.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-items{background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-regular-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-regular-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Do splitters ruin arms? - Beyond the Box Score .mHQYb .p-search__input--icon--sm{top:0.5rem;right:0.5rem;}/*!sc*/ The irony, of course, was that Sutter used a tailing fastball to strike out Thomas when it was the split-fingered fastball that helped him become one of the games most dynamic closers. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;}}/*!sc*/ Because of its deceptively slower velocity and sharp drop, a splitter is designed to get the hitter's bat ahead of the pitch and induce weak contact. Bruce Sutter, Hall of Fame Splitters (and Grip). He was 69. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button .header__nav-top__nav-item__text{display:none;}/*!sc*/ A very sophisticated and misunderstood point is that the split-fingered fastball should be thrown with back spin just like a two-seam fastball. How To Grip And Throw A Straight Curveball. Bruce Sutter, a split-finger ace and Hall of Famer, dies at 69 A split-finger fastball is thrown with the same arm-action of a regular fastball, but the pitchers index and middle finger are spread wide to cradle the ball. Sutter and the split-fingered fastball -- a pitch he learned from Cubs Minor League instructor Fred Martin following an arm surgery in 1973 -- became forever linked in the history of the game. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item{border-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.15);background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ The grip causes the ball to tumble quickly down in the strike zone, tempting hitters to chase it in the dirt. All the #Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB news you can use, four days a week. As a free agent, Sutter left the Cardinals for Atlanta in 1984, recording a career-high 45 saves for the Braves and tying Dan Quisenberrys record for most saves in a season. Next, place your thumb directly beneath the baseball, resting on the smooth leather (as shown in the picture on the right). He couldnt even throw it 60 feet, six inches, Cubs assistant minor-league director Pat Nugent told The Atlanta Journal in 1985. data-styled.g159[id="newsletterOptinstyle__Input-sc-d7sh2p-4"]{content:"kwDmpG,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(4){top:16px;}/*!sc*/ [type="number"]::-webkit-inner-spin-button,[type="number"]::-webkit-outer-spin-button{height:auto;}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq .buttonstyle__Label-sc-vlv7w5-0{font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ Still, Sutter had a 1.54 ERA over a career-best 122 2/3 innings that season, and he parlayed the performance into a six-year, $9.1 million free-agent deal with the Braves. h5.headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0{font-weight:normal;}/*!sc*/ I teach a beginners curveball grip to younger pitchers who are learning a curveball for the first time because I feel that it's the easiest way to correctly learn proper spin. .hHLkAw{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ Jim Thome said he is definitely seeing fewer and fewer of them in year No. He was a six-time All-Star and a four-time winner of the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award.\n\nOn behalf of the Cardinals organization and baseball fans everywhere, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the Sutter family, said Cardinals principal owner and chief executive officer Bill DeWitt Jr. Bruce was a fan-favorite during his years in St. Louis and in the years to follow, and he will always be remembered for his 1982 World Series clinching save and signature split-fingered pitch. If youbelieve adding velocity could be critical to your success,check out my proven programsfor pitchers of all ages. hr{box-sizing:content-box;height:0;overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ I have placed the long seam of the baseball in between my index- and middle-fingers, and I have put my thumb on the opposite seam underneath the baseball (as shown in the first picture above). .fuMUTu rect{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ a{background-color:transparent;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team:first-of-type:before,.mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player:before{color:#737373;font-size:12px;position:absolute;left:10px;top:10px;padding-top:12px;}/*!sc*/ It was his 13th time on the ballot, and the player who had once known for taking the mound with little emotion was suddenly overcome. .bZhBFV{margin:0 auto 16px;}/*!sc*/ Like a lot of things in sports, youre desperate and you try a lot of different things and it turned out to work. Sutter posted a 1.38 ERA and 1.031 WHIP with 65 strikeouts in 64 innings in 1974 split between Key West and Double-A Midland, had a similarly good year in Midland in 1975 and after seven dominant games in Triple-A in 1976, was promoted to the Cubs, where he made his MLB debut in garbage time in the ninth inning of a 14-2 loss to the Reds May 9, 1976. I call it the horseshoe seam simply because the seam itself looks like the shape of a horseshoe. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side{display:none;-webkit-align-items:stretch;-webkit-box-align:stretch;-ms-flex-align:stretch;align-items:stretch;width:100%;height:calc(100vh - 56px);position:relative;overflow:hidden;z-index:99992;top:0;}/*!sc*/ He had a breakout year in 1977, posting a 1.34 ERA and earning a place on the National League All-Star team en route to 129 strikeouts in just 107.1 innings. Sutter recorded 23 saves in 1985 before injuries began to curtail his career. Those guys make a lot of money.. Him and Goose Gossage, who I was also teammates with, both had that ability to forget about a blown save. This placement puts the ball out front, more than a forkball.". St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bruce Sutter delivers the ball to the plate en route to his record setting 38th save of the season against the New York Mets in this Sept. 4, 1984 file photo. The average speed of all splitters in the majors is 84-85 mph. