Fastball basics
Joe McFarland

Coaching Pitchers

The fastball is the basic pitch of baseball. It is the first pitch learned, and should be used more than any other pitch in the repertoire. Obviously, velocity, control, and movement of the fastball dictate how often and in what situations the fastball will be used.

When pitchers are learning to throw the fastball, control and movement should be learned first, and velocity added later. The higher the level of baseball a pitcher plays, the more this is true. Therefore, pitchers should make a conscious effort to learn control and movement first.

There are several variations of the fastball: four-seam, two-seam, cut, sinker and the batting-practice fastball. The first fastball to master is the four-seam fastball. Pitchers should prove that they have good control of this pitch before they attempt to throw any of the others.

 The two-seam fastball becomes more important to the older pitcher... 

Four-seam fastball 

The four-seam fastball should be the first pitch learned, because it is the easiest pitch to control. The four-seamer usually doesn't have much movement, so it is an ideal pitch for young pitchers to use to master the strike zone. Because it lacks movement, this pitch is less important to the older pitcher who has good control but needs a fastball with movement. The exception to that rule is the pitcher with the great arm who can throw at or around 90 miles per hour. He or she should use the four-seamer because at that speed the ball will have good movement--and obviously a pitcher who can throw 90 miles per hour with good control will win.

Regardless of how pitchers usually grips their fastball, there are certain situations in which pitchers should always throw a four-seam.

Brushback pitch 

Anytime pitchers are going inside at the hands to brush back the batter, they should throw a four-seam fastball. Because this pitch has less movement, there is less danger of the ball tailing into the batter.

A pitchout 

When a pitchout is to be thrown, pitchers should use a four-seam grip on the fastball. Good control and lack of movement help them give the catcher a pitchout that can be easily handled to throw out the stealing runner.

A fielding chance 

Anytime pitchers field a batted ball, they should attempt to use a four-seam grip. This helps them make an accurate throw.

Four-seam fastball grip 

The four-seam fastball is held with the index and middle finger across the horseshoe of the baseball. The end joints of the fingers should be over the seam to ensure a good grip. The thumb should be on the bottom of the ball on an imaginary line between the two fingers on the top. The ball should be held loosely in the hand, and there should be at least a finger-width space between the ball and the palm of the hand. Ideally, the enclosed end of the horseshoe seam should be closest to the middle finger; this helps with the feel of the seams, given that the index finger is shorter.

Two-seam fastball 

The two-seam fastball has more movement, due to the grip, and therefore is harder to control. The pitcher should throw the four-seam fastball until he has proven that he has mastered the strike zone. The two-seam fastball becomes more important to the older pitcher who does not possess an outstanding arm and must rely more on movement than on speed.

The two-seam fastball moves to the pitching-arm side of the plate. Often it will also sink, producing a pitch that tails away and down.

Two-seam fastball Grip 

The two-seam fastball can be gripped in two ways. The fingers can go either with the seams or across the seams. When the fingers go across the seams, the pitcher can hook the end joints of the index and middle finger on a seam and get a good feel for the pitch. However, many pitchers prefer to lay their entire fingers lengthwise on a seam. Both grips are effective. The two-seam and four-seam are thrown the same, except for the differences in grip. For either pitch, the pitcher should keep his fingers behind the baseball for ultimate velocity. Putting the fingers off-center loses velocity and control, but gains movement.