Throw a Gyroball

In 2001, Japanese pitching coach, Kazushi Tezuka and a Japanese computer scientist, Ryutaro Himeno published a book called The Secret of the Demon Miracle Pitch. It showcased a new type of baseball pitch called the gyroball. The gyroball is a pitch that would, theoretically, be thrown so that at the last moment the ball drops drastically down and away from the plate, making it almost impossible to hit. However, many claim that it is functionally impossible to throw a perfect gyroball.

Steps

Gripping the Ball

1. Learn to grip the ball. Grip the ball like you would grip a four-seam fast ball. Place your index and middle fingers an inch apart across the seams. Place your thumb on the other side of the ball between your two fingers.
2. Hold the ball gently. Be sure to hold the ball like you would handle an egg: firmly, but not too tight.
3. Keep your wrist loose. Make sure your wrist is not stiff because it will need to be able to snap quickly.

Positioning the Body

1. Understand the overall motion. Any baseball pitch requires the pitcher to shift weight in order to gain momentum for the pitch. The dominant leg will step back before sweeping forward across the body as the hands come up and then down in preparation for the throw.
   • You may want to look up video that shows you a standard pitch before you attempt to try it: [1]
2. Stand with your feet apart. Start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart.
3. Step back. Take a small step backwards with the same foot as your pitching hand. You’re pitching hand is usually called your stride hand.
   • As you do that bring your pitching hand and glove to your head.
4. Bring your leg up. Bring your stride leg up and over across your body, bending the knee as it rises parallel to the ground.
   • Tip: Keep your back knee slightly bent to improve balance.
5. Position your hips. Make sure your hips are facing to the side.
   • If you are pitching with your right hand, your hips will be rotated to the left.
   • If you are pitching with your left hand, your hips will be rotated to the right.
6. Lunge forward. As you lower your stride leg, lunge forward with the stride leg toward the target.
7. Pull your arm back. As you lunge forward, pull your pitch arm behind you and above your shoulder. Your glove hand should be pulling your shoulder toward the target.
   • Rotate the arm counter-clockwise behind you. Your arm should be making a circular motion.
8. Practice rotating. The Secret of the Demon Miracle Pitch emphasizes the importance of hip and shoulder unison. Practice the unwinding motion several times before throwing the ball.

Throwing the Ball

1. Rotate your arm. Rotate your arm away from the body. After you have pulled the arm back, rotate your arm forward and away from the body with your palm facing third base for a right-handed pitcher and first base for a left-handed pitcher.
   • The pitching arm will come forward and down so that the back of your hand will face you.
2. Twist your arm. Make sure that the palm of your hand faces away from you with the thumb toward the ground. This begins before the release to create the side-over-side spin.
3. Release the Ball. Snap your wrist as you release the ball and turn your hand away from your body as though it were a football.
   • Allow the ball to roll off of your pointer finger.
   • The gyroball does spin not backward (like a fastball) or forward (like a curveball) but in a spiral (like a well-thrown football).
4. Follow through. Do not let the arm drift back in toward the body, as per normal American baseball customary motion. Your arms should be totally across the body.

Tips

• This pitch is harder to control than a normal fastball because of its spin.
• Throw it as hard as you can because it will be slower than your fastball due to its spin.
• Practice positioning the body by reading How to Throw a Baseball

Warnings

• Don't let your coach see your grip because he will always teach you a different grip.
• As with any sports activity, it is possible to get injured. Consult an expert and find out ways to prepare yourself before you throw (i.e. stretch, jog, get the blood pumping).

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Sources and Citations

• http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-gyro031306&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
• http://deadspin.com/unspinning-the-mythical-gyroball-the-demon-miracle-pit-1451016294
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lY7n6Khp0s
• http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/02/21/sports/20070222_GYRO_GRAPHIC.html

See also

• Throw a 12 6 Curveball
• Pitch a Baseball
• Throw a Great Two Seam Fastball
• Throw a Sinker
• Throw a Curveball
• Strengthen Your Pitching Arm
• Throw a Cut Fastball
• Throw a Baseball Harder
• Throw a Knuckleball
• Throw a Faster Fastball

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