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top__nav-items{display:none;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g120[id="headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0"]{content:"jDETbc,hSQYJO,"}/*!sc*/ In fact, most pitchers feel this grip gives them the most rotation and most movement of any breaking pitch. data-styled.g118[id="sc-global-iSmFBW1"]{content:"sc-global-iSmFBW1,"}/*!sc*/ In 1984, though, the Cubs would get revenge, of a sort, when Ryne Sandberg famously hit two homers off Sutter in what would become known as The Sandberg Game. Here are both those home runs: Watch the way Sutter takes the new baseball in his glove after the second homer (at about :42 into the video). More images of splitter grips Image source: baseball-pitching-tips.com DID YOU KNOW? When this pitch is thrown, your thumb should rotate upward, and your middle finger should snap downward while your index finger points in the direction of your target. Watching Sutter use his 86-m.p.h. Once I was done playing, I walked away, Sutter said. This is how splitters get their downward movement. straight down at the last second. Obviously, this isn't the full picture. Sutter finished the season with 10 saves and a 2.70 ERA as he established himself as the Cubs primary reliever. It was a call you always hope for but never really expect to happen. The surprise on the quick dive of the ball at home plate in the very last second creates missed swings from the opponent. How Bruce Sutter mastered the split-finger fastball - YouTube .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight{background-color:#333333;}/*!sc*/ The movement on this pitch comes from the baseball spinning off of the index finger from the outside of the baseball NOT from twisting your hand underneath the ball. A firm grip causes friction, which causes the baseball to change direction, usually "backing up" - or running in - to the throwing hand side of the plate. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav ::-webkit-scrollbar-track,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb{background:transparent;}/*!sc*/ This is called pronating your hand. .ezZJVn:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g140[id="sharestyle__Label-sc-9nfkvu-0"]{content:"ezZJVn,"}/*!sc*/ Here's his splitter and splitter grip.Shop now at PitchingNinja.com !Follow on social media!Twitter: @pitchingninjaInstagram: @pitchingninjaTik Tok: @pitchingninjaDirected by Rob FriedmanProduced by Will LeaheySubscribe to our presenting sponsor, FanDuel, and connect with them on social:FanDuel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FDSportsbookFanDuel on YouTube: https://bitly.com/sub2FanDuel .mHQYb .p-search-item__container{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:50px;border-top:0;min-width:250px;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ To throw a splitter, Sutter says you do the following: "Position your thumb on the back seam and throw a fastball. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:600;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Bruce Sutter was so honored when he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006, and since that time his kindness, his love for Cooperstown and his humility sparkled every time he returned to the Hall of Fame, said Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. And I could bring him in with the bases loaded and hed go down 3-0 and hed still not walk a hitter. body{margin:0;}/*!sc*/ This, of course, shortens your follow through, but allows you to really snap off the pitch. Bruce and I spent a lot of time together, and I was as close to him as any teammate I ever played with, said Kaat, who spent seven decades in and around Major League Baseball as a player, coach and broadcaster. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__subnav{background-color:#ffffff;width:calc(100vw - 145px);}/*!sc*/ It is for sale at a price of $ .99. He is a member of both teams Halls of Fame. They're both great pitches. Theres a lot of occasions I look at one of our pitchers and say, man, if he could throw a split it would really help him out a lot, Balsley said. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my condolences to Bruces family, his friends and his fans in Chicago, St. Louis and Atlanta and throughout our game.\n\nSutter is most remembered for the iconic moment on Oct. 20, 1982, when he struck out Brewers slugger Gorman Thomas and caught leaping catcher Darrell Porter in his arms at the mound. It was the pitch of the 80s just like the pitch of the 60s was a slider.. He was a six-time All-Star and a four-time winner of the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award. He went to his first baseball game at age two. For every pitcher listed here, there could be several others who gave up on the splitter early because it bothered their arm. data-styled.g164[id="Styles__AspectRatioContainer-sc-1t1lmmv-0"]{content:"jiNMQU,"}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ Half of these sixteen pitchers landed on the DL, missing a whopping total of 736 days. .mHQYb .p-search__form{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;}/*!sc*/ Ted Williams once said that a slider was "the best pitch in baseball." He was just an amazing relief pitcher [who] was so good.. data-styled.g122[id="Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0"]{content:"dMKvOx,"}/*!sc*/ . 1. The average DL stint for splitter throwers is 77 days and the median is 74 days. .evwvnJ{line-height:1.5;margin:0 auto 16px;max-width:470px;padding-left:0;position:relative;width:-webkit-fit-content;width:-moz-fit-content;width:fit-content;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-selector--active{background-color:#4c8cee;}/*!sc*/ It includes the Cubs coming back on the field to celebrate with fans, something rarely done in that era. Sutter made his first big league appearance on May 9, 1976 when he pitched the ninth inning in a 14-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Where as a fastball spins from the bottom to top (which is known as "backspin"), a curveball spins from top to bottom. h5.headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0{font-weight:normal;}/*!sc*/ There was a change of heart right there, Nugent said. How To Grip And Throw A Three Finger Changeup. This data-styled.g139[id="Styles__ContributorContainer-sc-9g3k0d-0"]{content:"dLQAwR,"}/*!sc*/ This helps take speed off of the pitch. .iQELft{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(1),.mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(4){opacity:0;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club] .