Q3 Seam Age?

Do you have to be a certain age to throw a 3 seam fastball? Can the 3 seam fastball be in place of the 2 seam fastball, or do they do two different things?

AFirst question: no - a 3-seam is no more dangerous than 2-seam. Second question: maybe. You want a fastball with some movement - so use 2- 3- 4-seam for variation - keep them guessing, within reason. See what works best for you consistently. If you can locate both 2 and 3 seam where you want them, then you really keep them guessing. But if only one of the two is fully in your command, then it might be better to look at the 3-seam as a sub for the 2-seam.

Q4 or 5 Pitches?

If your a pitcher in high school and you're a freshman trying to work your way up what would be 4 or 5 good pitches to have to help you be effective against older competition?

AI'm not sure you need 4 or 5 - depends how you categorize them.
1. You need a fastball - ideally one with some movement which you can locate consistently. (In other words consistent mechanics and the ability to adjust finger pressure to get movement - it helps to vary 2- 3- 4-seam versions. You could count those as separate pitches, or not.)
2. You need a change-up because a change in timing always fools batters.
3. You need a breaking pitch - more severe movement than your fastball. This could be a curve, or slider or screwball - find out what you have better results with and stick to that - developing it to perfection, rather than trying to throw them all.

QAdding a Pitch

My son (12 years old) is a Little league pitcher in his second season. At the moment he has enough speed and accuracy on his fastball to overpower 5-6 of the batters in each lineup of most of the games he pitches in. Unfortunately the remaining batters seem to be able to catch up with the fastball and take advantage of his always being around the plate. Is a change up a possible answer? The league that he is in does not allow any breaking balls. He throws a 2 and 4 seam fastball, but I don't know if he does anything else. He has been to several pitching camps and seems to have a very compact and consistent throwing motion. I don't want to interfere with his coaches, but I love to see him pitch and want to see him improve.

AYes, a change-up is in order - anything to throw off the timing. The alternative is to have two effective arm angles - he is probably a little too consistent now. (Accuracy at the plate is good, predictability in the ball's flight path is not.) Or he might try two wind-up motions (full overhead and simple rock-back) and/or two stretch motions (leg lift and slide step.)

But only try one change at a time, or you do risk messing up his good mechanics.

QBreaking Pitch to Work On

Since I'm without a pitching coach, what breaking pitch should you suggest I work on? The Sinker/Splitter, or the Cutter? Not gonna chance the slider or curve until I get a pitching coach. Also, I notice how you encourage the screwball on the website, but im trying to shy away from it, because of what it did to Fernando Valenzuela and what it has done to John Franco. What other types of breaking pitches should I throw? Just the sinker?

ATo make the answer short... Cutter (and changeup). The point of the screwball discussion is about the inward turning action of the forearm vs outter turn of the doorknob slider (pronation and supination respectively). The reason pro pitchers get injuries is because pitching is hard on the body. Period. Almost ever pitcher in the world needs rehab at some point. (Meantime they made millions and can retire happy).

QChange-Up

I throw a fastball about 70mph, a sinker slightly faster, and a 12-6 curve. From coaches accounts I have great stuff, but believe that - despite speed changes on all 3 pitches - I need a change-up.

AFirst, you don't say what age you are but if 70 mph is your top then I would guess between 13 and 15. [Ed note: it always helps if you include basic data when you ask questions.] Yes, you do need a change-up because nothing fools batters more easily than a pitch that looks like a fastball but arrives way later. A good change of speed pitch will be 12 mph slower with the same arm action as your fastball. In other words, unreadable speed difference until it is too late. I often wish more work was done on change-ups than, say, sliders but I understand the resistance... you are trying always to pitch faster so the idea of developing a slow pitch just doesn't seem to make sense.

QChange-Up Differential

I'm a 15 year old lefty with a tall lanky build (6'0 155lbs.) And I was recently clocked at 83 mph to my fastball and 65 to my change-up. I'm just wondering if that's too much of a speed differential or not.

AThe purpose of a change-up is to fool the batter. The more the mechanics are the same and the more the speed is the only difference, the better the change-up pitch will throw off the batter's timing. If the drop is great but the batter isn't fooled then you might be dropping the speed too much and not throwing it with the conviction you need to. You;ve got to be able to sell it as a fastball.

QCircle Change

Recently we had a pitching instructor come to our LL pre-season coaches clinic...one of the coaches asked him to explain how to throw the circle change. He explained that you wrap your index finger in a circle by you thumb, have the ball deep into your palm and then when you throw the pitch the circle you've created with your index finger should face the pitcher...the ball then is released out the "backside" of your hand...that does not even seem to be close to how it is explained in WebBall...are there different ways to throw it?

AYes, many change-ups - the okay change or circle change, the palm ball, FOSH, etc. The objective is simply to keep the body and arm mechanics the same and have the added contact between ball and hand slow down its exit speed. But what he describes also sounds like it generates potential wrist stress so be cautious - find a way to slow the release with added fingers and friction - there are no rules on this, you can hold the ball however it works best for your players.

QCoaches and Curves

I have an 11 year old son that has pitched for 4 years in Little League and AAU Ball. He has good control with pitching with an average fastball and changeup. Recently he has asked me to teach him to throw a curveball. It seems like every middle school coach we have talked to really seems to stress learning how to throw a curveball by the time he is 12 years old. Over the years I have read many pitching books and reviewed a number of pitching videos suggesting that a player not attempt to throw curve balls until around age 14. This past spring while my son was playing AAU Ball we saw several 11 year old pitchers throw a curve ball 75% of the time during the course of a game. What are your feelings on this subject of the curveball?

AYou know, every time I see this question my blood boils - not because you asked it, but because those idiotic short-sighted middle school coaches force you to have to ask it.

