How to Throw Curveballs & Off-Speeds

The key to successful pitching is keeping hitters off balance. Many professional pitchers throw effective fastballs that reaches 90 mph. But the best pitchers are the ones who can mix in a curveball, slider, changeup or other off-speed pitch. With different speeds and movements, secondary pitches help pitchers strike out or fool hitters. Learning to throw these pitches consists mainly of mastering the different grips and releases.

Things You'll Need

  • Baseball
  • Glove
  • Catcher
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Instructions

    • 1

      Hold the baseball with the two seams running along the top of the ball. Keep the baseball in your mitt while you apply the pitch grip. This ensures that the batter does not get a peek at the type of pitch coming.

    • 2

      Grip the ball so that your middle finger lies along the outside seam for a curveball. The index finger falls right next to the middle finger while your thumb is placed under the baseball. When you release the pitch, rotate the index and middle finger over the top of the baseball, snapping your wrist to produce spin. The thumb finishes pointing to the sky.

    • 3

      Grip the baseball with a curveball grip when throwing a slider. Upon release, the fingers do not come over the top as much as they do when you throw a curveball. The rotation is more sideways. The thumb still finishes pointing upward. The slider's movement is less up-and-down than a curveball but more sideways movement can be expected.

    • 4

      Grip the baseball with your middle, ring and pinkie finger to throw a circle changeup. The index finger and thumb form a circle on the side of the baseball. Your hand makes the "A-OK" sign. The ball rests deep in the palm. When you release the pitch, keep your arm speed the same and push your fingers toward the catcher.

    • 5

      Grip the ball with all four fingers on top and thumb on the bottom to throw a palmball. The palmball is another form of changeup. The idea behind these changeup pitches is to take away power from the pitch but maintain arm speed. This deceives the hitter, who expects a faster pitch.