How to Grip the Gyro Ball

The gyro ball is a specialized baseball pitch made famous by Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Boston Red Sox. The physics behind the pitch has been a highly debated topic. Dr. Ryutaro Himeno, director of the Riken Advanced Center for Computing and Communication in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, said the rotation of the pitch is much like a football, which gives it "gyro spin." Himeno said the perfect rotation is perpendicular to the direction the ball is traveling, which gives the pitch its trademark drag and drop. To throw a gyro ball, you must first master the proper grip.

Instructions

    • 1

      Place your index and middle finger across the U-shaped seams of the baseball. You can position these fingers together or spaced slightly apart, depending on which feels more comfortable and gives you the better result.

    • 2

      Place your ring and pinkie fingers to the side and slightly underneath the baseball. The ring and pinkie fingers cradle the ball. Do not put too much pressure on the ball with these fingers.

    • 3

      Place your thumb under the ball so it balances between your thumb and your index and middle fingers on the opposite side. Do not wrap your thumb around the ball. The middle of your thumb should support the bottom of the ball.

    • 4

      Throw the gyro ball by starting just as you would to throw a fastball. At the point of release, turn your hand down and away from your body. You throw the pitch almost like an opposite curveball; instead of your hand turning in, so you can see your palm, the hand is turned away, so you see the back of your hand.