Split-finger Fastball - Purpose and Technique

Purpose and Technique

The split-finger grip is similar to the forkball grip, but the forkball is pushed further back between the fingers and is usually thrown with a wrist flip that makes it slower than the splitter. The split-finger is often recommended as an alternative to breaking pitches to young players because of its simplicity and the significantly reduced risk of injury.

As it is an off-speed pitch, the splitter is generally thrown slower than a pitcher's fastball. According to PITCHf/x, the average four-seam fastball from a right-handed pitcher in 2010 was 92 mph, while the average splitter was 85 mph and the average changeup 83 mph.

The motion of a split-finger pitch is similar to the outlawed spitball, and at one time the pitch was known as the "dry spitter." When thrown, the pitcher must emphasize the downward pull of the pitch at the end of his motion. Thrusting the hand and forearm downward is what causes the "drop off the table" movement from the pitch. The split-finger fastball is a very effective pitch with runners on base. A common tactic is using the split-finger to cause the batter to hit into a double play. When thrown correctly, the split-finger's last second drop causes many batters to hit the top half of the baseball, therefore inducing a ground ball.