Split finger fastball

[mindslaughter12]

Thank you!

[wogdoggy]

death to your elbow..you can feel it the moment you widen your fingers..stick with a change up save your elbow,,this pitch JUST AINT worth it

[mikematij2]

you have a beautiful voice

[lilsnidesorioles]

im great at these i started in trip;e a and im now in last year of majors....have a loose wrist and snap it right wen u release.try it out and tell me how it works

[calebzbleeding1]

This was much more helpful than any of the other how-to videos on here

[dheeren62]

Paul Richards came up with the term slip pitch and says a slip pitch is a change up like a palm ball. The spliiter is designed to be thrown 5-7 mph less than a fastball. Hardly a slip pitch. You better get the Rob Neyer/Bill James book on pitching and get your terms straight. Or better yet, post a video on sonething you actually know something about.

[davidemerling]

@dheeren62 That's what makes a splitfinger fastball so unique. It has "sloppy" spin, like a slip pitch, yet it has considerable velocity. A spitter is a thrown hard and so is a shine ball - both of which are "slip" pitches.

The reason the splitter is in the category of a slip pitch is because the primary fingers, the index and middle finger slip off the side of the ball (somewhat) upon delivery, robbing the ball of spin and velocity - but it has much more velocity than any kind of change-up.

[dheeren62]

@davidemerling If it has much more velocity than a change up, how can it be a slip pitch? A shine ball is a doctored fastball where one side of the ball has starch, resin or parafin rubbed on one side of it givng it an optical illusion. I used to throw one.

[davidemerling]

@dheeren62 The "slip" minimally robs it of speed but MOSTLY it robs it of stabilizing spin. For instance, a split finger fastball taken to extreme morphs into a forkball. A forkball looks like a knuckleball that has much more velocity.

[dheeren62]

@davidemerling And furthermore, the reason the thunb is used to hook the bottom seam is to apply pressure upward to literally force the ball out between the fingers upon release. Since the ball comes out BETWEEN the fingers doesn't qualify it as a slip pitch. Roger Clemons threw his splitter in the low 90's at times. That doesn't sound like a slip pitch.

[dheeren62]

@davidemerling And also, If Paul Richards made up the term "slip pitch" and defined it, Sutter and Roger Craig basicly invented the splitter and Eddie Cicotte is the originater of the shine ball and described in detail what it is, where are you getting such wrong information? It seems to know the truth you go to the source.

[dheeren62]

I have spoken with both Bruce Sutter and Roger Craig and both recommend hooking the bottom seam with the thunb to "deaden" the spin on the ball causing it to dive. Roger Craig told me that the "split finger fastball is essentially an upsidedown two seam fastball."

[davidemerling]

@dheeren62 The aerodynamics of a split finger fastball centers around the fact that the ball has very little spin. However the pitcher obtains that lack of spin is somewhat irrelevant. If placing certain placement of the thumb facilitates this - then fine.

A split-finger fastball is a slip pitch, in the same way that a shine ball and spit ball are also slip pitches. The difference being, of course, that a split-finger fastball is legal. :)

[dheeren62]

what these guys don't show is how you hook the bottom seam wih your thumb. Sutter and Clemons both hook the bottom seam. the pitch won't dive without hooking the seam with the thumb

[davidemerling]

@dheeren62 A splitter drops mostly because it lacks stabilizing spin - like a regular fastball. It runs out of energy much faster because an spheroid that goes through the air without any spin has more drag. A splitter does not drop like a curveball. A curveball curves because of the spin (Magnus force). A splitter just decelerates at a more rapid pace and just "dies" more than it drops, as in a breaking pitch.

[alexcubs25]

bruce sutter had an amazing splitter

[dbzrkyyh]

dang, i thought i was special cause my fork ball has no spins and knuckles..........apparently its normal?

[lildude1599]

I'm 13 and i can already throw a Knucklecurve

[davidemerling]

There is nothing special about a knucklecurve. It's just a special type of grip for a standard curveball. As far as the batter is concerned, it's just a regular curveball.

[GotMeAFancyMercedes]

im 12 and can already throw a knuclecurve

[tmart43]

Sure thats one of the ways to throw a splitter, (the other being gripping around the horse shoe instead of the 2 seams), but it really isn't like a change up because for example my splitter is on average about 4-6 mph below my normal fastball, and my change up is about 10-12 mph below my average fastball so it really isn't a change-up.