The trouble, you see, is that those coaches don't have to deal with those same players at 15 or 16. They don't see them dropping out of baseball. They don't see them undergoing surgery. And they don't know enough to teach proper mechanics to protect the arm. They have no clue that because of those coaches' desire to win a ball game with 11 year olds, they may have guaranteed that those youngsters have no real future in baseball.

There is now a cautionary tale in the Pitching section which succinctly sums up the dangers. The reason the shoulder gave way is from gradually weakening ligaments, improper mechanics, muscles that strengthed but overpowered the joint and a change in the joint itself as the player matured.
So, to make it clear - DO NOT THROW ANY PITCH THAT PUTS EXCESSIVE LATERAL OR ROTATIONAL PRESSURE ON ANY PART OF THE ARM UNTIL A PLAYER IS 14 MINIMUM. Please do the baseball community a favor and pass this message on to every coach you talk to.

QCurveball Movement

I am a 15 year old pitch and most of the time I can't get my curveball to have a lot of movement. I have tried the different grips but it is not moving.

AUsually a curveball doesn't break because the grip is too tight - it keeps the overhand rotation from happening - not enough roll over the extended finger edge (either index finger or next). Try to loosen up. The best ideas of curveballs are from John Bagonzi, some of which is on WebBall, more in his great book The Act of Pitching.

QCurves When?

My step son is 12 and has been involved in the Little League. I would like your opinion on when it would be safe to let him begin to throw curves, or would you recommend cutters for someone his age?

ACutters and change-ups before curves. Basically the curve is a post-puberty pitch, but even then the growth plates in arm bones are not fully mature until 16 or more, so the elbow action and wrist action of a curve can be hard on him - unless he is just throwing a locked-wrist karate chop curve. And even then, questionable. Yes, I know everybody does it, and yes I have pitchers younger than 16 throwing curves, but it comes down to monitoring personal situations, limiting pitch counts severely, and so on. At the very least every parent must be told in advance of the potential risk.

QEffective Change-Up?

I have rouble throwing my change-up. Do you have any good tips on how it is easer to throw or make it mare effective.

AIt's all in the grip - everything else about mechanics - arm angle, etc - stays the same. Some do better with circle change (thumb and index touching on side), some do better with palm ball (shoving the ball back into the hand more), some do better with three fingers on top - or more side pressure from little finger. Just get the grip the feels right to you then forget you are throwing a change up. Try to throw it like your best fastball. Only the grip is different and that's enough to change the speed

QFaster Fastball?

Is a 2 seam fastball faster than a 4 seam fastball in general because of the difference in rotation of the seams??

AFrom a scientific point of view you would think less air resistance (2 seam) would let the ball travel faster and also because the ball is dropping faster, gravity provides downward acceleration. However, the closer you are to a moving object the faster it appears. Stand beside a street - a car on the close side will seem to go faster past you than a car going the same speed on the other side of the street. Likewise a 4-seamer whizzing by your chin high and in is going to seem a lot faster than a 2-seamer tailing away low and outside.

The point of putting the above first, is to point out that absolutes don't always matter when dealing with perception. However, the 4-seamer's seams break up the air, cause less drag and so scientifcally it goes faster. The 2-seam has smoother surface, more contact with air, more drag.

QFinger Pressure

I use two and four seam fastballs with finger pressure, middle and index. But I'm not seeing the results I'm looking for. I apply the finger pressure around the ear, am not holding the ball too tightly, use the same arm slot-3/4, and I hold the ball on the finger tips.

AFor the cutter, you're trying to impart an off-center spin - two fingers on top will keep it too straight. The pressure should be applied with one finger only, and the key pressure point is on the wrist snap. You can establish the pressure in the glove (why wait till the ear?) but the important thing is to maintain the off-center contact through the release.

QFlutterball & Air Pressure

When I throw the knuckleball I'm throwing it to someone else who is against a wall. Could the wall be blocking the air from going against the ball causing it to not move?

There are two schools on ambiant air movement. 1. Dead air makes the movement entirely the ball's = good because moving air might dampen the rotation. OR 2. More wind causes more dancing = good, because a dead ball becomes predictable. They can't both be right. And I'm not sure which I believe - I have no empirical evidence either way. (If anybody out there can prove either theory, we'd like to hear about it.)

Either way, it is unlikely that the wall itself is at fault. Maybe you just aren't pitching it well.

QForkball Plus

Q: I'm a starting pitcher and I'm 14. I can throw a fastball (2 seam 4 seam), slider, forkball, palm ball (my changeup) and an overhand curve but I only throw a changeup and slider in a game. Is it ok to continue work on my forkball and different kinds of curves? And to be sure, is a forkball like a split-finger where it starts like a fastball but ends up like a changeup or some kind of off-speed pitch because that's what mine does.

ASounds like your forkball is working - some sinking action, but you don't want it to lose as much speed as your full change-up - more the movement that makes it work. My concern is the number of different pitches including different curves - how can you get good at your best pitches if your time is divided practicing so many? Concentrate on the fastball velocity, and the movement on your slider or forkball. And make sure your change-up has exactly the same arm action and body effort as your fastball - don't give it away.

QHand-Ball Space

On a 4 seam fastball grip, how much space should be between the palm and the ball?

AAs much as you can get while keeping control of the ball. The more space and looser the grip, the less fingertip resistance on the baseball, the better the rotation.

QHard Curve

Hard Curve : What is it exactly. To me, a real curve need maximum spin velocity and minimum horizontal speed. In other word, the longer the ball travels, with the maximum of spin, bigger will be the break. Those with the great one had great curveball with a lot of bite. I don't know if HARD means late and sharp break or it's the overall speed of the curve, because bigger the speed, smaller will be the break even with a tight spin.

Hard = max (tight) spin = less arc = late break or bite. This hard curve is thrown pretty much like a fastball in terms of body/arm mechanics - only difference being the wrist turn-in and forward rotation over the index or middle finger (as opposed to backspin). Call it the modern curve.

