Inside baseball (metaphor)

In American slang, the term inside baseball refers to the minutiae and detailed inner workings of a system that are only interesting to, or appreciated by, experts, insiders, and aficionados.[1][2] The phrase was originally used as a sports metaphor in political contexts, but has expanded to discussions of other topics as well.[1] Language commentator William Safire wrote that the term refers to details about a subject that require such a specific knowledge about what is being discussed that the nuances are not understood or appreciated by outsiders.[3]

  1. ^ a b The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang. Ed. Grant Barrett. Oxford University Press, 2004 (paperback ed. 2006). p. 5-6. ISBN 0195304470
  2. ^ "Inside baseball". Grammarist. 11 June 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  3. ^ Safire, William (June 19, 1988). "On Language; Inside Baseball". New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 28 February 2012.