Video:Quick Tips: Proper Grip for Throwing a 4-Seam Fastball
with Tom RohlffsIf you want to throw a 4-seam fastball, there's a proper grip on the baseball that you should try to achieve. Watch this About.com video to see tips for doing it correctly.See Transcript
Transcript:Quick Tips: Proper Grip for Throwing a 4-Seam Fastball
Hi my name is Tom Rohlffs, pitching instructor for about.com, I'm going to show you today the proper way to throw a 4-seam fastball.
Basic Tips for the Proper Grip for Throwing a 4-Seam Fastball
In throwing a 4-seam fastball you have a ball that has many different shapes on here. You have what we call a horsehoe shape. By placing the fingers on the right hand you want to have your fingers over the two seams here. Notice that I have a space between my hand. If I'm shooting a basketball there is a space in the palm here.
More Tips for the Proper 4-Seam Fastball Grip
The ball is on my fingertips. If someone came over and tried to knock this ball away they would. It's a loose grip on the ball. You want the seams to rotate as many times as possible as it breaks the air going to the plate and the catchers glove this way the pitch will go with a lot more velocity a lot quicker. So have it lose in your fingers, have your thumb under the ball, fingers on top and a space in here.
This is why the 4-seam fastball is an important pitch, it is the most accurate and every pitcher should learn this first.