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Throwing a four-seam fastball is really a very simple task. The only thing that can keep a pitcher from executing the pitch properly is gripping the ball incorrectly.

The way to grip a four-seamer is with the index and middle fingers crossing the stitches of the ball. Your fingers should actually only touch 3 seams of the ball. The "horseshoe" made by the stitches should be pointing to the left for a right-handed pitcher. The opposite is true for a left-hander. This is the only correct way to grip the four-seam fastball, because when thrown, it will give a clean backwards rotation off of the pitcher's fingers. When the "horseshoe" is facing in the other direction, the ball does not come off the fingers cleanly, thereby decreasing velocity and accuracy.

Another important point is to grip the ball lightly. The ball should be held out on the fingertips. This means that only the first digit of the index, middle finger and thumb should touch the ball. This grip can be difficult to master at first because the ball feels like it will slip out of the pitcher's hand. However this type of grip, once mastered, will increase velocity because the ball will have less friction coming out of the pitcher's hand.

When thrown correctly, the fastball will have a straight backwards spin, and will not move very much laterally or vertically.

Learn more about this author, David Teter.
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