How to Make a Fastball Tail

A tailing fastball is tricky to hit because of its significant drop.

A tailing fastball, better known as a cut fastball or cutter, is a pitch in baseball that is difficult to hit because of its movement. If you're a pitcher, it's important to add an arsenal of pitches to your repertoire. Speed is important for pitchers, but skilled batters can catch up with fastballs. If you throw an effective tailing fastball, however, you'll be able to catch hitters off guard.

Instructions

1. Position the ball in your throwing hand so that your index and middle fingers run directly along the parallel laces on either side of the sweet spot. This grip is essentially perpendicular to that of a regular fastball grip, in which you lie your fingers across the sweet spot. There are two sweet spots on each ball; a sweet spot is the center of each of the two strips of leather that make up the ball's cover. One of the sweet spots is typically marked with the league's name.

2. Bend your thumb slightly and put it on the bottom of the ball, directly on the other sweet spot. Your thumb shouldn't be touching any of the baseball's stitching.

3. Put more pressure on the finger to the side that you want the ball to cut. For example, if you're a right-handed pitcher and want the ball to move to the right, push down harder on your middle finger. The direction you want the ball to move depends on the batter's strengths. Some batters have trouble with pitches that move in toward them, while others may struggle with hitting a pitch that tails away.

4. Make your normal pitching windup and delivery by lifting your lead leg, swinging your arms up to chin level, stepping forward, pushing off the rubber and throwing the ball. The windup required to throw a tailing fastball is no different than any other pitch.

Tips & Warnings

• A cut fastball can be difficult to locate precisely, and requires plenty of practice to learn to place correctly. Practice this pitch repeatedly by applying pressure on each finger and different degrees of pressure as well. More pressure will make the ball cut more, but it will likely move out of the strike zone. Once you master the exact pressure that will make your pitch move as much as you'd like, it will be a useful pitch to throw.

• Try throwing the pitch with your fingers placed as though you're throwing a four-seam fastball. You may find it easier to cut the ball with this grip.

References

• eFastball.com: How to Grip a Two Seam Fastball
• The Complete Pitcher; Pitching Grips -- How to Grip and Throw Different Baseball Pitches; Steven Ellis
• YouTube: How To Grip / Throw A Two (2) Seam Fastball