Pitch Types

Gripped across the horseshoe, the ball shows four seams in each rotation.

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Strong backspin makes it drop less than the hitter expects.

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MLB four-seamers average in the low to mid 90s.

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Up in the zone, its carry makes hitters swing under it.

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Its simple grip and straight path make it easiest to command.

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Hitters describe some fastballs as heavy when they seem to bore in and sink.

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Velocity is measured in miles per hour on the radar.

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Fastballs are quickest; curveballs usually slowest.

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Velocity climbs with age and level.

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Fingers across the horseshoe make the four-seam grip.

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The fingers run with the seams where they come closest together.

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A sinker moves down and towards the pitcher's arm side.

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Hitters swing over the top of a sinking pitch and pound it into the ground.

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A sinkerballer's outs come from ground balls.

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A grounder is needed for a double play, and sinkers produce grounders.

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With the infielders back, a ground ball to them lets the runner on third come home.

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Two-seamers and sinkers move towards the pitcher's throwing-arm side.

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Sinker, grounder, two outs.

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Sinkers produce grounders; high fastballs produce fly balls and whiffs.

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Down and in on the arm side is the sinker's path.

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A cutter is a fastball that darts a few inches to the glove side late.

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Rivera's cutter made him the career saves leader.

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A right-hander's cutter moves in on a left-handed hitter's hands.

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Cutters are usually a little slower than the four-seam fastball.

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Moving the fingers a little off centre gives the late cut.

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The break comes only in the last few feet.

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It runs in on left-handers' hands.

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The cutter breaks a little; the slider breaks more.

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The late cut jams the hitter.

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The cutter's late break towards a lefty's hands breaks bats.

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A slider breaks to the glove side, with some downward movement.

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Sliders sit between fastballs and curveballs in speed.

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The sweeper became popular in the 2020s for its wide horizontal break.

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Moving away from a same-side hitter, the slider leaves the barrel behind.

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Aimed at the hitter's back foot, it dives under his swing.

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A slurve has the speed of a slider and the shape of a curve.

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Tunnelling the slider off the fastball causes swings and misses.

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Sweepers break the most sideways; four-seamers barely at all.

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Away from a same-side hitter, the slider escapes the bat.

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Big glove-side sweep away from a same-side hitter is the sweeper.

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Like clock hands from 12 to 6, it breaks straight down.

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Topspin makes the ball dive.

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After fastballs, a slow curve throws the hitter off.

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Tucking a fingertip on the ball gives a sharper spin.

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Many curves pop up slightly out of the hand before diving.

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Many coaches want young pitchers to master the fastball and changeup first.

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'Uncle Charlie' is old slang for a good curveball.

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The 12-6 curve drops most; the four-seamer least.

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A curve may pop up, then dive late.

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Straight downward break is the 12-6 curve.

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Matching the fastball's arm speed hides the slower pitch.

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Thumb and index finger form a circle on the side of the ball.

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The speed gap is what fools hitters.

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It fades away from opposite-handed hitters.

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Most changeups fade and sink like a slower two-seamer.

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Hitters say it looks like someone pulled it back on a string.

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Many coaches see the changeup as a safe second pitch for young arms.

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Same arm speed, slower ball, early swing.

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The curve is slowest; the cutter is close to fastball speed.

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The circle grip makes the circle change.

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Splitting the fingers wedges the ball between them.

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It looks like a fastball, then tumbles down late.

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Many Japanese pitchers throw splitters and forkballs.

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A forkball sits deeper between the fingers and is usually slower.

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The late drop makes hitters swing over it.

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Ohtani's splitter is one of his best strikeout pitches.

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Swinging over the top of it usually produces ground balls.

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Splitters are thrown with very little spin.

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Fastball look, late drop, miss.

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Spread fingers make the split-finger grip.

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With almost no spin, the air pushes it about unpredictably.

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Despite the name, most knucklers grip it with fingertips or nails.

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Even catchers do not know where it will go.

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Thrown slowly with little effort, it is easy on the arm.

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Dickey won the 2012 NL Cy Young with the Mets.

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Slow, wandering pitches are hard to catch and easy to steal on.

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Few pitchers can throw it with enough control.

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The knuckler barely spins; the four-seamer spins most of the three.

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The wandering path fools hitters and catchers alike.

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A wandering, barely spinning pitch is a knuckleball.

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A screwball breaks towards the pitcher's arm side.

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Valenzuela's screwball led 'Fernandomania' in 1981.

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The eephus floats high and drops slowly into the zone.

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Doctoring the ball has been banned since 1920.

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Holding the ball in the palm kills its speed.

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Some put strain on the arm; others take years to learn.

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Its spin axis points at the plate, so it breaks very little.

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The eephus is the slowest of all.

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1920, 1981 and the 2020s.

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A slow, high lob is the eephus.

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Variety keeps hitters guessing.

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Arsenal means all the pitches a pitcher uses.

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Facing a hitter once, a reliever needs fewer looks to keep him off balance.

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Pitch mix shows his percentages of each pitch.

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Showing something different keeps hitters off balance.

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Pitches that tunnel together and split late are hard to read.

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Even a seldom-used pitch makes hitters think about it.

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Many learn the fastball first, then a change, then a breaking ball.

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Starters face hitters several times and need the most variety.

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A breakdown of how often he throws each pitch is his pitch mix.

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