Throwing Different Pitches

[NYM]

I'm trying add one more pitch to fastball and changeup just to mix it up, but I'm trying to stay away from the curveball and slider, because I've seen two kids play and end up in a cast from there shoulder to hand from throwing that.

I throw a 4 seam fastball but I guess you can call it a 2 seamer because it moves and it consistantly goes anywhere from the high 70's to low 80's.

Im pretty effective with a fast-change combination, but I want to add something in there to let them know I have another pitch (Tom Glavine's curveball).

My question is what pitch do you think would be good to add. I've recently been working on a splitter. I've been throwing like they said to online, which is split your fingers, and just throw it like a fastball, but it's not working. It doesnt drop, it's slow, doesn't spin and is very vunerable to be hit.

Any advice on how to improve this pitch, or any other suggestions on pitches?

[Pudge77]

Knuckleball, or on my knucklecurve i dont even twist/break my wrist/elbow. But i do twist/brak on my regular curveball

[superciuc]

Knuckleball, but it's a very tough pitch to control. Pitchers can't pitch it, catchers can't catch it and umpires can't call it. The perfect pitch.

Try something like the knucklecurve, it's a very good pitch. Otherwise, you can try to add the slider or better, the palmball. I have a great palmball, it has a nasty break. I think that it could be a good pitch to add because it looks like a change-up but it drops at the last moment.

[SESbb30]

their arms are hurt becuse one, they threw it too much, or two, they were throwing it wrong. if you learn how to properly throw a curve, your arm wont get messed up. plus, how old are you? with the breaking pitch, you should learn how to throw a cutter, just get it in on the opposite handed batters, and game over. and i wouldnt try throwing a knucklecurve until you've mastered the curve, because its harder to control.

[Kccitystar]

Throwing a cutter works wonders.

Anyway, try learning how to throw the curveball properly instead of trying to flick the wrist which is what most young hurlers try to do

[el_jefe061]

I think you should just stick to three and try and refine what you've got, instead of useless (At most levels, knuckleballs don't get you anywhere) junk like a Knuck. Command, velocity, movement, and changing speeds are always the most important. If you've got the velocity, improve your command and mix in the change. Different fastball variations are always good, so keep up with the 4-seam, 2-seam, and split, then try to add in the cutter or the sinker. You could try the circle change, turning your arm inside on release, although that could cause arm troubles.

Don't worry about throwing curveballs because those kids who are screwing up their arms probably don't throw it right.

As for my repetoire, I've always preferred fastball, circle change, and curveball, then mix in different fastballs.

They say to succeed at the high school level (Where I'm guessing you're at), you need an above average fastball and two average pitches. Refine your current pitches and then worry about new ones, it's better to have 2 or 3 good pitches than 4 or 5 mediocre ones.

[Pudge77]

superciuc, how do you throw your palmball

[NYM]

Well I have a hard time throwing a typical 4 seam fastball because it always moves like a 2 seamer. I've been working on throwing a cutter, but I just cant get it to work. Anyone have an idea on how to throw it corectly?

At practice today when warming up I was messing around with the splitter. I split my fingers apart a little further, and it had almost a knuckle ball effect to it, not spining, but dropping. I still need to better my control with it, but I think I'm gona stick with it and throw it everyonce in a while to keep hitters on their toes.

[el_jefe061]

You can throw an actual cutter, which is a slider type grip, then you throw it as a fastball and turn in on release. Another cutter is just placing more pressure on your middle finger and moving your thumb over to the middle finger side, so it cuts away from you. That's really more just like a sinker, and won't get as much movement as an actual cutter.

[Snailman]

At practice today when warming up I was messing around with the splitter. I split my fingers apart a little further, and it had almost a knuckle ball effect to it, not spining, but dropping. I still need to better my control with it, but I think I'm gona stick with it and throw it everyonce in a while to keep hitters on their toes.

Excuse me if this is wrong, but isn't that the point of a splitter? It doesn't spin as much as a fastball, and consequently drops more? Some people warn against the splitter because you could mess up tendons in the forearm. But seriously, there's no reason to be so cautious that you can't do anything creative...

I'd also advise trying out some kind of cutter where you bend your wrist in a bit to give the ball a bit of break, but I'm not an expert.

[D-Unit]

Throwing a cutter works wonders.

Anyway, try learning how to throw the curveball properly instead of trying to flick the wrist which is what most young hurlers try to do

Let me know how you do this, I've heard there's a "real" way to throw it but no one tells lol.

[superciuc]

superciuc, how do you throw your palmball

I just center the ball in my hand and throw it like 4-fingered changeup.

If i want to pitch it slower just grip it deeper ( don't know if i spelled well ).

Anyway, if you want to see how to pitch other pitches, here's a link:

pitching grips

[Pudge77]

On that site is how i got my Curve, Knucklecurve, Slider and i altered the splitter so i dont have to spread my fingers b/c i dont have big hands

[SESbb30]

you dont "have" to throw hard to succeed anywhere, i throw in the low 70's, and i had a 1.45 era this past season. and cutters do rule. get a pitching coach that played college ball or better to teach you the curve, because it will probably screw up your arm if you dont throw it right.

[NYM]

Well after starting this thread, I've been throwing my splitter almost every day and trying to get control and drop.

I'm able to throw it at the speed of a fastball and a changeup, which will now make my changeup twice as effective.

I can throw it for a strike and a ball and it drops anywhere from 4-5 inches.

It's really not a hard pitch to throw once you get control of it and it doesnt have any more of an effect than a fastball would on your arm!

[RmembrZito75]

I've been trying to throw a splitter, but it's just way out of control. I've learned how to throw a decent knuckleball. Also, I've learned how to throw a pretty good circle changeup, which is also another good weapon in my repertoire.

[Pudge77]

I have never thrown a splitter and last night in my game since last time i threw curves my arm was sore and i did not want to go through that again i tried to throw a splitter an it had a nasty drop on it i just put my index and middle finger as far apart on the ball and made sure i flicked/snapped my wrist when i released and it was dropping out of the zone and they were swinging and missing i got 4 of 6 k's with it.

[NYM]

You don't have to flick or snap your wrist at all. You might end up hurting your arm like that. You just split your fingers and throw a fastball. It might not work at first like that, but if you practice it for a week or two, you'll be able to throw it without the knuckle efffect (No spin) and it will drop more.

[kazmatsui10]

I have never thrown a splitter and last night in my game since last time i threw curves my arm was sore and i did not want to go through that again i tried to throw a splitter an it had a nasty drop on it i just put my index and middle finger as far apart on the ball and made sure i flicked/snapped my wrist when i released and it was dropping out of the zone and they were swinging and missing i got 4 of 6 k's with it.

urr...your wrist stays stiff...-__-...

there's always one misconception the the splitty...is there a backspin to it, like the one you get with a two-seamer?