by Coach Griff

Learning to throw different pitches is perhaps one of the most enjoyable topics in pitching.

Learning just one pitch (other than your fastball) will take you a long way in this game, and you’ll forever be working on improving them when you’re at the field.

As you learn the nuance of pitching, you’ll learn that most hitters get out because their timing was off. We love to talk about sliders, cutters, curves, and more, but a simple change-up is still the most successful pitch in baseball. I’d encourage each of you to learn it as your most important pitch.

<aside> <img src="/icons/private_red.svg" alt="/icons/private_red.svg" width="40px" /> If a pitch ever hurts your arm when you throw it, you should stop. Throwing advanced pitches will damage your arm if your mechanics aren’t yet ready.

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The Physics Of Pitching

First, learn a simple four-seam fastball

A four-seam fastball is the most commonly used grip on a baseball field.

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It’s the best way to hold a baseball if you’re trying to throw accurately and with high velocity.

Two fingers resting on top, with the thumb tucked underneath.

This grip should be your default grip when warming up, throwing around the diamond, and when in desperate need of a strike.

Once you feel comfortable, try learning a good change up

The very first pitch every pitcher should learn to throw is a change up.

  1. Change ups are easier to throw
  2. Change ups are more effective at getting hitters out
  3. Change ups place no additional strain on your arm

While breaking balls get all the talk, the best pitchers in the world get hitters out with a simple change in speed.

This is because change ups are more difficult to predict. While breaking balls have a distinct rotation, change ups are released just like a fastball and often go undetected.

<aside> <img src="/icons/tortoise_green.svg" alt="/icons/tortoise_green.svg" width="40px" /> Change up Designed to mimic a fastball, a change up is placed further back in the hand to reduce velocity.

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<aside> <img src="/icons/cut_red.svg" alt="/icons/cut_red.svg" width="40px" /> Breaking ball Any pitch that is designed to cut through the air due to a deliberate rotation designed to move sideways on downward (slider, curve, etc.)

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