WebBall.com - Pitch Grips & Selection

How to throw the ones that work

Learning pitches is not the same as learning to be a pitcher.

To be a pitcher you must realize your role is to fool the batter. Throwing the ball with every possible weird grip is not the path to success. Most of the best pro pitchers throw only two, maybe three, different pitches. The rest are variations - subtle changes in finger pressure and spin and speed. That's what creates movement and fools batters. Spend a year or two learning to master each pitch before moving on. Don't learn all the pitch grips, please. Remember: The best judge if a pitch is working for you is not the grip but the results it gives you in getting batters out. Also, be aware of the potential dangers - the risks of different pitches.

Each pitcher will develop his/her own best couple.

Remember the grip is neither the beginning nor end of a good pitch. Review the mechanics.
Warm up effectively to develop good ball control and placement.
Consider the game situation and count. (A fastball is only good if it seems fast. It takes a good change-up or breaking pitch to keep them guessing.)
Adjust arm angle and wrist action for the best movement.
And above all else - timing and location are more important than grip.

Age Recommended for Various Pitches
Pitch	Age ( ± range)
Fastball	8 ± 2
Slider	16 ± 2
Change-up	10 ± 3
Forkball	16 ± 2
Curveball	14 ± 2
Knuckleball	15 ± 3
Screwball	17 ± 2

Source: From work by James R. Andrews, MD, and Glenn S. Fleisig, PhD, American Sports Medicine Institute

STOP. Don't look at the pitches until you read
- and fully understand - all the points above.