For today’s blog, I will be teaching you how to throw 4 different pitches in baseball. These pitches will consist of the curveball, knuckle ball, change up, and a fastball. All these pitches are very effective and can be used for certain situations. What I’m about to teach you is pretty basic so as long as you know how to pitch and have good baseball knowledge you’ll be fine. But that doesn’t mean you will learn these pitches right away. This will take time and practice. As long as you practice everyday you will succeed at these pitches in weeks.
How To Throw A Curveball
The curve ball is one of the most effective pitches in baseball but if thrown incorrectly or too much can hurt your arm really bad. When thrown in the air the baseball spins forward and drops inside the batter’s box and 70% of the time you’ll have the batter swing and miss. The curveball is great when you’re up in the count with 2 strikes and want the batter to swing and miss. Alright now, how to throw the pitch. First, you’re gonna grab the ball with only your middle finger, pointer finger, and your thumb. Then place your middle finger and pointer finger together on one seam of the ball. That seam will be right down the middle of those two fingers. Now place your thumb on the bottom of the ball on a seam. With the ball in your hand it should look like a backwards c. Now place your other fingers to the side and you’re ready to throw. When you’re throwing the ball a little before you release the baseball you want your arm to be sideways and then when you’re about to release it, flick your hand down. That will give it the spin.
How to throw a Knuckleball
The knuckleball is in the breaking ball category. The breaking ball category is pitches that don’t go straight and move in all different directions as it reaches the batter. Like the curveball is in the breaking ball category because it moves in a different direction from where it was thrown. But the knuckle ball has crazy movement. The grip in how you hold the baseball makes it where the baseball has barely any spin to it. Which can make the baseball have crazy and erratic movement. Knuckleball can be used in one great situation. Which is throwing the pitch to change speed, the batter is used to fastballs all day so changing up the speed can mess up their timing. I also do add if you have small fingers this grip will be a little harder to hold. Now on to how to throw the pitch. Use your pointer finger, middle finger, ring finger, and your pinky. Fold the tops of your fingers along the top of your palm. Then put those 4 fingers on the baseball and your knuckles will line up on the seam. Then put your thumb on the bottom of the baseball. Now you have the grip, all you have to do is throw it. At first it will be hard because the grip is very weird but over time you’ll get the hang of it. Remember to keep your fingers tucked while throwing the baseball.
How To Throw A Fastball
A fastball is one of the most common pitches thrown in baseball. There are 2 different types of fastballs. There is a two seam and a four seam. Today we went over a 4 seam fastball. The 4 seam fastball is very simple and can have some nice movement depending how hard you throw it and your release point. The fastball is a pretty simple pitch and is the pitch you’re going to throw most of the time. There is really no situation for the fastball. Now let’s learn how to throw it. First put your middle finger and pointer finger on the same seam. That seam will make a triangle from your fingertip to the other finger tip. Then have your thumb on the bottom seam and your ring finger on the side seam. From there you’re ready to throw. The reason it’s called the 4 seam fastball is because there are 4 fingers touching the seam.
How To Throw A Changeup
The changeup is a pitch that is very slow and kind of glides off your fingers. In a game you’re throwing fastballs and all other types of fast pitches. Then when you throw a changeup it catches the batter thinking it’s a fastball when it’s a changeup. Most of the time you’re striking that batter out. Now we learn how to throw it. First make an ok sign with your fingers. Then, put your baseball inside your hand on your palm while still holding the ok sign. You can just rest your fingers. When you throw, throw like you would throw a fastball. This sells to the batter like another fastball when it’s a changeup and the batter is stunned. You strike that batter out for sure.
With all the pitches I taught you try to practice them every couple of days so your arm can get rest and not hurt. I suggest icing and resting your arms after you pitch in a game. Whenever you’re practicing, always do the curveball last because throwing the curveball already puts a lot of strain on your arm. So do it last so you don’t hurt your arm. I hope you learned something on how to throw different pitches in baseball.
Photo Credits: user pexels on pixabay
William Durruthy- DePaul- DMSF Class of 2028