Things You'll Need:
- A clear head
- Basic body coordination
- Motivation and persistence
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Step 1
Here are some basics for good baseball pitching. First, hold the ball in your glove with your hand. Step directly towards the batter' s box with the opposite foot of your throwing arm. As you are doing this, separate your hands, holding both of them out. Lead with your elbow and throw the ball to the catcher.
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Step 2
For fastballs, place your index finger and your pointing finger on the part of the seam that makes a U, with your thumb on the other side of the ball, directly opposite of the two fingers. You don’t want your hand touching a lot of surface area of the ball. When you release it, keep the ball ahead of your fingers, and it will have backspin that will give it more speed than other pitches.
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Step 3
To throw a slider, place your index finger along the outside seam of the baseball, with your index finger right beside it, and your thumb on the backside. This grip will give you spin on the ball, which will cause a sliding effect as the ball travels to the catcher.
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Step 4
For sinker balls, you want the two fingers to each be on a seam of the baseball. When the ball is released, a spin will occur that will cause the ball to drop rapidly as it travels to the batter.
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Step 5
For a change-up, make a circle along the seam with your forefinger and your thumb. Change-ups are great for when you are high in the count, because while you are showing the same arm speed the ball should travel 10 miles per hour slower than your fastball. This can throw a hitter off his rhythm and get him to swing a bit early.
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Step 6
The hardest pitch to master is the curveball, but get this down and you will be an awesome pitcher. You want your index finger placed on a seam of the baseball, with your ring finger cradling the other side. Throwing a baseball this way will cause air to whip around the seams, which is what creates your curving action.