QHard Curve?

What is it exactly. To me, a real curve need maximum spin velocity and minimum horizontal speed. In other word, the longer the ball travels, with the maximum of spin, bigger will be the break. Those with the great one had great curveball with a lot of bite. I don't know if HARD means late and sharp break or it's the overall speed of the curve, because bigger the speed, smaller will be the break even with a tight spin.

AHard = max (tight) spin = less arc = late break or bite. This hard curve is thrown pretty much like a fastball in terms of body/arm mechanics - only difference being the wrist turn-in and forward rotation over the index or middle finger (as opposed to backspin). Call it the modern curve.

QHigh Curveball

I am a young pitcher and am having a tough time with my curveball. Sometimes I throw the ball too high, but it is right over the plate and my curveball doesnt curve that much. I dont know if I am throwing it too hard or not getting my wrist action down.

AToo hard and wrist action down? Maybe both. A curve has to be coaxed - both to get the most rotations out of it, and to protect your wrist from damage. The fact that your line is good (over plate) indicates your arm slot is probably high enough - overhand. But if it hangs up and doesn't get to a spot where the spin really affects it, then you may not be getting enough flick on release - enough rotation. Trying to get this extra spin might delay your release just enough without having to adjust any other pitching mechanics to get the ball down.

QKarate Curve

You share lots of good advice. There are many ways of pitching and you see this in the Pros. I believe in the tall and fall approach advocated by Tom House and Nolan Ryan. I also have a son who has thrown curve balls with great success since he was 9 years old. I monitored him daily. He was a work horse and never had a pain in his arm. It is all in the mechanics and the resulting stress through proper arm angle, acceleration and deceleration. The hand should finish down past the knee. I believe that fast balls can be more harmful and I know good pitchers 18-19 years old who have recurring arm problems from over throwing. The curve ball my son used was what I call a Little League curve ball with a slow arm action not like the big league curve with fast arm action and a tight rotation caused by a downward snap of the arm at the release point.

AYou're right. Tom House describes it as a karate chop curve when he is working with younger kids. But it isn't so much how fast or slow the arm comes down but whether it comes down without twisting the forearm or putting lateral stress on the wrist - these are the things to avoid. And unless you have a very clear understanding of the differences in these curveballs, we suggest you discourage all curveball throwing until players are at least 13 (after puberty when muscles develop more and growth plates mature.)

QKnuckle Risk

Would pitching knuckle balls hurt the arm of a 12 year old? What about other pitches?

AKnuckleballs do not put as much strain on the arm if thrown correctly - which is why pro knuckleballers are easily complete-game pitchers. But the operative word is 'correctly' and that is also true for the screwball and curve. If you learn to throw correctly no pitch should hurt (other than the usually bit of soreness after any exercise). But please don't try to learn them all at once - that is a sure guarantee that you will confuse arm and wrist actions that could result in pulls and twists that are not easy to recover from.

QKnuckleballer

Just wondering how hard it is to get drafted as a knuckleball pitcher. Any details about that would be great. I am 18 years old, a senior in high school and I am able to throw a knuckleball.

AIt isn't a sought-after skill by pro coaches. It's generally viewed as something that an aging pitcher might turn to. Scouts will look for hard throwing with movement - with only so many slots open, and so many aspiring pitchers, there is little or no reason they would look past that. Not saying they are right, or wrong, that's just the way it is.

QLabeling Pitches

I have a question on the newly posted three seam fastball. If it has so much movement why is it so rare? And the way it is in the picture if you throw it like a football slider it will it act like a slider or more of a less cut fastball? And if I throw it like a fastball but more pressure on the seam with the middle finger will it slide or cut or move a lot? And what's the best way to develop this pitch to even make it a Strike Out pitch?

AThe three-seam is thrown like a fastball and I would consider it something like a cut fastball but it seems to bend first one way then the other. I suspect it has to do with air pressure on the side seams as it gradually slows (like all pitches do) on its way to the plate. As with any pitch, developing it as an out pitch requires nothing more than practice and getting the finger pressure just right and the target just right.

As an aside, I really like questions like this - in the sense that he was thinking past the grip itself to the ways in which it would affect the batter - this is thinking like a pitcher.

What I didn't answer directly is his question about being "rare". In truth, I'm not sure how you classify a pitch as being rare - in fact I think we (meaning all of us in baseball) may have gone overboard in trying to label pitches - we have grip-based labels (2-seam, 3-seam, knuckleball, forkball) and we have motion-based labels (slider, cutter, sinker). And sometimes these labels overlap - but not always predictably. While generally a splitter or forkball or 2-seam is a sinker, I have actually seen a young pitcher whose 4-seam sinks more than his 2-seam (perhaps his grip is tighter).



Another example? In his book, John Bagonzi talks about seven or so curveballs - different arm actions, hand angles, rotations, etc. which one is the "real" curveball? All of them.



The point being, pitchers should think most about the result they want - fooling the batter - and less about learning so many named pitches. For instance, if you can take your basic two-seam fastball and throw versions with the fingers wider apart or closer together or slightly off to one side, it doesn't really matter if one is called a cutter and the other a sinker. What matters is that you take that one pitch (with variations) and put it where you want in or out of the strike zone with whatever movement will cause the batter to miss or to make ineffective contact (ground out or pop up). That, to me, matters more - much more - than the label or than having a young pitcher who brags about throwing 6 different pitches.

QLively Curve

How can I make my curve ball more lively?

AChanging finger pressure can affect side rotation and direction - resulting in less predictable arc. Also adjusting arm angle and wrist just before release can have an effect. Amount of roll-over snap can affect spin rate - controlling how soon and how much it "drops off the table"

QLL Knuckler?

Should Little-Leaguers throw knuckleballs if they know how?

AIt shouldn't hurt them but it won't help. For four reasons.

