[GMartin2R]

Does anyone know how to finger those or know where to look for how to's?

I can throw a curve and I think it works, and your typical fastball.

My curve breaks straight down. Is that how it is suppost to work?

[guyforGod]

if it is breaking straight down its more of a sinker than a curve... a curve will break away from your pitching hand...... a slider will break towards it and down..... at least thast what they do on Ken Griffey Slugfest........

i haven't played baseball for years but i was a pitcher and a good one when i played.. . i had a cut fastball as an 8 year old

[SCCdcTFreak]

Actually, the best curves will go more down that across, because of the amount of torque on the ball. Aaron Sele for Seattle is a prime example of that. The dude has the best curve in baseball, and it goes almost straight up and then down. It also depends on the arm angle. If you're a straight overhand pitcher, then it will have more side-to-side movement. If you pitch three quarters, (most pitch this way) then it's going to have quite a bit more downward movement. If you pitch sidearm, then it looks really funky and has a really strange effect to it.

You do a curveball by holding your index and middle fingers beside each other along a seam and putting most of the pressure on the middle finger. Then, as you release the pitch, snap your wrist towards the outside as you release the pitch as hard as you can. If it feels a little uncomfortable at first, then you're doing it right.

To throw a change, there's a couple of ways. The first is the "circle" changeup, or the palm ball. All you do is hold the ball in your whole hand and make a circle with your index finger and thumb on the side of the ball. Seam placement doesn't really matter on this pitch. Then, you just release it has hard as you can throw it, but let it kinda slide off the fingers, which will put a slight spin on it to make it drop a little, and it will slow the pitch down a lot. The other is the forkball. All you do there is take your index and middle fingers and split them on the ball. The ball should be wedged really tightly in between them, and then just throw the ball as hard as you can. This will also make a really good changeup.

Now, to throw a "splitter" or a split-fingered fastall, you just have to slightly have your fingers split apart on the sides of the ball. Throw the ball as hard as you can, and it will be almost as fast as your fastball, but it will have a hard drop to it right at the end.

Hope this helps 'ya. There's a website that tells you how to throw all of these, although I can't remember the site. I think it's like www.fastball.com or something like that.

Oh, Guyforgod, a slider goes the same direction that a curve does, it just barely has any downward movement. A screwball is the one that goes the opposite direction.

In Him,
† <>< S†ephen

[GMartin2R]

Huh I'll try those

What I did was grip the ball along the seams at a 180 degree angle with my index and thumb. My other finger was halfway between the two others on thebottom side of the ball. Sort of like holding a cup with three fingers. Two around the edge and one underneath. Anyway when I throw this one I have my wrist cocked at a 90degree angle to my arm and just as I release I snap my thumb and index finger together. I guess it looks kinda like a softball pitch exept it comes faster. It can climb then it drops. And if I throw it too high ther is a chance it will arc down.

Now for the forkball.

If I was to hold it a bit behind the 180 axis to provide better support, would that change anything?

And the spitter where are the seams in the hold pattern?

[SCCdcTFreak]

With the forkball, that might make your control a little more difficult, but then again, if it feels more comfortable, then it works.

On the splitter, it works best if you go "across" the seams, as opposed to going "with" 'em.

In Him,
† <>< S†ephen

[GMartin2R]

cool

I tried the curve and it works great. I've gotten to where nothing really feels too strange anyomre whenI throw. Maybe I'll reserve my other pitch for an off speed curve huh?

[cowboy]

In my humble opinion a curve should be 12 to 6, breaking straight down. Watch Jason Isringhausen (awesome pitcher). Wade Miller also throws a sinking changeup, but I don't know how to finger any of it. I learned what all the pitches are on All-Star Baseball 2001.

[SCCdcTFreak]

I learned what all the pitches are on All-Star Baseball 2001.

LOL -- I know exactly what you're talking about. Had I not already known what the pitches looked like, I would have, too. The first time I played ASB 2001, I was like, "Whoah -- those are soo real lookin'." I love that game.

In Him,
† <>< S†ephen