[davidemerling]

How much you split your fingers is going to determine the velocity loss and the degree to which it tumbles. How the seems are oriented is not very critical - it's the SPLIT that does the trick. Ideally, you want your split fingers on a smooth portion of the ball so it slips out without dragging on one of the seems. A splitter actually duplicates a SPITTER or a SHINEBALL to some degree, both of which are slip-pitches. The splitter is a slip-pitch. Yes, it can be thrown fairly hard.

[lanerman1234]

hey well u can't really learn pitching stuff out of a text book

[MelodyDreamerZ]

the first grip, is it a sinker?

[davidemerling]

A sinker usually starts with a 2-seam fastball grip. But what REALLY makes it a "sinker" is the delivery technique, which requires you to turn the ball over at release, by slightly cutting the INSIDE of the ball, almost like a screwball. If you stay "on top" of the ball at release, there really is no big difference between a 2-seam and 4-seam fastball if the delivery technique remains the same.

[ChaseSpeer]

I am 16 and my splitter is pretty nasty seeing how no one else throws it yet. You got to be pretty long bodied from what i've noticed and you have to have a text book perfect throwing mechanics because this pitch does put a lot of strain on your wrist and forearm and elbow. I picked this pitch up by my self

[BobbyDobby]

I'm not long bodied, I don't have text-book perfect mechanics, and the splitter is my signature pitch.

It's all about conditioning and experience. The more you throw it, the better you get at it. Doesn't normally matter with your body type. Mechanics are important, yes, but they don't have to be perfect, besides, there is no "text-book" mechanics as each pitcher has a different way to deliver.

[ChaseSpeer]

by text book I meant you cant do side arm or shade your wrist because if you do it wont have the right spin unless you shade your grip also

[BobbyDobby]

Not true. I know of two professional side-arm throwers who both use the splitter. It has nothing to do with the angle of your arm. It's all in the wrist.

[ChaseSpeer]

Which is shading...

[BobbyDobby]

Is that what the kids call it these days?

[ChaseSpeer]

...

[davidemerling]

Just out of curiosity, who are these two side-armers who throw a splitter. In any case, the fact that there is only two should tell you that the splitter is not very compatible with a low arm angle like that - or that would be more.

[SvNsEt]

My arm angle is fairly low and I can get a perfect downward tumble to my split finger... But this guy doesnt even show a splitter cause hes showing it like the ball is supposed to tail... A true splitter tumbles, not slides.

[minkeeya]

Brandon League, Jason Frasor, Both have good Splitters... Brandon league = Side Armer

[lacore1988]

which professional splitters are you talking about? because Contreras throws side arm but switches to straight over hand when he throws the fork

[redsoxfever19]

You Know your shit bro.

The Splitter Ressurected Rodger Clemens After he left the red sox.

[jerseyrican15]

A splitter will end up taking mph off your fastball down the road. If mastered it can be a devastating pitch. But I wouldn't reccomend it to younger pitchers. Instead pick up a circle change or put more pressure with your fingers on your two seamer. You'll get as much movement and its easier to control.

[davidemerling]

I don't see why a splitter should cause your fastball to be diminished. And, I would not characterize a circle change as an easy pitch to control. The bottom line is that a pitcher either can or cannot throw a splitter. It's a personal thing. For those who are comfortable with it - it's not in the least bit difficult to control. I wouldn't recommend a splitter to anybody unless they have already tried a conventional change-up, however. It's a good pitch to experiment with. Who knows?

[gotkyle]

hey my freind used to be a an amazing pitcher but then he started to throw spliters he threw like mid 90s wrecked his arm and now pitches like 80 BIG DIFFERENTCE

[davidemerling]

Somehow I doubt that his problems were directly related to his throwing a splitter. My guess it was another issue.

[gotkyle]

wanna bet? lol jking but it can wreck your arm

[davidemerling]

How can you know, with such certainty, what his problem was? What about the countless other pitchers who have adopted the splitter who have NOT had the experience that your friend has had? The reason behind arm injuries is very difficult to identify. Can you (or anybody else) tell me why Chris Carpenter got to the point where he needed Tommy John surgery? There are a lot of genetics involved with pitching. Some individuals just have the type of arm that can take the punishment. Others do not.