1. The knuckler does not help develop location, control, or velocity and these are more important skills to work on at that age than trying to flutter the ball past the batter.
2. Young players like to experiment with knuckleballs but seldom have the courage to step on the mound and throw a pitch that slow. So the time in practice is often wasted.
3. Knuckleballs as thrown by pros like Wakefield are as effective as they are because the hitters are well trained to go after 95 mph fastballs - it is harder to adjust their swing mechanics. However, younger batters less well trained may not be as challenged by the slow flutter.
4. A knuckleball catcher is also a separate breed and if you notice in pro games, they are as likely to use a first-base trapper as a catcher's mitt to control the catches. So if your team doesn't have that extra trapper you may be in trouble with dropped balls.

QLoose Grip?

I would like to know whether or not your hand should have a loose fit around the ball or if it should be close to your palm when throwing a fastball. I have heard numerous things. I guess maybe it just depends on the individual? I am 19 years of age, and can pitch pretty good. Does me having small hands hinder my ability to perform as a pitcher?

AYou want the pressure on the ball to come from finger tips only and you want some daylight between the ball and your palm - tucking the ball in too much is what will give you a change-up (same delivery, slower ball speed). You should hold the pitch loose enough so that a coach or teammate can easily pull the ball from your grip.

Because you want the ball out at your finger tips, and the rotation on a fastball depends on the wrist flick on release, it stands to reason that long thin fingers (like a Pedro Martinez) or a big paw (like many others) can be an asset.

But we all have to work with what we've been given. As long as you can get decent speed, good motion, and the best possible control of your pitches, hand size won't stop you.

QLots More Pitches

Hi I was wondering if you could add more pitches to your site. Some that I'd like to know how to throw are: Fosh, better explanation of splitter and sinker, more curve variations, more knuckleball variations, more change-ups like the circle change, palm ball, slurve, claw, slip, any more I didn't mention. The reason why I want more is because I know there are more, and I'd like to see how you guys recommend throwing them.

AYou're kidding right? First, what would be the reason for knowing some of these? (It's not that you should focus on more than 3-4 pitches anyway.) Second, some we haven't ever heard of (slip? claw?)

As for splitter (which could be called a sinker just as some call their two-seamer and forkball their sinker) we will be adding more on this, and will be spiiting our discussion on change-ups into palmball, circle change, etc.

The slurve (slider-curve) is one of those "personal" pitches which for some is a variation on their slider and for others is a variation on their curve - so a standard explanation or technique may be difficult.

QMany Sliders

Could you please comment on teaching the slider to high school kids? Many college coaches say it is a necessary pitch, so many athletes want to learn it before college.

AAs long as the player is past puberty, and his wrist has strengthened, and he hasn't just undergone a growth spurt (lot of ifs) it is probably safe to teach a slider.

There are varieties - the football, the doorknob, the cut fastball - which cause the ball to slide sideways through the strike zone, and of these the toughest on the forearm/wrist is the doorknob - I more often suggest that players work on cutters (changing finger pressure and offsetting the grip on their fastball to create movement) - seems to work okay for Pedro Martinez.

QNext Pitch to Call

If there are 2 strikes on a batter and no balls what pitch do I call for the pitcher to throw?

ADepends on what got you to 2 strikes. Normally the next pitch is considered a 'waste' pitch -= something just out of the strike zone. If the batter fans on it - great! If he lets it go, you're still ahead.

So, if your pitcher has thrown a couple of fastballs high, go 'up the ladder' on the third pitch - really high heat. Or if he's fanned on a combination of low pitches (either low fastball or slider for instance) give him another breaking pitch farther down and out.) Or if you want to set up your pitcher's best 'out' pitch then have him throw something that has him going the other way - for instance if the pitcher has a really good slider or cut fastball that breaks away from the batter, then call for something tight inside to move the batter off and set up that next pitch.

Sadly it this imposible combination of permutation and combinations that has kept us from doing the interactive pitchers clinic - we are still looking for the right way to sort through the possibilities.

QNothing But Junk

I play high school ball and am 16 years of age. I have an OK arm but not much for speed. I am what you would call a junk pitcher. I throw the Curveball, Cutter, Two-seam fastball, and Knuckler with pecision. I would like to add the SINKER, if possible.

ANow the big question... do you want to play ball beyond high school or are you just hoping for anothert year or two of fun?

A sinker in my books is nothing more than a different way to describe a curveball - a good curve should be thrown (as you probably know) much more over the top than a normal 3/4 throw - to create the top spin that drops it off the table as it approaches the plate.

Of course, I've also seen 'sinker' used to describe a change-up. But unless you can throw with some heat on your fastball, a change-up is much less effective as a surprise pitch, which leads us to the problem... Assuming we're talking top-spin sinker here, probably the main difference is in the initial grip and finger pressure. A big breaking curve comes with more arc, a sinker is thrown "flatter" - which means you have to adjust the amount of topspin. Throwing it is a combination of changing the wrist/finger flick on release and a slightly tighter grip so it acts and drops short like the change-up. Of course a flat curve that doesn't drop when it's supposed to is also called a "hit".

So, why did I ask the question at the top? Because...

a) you don't need another junk pitch (by definition a junk pitch is to throw off the batter's timing or swing mechanics, bat arc, etc.)

b) I can't imagine too many college or pro scouts are looking for junk pitchers.

Case in point - an email to WebBall from a junior at the Navel Academy who was concerned that unless he could get his fastball up over his normal 88 mph (sometimes 91 mph) speed, he wouldn't have a chance of being drafted. Is it possible you have gone to the junk because you've never learned the best mechanics for increasing your fastball speed? Imagine the impact of your curve or knuckler if the next pitch scorched by the batter before he was ready!

Something to think about. (And there's lots of advice on WebBall about fastball speed and control.)

QOld Knuckler

I am looking for any tips I can get on proper techniques and grips on throwing a knuckleball. I am in my 30's and play in an adult park league competitively. I have injured my (throwing) shoulder and do not throw as hard as I once did. I would like to learn to throw the knuckler full time.

