pitch a curve meaning: to confuse someone by doing something unexpected (baseball) -My principal pitched me a curve when he changed the date of the meeting pitch an idea meaning: to make a proposal or suggestion about something (baseball) -I will pitch my idea tomorrow at the meeting reach first base with meaning: to make an advance with someone or in some undertaking -Tom didn’t not reach first base with his boss about changing his work schedule play hardball with meaning: to behave in an extremely determined way to get what you want -The owners of the football club decided to play hardball when they began negotiating with the star right off the bat meaning: at the very beginning, immediately (baseball & cricket) -When we arrived at the resort, we were told right off the bat that we would have to pay extra to use the pool and the training room steal a base meaning: to sneak from one base to another in baseball -He won an award for stealing the most bases in one year step up to the plate meaning: to accept the challenge, to prepare to a task -My friend stepped up to the plate and helped me complete the project strike out meaning: to fail -He struck out in his attempt to meet the challenge whole new ball game meaning: a new set of circumstances, a completely new situation -The meeting became a whole new ball game when some people left touch base with meaning: to briefly meet or make contact with someone -I touched base with my aunt before she left to Canada