Pitching grips: How to throw eight baseball pitches

So you want to know how to throw a new pitch? Here's how former Red Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace teaches them....

Four seam fastball: You want your fingers a little bit apart. Preferably on the other side of the seams so when the ball comes out you have resistance to throw against. It's firm with the fingers but should be somewhat of a subtle wrist. You don't want to be stiff.

A little space in here [between the palm of the hand and the ball].

The thumb almost bisects [the index and middle finger].

The movement would be straight. Four seams rotating out of your hand. The guys who throw hard, it's going to seem like the ball takes off.

Sinker ball: Most of the time, your fingers are parallel with the seams. Sometimes, depending on finger pressure, it could be on one seam, it could be on the other seam.

A lot of guys throw a sinker off of the middle finger. The movement is down and late. It sinks, for a righthanded pitcher, into a righthander, and away from a lefthander.

For a lefthander, it's into a lefthander, away from a righthander.'

Curve ball: Usually, it's this middle finger, inside a seam. And what you want to do is throw it like a fastball to here [where the elbow and arm form an L, with your arm perpendicular to the ground], and turn your hand in.

You're pulling down the front of the ball, trying to increase the rate of rotation, which is usually 13 revolutions from the time it leaves your hand until it gets home.

Right here, like an L shape, I'm going to pull down on the ball and make it spin as much as I can. There's various ways to teach it and throw it.

Knuckleball: The whole idea is to make that ball come out of your hand taking the spin off of the ball. That's what a knuckleballer's intent is. Because the resistance of the air will handle the movement. Fingernails digging into the ball. I know Tom Candiotti used to get manicures all the time.

The thing I learned right away is it's more important to be in the right position. You have to be so precise.'' Which, Wallace said, underscores pitching as a whole.

''It's the constant struggle for perfection,'' he said, ''with the realization that you'll never achieve it.

Splitter: It's a fastball. I'm just splitting the seam. What you don't want to do is get under the ball and it doesn't break. It hangs. [Executed properly] it breaks down.

Slider: That's the one where at the end you really make an effort to get on top of the ball. You can call it a slider, a curve, a slurve. Sometimes a cutter is a slider. Usually you have finger pressure on your middle finger, across the seam or on the seam.

Circle change up: The circle change is the most common. Usually, with a fastball, you have 100 percent of your strength in these two fingers, the index and middle fingers. You take 50 percent of that strength away by removing the index finger. So you're holding the ball real lightly. ... Your wrist is real loose. The ball is real loose in your hand. And you just throw a fastball.

That's why you teach it at a young age, because it's just repetition. ... The whole idea is to make it look like a fastball coming out of your arm.

Cutter: Usually you hold it like a fastball. The grip is a little bit off of center. Throwing it is like a fastball, and right here [at about the release point, turn over your wrist].

The idea is, it's got fastball rotation, and at about 59 feet, it cuts into a righthander for a lefthanded pitcher. For a righthanded pitcher it cuts into a lefthander.

Why is Mariano Rivera's cutter so good? Because it's so late and so quick, and the rotation has such good fastball rotation. It looks fastball to a hitter because you can't see the rotation.

Comments

[Jaime Olvera]

Hello im 16 about to be 17 years old and I throw Between 80 and 83 mph. i throw a fastball, 2-seam fastball, a 12-6 curvball develpoing into a knuckle curvball, a slider and a circle changeup. Im learning how to throw a cutter and i wanted to know if their are any drills to learning how to throw a cutter. If you can email me and let me know if theirs any drills to learning how to throw a cutter please let me know thank you.

[Steven Ellis]

Right on, Brad! Great comments.

Thanks,
Steven Ellis

[Brad]

I see a lot of 10-14 year old kids on here who throw 70mph-85mph. I highly doubt these velocity numbers at all. A 70mph pitch is pretty fast. Many MLB batters see many offspeed pitches between 70mph-85mph. Now I can probably bet money that a 15yr or 16yr old and UP can throw above 75mph with their fastball.