AI have only a little on the knuckle grip on WebBall (and a few ask the coach comments) and only because the kids and kid coaches who check out WebBall should not be into fingernail grips while they still have strong young shoulders. The guy to turn to is the pro - Tom Candiotti
If you get a chance let 'em know I sent you.

QOverhand Curve

I'm a 14 year old pitcher and I was wondering if throwing an overhand curve if thrown correctly could do damage to my arm. I know younger pitchers shouldn't throw a curve, but am I old enough to start working on a curve? Another question is will a football slider hurt my arm? I've been throwing that for 2 years. Basicaly, do I have to worry about damaging my arm with these pitches?

AThe more I get this question, the more I hear the different answers out there, the more I wonder if we shouldn't all switch over to underhand fastball pitching! Frankly, every pitch has the potential to damage young arms - if done improperly. And most of the mistakes come from teaching myths and bad habits.

So, let's take one more stab at clearing this up if we can.

First, the worst thing you can do to any muscle is twist it. Extension and flexion are natural motions, twisting is not. A slider twists the forearm and wrist - that's a risk. In an overhand curve, the arm is positioned the way it is when walking - very natural, and the wrist is bent in - also relaxed. The wrist snap creates a side-slip action - not as bad as twising it over - but the principal risk point. The other risk with the curve is the higher shoulder angle - which may or may not risk the rotator - depending on your natural flexibility.

So, bottom line - a curve is probably/maybe okay at your age - if you try this trick first. Position your arms like a walking stride, As the arm naturally swings forward, raise it up over your head. Now follow the same arc downward - that's your natural arm action - your own body has determined how to do it with minimum efffort, minimum risk.

QPitch Arsenal

I've been working on WebBall's pitching arsenal and it was hard to understand what kind of wrist action I need for different pitches. I've tried to throw change-up, slider, and 2-seam for about a month but wasn't able to make any of them mine. I already have a strong curve ball so I thought effective slider would double up my ability, but I wasn't sure what door knob action is. Is that like a curve ball wrist-action? When I threw it like a curve ball, it didn't have much difference in movement nor velocity. I have been taught change-up from several coaches, but it's hard to keep the ball in control and throw exactly same as fastball. The worst part was no movement. 2-seam, too, didn't have any kind of movement. I am 17 years old.

AFirst, we would suggest that you work on one at a time only until you get it down. Let's try to explain the wrist actions.

Door-knob slider - walk straight towards a door in your home and turn the knob to open it. That's the action - wrist rotates clockwise.

Change-up - yes the challenge is control. Your brain wants to slow action down knowing you want the ball to go slower. The key is to stick the ball into the palm or use the circle grip and then just throw your fastball. The change in grip will do the rest. However you won't get the control because the slower ball will always be more affected by gravity and air. The best way to have a change-up with control is to make sure it has as much back spin as possible on release - like a fastball.

On two-seam just move your fingers a little closer together or if already close then a little to the outside or inside of the ball - have it stick out a bit and feel a little off balance - this is the basic cutter. (Like a 4-seam, the finger tips need to pull down hard to get maximum backspin.

QPitch Sequence

I would just like to know what your opinion is on pitch sequence. I watched practically every game on Fox this past year and all they did was show the pitch sequence. A lot of it was interesting but I've never had a pitching coach that taught sequence.

ACoaches don't teach pitch sequence, I think, for two reasons.

1. They don't know it exists.
2. They don't understand the purpose.

The object of all at-bats is to fool the batter into leaving the good pitches and swinging at the nasty ones. That requires playing with his head not just the strike zone. Hence the sequence. I have been meaning to develop a pitcher's strategy clinic like the 3rd Base Box, but it's still on the sketch pad - but having promised it here in public, I guess I'm committed (wish me luck!).

QPush-Finger Fastball

I recently had a coach tell me that my son needs to establish a push finger fast ball due to him leaving pitches high and easy to hit. I see no problem with his pitching but would like to know what a push finger fastball is and what it does?

ADifferent terms used by different coaches. What I think is meant is to apply a little extra pressure on release with one of the two fingers on top of the fastball - this affects the backspin and can result in a fastball with more movement.

QRainbow Curve

Pitchers in the 60's used to have a lot of variety of curves, by changing the amount of break and speed. How can this be accomplish ? I remember seeing the slow curve that looked like a rainbow.

AYou are right and the slow rainbow curve has fallen out of favor at pro levels for a number of reasons. It is easy to read - you know when it's coming but that doesn't mean you can hit it. (I never could - even as a coach my 14-17 year old pitchers could make me hold up on a big sweeping curve that dropped in.

I had one pitcher few years back who almost pitched in slow motion but it still freaked out batters who, knowing it was coming for their heads, were ready to dive out before the pitch was half way home. By the time the pitch headed down, they couldn't recover and get set to hit.) So while being easy to read might not fool an MLB batter it can sure mess up young batters.

On the other hand, the slow curve is not compatible with a good hard fastball. The slo-mo pitcher I mentioned above had an arm like jelly - no real muscle tone, which made him flexible enough to through the rainbow. But an arm the is sinewy and strong has the potential to be damaged by the big arc - as the forearm twists and ligaments pull - risk to muscles and ligaments.

Also it's an easy pitch to steal on. And it requires a high release so the arm doesn't follow through across the body fully and that means a risk of fewer muscles breaking than throwing a potential arm whiplash injury if it wasn't for the slower speed.

QRing Finger Touching?

When a RHP pitcher grips the baseball, should his tucked finger(the ring finger) be touching the side of the ball. I have always had my ring finger touching it and I was wondering if it effected me in anyway.

