What is the most efficient (without twisting your wrist) way to throw a cut fastball? And what exactly does it do?
Original Post
For me all I do is take my 4-seem grip and move my 2 fingers to the right and my thumb to the left. The fingers still create a 180 degree angle (meaning the thumb is below the FINGERS-not the ball necessarily). I'm a righty. I do this a little bit, not a lot... how much I'd say should be figured by experimentation. This is by no means the "right" way to throw it... I couldn't really say there is one, just the way I throw mine. It's been dirty.
Make sure that when throwing it (have someone watch) that you don't roll over on it. It's key to throw it just like a FB with the different finger placement because that gives it a 4-seem FB look.
As to what it does... I haven't perfected mine, so sometimes it does a few things differently, but not many. In general, it should look like a fastball that has late cut (into a lefty from a righty). It should be a tight cut... meaning it shouldn't back up at all before cutting (kind of like a curve goes up before down). That's just a visual to help you know if your doing it right. Something someone can look for. It should be harder and move less than a slider. Mine 80% of the time is straight a across with minimal down movement, but I've noticed if I try to throw it down and in to lefties that it breaks more down with about the same horizontal movement. Hope this helps.
Make sure that when throwing it (have someone watch) that you don't roll over on it. It's key to throw it just like a FB with the different finger placement because that gives it a 4-seem FB look.
As to what it does... I haven't perfected mine, so sometimes it does a few things differently, but not many. In general, it should look like a fastball that has late cut (into a lefty from a righty). It should be a tight cut... meaning it shouldn't back up at all before cutting (kind of like a curve goes up before down). That's just a visual to help you know if your doing it right. Something someone can look for. It should be harder and move less than a slider. Mine 80% of the time is straight a across with minimal down movement, but I've noticed if I try to throw it down and in to lefties that it breaks more down with about the same horizontal movement. Hope this helps.
