How to Throw a Floater

So, you want to tackle this pitch do you? Learning how to throw a floater is pretty simple but you have to throw this baseball pitch sidearm. You still want to know how to throw it? Okay. Here's how to grip the floater, throw the floater, and practice the floater:

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• baseball

Gripping, Throwing, and Practicing the Floater

1. Gripping The Floater- Since we've established that you have to throw the floater sidearm, it's time to learn the grip. The floater is just another pitch that is gripped like a curveball. The middle and index fingers are on the far seam if you're looking at a baseball positioned like a two-seam. Thumb underneath, ring and pinkie fingers bent and resting firmly against the side of the baseball. This part has to be easy, because the next step isn't if you've never thrown sidearm.

2. Throwing The Floater- You've come to the difficult part of throwing the floater unless, of course, you are a natural sidearm pitcher. If that is the case, this will be a cinch. Go into your normal wind up and as you release the ball just snap your wrist hard. Its an amazing pitch to see if you can get this fluent motion down.

3. Practicing The Floater- It's kind of a hard pitch to practice because the floater can take a lot out of you if it doesn't seem to be working. You'll have to tinker with your motion, release point, and grip if there are problems. Troubleshooting can be frustrating for the floater pitch, but once you have it in your bag of tricks, all the hard work is well worth it. Try to stay within 50 to 75 pitches per practice session.

4. Expect certain things when you're throwing a floater. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what the baseball will do when you throw a floater. However, hitters may think it is either going to sink or rise coming from a sidearm pitcher. This is why throwing a floater can be so beneficial. Lots of hitters will be looking at that strike three pitch you've just learned today.

Tips & Warnings

• Extra exercises are necessary when throwing any sidearm pitch. Be sure to use this as a third strike pitch if you have great control and deceiving abilities. Practice your control because the floater will stay almost in the same spot you are aiming for when maximum control is reached.
• Don't let your youngsters throw sidearm. Sure, there are several kids out there throwing it, but if they don't get injured now it will only tear up their arm down the road. If you don't wait until at least high school, you are only putting the kids future at risk.

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