ALonger fingers will move the ball away from the ring finger, shorter fingers there's not much you can do to force them away. I would be more concerned with keeping the index and pointer on top of the ball as you want, and let the other fingers tuck in where they are most comfortable. As you start the release the ring and pinky fingers will not really affect the backspin anyway.

QShow Me Every Pitch

Can you show me how to throw every pitch?

No. Until you perfect the ones you throw now, or are willing to give up on some of those, no point in learning another pitch because you won't have time to practice it enough.

QSinker as 'Out' Pitch

I was wondering if you taught the sinker. I am a starter and a closer for my team. I have been getting hammered in the closing innings because I lack the pitch that can get hitters out every time. My change-up is a good strikeout pitch as are my two- and four-seam fastballs. I just can't strike-out hitters consistently as my coach would like me to do. I really think the sinker would help my closing stuff. By the way I am 13, if you think that age is too early to throw the sinker please reccomend some other good strikeout pitches.

A(The real point of this answer is to remind others that I need objective not just subjective information to help.)

First, I'm not sure what you mean by striking them out consistently. What's your strike-out to walk ratio? Also, do you know what the speed difference is between you two-seam and change-up? And final question - when batters do make contact what's the result - ground ball, pop-up, line-drive, deep fly ball? Maybe your coach is asking too much of you and not enough of the rest of the team.

A sinker is essentially a two seam fastball with a little extra drop on the end. I've seen pitchers use various finger grips to deliver it - cut (off to the side) or split - it is all about finesse - off-center finger pressure in the grip, or else holding the ball cheated over to the outside seam, or moving fingers apart and outside the long seams. 13 might be a little young to really be into finger-pressure adjustment.

QSlower Pitcher

My under-19 team is sort on pitchers and it looks like this season I will be pitching a lot (I'm normally an infielder). At the moment i only have a 4 seam fastball, a knuckle and a breaking ball. I am trying to perfect a slider and/or a curve. How many pitches should I be able to throw consistantly? What i mean is should I have 5, 6 pitches.... what pitches should they be. I don't have any overpowering speed (maybe 65). Also should I be doing a weight program? What type of exercises should I be doing to strengthen my arm.

ASecond question first, there is an entire section on WebBall called Training which is devoted to conditioning and includes and pitching program. And we will be adding more later.

And, based on your top speed for your age group, I'd say you need the work up - based on the norms we have posted (under scouting) a senior high or college player should be able to pitch over 80 mph.
So obviously my advice is to work first on your basic mechanics to develop some lower body power and torque to get some heat on the fastball. But until such time as you can throw 85+ (which may be never), you will need more than heat, you will need movement. Starting with your 4-seamer, I would work on developing variations - 2-seam grip obviously, as well as a cut fastball which can also have the movement of a slider. (For those who are Team Players we have added a training grip animation showing a Steve Carlton style slider which isn't too far off what Pedro Martinez refers to as his cutter (held like a 2-seam but slightly off-centre with index finger pressure to create tight spin and side slip.)

I also normally suggest pitchers supplement fastball with change-up but you may be holding your fastball too tight and not getting enough back spin as it is. (Even a slider must depend on good arm action and speed.)

So I would work more on the breaking balls - your knuckle, plus an overhand 6-12 curve. Don't just try to throw them, but work on getting good locations - inside high, outside low, etc. On the curve, work too on some alternate grips that create more or less top spin so that the drop point and drop amount is somewhet unpredictable to the batter.

In other words, 3-4 pitches is likely good enough in your arsenal, provided you can throw each with changes in motion and speed - the variety will come from batter's reaction (off balanced) rather than just changes in grip or arm action

QSlurve techniques

How do you throw a slurve?

We have yet to find 2 pitchers who agree on this - we sometimes think it sounds better than it is. By definition a slurve is a curve with a side break like a slider. But others say it is a slider first with a downward break.

Perhaps the best comment is by John Bagonzi who says that a curve spin "must be 6/12 or 1/7. Much less than that and the pitch becomes a slurve, which isn't much of a pitch at all. The elbow drops, you wind up with a flat curve and an escalating ERA."

What he describes is what others refer to as a curve thrown sidearm - which gets you that side break and down break. The other part of it is finger pressure - off center pressure on the middle finger and thumb. The wrist also comes into it. There are those who say it is like turning a door knob (slider action) but with a slight inward bend to the wrist (not convinced).

Others talk about turning the hand sideways to shake hands (like a curve grip but without the wrist bending in). That should give you enough to try throwing different "slurves" for the next 4-5 years.

QSo Many Pitches, So Many Questions

I am a 14 year-old pitcher who has been pitching for years. I throw 3 quarters (from what people tell me). I throw a two seam fastball, 4 seam fastball, sometimes curveball, forkball, changeup and once in a while I try the knuckler. My curve does not always work (why?) Also my fastballs do not have a lot of movement - for example a four seam fastball is supposed to elevate mine does not (why?). Everytime I pitch my arm goes sore and I see people throwing a lot without their arm getting sore. When I warmup if I throw a lot of pitches my arm hurts so I don't usually warm up with a lot of pitches. What should I do to prevent this. Another question I have is that you say young pitchers should lay off the curve, however when I pitch I need some other pitches to pitch besides fast and changeup because people know the pitches and hit them. Also if I throw the changeup they usually blast it because it is slow. What should I do. Also could you tell me how to throw the cut fastball?

AWow, not asking much are you? :) (In fairness some people save up or take time to build up nerve to ask for help - don't wait, even simple questions get answered at WebBall.)

Let me give you a few simple pointers to start.

1) A 4-seam fastball doesn't really rise - it just doesn't sink as much as the 2-seam so from the batter's perspective it seems to rise.

2) The key to a good change-up is to have EXACTLY the same pitching motion as fastball (and both fastballs should be exactly the same) - all three pitches targeted at the same spot - just let the grip change the balls trajectory, not your arm action. What may be happening with your change-up is that it is too slow - tuck the ball in but throw with EXACTLY the same strength as your fastball - you want the batter to read it as a fastball and swing just a bit too soon - you do NOT want him to realize it's slower and have time to adjust his swing.

