|
Reader question: If someone’s remark is “off base”, what does it mean exactly? My comments: Baseless, basically. Without foundation. It means that particular someone’s remark on a certain subject is either entirely wrong, or badly inaccurate. “Off base” is originally a baseball term, describing the position of a player temporarily leaving his base, his safe place. In baseball, players run from base to base in order to score – by successfully running three bases and returning to the fourth or home base. While on first, second or third base, the player is advised to keep one of his feet on the base. So long as his foot is touching base, the opponent team cannot pick him off – hitting him and thus eliminating him from play. To steal a base or run to the next base when the pitcher is caught unawares, however, a runner sometimes ventures off a few meters towards the next base. That is the exact situation where a runner is off base. If a player is off base, of course, he runs a great risk of being hit out if the pitcher throws the ball to the base before he’s able to run back. In short, while on base, a player is safe; off base, he’s not safe. If a player habitually strays too far off base, well, he must be crazy because this type of recklessness means suicide and clearly is untenable. Hence the metaphorical idea of a remark or opinion being deemed off base, meaning the said remark or opinion is not safe and sound. It is, therefore, wrong. | 