Pitches below 55mph are not encountered by Magnus Force which is the major influence in movement of the curveball and other breaking pitches. So if your fastball is not at least 70mph, you might as well forget about a curveball(which is usually 15mph off the fastball). Curveballs and other breaking pitches under 50mph just drop because of gravity, not because of the spin you put on it.

Pitchers in Little League throwing at 46 feet need to only work on three types of pitches. 4 Seam fastball, 2 Seam Fastball, and a changeup.

I'd suggest a Babe Ruth or Pony League player learning a curveball only when he/she has developed enough velocity, and the body is more mature. Still for 13-14yr olds, I would ONLY recommend only Fastballs and a ChangeUp.I'd maybe introduce the Cut Fastball. And maybe knuckleballs if you can get less than 1/2 rotation to the person catching it.

Once you get to pitch from 60.5 feet away at the age of 15yrs and up, then you can learn a Curveball or Slider.

[dante]

how u throw the slider under handed

[kevin]

Im 13 i have a fastball around 60-70 and a nice slurve and a 12-6 curveball and i want to know how to throw a knuckleball with some movement

[Matt Coupe]

Hi, i just turned 14 years old. I was wondering if im just the right age to start throwing 12-6 Curves or just regular curves. Also if i throw certain picthes differently by using pressure on my index fider, will the pitch be any different?

[chris]

i just turned 13 and i throw low 60's i havent moved up to the big mound yet but this fall i am.i have a decent change which is clocked at about mid 40's. i have decent location and a slider. it doesnt move that much so i want 2 try and throw a 12-6 curve. is it 2 early?

[Simon]

Hey I am 9. I throw 51 tops. I also throw a Change and a Cutter. Any Advice on how to throw a better Cutter?

[jack]

hey im 10 goin' on 11 i top out at 55-56 i throw a circle change that has has hitters toppling over i want to learn a sinker any advice

[Cam]

Hi, I'm 13 years old and i can throw a 4-seamer, 2-seamer, knuckleball, and a circle change very well. my fastball tops at about 70-75 mph. But I'm trying to throw a curveball and slider but they aren't breaking at all. I'm doing everything that you and other websites say to do, but they just arent working. Any tips?

[slappysammy]

hey! i'm 10 years old. i throw baseball really hard. I throw 4 seemer fast, and i throw curveball really good like almost like this one pitcher in my team his name is kevin webb and he throw baseball real hard with great big curveball my curveball almost good like his curveball. i like to throw baseball hard as i kind with all my muscle flexed. my friend name is mike tompson says i have big muscle on my arms. i think someday i be major leger and someday i will be on the tv news and newspaper like guy that live around here name is j p howel throw pitches for the the devils rays i saw on tv last year for the world series against philys.

anyways thanks you for pictures to show me how to throw baseball like i am the best. haha!
SINCERELY

Sammy Branyan
live at california in town Sacramento capital

[JimmyD]

This was good. One way I throw my knuckle is I put all for of my nails into the horse shoe seam and pitch it regularly. It works pretty good. I am 13 turnin 14 soon. My main pitches are. 4 seam, gyro, 12-6 curve , knuckle and a changeup. I can pitch from 55- 70 . well I'm out. And thank you for the informative help

[lukas holub]

hello, i am 15 years old. I throw 4-seam, 2-seam fastball, slider and change-up. My slider and change-up but not completely perfect, but I would like to improve them and also I wanted to ask how a greater speed advantage. thanks

[Dustin Beard]

Okay, I'm 14 years old going into highschool and i was a relieve pitcher and my coach wants me to start, I have a 4 seam, circle change, a Knucklecurve, and a curveball but i cant fort the life of me break 68 mph with my fastball, or make my curveball break plz help.

[Curtis Brown]

i'm a 20 Yr old Male who has had minor exspirience in pitching. I've got my pitch setup as 4 Seam/ Splitter/ Reg. Curve/ and Circle Change. I need to get my velocity checked but i'm gonna work the next year and a half on getting mechanics downpacked. would i have any type of chance at a MLB tryout session if i work that year and half on pitching you think?

