quicko: baseball idioms

American English uses tons -- TONS -- of baseball idioms all the time.  From general sorts of "on the ball," or "play ball" to the more specific "struck out," "out in left field" or "step up to the plate," there are about 20-30 that are just general idiomatic parts of the language that are used frequently in daily conversation, professional conversation, conventions, presentations, etc.  Australians use/recognize many of them, but don't use quite as many quite as often.  I taught a bunch to my students the other day, thinking they'd be thrilled (idioms are generally a huge hit, if you pardon the idiom), but they weren't.  They didn't hear Australians using them and were convinced I'd made them up.  Students of little faith!!