Different Pitching Grips for Left-Handed Pitchers

The grip is important when pitching a baseball.

There are a variety of different pitching grips in the game of baseball, especially for left-handed pitchers. These different grips allow left-handed pitchers to throw a variety of pitches to batters, keeping them on their toes. The more proficient a left-handed pitcher is at holding and pitching the ball, the more consistent they will be during a game.

Change-Up

The change-up is a popular pitch for left-handed pitchers to throw to right-handed batters after they have thrown a series of fastballs; the change-up is much slower and more difficult to hit after a batter has seen a series of fastballs. For a left-handed pitcher to throw this pitch, they grip the ball with their middle and fourth fingers around the back and their fore finger or pointer finger curled in a circular shape against a straightened thumb, which also presses against the base of the ball. The stride should be shortened as well when this pitch is thrown, so the ball comes in at a slower velocity and lower across the plate.

Screwball

The screwball is one of the rarer and more difficult pitches to throw accurately and is mostly thrown by left-handed pitchers. Grip the ball as a pitcher would a four-seemed fastball, with the index and middle fingers on top of the ball across the seams at the widest point. Hold the fingers about 1/2 inch apart from one another and place the thumb under the ball over the seam and curl the fourth finger, the ring finger, and pinkie along one side. The index and thumb should provide all of the pressure and the middle finger should release the ball. This pitch should break from right to left, moving down and in on a right-handed batter.

Two Seam Fastball

A two-seam fastball has more movement then a four-seam fastball; the left-handed pitcher should grab the baseball and hold it in the area where the seams are closest together. The baseball should be rotated so that the seams are perpendicular to his body, with the index and middle fingers closest to those seams. Each finger should be touching the seams and the thumb should rest underneath the ball, between the seams. When thrown, the ball should roll off the index and middle fingers, almost flung forward as hard as the left-handed pitcher can accurately throw it.

References

• The Complete Pitcher: Throw Change Up
• The Complete Pitcher: Screwball
• Baseball Tips: Fastballs