Throw a Sinker
Do you want a real "out" pitch that'll have batters whiffing, baffled at what they just swung at? A sinker ball is usually thrown like a two-seam fastball, except at a different arm angle. This pitch will start off looking like a fastball and then drop off, perhaps even right on the back of the plate! If you want to perfect your sinker ball technique, read on for some helpful hints and tricks.
Steps
- Get the grip sorted first. Place your middle and index finger between two inside seams, like you're throwing a two-seam fastball. Lay or tuck your thumb under the ball lightly.
- For an adjusted sinker grip, go for a four-seam grip. Hold both index and middle fingers so that they run perpendicular to the U-shaped seams.
- This gives you more of a cut on your sinker, so you have to be careful to keep both fingers on top of the ball until it's released. If your hand ends up closes to the side of the ball, this will pronounce the cutting action of the pitch and turn it more into a cutter.
- Move your thumb from the 6 o'clock position to about the 7 or 8 o'clock position. This grip with your thumb will force you to throw the pitch in a certain way, creating sink.
Pitching the Sinker
- Keep your fingers on top of the ball until you release it. If you drop your finger over to the side before you release the ball, expect to get more cut than sink on your ball.
- Try to get topspin or pronation on your sinker as you release it. This will give the pitch a little clockwise rotational spin, causing it to move into a right-handed batter if thrown as a right-handed pitch.
- Try throwing the sinker ball from a lower arm-angle than your top-and-down fastball. lowering your arm-angle will make the pronation you apply to the ball more natural, in addition to putting less pressure on your arm.
- Pay attention to these other tricks. You can adjust the sinker in the following ways to get a different movement to it:
- The lower you throw it in the strike zone the more it will drop.
- The faster your (arm) speed, the more break you tend to get.
- If you flick your wrist, it could help with the drop. This, however, will put more strain on your wrist. See if it feels comfortable.
Sinker Alternative
- Hold the ball the same way as for a 2-seam fastball.
- Move your thumb right from bottom of ball for righties and left for lefties.
- Release the ball at a lower angle than a normal pitch with speed.
- Flick your wrist down. Or, create topspin to get greatest break.
Tips
- Just make sure you throw over the top or else the pitch will have more of a slider look to it.
- Always make sure you feel the ball roll off your middle and index finger.
- Do not throw this pitch high, or else it will not sink.
- A good spot to throw a sinker is low and a little inside. To do that aim at the batters waist and throw the usual sinker as instructed.
- The more you bend your elbow, the more spin you apply and the greater the break.
- This is an effective way of keeping the ball on the ground if you can keep the ball down in the strike zone.
- You might want to think about throwing this pitch when 2 strikes remain. It throws off many a batter, especially in youth baseball.