3) David Well's curveball doesn't always work either and he's getting paid millions! You need to be consistent with your grip, your arm angle as you come over the top and the force you apply. (If you try to throw a curve from 3/4 angle it is bound to go astray sideways or hang and be hittable sometimes.

4) The cut fastball just means you offset your grip to one long seam from two, so there is some side slip as it comes in - I call it the Pedro pitch after you know who.

5) Soreness is compounded by short warm ups. You likely try to minimize warm-up time by getting up to speed too quickly - which means in an effort to save your arm you are putting extra strain on it. Please warm up more gradually.

QSpeed Change

I am an eighteen year old right handed pitcher and I stay from about 87-89 and I was wondering if you could help me with my change up. I currently throw a circle change and it breaks down and in to a right handed hitter but it is not consistent I was wondering about the recommended grip and release to take more velocity off the ball and put more movement on the ball.

AYour lack of control maybe due to your arm angle - sounds like you could be a 3/4 pitcher not over the top. The ideal velocity to take off at your fastball speed is 12-15 mph. You might want to palm the ball more (tuck it in) - so it has a longer amount of contact with the length of the fingers as it spins out. Unfortunately more movement is caused by adjusting finger pressure, and if you're already applying extra contact pressure to create the change up, adjusting the pressure on one or other finger (index or pointer) is likely to mean less pressure, so less slowing and potential less control, too. Work first on the speed change with a combination of palming and the circle grip.

QSplit Finger

I coach younger kids to learn pitch location and how to change speeds rather than pitches that hurt their arms. My own son (13) has done well using this method - average fastball, very nice top spin sinker. The other day he threw me something like a poorly thrown knuckleball, sunk about 6 inches at the plate. He said it was a split finger fastball (saw it on a baseball show - first one he'd ever thrown!) About midway through our usual pitching drills, he threw it again with remarkable control. We've worked on it for about 2 weeks and he has as much control with this pitch as the other 2. He has huge hands for his age and feels comfortable with this grip. Is this the kind of pitch a kid of this age should be throwing? Will it hurt his arm at all?

ASeveral points...

1. He wouldn't be able to throw a splitter without huge hands.
2. Best control is by bringing the thumb up between the fingers on release (ball pops out).
3. However, it can be tough on the ligaments on the back of the hand - and the wrist.
4. I hesitate to tell any youngster to throw anything but fastball, change-up and maybe a 'locked wrist' curve - the grip but without the final lateral wrist flick.
5. He may look full grown at 13, but he ain't. Should have 2 full post pubescent years under his belt before the ligatures, muscles and bones are all held together in adult position.
6. You've been warned :-)

QSplitter Magic

I'm a fourteen-year-old left handed pitcher. I found your web site very interesting and liked some of the pitches diagrammed. I have been trying to find a breaking pitch best suited for me. I was pitching to my dad in the back yard one day and I tried throwing the splitter as shown. I was surprised when it had a nasty break down and in to a right handed batter. I continued to throw the same pitch over and over, about 30 times. The problem was it only really broke a third of the time. The next time I threw, I didn't get any break at all. I'm thinking it's my thumb, but I'm not sure.

AFirst, I hope you have big hands and strong wrists, because the splitter seldom works well otherwise (and it can starting hurting.)

A funny thing happens when someone tries a pitch for the first time, they have no preconceived notion, so it often does what's expected of it. However, every aspect of any pitch can be critical - from balance to hip torque to arm angle to finger pressure. It may be that after your early success (when your hand was relaxed) the muscles began to tighten up from repetitive action, changing the pressure and thus the rotational momentum (okay, the spin). As you know, with any breaking pitch it's the spin (and the resulting air resistance/lift on the seams) that creates the movement.

My main suggestion would be to mix it into your practice session - not focus on it exclusively - throw 4 or 5 fastballs, then 1 or 2 spitters. But keep the muscle memory of all muscle groups (except fingers/wrist consistent) - just let it happen, don't try to force it.

QSplitter or Spitter

I play in the MABL mens open league. I've been throwing a lot at night after work to try and develop a splitter. I heard this can be fairly easy on my arm, gives me another pitch in my aresenal and after watching Sasaki, even with a missed spotting (leaving it up) can result in a ground ball. I've tried to snap my wrist at the end envisioning a downward spin as the catalyst but this quite frankly hurts and is tough to fool anyone with such a different arm motion. What causes the 12-6 fall and more importantly what are the most successful grips and arm motions for the splitter?

AI'm not surprised it's hurting. The need to spread your fingers wide can put stress on the wrist unless you have very long, flexible fingers. What you want is top spin not back spin to get the drop - same as a curveball - the best way I can describe it is to spit the splitter - like flicking a watermelon seed as someone once described it to me - in other words, push your thumb up on release and let the ball spit or pop out from between your fingers.

Of course, like a curveball you get what you give - to get a real 12-6 action you need to come over the top with your body mechanics - pull the lead shoulder down to clear your head and let the throwing shoulder and arm come over higher (the front side drop is to avoid impingement around the rotator cuff.)

QThe Slurve

The Slurve? Some say that it's a curve thrown hard with a 2-8 spin axis. Other say that it's like throwing a slider but pitching around the ball (like a curve) instead of pitching through the ball (like a slider). I didn't see Kerry Wood slurve but they say that pitch ruined his career. What's your thought?

Instructions for throwing a slurve. Step 1: Take a doorknob slider then bring the wrist inward as you rotate it so it has forward 2-8 spin. Step 2: Then take some time off for rehab. We should show the slurve on WebBall - but imagine. Is there a big enough warning message to keep kids from trying it?

QThe Slurve?

