baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

, an off-speed pitch is a pitch thrown at a slower speed than a

fastball The fastball is the most common type of pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. "Power pitchers," such as former American major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, rely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit, and have thro ...

Breaking ball In baseball, a breaking ball is a pitch that does not travel straight as it approaches the batter; it will have sideways or downward motion on it, sometimes both (see slider). A breaking ball is not a specific pitch by that name, but is any p ...

s and

changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...

s are the two most common types of off-speed pitches. Very slow pitches which require the batter to provide most of the power on contact through bat speed are known as "junk" and include the

knuckleball A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This chan ...

and the

Eephus pitch An eephus pitch (also spelled ephus) in baseball is a very high-arcing off-speed pitch. The delivery from the pitcher has very low velocity and often catches the hitter off-guard. The eephus pitch is thrown overhand like most pitches, but is char ...

, a sort of extreme changeup. The specific goals of off-speed pitches may vary, but in general they are used to disrupt the batter's timing, thereby lessening his chances of hitting the ball solidly or at all. Virtually all professional pitchers have at least one off-speed pitch in their repertoire. Despite the fact that most of these pitches break in some way (for instance, horizontally, vertically, gradually, or late in their trajectory), batters are sometimes able to anticipate them due to hints that the pitcher gives, such as changes in arm angle, arm speed, or placement of fingers.

Types of off-speed pitches

Different off-speed pitches are thrown by manipulating the fingers' placement in relation to the seams of the

as well as manipulation of the wrist angle upon release of the ball. While there is no technical limit to the various ways in which off-speed pitches can be thrown, there are commonly used mechanics for each pitch type.

Curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

When thrown, a curveball appears to rise out of the pitchers hand initially and is then followed by a large bending arc downward as the pitch nears

home plate A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refers ...

. It is held by placing the middle finger along one seam of the baseball with the index finger right next to it while the thumb is placed on the opposite these two fingers. Upon release, the

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

will snap their wrist to

supination Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relative ...

in order to create the desired arc and trajectory. File:Curveball grip.jpg, Curveball grip File:Curveball grip (side).jpg, Curveball grip (side)

Slider Slider or Sliders may refer to: Arts * K.K. Slider, a fictional character within the ''Animal Crossing'' franchise * '' The Slider'', a 1972 album by T. Rex * ''Sliders'' (TV series), an American science fiction and fantasy television series * ...

A slider is a pitch that breaks more horizontally towards the pitcher's glove side. It is generally thrown harder than a curveball with sharper spin. A slider is held similarly to the curveball however more pressure is applied with the middle finger. Unlike the curveball, no wrist manipulation is needed at release. The pressure from the finger on the outside of the ball creates the horizontal trajectory and the lack of wrist manipulation results in a faster pitch than the curveball. File:Slider grip.jpg, Slider grip File:Slider grip (side).jpg, Slider grip (side)

Splitter

While considered an off-speed pitch, a splitter is also commonly referred to as a

split-finger fastball A split-finger fastball or splitter is an off-speed pitch in baseball that looks to the batter like a fastball until it drops suddenly. Derived from the forkball, it is so named because the pitcher puts the index and middle finger on different ...

although the speed of the pitch is quite slow (however among off-speed pitches it is fast, with a similar speed to that of a cutter). A splitter initially travels straight out of the hand, however it drops straight down suddenly as it nears home plate. The splitter is appropriately named after the way in which it is gripped. It is held by digging the ball deep between the index and middle fingers as if the ball is splitting them apart. File:Splitter grip.jpg, Splitter grip File:Splitter grip (side).jpg, Splitter grip (side)

Changeup A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball. The changeup is a staple off-speed pitch often used in a pitcher's arsenal, usually thrown to look like a fastball but arriving much more slowly to the plate. Its reduced speed ...

The changeup is a pitch intended to look like a fastball upon release, however the way in which it is gripped and thrown causes it to be much slower and start to drop down and to the pitcher's arm side. It is held like a

four-seam fastball A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family of pitches and is usually the hardest (i.e., fastest) ball thrown by a pitcher. It is ca ...

(which is why its spin can be deceiving to a batter), however the middle and ring fingers rest across the seams rather than the index and middle fingers. Upon release, the pitcher will need to manipulate the wrist into

pronation Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relative ...

which helps create the late arm side movement. File:Changeup grip.jpg, Changeup grip File:Changeup grip (side).jpg, Changeup grip (side)

Knuckleball A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This chan ...

A knuckleball is a unique pitch not often utilized by many pitchers due to its sporadic and unexpected movement, making it tough for catchers to glove it. When thrown, it has no spin and almost appears to hover unnaturally from side to side. Its name is derived from the grip as the pitcher digs the knuckles from their index, middle, and occasionally even the ring finger on one of the seams of the baseball. As the ball is released, the pitcher will extend the fingers that are being pressed into the ball as a way of pushing the ball forward while eliminating any spin. File:Knuckleball grip.jpg, Knuckleball grip File:Knuckleball grip (side).jpg, Knuckleball grip (side)

Screwball A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch softball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action. The pitch is sometimes known ...

A screwball is an off-speed breaking pitch that is thrown by a pitcher intending for it to have the opposite breaking movement of a curveball, slider and just about every other breaking pitch in a pitcher's arsenal though it usually mostly resembles a reverse curveball when thrown. This opposite break is achieved using an grip similar to a

circle changeup In baseball, a circle changeup (also called the "okay changeup", related to the thumb and index finger touching) is a pitch (baseball), pitch thrown with a grip that includes a circle formation, hence the name circle changeup. The circle is fo ...

and an unorthodox pronation of a pitcher's arm upon release. This unorthodox pronation is one of the major reasons it is one of rarest pitches thrown in professional baseball today as there is a widespread believed consensus that throwing this pitch will put extreme damage and deterioration on a pitcher's arm. This belief has being contested, as some tests have shown that it puts similar stresses on the elbow throwing a curveball or

does. File:Throw-screwball-1.1-120X120.jpg, Screwball grip File:Throw-screwball-1.3-120X120.jpg, Screwball grip (side)

History

The

curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curve ...

is recognized as the first off-speed pitch to be thrown, and it is accredited to

Candy Cummings William Arthur "Candy" Cummings (October 18, 1848 – May 17, 1924) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a pitcher in the National Association and National League. Cummings is widely credited with inventing the curveball. H ...

who was playing for the

Brooklyn Excelsiors The Brooklyn Excelsiors were an amateur baseball team that played in Brooklyn, New York. Formed in 1854, the Excelsior ballclub featured stars such as Jim Creighton, Asa Brainard, and Candy Cummings. The team is known for originating the "Brookl ...

in 1867. However, it was not until he joined the Brooklyn Stars and linked up with catcher

Nat Hicks Nathaniel Woodhull "Nat" Hicks (April 19, 1845 – April 21, 1907) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for six seasons, two in the National League. Hicks was one of the first catchers ...

that his curveball was perfected. Hicks was one of the first catchers to squat right behind the batter which made catching the curveball much easier. The slider is the next oldest pitch on record. While the true first to use the slider is largely debated, Chief Bender is cited as the first to throw the slider with his variation known as the "nickel curve." Some argue that

George Blaeholder George Franklin Blaeholder (January 26, 1904 – December 29, 1947) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. Blaeholder began his career in 1925 with the St. Louis Browns, but he pitched in just two innings that season. Back in the minors in 1926, ...

was the first to throw a true, traditional slider in the 1920s while playing with the

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...

References

{{Baseball pitches Baseball pitching