Finger pressure

FiveFrameSwing · Jun 30, 2018

shaker1 said:
I feel the ball in my index finger, but I believe for me the middle is dominant player. I feel like it's how you let the ball come off the fingers during pronation, either let that dominant finger work inside or outside.

That I can relate to.

I asked my wife to explore the fingers on my hand a tell me which she thought were thickened.

Both the middle finger and index finger had thickened/toughened skin ... both on the side towards the thumb ... marked up a photo to point at the two portions with noticeable thickened skin (not my hand ... just a photo to show location).

FiveFrameSwing · Jul 1, 2018

Here's how one pitcher described it to me ....

"The middle finger is what's last to leave the ball, but I focused on the two fingers on either side of the middle finger."

Fury_Mike · Mar 18, 2022

All these finger pressure points discussions were great. Not discussed was grip. I agree that getting inside or outside the ball is the trick, but grip changes can enhance the movement as well.

I have pitchers bring the pointer/index finger together and cup around the horseshoe to run the ball in. Another que I teach with that pitch is at release, to take thumb pressure off the ball. That increases the drop.

To run the ball away from a RHH, I cup around the horseshoe but slide the pointer/index down and have the seam split them. The pinkey is also on a seam, which helps the ball curve/drop.

efastball · Mar 18, 2022

I agree with Pauly, you don't use finger 'pressure', you use finger placement (or grip).

Hillhouse · Mar 18, 2022

efastball said:
I agree with Pauly, you don't use finger 'pressure', you use finger placement (or grip).

I 1000000000000% disagree.

efastball · Mar 18, 2022

Hillhouse said:
I 1000000000000% disagree.

I'm open to hearing how it may work. I've just never seen this actually work on a baseball. Can you give me an example.

Bonesaw · Mar 18, 2022

efastball · Mar 18, 2022

Rivera is saying you put 'pressure' on the middle finger. Well, of course, that's how you grip every baseball pitch. You squeeze the ball between the thumb and the middle finger, then you lay the other fingers down. That's the 'trick' to controlling the ball, and easily learning new grips. I'm guessing that's how you would have to hold a softball.

Carry on....

Hillhouse · Mar 18, 2022

efastball said:
I'm open to hearing how it may work. I've just never seen this actually work on a baseball. Can you give me an example.

Here's a clip, I was 21 yrs old pitching for Seattle against the 1993 World Champs at the Perth Shootout in Ontario. The first few pitches are thrown, cutter drop with finger pressure only. No grip change, no stepping out wide, etc. I don't know why anyone would ever say this can't be done with finger pressure. It drives me insane when I hear people talk in absolutes about things that cannot be done, when they absolutely can.

efastball · Mar 18, 2022

Hillhouse said:
cutter drop with finger pressure only.

Having a little difficulty seeing your grip in that 8 track era video

Can you give us more details on how you held the ball.

Finger pressure

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