Wild Arm

Every pitcher needs a fastball. The classic pitch is thrown in two common styles [look at the images below: notice the positions of the seams, not the grip per se]:

• Two-Seam Fastball (FT): A tad slower than its 4-seam counterpart. Similar to the sinker, the 2-seam fastball tends to come in towards right handed batters (with a right handed pitcher).

• Four-Seam Fastball (FA): A tad faster than its 2-seam counterpart. The 4-seam fastball (aka The Heat) is designed to move very little as it reaches the plate. The velocity makes up for its predictable nature.

To use a fastball to its maximum effect, a pitcher needs an off-speed pitch. Enter the changeup (CH). In isolation, it is a bit of a lame pitch. It would never cut it as a pitcher's top pitch (at least not in the Major Leagues). At 10 to 15 mph less than a good fastball, it must be used strategically. The windup and motion must be identical to that of a fastball, or else, batters will see it coming a mile away. Without the element of surprise, this pitch is dead in the water – making it a dangerous choice when used at the wrong time.

There are different ways to throw a changeup, but the most popular is the straight or classic changeup. There is also the circle changeup, with a different grip (one that resembles an OK sign), but it's essentially the same pitch [see the images below]. 

However, there are two more noticeable variations on the changeup:

• Forkball (FO): Sinks as it approaches the batter, though the downward trajectory is less pronounced than the splitter. Oddly enough, some place the forkball in the fastball category. 

• Palmball: A changeup with an unusual grip, that looks like the peace sign.

Finally, we come to the fun pitches. These are the pitches that move around on batters and screw with the mechanics of their swing. There's nothing better than striking out a batter on a sinker that is about an inch above the plate when it gets to the catcher. By the time the hitter realizes what is happening to the ball, they are already committed. They may even embarrassingly try to stop their swing midway through, but by then, it's too late: they look foolish trying to hit a ball almost in the dirt!

Here are the most common types of breaking balls and curveballs (note that there is some overlap between the categories, as different publications classify them differently – for instance, breaking balls are also form of off-speed pitch) [in all cases, see the grip images below]:

Cutter (FC): Some people put this pitch in the fastball category and call it a "cut fastball" (where it is thrown like a 2-seamer, but with the two fingers further apart). In either version, the pitch tends to drift toward the outside corner on right handed batters (with a right handed pitcher). The cutter is also said to be similar to the slider (some even call the cutter a mix between a fastball and a slider).

Splitter (FS): Some people put this pitch in the fastball category and call it a "split-finger fastball".  Not to be confused with the forkball, which is an off-speed pitch. The splitter tends to drop on batters.

Sinker (SI): Some call the two-seam fastball a sinker, but we prefer to differentiate between the two as not every 2-seam fastball has a downward trajectory. 

Curveball (CU): Counterintuitively, a curveball doesn't curve (just like a slider doesn't really slide). Rather, a curveball drops on the batter in a 12-6 motion. A common variation on the curveball theme is the Knuckle Curve (KC), which should not to be confused with the knuckleball.

Screwball (SC): This pitch travels right to left (from the batter's perspective, on a right-handed pitcher), in a 1-7 motion.

Slider (SL): Counterintuitively, a slider doesn't slide (just like a curveball doesn't really curve). Rather, a slide travels left to right (from the batter's perspective, on a right-handed pitcher). Similar to the cutter. Some call it a mix between a fastball and a curve, even if mixing this pitch (i.e. a slider) and a curveball will give you a Slurve (though the latter is much slower).