bench jockey

English

Etymology

As verbal jousting is frequently called "riding", the "rider" sitting on a bench came to be known as the "bench jockey".

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

bench jockey (plural bench jockeys)

1. (US, idiomatic, slang, baseball) A player, coach or manager who verbally annoys and distracts opposition players and umpires from his team's dugout bench.