Major League professional pitchers choose to throw different types of pitches like a chef chooses ingredients–they are meant to dazzle and surprise. Learning how to throw different types of pitches is important for aspiring pitches of all levels because having a variety of choices keeps the batter guessing and the pitcher ahead in the count. Though there are many types of pitches used in the majors these are the five most common and important to know:
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Four Seam Fastball: The basic pitch in baseball. Here the pitcher tries to dominate the batter not with placement or subtlety but instead with raw power. The way to grip the ball is to hold the ball perpendicular to the seams with two fingers on top and the thumb underneath. Gently hold the ball and use an overhead motion to throw the ball as hard as possible at the plate.?
Curveball: A curveball is another building block for most beginner pitches. They generally learn it as their first pitch after a fastball because there is only one new action on the ball that cause it to dip down by the time it reaches the batter. Because of this slight spin it will generally be at least slightly slower than a fastball. For this pitch, hold the ball with the seams perpendicular to the two fingers on the outside of the ball and the thumb on the inside. The ball is thrown without a full extension to give it greater break at the plate.
Change Up: To keep the batter from getting in a comfortable groove against their fastball, pitchers will throw different types of pitches to change the tempo. Here the pitcher slows the velocity of the pitch in an attempt to fool the batter into thinking it is a fastball and to get him to swing early. To throw this ball three fingers go on top of the ball while the pinky and thumb touch underneath and the ball is firmly in the hand. The arm motion is the same as a fastball.
Slider: Though it does not move as much as a curveball, the slider uses placement and movement to fool the batter as to the ball’s trajectory. Also, the slider breaks from side to side instead of up and down. It is a fast pitch that keeps the batter guessing until it is too late. These types of pitches are the second fastest pitch behind the fastball. To throw this pitch, the ball is gripped in the same position as the fastball except that the ball is held off-center. This position will cause the ball to roll of the index finger as it is released. The arm speed should be the same as a fastball.
Knuckleball: The knuckleball is one of the most difficult throws in baseball for the batter and the pitcher. In learning how to throw different types of pitches in baseball, the knuckleball is unique. First, it is a very slow pitch and as it comes towards the plate it has a great amount of movement both side-to-side and up and down. In this grip, the index and middle finger sit on top of the ball like snake fangs holding the ball by the nails, while the other fingers hold the side of the ball. The key of the throw is during the release of the ball to try and create as little movement as possible.