Some say that it's a curve thrown hard with a 2-8 spin axis. Other say that it's like throwing a slider but pitching around the ball (like a curve) instead of pitching through the ball (like a slider). I didn't see Kerry Wood slurve but they say that pitch ruined his career. What's your thought?

AInstructions for throwing a slurve... Step 1: Take a doorknob slider then bring the wrist inward as you rotate it so it has forward 2-8 spin. Step 2: Then take some time off for rehab. We should show the slurve on WebBall - but imagine. Is there a big enough warning message to keep kids from trying it?

QThrowing Curves

What is your opinion about 11-12 year old players throwing curve balls? Should they throw it at all or how many per game, etc. Thanks for your help!

AI'm against it in principal - it puts a strain on the rotator, especially. I've seen kids go from being pitching stars at age 12 (because of their curve) to washed-up at 15.

There is a way to throw a locked-wrist curve - basically keep elbow close to head and as forearm comes down let the ball roll off over forefinger without wrist flick. But, the risk ios still there.

QUseless Pitch?

My grand son is 17 years old and has thrown a knuckleball all through Little League and teen years. He controls it well and has had much success at these levels. His fast ball is respectable; his curve is not - due to the fact that we did not let him throw it until just recently for fear of him hurting his arm. He has abandoned his knuckleball because he was advised that it would be useless at the higher levels. My question is - is the knuckle ball a useless pitch?

ANo it's not useless at all - as Tim Wakefield and Tom Candiotti prove every day they pitch. But (and it's a big but) it isn't always given much consideration at the higher levels (i.e. college/pro coaches and scouts) because the desire is to sign those 99 mph fastballers - on the theory I think that anyone who has mastered the mechanics to throw controlled hard heat can learn to throw other pitches later.

QWaste Pitch

I asked about what pitch do I throw if there is two strikes on a batter and you said a waste pitch but what if it is an important game and you need to get out of the inning or you are in extra innings then what do you call the pitch to throw.

APerhaps you misunderstood. A waste pitch is not a soft pitch, nor should it ever be in the zone. It is a tough, almost impossible-to-hit pitch - called a 'waste' pitch because it will be a ball not a strike.

A 'waste' pitch after no balls and two strikes (or 1 ball 2 strikes) is intended to see what you can do to mess up the batter's timing or swing mechanics. For that one pitch only.

You want to give him something outside he can't reach or high and inside that he can't make contact with. or else a breaking pitch down below the strike zone. If he swings it will probably be a miss (strike 3), or an easy ground out or pop-up. If not, the waste pitch is immediately followed by the pitcher's best 'out' pitch - the one he can get by batters consistently - hard fastball, curve, whatever.

The more important the game, the more important it is that you think not in terms of a single pitch but in terms of pitch sequence. Not about strike outs but about outs, period. Like any situation, if you can get an easy out on a fielding play - do it.

As a coach I once had to visit the mound in a final at bat after the pitcher had walked two batters and was trying it seemed to walk a third. I reminded him that his role was not to strike out the batter but to get him out. I told him to throw something that would get a ground ball. He'd been trying too hard to finesse the pitches. He thought for a moment then smiled. I left the mound, he threw a tight slider, the batter hit weakly to short, inning over.

The point is: even poor batters only strike out sometimes - more often they will hit out. Let them.

QWhen to Throw the Circle

I am a very dedicated pitcher and very interested in improving my game. I just learned how to throw the circle change up but I am unsure of when to throw it. Can you please send me to a site or help me out on what pitches to throw in what count or situation.

ASo much goes in to deciding a pitch selection - count, runners on base, number of outs, score in game, home or away, the inning, speed of runners, last pitch thrown, wind direction...

But if you always think like that you're not approaching the pitch properly. You haven't just learned to throw a pitch - you've been told how. What you need to do now is go into the bullpen and practice sessions and work that pitch till you know what it will do, when. Really learn it. Then, only then, bring it into the game.

Why? Because when you are ready to throw it in the game, you should be able to count on it regardless of the situation. It can follow a fastball as a change in direction and speed. Or be the first pitch to a new batter. Ot at any point in the count. In any situation.

That's why, for both reasons - too many variables, and not enough certainty, that we haven't yet built a pitch selection 'engine' on WebBall. It would be a bit of a gimmick - an armchair approach - when there is so much more to effective pitching than 'when'.

This may not be the quick answer you wanted, but in the long run I hope it will help you more.

QWild Curveball

I am the starting catcher and team captain of my school baseball team. We have a left-handed pitcher who says he has the best curveball, but the ball completely curves to the point where it just flies straight into the fence and I have chase it to keep runners from advancing.

In one game, he threw the worst curveball I've ever seen with a runner on third and ruined the game when the runner scored. What should I do to get our coach to take this kid out of the pitching rotation?

AThis may not be all on the pitcher. First, maybe you can help your pitcher out by giving a target much farther in (on LH batters) then kicking your left leg out as far as you can to get over there for the block? And you can work with him more during pregame to make sure he practices lots of breaking pitches so he gets a feel for final location.

Also, what are you doing calling that curve with a runner on third when you know what could happen? (If you're the 'captain' then don't let him shake you off.)

Point is, there's a lot more you can do to change yourself than change him.

You can also suggest that the coach works with him directly on his pitches - to get the coach to appreciate the problem first-hand, and maybe focus on other pitches like fastball or straight change-up.
As for the curve itself, it could be that he's throwing it too sidearm. A curveball needs to come over the top more - elbow closer to ear (subject to the risk of shoulder impingement). With the higher arm angle, the pitch will break more downward than sideslip - you'll still be blocking, but not chasing.

QWrist Twist?

Every time I look in a book or something, it says that when you throw a circle change, the 'o' has to be facing at the catcher. So do I just throw it or do I have to twist my wrist or something?

AI don't know what book that is, but either you have read it wrong or the book is unclear. Young pitchers should avoid any and all lateral twisting action of their wrists - including full-twist curveballs.