| A | B |
|---|
| Take the ball and run | Make the most of your opportunities; capitalize on options when offered |
| The clock's run out | No time left |
| Second stringer | not first quality in ability; lacking in some ability |
| No-win situation | Neither side can win; neither alternative of action seems productive |
| Game plan | Strategy for winning; accomplishing something |
| Team player | One who cooperates, doesn't rock the boat, is loyal |
| Out of bounds | Off the 'playing field', not leagal, not done, not acceptable |
| Stalling for time | Using delaying tactics |
| Heavyweight | Person who is taken seriously, highly regarded in their field, influencial |
| Knockout | Used as a compliment for a good-looking woman |
| Ringside seats | Close to the stage, close to the "action" |
| "Left field" | Implies remote position or distance from the mainstream, not being a part of the core action, etc. |
| Touch base with | Check with, keep in touch with people, let people know what the current situation is |
| To strike out | To fail |
| Throw a curve | To deceive, trick, tactically confuse |
| 2 strikes against him | Down to his last option, no "second chance", odds loaded against success |
| To field questions | Handling questions with dexterity (great skill and thoughtfulness) |
| Doubleheader | Two main parts or features to an event |
| To play ball (with) | To cooperate with, deal with |
| Ball park figures | Within acceptable limits, rough estimate |
| Out of our league | Better than us |
| Not in our league | Inferior to us |
| Major, big leagues | Highest level of "professionalism" |
| "Bush" league | Cheap, lower-than-acceptable professionalism or ethics |
| Batting 1,000 | Doing something perfectly, successful at every stage, in every way |
| To score | General: to achieve, to impress someone. Sexual: To make a sexual conquest, to consummate a sexual relationship |
| It's a new ball game | A new chance, a fresh slate; a situation in which we start again "from scratch" (from the beginning) |
| Playing hard ball | Playing with no rules, no holds barred; tough negotiations; no pretense of politeness |
| Below the belt | Being unfair, unjust, in a destructive way, unethical, illegal |
| Saved by the bell | Getting out of a bad situation just in time by something out of your control |
| A long shot | Not much chance, but some; a risk or gamble that could pay off beautifully |
| Wasn't up to scratch | Wasn't of the quality expected to even start competing in something |
| Time out | A breather, time to pause and rest from what one is doing, reconsider |
