLB | Major League Baseball |
Baseball Slang Quiz: Can you bat 1.000?
On the screws is a sports phrase that describes a ball that is hit really hard. It is used in various sports, most commonly in golf and baseball.
The term comes from the way wooden golf clubs were constructed. Brass screws were used to fasten plates in the face of the club and these screws were located in the middle "sweet spot" of the club head. The golf ball travels farthest when a golfer hits it with the sweet spot on the club where the screws are located. So when a golfer hit the ball really hard and far, the "on the screws" term was coined. Eventually, the phrase was used in other sports like baseball, even though bats do not have screws in them.
In baseball, a ball hit on the screws often results in a home run. However, it may also be a single, double, triple, or an out if hit directly at a fielder. On the screws is similar to the "On the button" phrase, which is also used in baseball.