[BJ]

I am 27 year old I want to get back throwing agian / I want try out for the minor league team I am to right or should I try agian or not

[Michael Reidy]

hey im 11 years old. my fastball is about 53 mph on a good day.i can also throw a very decent curve, an okay slider and im working on my knuckleball. Could u give me any pointers on how to get it to stop rotating so much, and how to make it dance? thanks

[Sean Craig]

hey im 14 and about to be a freshman in highschool.i throw a good 60-65 mph fastball from a big league mound. i also have a good 12-6 curve,an unbeleivable knuckleball, and a decent slider, but i want to know how to make my slider have a much sharper break to it. Can u give me any tips on how to do that

[Nick]

I need alot of help with breaking pitches. These are all i know. I know how to throw a cutter, curveball, and a slider. I just need help getting them to break more than an inch.

[Dalton Cady]

im am 13 my coach pitched a little a Liberty and he has a crazy knucleball and i kinda picked it up but the only way i can get it to work is when i am on level ground i mean i can get it to wiggle then drop but when i get to the mond i through it a mile high and it doesn't do anything

[Kevin Bird]

I'm 11 and saw a pitching coach named Kirk Bullenger and increased my pitching speed. I now throw70.

[Zach Morrison]

Im 9 years old, And my fastball is 44, and I tried to throw a curveball but it ended up being exactly like a changeup.Some times I pitch to my 15 year old brother and he thinks that sometimes it curves.

[Kole]

Hey I throw a mean 4 seam fastball. I can throw a 2 seam. I'm learning a curve knuckle and a palmball. Any suggestins on any. Oh did i mention I'm 12. Throw 45-55. Maybe 60. Im 5-4. On a travling team.

[chirs]

hey im 16 goin on 17 and im lefthanded with a constant 87 mph fast ball topin 90 i have a 2 and 4 seam fastball,slider,curveball,and, and cirle change up i was thinking about about a another pitch any suggestions

[brendan]

im going to be 14 in a few months and i throw a 65-high 70's fastball and i have a decent curve but i just dont like the timing that it breaking and tips??

[joe]

hey im 12 years old about 6-feet tall and i throw in the low to mid 70 for my fastball i have a 2 seam,4 seam,a nasty curve,and a circle change. i want to add another pitch what do you think i should throw?

[markyfrizzle]

hi i am 14 years old and i throw a 4 seam fastbal a 2 seam a curvball a knuckleball a forkball a sinker a circle change a cutter and a slider. do you think that will hurt my arm if i throw all thoose pitches. and also, are there more pitches i can learn

[sayre]

Sup I am 12 years old I can throw a nasty splitter ,knuckle and circle change. I can also throw 2 & 4 seam fastball a change up as well but for some reason I just cant throw that cutter and curve ball as well as the sinker what am I doing wrong?

[Jordan]

I'm 15 about to become a sophomore and I took a year off from baseball. I throw in the low 80's and have a 4-seamer and 2-seamer, a changeup, and a curve. Should I learn a 5th pitch like a slider?

[nick]

last line is supposed to say i cant throw it constantly only once in a while

[nick]

ok im 12, i throw a really nice curveball that drops from my dads waist to his ankles. I can throw a 2 seam and 4 seam and also a nice sinker. I used to throw i really good knuckle that dropped but for some reason now i cant throw it. i can throw it constantly only once in a while. anyone help

[Ryan]

Im 14 i throw about 50-60.
I have a two seem fastball, four seem fastball, curveball, slider, changeup and a splitter.

[Conner]

Hi im about 12years old and i am 6 foot 6 inches and i weigh about 250 pounds. i antimidate evry1 i pitch too and i throw about 85mph fastball. i throw a curveball, 2 seam,4 seam,cutter,knuckle,and a splitter.coach says my curveball is sick but my arm is soar now

[Billy Scannell]

hi im 10 years old i can throw a 2seam and 4seam fastball,a slider, circle changeup, splitter, cutter, knuckle ball, 1 2 curveball,and a cruve ball. I'm better than any o ne of you people who poste!

