Off-speed pitch

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In baseball, an off-speed pitch is a pitch thrown at a slower speed than a fastball. Breaking balls and changeups are the two most common types of off-speed pitches. Very slow pitches which require the batter to provide most of the power on contact through bat speed are known as "junk" and include the knuckleball and the Eephus pitch, a sort of extreme changeup. [1] The specific goals of off-speed pitches may vary, but in general they are used to disrupt the batter's timing, thereby lessening his chances of hitting the ball solidly or at all. Virtually all professional pitchers have at least one off-speed pitch in their repertoire. Despite the fact that most of these pitches break in some way (for instance, horizontally, vertically, gradually, or late in their trajectory), batters are sometimes able to anticipate them due to hints that the pitcher gives, such as changes in arm angle, arm speed, or placement of fingers.

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Types of off-speed pitches

Different off-speed pitches are thrown by manipulating the fingers' placement in relation to the seams of the baseball as well as manipulation of the wrist angle upon release of the ball. While there is no technical limit to the various ways in which off-speed pitches can be thrown, there are commonly used mechanics for each pitch type.

Curveball

When thrown, a curveball appears to rise out of the pitchers hand initially and is then followed by a large bending arc downward as the pitch nears home plate. [2] It is held by placing the middle finger along one seam of the baseball with the index finger right next to it while the thumb is placed on the opposite these two fingers. Upon release, the pitcher will snap their wrist to supination in order to create the desired arc and trajectory. [3]

Slider

A slider is a pitch that breaks more horizontally towards the pitcher's glove side. It is generally thrown harder than a curveball with sharper spin. [4] A slider is held similarly to the curveball however more pressure is applied with the middle finger. Unlike the curveball, no wrist manipulation is needed at release. The pressure from the finger on the outside of the ball creates the horizontal trajectory and the lack of wrist manipulation results in a faster pitch than the curveball. [4]

Splitter

While considered an off-speed pitch, a splitter is also commonly referred to as a split-finger fastball although the speed of the pitch is quite slow (however among off-speed pitches it is fast, with a similar speed to that of a cutter). A splitter initially travels straight out of the hand, however it drops straight down suddenly as it nears home plate. The splitter is appropriately named after the way in which it is gripped. It is held by digging the ball deep between the index and middle fingers as if the ball is splitting them apart. [5]

Changeup

The changeup is a pitch intended to look like a fastball upon release, however the way in which it is gripped and thrown causes it to be much slower and start to drop down and to the pitcher's arm side. It is held like a four-seam fastball (which is why its spin can be deceiving to a batter), however the middle and ring fingers rest across the seams rather than the index and middle fingers. Upon release, the pitcher will need to manipulate the wrist into pronation which helps create the late arm side movement. [6]

Knuckleball

A knuckleball is a unique pitch not often utilized by many pitchers due to its sporadic and unexpected movement, making it tough for catchers to glove it. [7] When thrown, it has no spin and almost appears to hover unnaturally from side to side. Its name is derived from the grip as the pitcher digs the knuckles from their index, middle, and occasionally even the ring finger on one seam of the baseball. This has changed now, and many knuckleballers use a more effective grip, digging their fingertips into the ball instead. The pitch is thrown similar to a four-seam fastball, although the pitcher keeps their wrist stiff until release, letting the ball slip out of the hand. [7]

Screwball

A screwball is an off-speed breaking pitch that is thrown by a pitcher intending for it to have the opposite breaking movement of a curveball, slider and just about every other breaking pitch in a pitcher's arsenal though it usually mostly resembles a reverse curveball when thrown. [8] This opposite break is achieved using an grip similar to a circle changeup and an unorthodox pronation of a pitcher's arm upon release. [9] This unorthodox pronation is one of the major reasons it is one of rarest pitches thrown in professional baseball today as there is a widespread believed consensus that throwing this pitch will put extreme damage and deterioration on a pitcher's arm. [10] This belief has been contested, as some tests have shown that it puts similar stresses on the elbow throwing a curveball or fastball does. [11]

History

The curveball is recognized as the first off-speed pitch to be thrown, and it is accredited to Candy Cummings who was playing for the Brooklyn Excelsiors in 1867. [12] However, it was not until he joined the Brooklyn Stars and linked up with catcher Nat Hicks that his curveball was perfected. Hicks was one of the first catchers to squat right behind the batter which made catching the curveball much easier. [13]

The slider is the next oldest pitch on record. While the true first to use the slider is largely debated, Chief Bender is cited as the first to throw the slider with his variation known as the "nickel curve". [14] Some argue that George Blaeholder was the first to throw a true, traditional slider in the 1920s while playing with the St. Louis Browns. [15]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knuckleball</span> Baseball pitch

A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This change adds a deflecting force to the baseball, making it difficult for batters to hit but also difficult for pitchers to control and catchers to catch; umpires are challenged as well, as the ball's irregular motion through the air makes it harder to call balls and strikes. A pitcher who throws knuckleballs is known as a knuckleballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitcher</span> Player who pitches the ball in baseball

In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum. There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and the closer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fastball</span> Baseball pitch thrown at a pitchers top speed

