Pitching - The Sinker

Pitching - The Sinker By: Derek Johnson Originally Published by - Human Kinetics - The Complete Guide to Pitching The sinking fastball is becoming one of the more prevalent pitches in the game. The function of the sinker is generally to run or tail and sink toward the arm side of the pitcher. Like the cutter, the sinking fastball will promote weaker contact and more swings and misses by the hitter because of the late action on the pitch. The sinker is usually a bit easier to master than the cutter because the pitcher uses the natural pronation of his arm to create the spin on the ball. With the cutter, the pitcher applies force to the area just outside the middle of the ball to create sidespin. In the case of the sinker, however, the pitcher will apply the force to just inside the middle of the ball, creating the opposite spin. Some pitchers, because of arm slot and timing of the delivery, naturally create run and sink on the ball, as evidenced in many throwers with low three-quarter slots. Also note that a two-seam fastball will often create the desired effect of a sinker without any further effort by the pitcher. Figure 5.8 Sinker grip: first two fingers closer together. For our purposes, the sinker will be thrown with one of the three two-seam grips that were discussed earlier. The pitcher should first experiment with the grip he finds comfortable to see if sinking action occurs by simply throwing the ball normally. If the ball does not sink, the pitcher should try placing his middle finger just inside the middle of the ball. The first two fingers may be moved closer together, and the thumb will again start in the middle of the ball (see figure 5.8). As coach and pitcher observe the shape of this pitch, they can determine any further adjustments that the pitcher needs to make. Again, the determining factor for any pitch in the pitcher's arsenal is what the hitter sees or does not see. If late-breaking action occurs on the sinker, interrupted or mistimed swings are bound to occur.