Baseball Throwing Tips: Do You Know The Fundamentals?

Do you know the fundamentals of throwing a baseball? Here are three tips put into practice by our Mid-Atlantic Orioles and Titans baseball teams.

Baseball Throwing Tip #1: Proper Grip

Just as the brick is the foundation of a building, the grip is the foundation of a thrown ball. A weak foundation will lead to a breakdown. The strongest foundation for a thrown ball is the “4 Seam” grip. A ball thrown with a “4 Seam” grip will fly straighter and faster than a ball thrown with any other grip. A good training technique used to judge if a player is using the correct grip and getting the correct spin on the ball is either drawing a black stripe or placing a ½ inch thick rubber-band through the “4 Seams” of the ball.

Baseball Throwing Tip #2: Four Points Of The Grip

• The 4 Seam” grip is done by placing the tip of your middle and index fingers across one of the four seams. The strip would go between those fingers.
• The thumb is placed on the underside of the ball. It is preferable to have it on a seam as well but not mandatory.
• The ring finger and pinky are placed on the side of the ball. If your hand is too small. the ring finger can be placed alongside the middle finger.
• The grip should not be too tight. The ball should not be in the palm but in the fingers. (Unless your hand is not big enough)

Baseball Throwing Tip #3: The Motion (Sometimes Called “The Big Circle”)

• The front shoulder should be facing your target. and your eyes should be focused on your target.
• The ball should then be pulled from your hip pocket in a backward motion. At this point, your arm should be straight back and the back of your hand should be facing you.
• Your arm then comes up and almost straight next to your ear. It is important to concentrate on this point because it is here where most younger players go wrong and more importantly by not having the arm straight overhead can lead to arm problems.
• The arm then comes forward and the ball is released. Make sure the ball is released out in front of you.
• Upon finishing your throw your back should be bent with your back foot kicked over and even with your other foot and your throwing arm should finish touching your opposite knee. It is important to finish balanced.

Seeking additional guidance for your baseball player on throwing fundamentals? Tuckahoe Sports (TSI) offers private lessons year-round.