How to Throw a Sinker

You're on the mound and the other team's big slugger has two strikes. You've shown him your fastball twice in a row, so you need something different. Here's how to throw a sinker and strike him out.

1. Use the sinker strategically to fool the batter.
2. Put your index and middle fingers along the inside seam.
3. Follow through properly to keep the ball on target.
4. Hold off on throwing sinkers until your arm is ready.
5. Watch the way other pitchers throw the sinker to perfect yours.

• Pitching is all about outsmarting the batter; fooling them into swinging at a pitch they can't hit. A pitcher needs to have a repertoire of pitches to avoid becoming predictable. A sinker is a great out pitch, especially when judiciously preceded by a blistering fastball. So wind up; here's How to Throw a Sinker.

(Creative Commons photo by Stuart Seeger)

• Everyone knows what a fastball is: speedy and straight as possible. A sinker is an off-speed pitch that will break down in the strike zone, right before it reaches the plate. Here are the basics of the pitch:The Hardball times: In Search of the Sinker

1. For a right-handed pitcher, the sinker will move down and to the right.
2. For a left-handed pitcher, the sinker will move down and to the left.Steven Ellis: Pitching Tips for Baseball Success with Steven Ellis
3. Like all off-speed pitches, you should use your sinker as part of your strategy to fool the batter. If he's expecting a fastball, the sinker will make him swing early. He'll miss the ball or foul it off.
4. Be careful! A youngster should not pitch a breaking ball until they are 13 or 14 years of age.Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush: Dr. Bach Pitches Ban on Little League Breaking Balls Their bones, tendons and ligaments are still developing, and pitching a sinker can put lots of stress on a kid's arm.

• A pitch moves because of air resistance and the way the ball's seams tumble through the air, altering the insulated air cushion around it. Getting the right grip on the seams helps you give the ball the correct spin.Koenig-Lupe: Physics of baseball

1. Find one of the horseshoe seams on the ball. They look like the letter 'c.'
2. Put your index and middle fingers beside each other on the horseshoe's bottom curve.Expert Village Videos: How to Throw a Basic Sinker Pitch
3. Your other two fingers should rest lightly against the ball to help stabilize your grip.Expert Village Videos: How to Throw a Basic Sinker Pitch

• Now that you have the right grip on the baseball, it's time to throw it. Do your windup as usual. As always, press the side of your foot against the rubber to get leverage. YouTube:How to Throw a Change-up and Sinker

1. Go through your overhand motion as though you're pitching a fastball.
2. Your fingers should be on top of the ball until it's released.
3. Don't twist your wrist, just let the ball rocket out of your hand. The special grip will apply the proper spin to the ball, causing it to sink just before it reaches the batter.Indians.com: How to throw a sinker
4. Be sure to follow through, letting your arm complete its path. If you don't follow through properly, you'll change the trajectory of the ball.Youth Baseball Info: Youth Baseball Pitcher Tips for Players and Coaches

(Creative Commons photo by Kathy)

• Now that you know how to throw a sinker, you have to make sure that it's actually sinking. You also have to refine your pitch to make it more effective.

1. Make videotapes of yourself as you pitch.Pitching Analysis: How Pitching Coaches Can Make Effective Use of Pitching Video Analysis
   1. Videotape yourself from the side, as well as from the batter's perspective.
   2. Compare your video with that of major leaguers.Pitching Clips: Pitching Video Clips
      1. What parts of their delivery should you borrow?
      2. What parts of their delivery should you iron out of your own?
2. Experiment to figure out where your sinker will end up, so you know where it will go in a game situation. Make adjustments if necessary.
   • The lower your sinker is targeted, the bigger the drop will be.wikiHow: How to Throw a Sinker

• Now you have a devastating breaking ball in your repertoire. Use it when you need a ground ball to get out of an inning, and you'll have lots of pitching success.