The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the speed, often exceeding 100mph, and movement of their fastballs to prevent the ball from being hit. As an alternative to the fastball, pitchers can put more movement on slower thrown balls, or throw them towards the inside or outside of home plate where batters cannot easily reach it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slider (pitch)</span> Baseball pitch

In baseball, a slider is a type of breaking ball, a pitch that moves or "breaks" as it approaches the batter. Due to the grip and wrist motion, the slider typically exhibits more lateral movement when compared to other breaking balls, such as the curveball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curveball</span> Type of pitch in baseball

In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curveball, power curveball, and the knuckle curve. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to pitcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Changeup</span> Baseball and softball pitch

A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Split-finger fastball</span> Baseball pitch

A split-finger fastball or splitter is an off-speed pitch in baseball that initially looks to the batter like a fastball but then seems to drop suddenly. Derived from the forkball, it is so named because the pitcher puts the index and middle finger on different sides of the ball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starting pitcher</span> Baseball or softball pitcher who throws the first pitch for their team in a game

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A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch softball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action. The pitch is sometimes known as the scroogie or airbender.

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In baseball, the pitch is the act of throwing the baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be thrown underhand, much like "pitching in horseshoes". Overhand pitching was not allowed in baseball until 1884.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-seam fastball</span> Baseball and Softball pitch

A two-seam fastball is a pitch in baseball and softball. It is a variant of the straight fastball. The pitch has the speed of a fastball and can also include late-breaking action caused by varying the pressure of the index and middle fingers on the ball.

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A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the fastest ball thrown by a pitcher. It is called what it is because with every rotation of the ball as it is thrown, four seams come into view. A few pitchers at the major league level can sometimes reach a pitch speed of over 100 mph. It is often compared with the two-seam fastball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breaking ball</span> Baseball pitch that does not travel straight

In baseball, a breaking ball is a pitch that does not travel straight as it approaches the batter; it will have sideways or downward motion on it, sometimes both. A breaking ball is not a specific pitch by that name, but is any pitch that "breaks", such as a curveball, slider, or screwball. A pitcher who primarily uses breaking ball pitches is often referred to as a junkballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circle changeup</span> Baseball pitch

In baseball, a circle changeup or circle change is a pitch thrown with a grip that includes a circle formation, hence the name circle changeup. The circle is formed by making a circle with the index finger, holding the thumb at the bottom of the ball parallel to the middle finger and holding the ball far out in the hand. The ball is thrown turning the palm out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cut fastball</span> Baseball pitch

In baseball, a cut fastball or cutter is a type of fastball that breaks toward the pitcher's glove-hand side, as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a four-seam fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more movement than a typical fastball. Some pitchers use a cutter to prevent hitters from expecting their regular fastballs. A common technique for throwing a cutter is to use a four-seam fastball grip with the baseball set slightly off center in the hand. A batter hitting a cutter pitch often achieves only soft contact and an easy out due to the pitch's movement keeping the ball away from the bat's sweet spot. The cutter is typically 2–5 mph slower than a pitcher's four-seam fastball. In 2010, the average pitch classified as a cutter by PITCHf/x thrown by a right-handed pitcher was 88.6 mph; the average two-seamer was 90.97 mph.

A gyroball is a type of baseball pitch used primarily by players in Japan. It is thrown with a spiral-like spin, so that there is no Magnus force on the ball as it arrives at home plate. The gyroball is sometimes confused with the shuuto, another pitch used in Japan.

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The 12–6 curveball is one of the types of pitches thrown in baseball. It is categorized as a breaking ball because of its downward break. The 12–6 curveball, unlike the normal curveball, breaks in a downward motion in a straight line. This explains the name "12–6", because the break of the pitch refers to the ball breaking from the 12 o'clock position to 6 o'clock on a clock face. While the 11–5 and 2–8 variations are very effective pitches, they are less effective than a true 12–6, because the ball will break into the heart of the bat more readily.

References

  1. ↑ Dickson, Paul (June 13, 2011). The Dickson Baseball Dictionary. W. W. Norton & Company. pp. 475–476. ISBN   978-0-393-34008-2 . Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Identifying pitch types: A fan's guide". MLB.com. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  3. ↑ "Curve Ball Grip". 2017-07-24. Archived from the original on 2017-07-24. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  4. 1 2 "How To Throw A Filthy Slider". Steven Ellis Baseball Pitching Tips. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  5. ↑ "What is a Splitter (FS)? | Glossary". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  6. ↑ "How To Throw A Filthy Change Up". Steven Ellis Baseball Pitching Tips. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  7. 1 2 "What is a Knuckleball (KN)? | Glossary". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  8. ↑ "Screwball (SC) | Glossary". MLB.com. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  9. ↑ Hill, Greg. "Surreal screwballs, and Foo Fighters". Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  10. ↑ "Hubbell's Elbow: Don't Blame the Screwball – Society for American Baseball Research" . Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  11. ↑ Schoenfeld, Bruce (2014-07-10). "The Mystery of the Vanishing Screwball". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  12. ↑ "Candy Cummings". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  13. ↑ Morris, Peter (2009-04-16). Catcher: How the Man Behind the Plate Became an American Folk Hero. Government Institutes. ISBN   978-1-61578-003-7.
  14. ↑ "Chief Bender". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  15. ↑ "Neyer: History of the slider". ESPN.com. 2004-04-20. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
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