[Ryan small]

I'm 12 and going to middle school and I want to learn how to throw a non spinning knuckle ball and also want to learn how to throw a straight change because I can throw 50-65

[Michael Castanon]

Hi I am 15 I was a Freshmen on the varsity team i can throw a 4 and 2-seam, cutter, split-finger, curve, slider, and a change up thanks for the pics

[Colin]

I am a 12yr old about to be 13 i throw 70-85. The pitches i throw are 4-seam, 2-seam, slider, and curve. i need help on my curve and slider.

[Nick]

Hey I'm 12 and i throw about 70 with a 4 seemer, an okay change and i have the weird pitch. I don't really know what it is. if you're a righty, you put your middle and index fingers on the right side of the "horseshoe" then I sort of snap my wrist and it breaks tremendously. Is this doing any harm to my arm?

[Garrett Garcia]

hey,im 13 years old and about 5 foot 6 and throw about 68 to 75 mph i cant get my knuckle curve down. do you think you could post a picture or to of them?thanks.

[Josh]

Hey my name is Josh, I'm 32 and I'm a coach for a little league team. I throw about 84 mph and I have a sick curve ball that a throw the kids. I accidently hit a kid last night and I feel bad. My question is, should I continue to throw it?

[chance]

im 16 and i have a two seam, change, curve, and a 4 seam. But my 4 seam doesnt go straight at all its really a cutter, but i can still top out at about 80-81. I really dont think that these kids need to have a curveball, slider at 12 or 13 years old. All i did is learn how to use my movement on my 2 seam to pitch and along with my (cutter) its an amazing combo. Id say my change up and 2 seam are my best pitches and thats wat i throw. Ill use my curve every once in a while to mess with the batter (usually just bounce it with 2 strikes to get a swing). Look at mo rivera all he throws are fastballs and look what hes done, if you just learn a couple GREAT fatsballs (2 seam, cutter) you will be effective. And remember to throw down with a 2 seam-youll get tons of ground ball outs, and thats how i work.
I gave up only one home run on varsity in about 50 innings(300 ft. fences)

[sam]

im 13 and play travel baseball i am the #1 pitcher in my league i throw 4seams 2seams and a wicked curve but sometimes it goes from left to right and not right to left any answers?

[Tyler]

hi im 12 years old, i dont play baseball for a team but i throw some nasty pitches.i can hrow a 4 seam, 2 seam, curve, splitter, forkball, slider and a nasty dropball. im still trying to learn how to thro a cutter. any tips

[JT]

i need help throwing a sinker im 12 help

[Justin]

Hi, Im 13 years old, I throw about 60, and I have a Four Seem, Two Seem, Curve/Slurve, Changeup, and sometimes I throw a sidearm pitch that moves. Just wanted to say I like this article, but I throw my Curve like a four seem, but put my fingers together. It works well.

[logan]

i'm 13 and i'm about 6 foot tall should I throw a slider i can throw one and it is sick but my coaches say i shouldn't throw cause it will damage my arm.

[paul cathey]

Hi im 14 about to be 15 I throw a sinker 4seam 2seam slider curve and a decent splitter I am the #1 pitcher in the county and the 16 in the state of Texas thanks for the pics

[Logan]

im gonna be a junior next year and im right handed and i throw 85-86 with a 12-6 curve and a change. i need another pitch to add and i want to either throw a cutter or a sinker. can you teach me one or both of them?

[Drake]

im 15 and i throw a slurve and a forkball. is that okay for my arm or should i wait tell my arm matures more

[Justin]

You throw a knucle ball almost as hard as a 4 seam. I've only pitched 2 weeks with my dad and have already mastered it. I recommend throwing it like your doing shot put. It helps you master the no spin thing. I can throw it about 65MPH but cant for the life of me get my release time right on my 2 and 4 seam. Any sugestions welcome.

Keep on throwing ;)