How to throw a cutter like Mariano Rivera

How to throw a 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.














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If that is how Mo throws his cut fastball why in the picture is he throwing it with a different grip
Posted by: Will Marcal | August 08, 2008 at 10:55 PM
If that is how Mo throws his cut fastball why in the picture is he throwing it with a different grip
Posted by: Will Marcal | August 08, 2008 at 10:55 PM
maybe thats not a cutter
Posted by: matt risoy | August 15, 2008 at 02:27 AM
the top picture is a different way to hold a cutter but the picture with Mo in it,is "his" way to throw his cutter
Posted by: JohnnyV | February 02, 2009 at 10:06 PM
yeahh i tried throwing this pitch holding the ball like the picture above, and it actully has good movement. it tails away nicely
Posted by: Anthony | March 22, 2009 at 12:27 PM
would the cutter move more if I added any pressure with my fingers?
Posted by: vijay pathak | June 02, 2009 at 10:54 PM
mariano's grip is more like a regular fastball than a cutter, he just throws it so well that it breaks like a slider, yet goes 95mph.
Posted by: cmac | July 13, 2009 at 08:52 PM
i hold it like this and it gets a quick sharp movement
but when i hold it along the horseshoe it goes just as fast but it sweeps
Posted by: cubs guy | September 03, 2009 at 04:31 PM
Once, I was trying to throw the four-seam fastball to my brother who was catching me, but what I threw was the cutter. Then I said: "Hey, that Mariano story IS true." Afterwards, I tried to throw the cutter and what I threw was the slider.
Posted by: Esbar | December 08, 2009 at 04:01 AM