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__tagline img,.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-microsite] .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__tagline img{height:56px;max-width:512px;line-height:56px;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__content{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group:not(:first-child){margin-left:16px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group.cols{-webkit-column-count:2;column-count:2;-webkit-column-gap:8px;column-gap:8px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group-title{width:100%;}}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw input:-ms-input-placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ As it turned out, it proved to be one of the difference-making moves that helped St. Louis win it all in '82. Alternate fastballs and changeups at 90-or-more feet for about 20 throws a couple of times a week. Few pitchers in major league history have ever had better command of the bottom of the strike zone. @media (min-width:1024px){.blLcNM .content{grid-column:1 / span 8;}.blLcNM .content .share-btn{-webkit-align-self:flex-end;-ms-flex-item-align:end;align-self:flex-end;margin-bottom:16px;top:0;}}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-list__item{position:absolute;}/*!sc*/ Children generally can't throw split-finger fastballs because their hands aren't big enough. Him and Goose Gossage, who I was also teammates with, both had that ability to forget about a blown save. .hHLkAw input.right{padding-right:32px;}/*!sc*/ Anyone can read what you share. data-styled.g89[id="sc-global-feDRkC1"]{content:"sc-global-feDRkC1,"}/*!sc*/ .cWQXyp{display:inline-block;width:100%;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ [type="checkbox"],[type="radio"]{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;}/*!sc*/ Sutter recently was diagnosed with cancer and died in hospice. Sutter settled in the Atlanta area after retirement and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006 in his 13th year on the ballot. .groqnz .ad-body-container .ad-body-inner-container{margin-bottom:32px;padding:43px 0 16px 0;position:relative;text-align:center;width:343px;}/*!sc*/ FILE - St. Louis Cardinals ace reliever Bruce Sutter celebrates after the last out in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series at St. Louis, Oct. 20, 1982. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) In the 1980s, everyone was doing it. Your knuckle will now point to your target instead of your index finger (in the beginners curve). .hYmwpY{display:block;}/*!sc*/ We lost a wonderful person, a very humble guy and a great teammate, said Herzog, who added that he didnt learn of Sutters illness until a week ago, and that he only got word on Thursday that the former standout closer was being rushed to a Georgia hospital. @media (min-width:1024px){.hUHmCp > article{margin:auto;max-width:967px;}.hUHmCp > article > section{grid-column:1 / span 8;}.hUHmCp > article > aside{display:block;grid-column:9 / 13;}}/*!sc*/ Penny accounted for nearly half the time missed, and his injury was an oblique strain. He never beat himself with a base on balls. One thing I did with this pitch in college and in professional baseball was to always throw my two-seam fastball to the throwing-hand side of the plate and my four seam fastball to the glove-hand side of the plate. But we stayed in touch and considered each other great friends. How To Grip And Throw A Four Seam Fastball. .blUWSx .share-button__link--message-icon{width:10px;margin-right:5px;}/*!sc*/ Its not necessarily the pitch. He added, Im for anything thats going to make a guy successful and give him a chance to play in the big leagues.. He became the first pitcher enshrined who had never started a MLB game. Bruce Sutter splitter grip - YouTube Six out of fifteen pitchers did time on the DL, missing a total of 400 days. .evGxub{display:inline-block;width:48px;height:48px;border-radius:50%;-webkit-border-radius:50%;overflow:hidden;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header--inner{margin:auto;max-width:none;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ A two seam fastball, much like a sinker or cutter (cut fastball), is gripped slightly tighter and deeper in the throwing-hand than the four-seam fastball. Bruce ascended from being a nondrafted free agent to the heights of baseball by pioneering the split-fingered fastball. @media screen and (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner:hover a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner:hover span{color:#ffffff;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner:hover .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}}/*!sc*/ The grip is similar to the two-seam fastball, but A lot of pitchers that I work with like to "touch" their pinky and thumb when gripping this pitch (as shown in the middle picture). The splitter grip or split-finger fastball grip is very similar to that of the forkball, with the splitter being created based on the splitter. In all, there were 401 days missed. DID YOU KNOW? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item__subnav-arrow{color:#ffffff;margin-left:auto;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-size:10px;opacity:0.5;}/*!sc*/ Then Herman Franks became Cubs manager in 1977 and had Sutter closing games from the beginning of the season. He pitched in only 16 games in 1986 and didnt pitch after May 27. Bruce Sutters entire career can be boiled down to about an inch of white leather and red stitching. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Again, a two seamer is gripped a little firmer than the four seamer.