Why does baseball have animalistic names?

Question

like "bull"pen and batting "cage"

Answer 1

Well, on the vegetable side, there's "chopping broccoli"!

Answer 2

It doesn't you just found a few that do sound a little like that.

Answer 3

That's the way they were named. Like baseball bat.

Answer 4

And baseballs are made of cowhides too.

Answer 5

I don't know that there is a consistent animal theme. It's just that there are SO MANY baseball terms, some would be animal-related.

According to dictionary.com, the name bullpen came from an earlier usage meaning "stockade, exercise area for prisoners" since the pitchers warming up kind of looked like prisoners - usually the area is walled or fenced off, on one side by the outfield fence. That name came from a literal usage, a pen for bulls.

Batting cage is fairly literal, looks like a cage, people bat in it.