[tjaxjesse]

omg. a forkball doesnt move like a knuckleball it moves like a big 12-6 curve! forkballs are meant to have a spin like a curveball using ur thumb to make a topspin.

Look at hideki okajima videos and look at the movement of his forkball; and does that look like a knuckleball?

[helpma1234]

its just like a straight 12-6 right?

[lariots925]

that is not true. toy around with that forkball grip. it will create knuckleball-type action. it definitely doesn't move like a curveball.

[golsonkp]

Hehe, i hurt my wrist in the process of the audience demonstration for the forkball

[nepats3912]

is 16 too young to throw a split??

[perkydrummer77]

they say that you can stat throwing junk about the age you start shaving

[ThatOneUTuber]

no it is not to young.

[mrlongbow]

don't flick your wrist keep it straight and use your fingers when pitching. Don't use this till a later age anyways. . .

[davidemerling]

You are correct. This is a very advanced pitch and it is not for very young pitchers. The demonstration with the wrist "flicking" is to demonstrate how, unlike almost all other pitches, the wrist is locked up when throwing a splitter. The split in the fingers takes away some of the flexibility in the wrist. This is normal and it takes some getting used to.

[masonmacker666]

So if im 13 and have hands about the same size as that guys is it still aight to throw a fork ball

[Souljaboy383]

yea its aiight.

I do it alot so...yea

[BobbyDobby]

NO! Don't listen to this Souljaboy idiot. His name alone spews "Do not trust" Don't throw junk until you're atleast in high school. 16 is a good age to start doing breaking balls. All the kids that come here saying thy're 12 and 13 and throw curveballs are either full of shit, or will be worn down by the time they hit puberty.

[davidemerling]

Are you saying JV high school pitchers should not be throwing breaking pitches? Ridiculous! Injuries seldom occur as a result of pitch TYPE, rather, they occur due to poor mechanics, throwing too much, or throwing too little. Those three things account for about 90% of all arm problems. A properly thrown "anything" seldom does any damage and that is supported by studies done by the ASMI (American Sports Medicine Institute).

[BobbyDobby]

No, I'm saying that this guy shouldn't throw breaking balls UNTIL he's in high school.

[davidemerling]

Fair enough - as long as you know that there is no scientific/medical basis for that. That is a baseball myth that has been dispelled yet it persists to this day because it has been passed down from one generation to the next. In fact, the notion that you can be too young to throw a curveball is actually a rather new concept. We all threw them when we were young and none of us had arm troubles. But, of course, we thought playing catch was FUN, unlike today's generation. That's the difference!

[Chisox911]

nice pool

[MikeHawk254]

wow and all this time i thought i was thrwoing a splitter when i was really throwing a forkball. thanks man.

[davidemerling]

There's a fine line between a splitter and a forkball. It's mostly a matter of degree. If you completely wedge the ball between your fingers - it's a forkball. A splitter actually has pretty good velocity. A forkball, on the other hand, because of the extreme wedging, is a slower pitch. Also, a forkball has less rotation that splitter although they are both "slip pitches", the forkball much more so, however.

[spikeboi55]

man my fingers r too short i cant do it

[davidemerling]

Yes, you have to have fairly long fingers to successfully throw a splitter. It's not for everybody.

[fullmetal2405]

the fingers should be spread wider apart, almost at the sides. this is a very stressful pitch on young arms and should not be attempted until the pitcher has reached full physical maturity

[fullmetal2405]

my apologies. i put the part about the fingers being wider apart at the beginning when he first spread them from the 2 seamer grip XD; but the rest of the comment holds true.

[PhrostCope]

your hands are fucking huge!

[minevere]

lot of pitchers in my team use it as finishers :>

[kevingibby]

yeah these are some good tips. I think it helps alot if you throw it more at a 3/4 angle so it gets more break but if you throw it directly over the tops its more like a sinker. Nice pitch to have though

[davidemerling]

The pitch is rather stressful on the young arm, however. This pitch is not recommended for a pitcher under 16. The reason is because your arm remains very rigid through release. It also helps to have long fingers.

[gregory06]

now throw it

[titans90k]

thanks tips