![]() ![]() Because this spin axis isn’t parallel with the ground, it can’t resist gravity (more on this below). In the photo below, you can see that the “backspin” Sale will produce will be angled more like 10/4 rather than 12/6 or 11/5 (for him as a lefty). Pitchers with lower arm slots can more easily create run and sink, because the ball will naturally come out of the hand without 12/6 backspin. The lower spin rate does not resist gravity, so it falls at a rate faster than that of a fastball with faster backspin. With a sinker, we want the opposite – a slower spin rate means the hitter’s guess will be higher than the pitch, which results in him hitting the top half of the baseball. He thus swings below the ball, popping it up, or missing altogether. This result is because the brain of a hitter basically guesses wrong about where the ball will end up, guessing incorrectly that it will be lower than it will be. On a four-seam fastball, a higher spin rate (measured in RPMs) means the ball resists gravity more and produces more fly balls and swings and misses. It’s a mixture of the grip, the unique way he throws, and other factors. Watch this short video of Zach Britton, who throws the most unhittable sinker on the planet – he candidly explains that the grip he uses to throw his All-Star caliber sinker doesn’t work for most guys. Because the spin of each pitch is what matters most, most grips are in essence naturally selected for – the best grips have been figured out long ago, and are mostly uniform across the board. The grip is merely a tool to impart spin on the ball, and spin forces the ball to break the way the pitcher wants. There are little variations of each, but the way the pitch is thrown is by far the most important factor. Ditto with the slider, cutter, changeup and sinker. The curveball grip? Basically the same whether you’re a little leaguer or a Major Leaguer. His grip is the same as any other pitcher’s, but his sinker is unbelievable (which is evidence for my statement that the grip isn’t that big of a factor). If you’re not sure what a sinker looks like, check out Zach Britton’s below.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |