View Full Version : Letting the ball Roll off the fingers?
nikae
02-06-2007, 11:06 AM
I have a problem with that. When I try to let the ball roll off the fingers (when throwing a 4 seam fastball), it looks like i lose some velocity, I could be wrong.
Is that something that happens naturally or I should work on it a bit?
Sorry for stupid question...i am a biginner.
baseball2234
02-06-2007, 11:46 AM
dont purposely emphasize rolling the ball of your fingers....it should happen normally if you have good mechanics and arent gripping the ball really tight. Just grip the ball nice and loose, throw over the top or 3/4, and you should get normal backspin. Some1 correct me if im wrong.
Chris O'Leary
02-06-2007, 11:55 AM
I have a problem with that. When I try to let the ball roll off the fingers (when throwing a 4 seam fastball), it looks like i lose some velocity, I could be wrong.
Is that something that happens naturally or I should work on it a bit?
It mostly happens naturally.
It could be that in trying to actively do it, you're tensing up the muscles of your wrist and making things worse rather than better.
scorekeeper
02-06-2007, 12:11 PM
I read where Pedro actually used to get calluses on the ends of his index and middle finger from his fingers still accelerating as the ball rolled off. He also thought that was why he got such violent movement on his FBs.
Sultan_1895-1948
02-07-2007, 12:34 AM
Pedro's fingers are amazing. Like they were built to pitch. Extremely long and flexible which allows him to grip the ball longer and put more spin on the ball. His digits are like friekin' rubber. Saw him contort them on ESPN one time. They bent backward at the halfway point. Just crazy.
Dev518
02-07-2007, 12:27 PM
Sory if I hijack your thread but is it should you or should you not snap your wrist when throwing a fastball.
Chris O'Leary
02-07-2007, 12:40 PM
Sory if I hijack your thread but is it should you or should you not snap your wrist when throwing a fastball.
No.
It will snap on its own, and in trying to snap it you might actually make it snap slower than it naturally would.
IOW, just keep it loose.
wogdoggy
02-07-2007, 12:49 PM
Pedro's fingers are amazing. Like they were built to pitch. Extremely long and flexible which allows him to grip the ball longer and put more spin on the ball. His digits are like friekin' rubber. Saw him contort them on ESPN one time. They bent backward at the halfway point. Just crazy.
big fingers may have even help his wrestling career...