How to throw a cut fastball and a sinker

CV,

A sinker as it is thrown in the higher levels is usually a two-seam fastball (index and middle fingers along and over the narrow seams, thumb underneath on the horseshoe seam). To get good sink, you have to throw it hard and low in the zone with a good downward angle (if you get under the ball at release, it won't sink). Some pitchers move one or both fingers slightly inward from the seams to get more sinking action. One version, which some people call the "Little League sinker," actually has the fingers together in the middle of the smooth cover between the narrow seams. This pitch usually drops sharply but is slow and difficult to control. If you have good arm action, the basic two-seam grip should give you all the sink you need. Just a few of inches of sink on a two-seamer will yield many ground balls. Experiment with variations on the basic two-seam fastball grip and see what works for you.

There are also several versions of the cut fastball. The basic idea is to throw a fastball but get a slight amount of side spin that makes the ball move in or out a few inches. You do this by moving your fastball grip (usually the 4-seam fastball grip) slightly off-center. Some pitchers bring the thumb slightly up the inside of the ball and the index and middle fingers slightly toward the outside. This gives you a pitch somewhere between a fastball and a slider, and, thrown properly, that's how the pitch will move, like a very tight slider. For young pitchers, though, there is a tendency to turn the hand too much toward the slider position, getting a "doorknob" action with the hand that can stress the elbow. I prefer to have the pitcher leave the thumb directly under the ball and move only the fingers slightly left or right, depending on which way you want to cut the ball. As you release it, think "fastball," and spin the ball hard with your middle and index fingers, just as you would the fastball. If you're a righthanded pitcher holding the ball slightly off-center to the outside part of the ball, the pitch should move a few inches away from a righthanded hitter--just enough to get it away from the barrell of the bat. Unless you have a fairly high arm angle (throw "over the top") it will be harder to learn to make the ball move the other way, but try it. Just offset the fingers slightly to the inside, and throw with fastball action.

IMHO, the cut fastball and the sinker have the same goal: to make the hitter hit the ball without getting the meat of the bat on it. Both pitches will be more effective if you first establish the fastball. Then, when you throw the sinker or cutter, the hitter will see what looks like the same fastball arm and hand action, and will not be expecting the ball to move.

Good luck.

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