.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group-title{color:#aaaaaa;font-weight:700;font-size:12px;background-color:#ffffff;text-transform:uppercase;}/*!sc*/ button:-moz-focusring,[type="button"]:-moz-focusring,[type="reset"]:-moz-focusring,[type="submit"]:-moz-focusring{outline:1px dotted ButtonText;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner::after{display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ It's not super comfortable at first to tuck your index finger into the baseball. Given that the 18 starters who have thrown at least ten percent splitters since 2002 have been five percent better than their counterparts, perhaps some teams are being a little too quick to decry the splitter. This placement puts the ball out front, more than a forkball.". We all knew how important he was, but he never thought he was more important than anybody else.. Avoid any twisting of the wrist upon release. He never beat himself with a base on balls. button,input{overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ I always felt like he was a brother. Rest in peace. But Sutters performance declined in 1985 and after the season he had shoulder surgery. Bruce ascended from being a nondrafted free agent to the heights of baseball by pioneering the split-fingered fastball. He. A split-finger fastball (sometimes called a splitter or splitty) is an advanced pitch. They were facing the Cardinals at Wrigley Field, trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the ninth, and Sutter, who had posted a then record-tying 45 saves, entered to try to wrap up the game for St. Louis. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item:focus a{outline:1px dotted #fff;}/*!sc*/ And he'd throw the fastball just enough to keep them guessing. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Theres not much video of Sutter that survives from that time, but here he is striking out Jim Rice in the 1979 All-Star Game. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), Id like to tell you I worked and worked at it but Id be lying to you because it did come to me right away, Sutter said. The split-finger fastball is strictly an out pitch. Jul 28, 2006. .ebrWqN:-moz-loading{color:#f3f3f3;}/*!sc*/ .hUHmCp > article{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(12,minmax(0,1fr));grid-gap:24px;color:#000000;}/*!sc*/ How To Grip And Throw A Knuckle Curveball. You got a bad delivery, youre going to get hurt. .fuMUTu path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ Seven Cubs pitchers combined on this gem against the Padres. Martin taught Sutter the split-fingered fastball a variation of the much older forkball which Sutter picked up quickly. Six out of fifteen pitchers did time on the DL, missing a total of 400 days. His split-finger pitch was almost unhittable for a while. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ 10. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:focus{outline:1px dotted #041E42;}/*!sc*/ (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum), I tried to bunt on him because I cant hit him, Reds catcher Johnny Bench said of Sutter in the Los Angeles Times in 1977. It was the first of four straight seasons Sutter led MLB in saves. Finally, there could be a myriad of other factors causing the injuries besides the splitter. Splitters are a relatively uncommon offspeed pitch, but they are still used with some prevalence. a{background-color:transparent;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos img{max-height:56px;max-width:none;}/*!sc*/ Hes the best.. data-styled.g20[id="imagestyle__ImageWrapper-sc-xw1tzz-0"]{content:"evGxub,cWQXyp,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team--name{display:none;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-items{background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ Sutter began closing games late in the 1976 season and posted 10 saves. .iQELft{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0px;}/*!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. Don't jam the ball past the midway point of your fingers, but the grip is firm. Did you know Hall of Fame pitcher Bruce Sutter may have had one of the best splitters in the history of baseball, according to baseball analysts? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner span{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ He. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top [class$='__nav-item__text']{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ A total of $4.8 million would be paid in salary over the six years and the other $4.8 million would be invested into a deferred payment account at 13 percent interest that would pay Sutter $1.3 million a year for the 30 years after the six-year deal ends. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff2') format('woff2'), url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:normal;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g155[id="newsletterOptinstyle__Form-sc-d7sh2p-0"]{content:"fAmXvR,"}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g172[id="Styles__AppContainer-jwcsl0-0"]{content:"hUHmCp,"}/*!sc*/. Using the pitch that replicated a fastball before dropping out of the strike zone, Sutter racked up 31 saves in his first full season in 1977, 27 more in 78 and 37 in 79 with a 2.22 ERA to beat out Joe Niekro for the Cy Young Award. As a pioneer of the pitch, Sutter paved the way for the many pitchers who throw splitters today. Sutter, the first pitcher inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame without having started a game, compiled 300 saves and a dazzling 2.83 ERA over 12 seasons with the Cubs, Cardinals and Braves. .epHHrr.youtube iframe{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline{margin-right:auto;display:none;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g118[id="sc-global-iSmFBW1"]{content:"sc-global-iSmFBW1,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button-menu{-webkit-flex:0 0 auto;-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;}/*!sc*/ Ive never abused it, Haren said. h2.Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0{font-size:1.2rem;margin-bottom:8px;color:#666666;}/*!sc*/ 27 Dec 2022 16:10:10 @media (min-width:768px){h1.Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0{font-size:2.488rem;}h2.Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0{font-size:1.44rem;}}/*!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*/ The Baseball Hall of Fame said Bruce Sutter died in Cartersville, Georgia. He also gave a lot of credit to Mike Roarke, a former Big League catcher, who helped him with that pitch. Henry Cotto, Dan Rohn and Thad Bosley singled to tie the game 1-1, and after Sutter walked Gary Woods to load the bases, Keith Moreland hit a ground ball to third. Bruce was a team guy. It also slightly reduces the speed of the pitch, which is why most two-seamers register about 1 to 3 mph slower than four-seam fastballs. I think he was sort of a precursor to what Mariano Rivera did with the cutter -- Bruce did it with one pitch and that was the split-fingered fastball, Hall of Famer and 1982 teammate Jim Kaat told MLB.com on Friday. In 1975, Sutter helped lead the Double-A Midland Cubs to a Texas League championship, and by 1976, he was playing for the parent club. Bruce Sutter, one of the best splitter pitchers in the history of the game, says that it is very important to put your thumb on the back seam, not the front seam. .mHQYb .p-search__list:focus{outline:0;}/*!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. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'), url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:italic;}/*!sc*/ It's an off-speed pitch. Its a pitch we really try to shy off of.. .cwEpxl{height:100%;width:100%;border:transparent;background:none;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:0.2s;transition:0.2s;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ Instead of releasing him, Chicago sent Sutter to the minor leagues to rehabilitate his arm. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). But its not just about them getting hurt. .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*/ However, many pitchers who are learning this pitch for the first time, aren't comfortable with the "tucking" part. Bruce Sutter, a Hall of Fame inductee, was a dominant closer in the 1970s and '80s and made heavy use of the split-finger pitch. After posting an ERA of 4.13 with the Quincy Cubs in 1973, Sutter met Fred Martin, a Cubs pitching instructor and the answer to Sutters lost fastball. That was the case when I saw my first major-league split-fingered fastball, courtesy of Bruce Sutter. One thing you can do is apply a thin coat ofnail polishorfingernail strengthener. Remember to slightly cock your wrist, but don't stiffen it. 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. @media (min-width:768px){.epHHrr.youtube iframe{width:500px;}}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-list{position:absolute;list-style:none;margin:0;margin-left:2px;padding:0;margin-top:3px;margin-right:10px;}/*!sc*/ However, as with all off-speed pitches, the arm speed and mechanics of your pitching delivery have to be the same as your fastball. data-styled.g162[id="Styles__NewsletterOptinContainer-sc-10yslsy-0"]{content:"sczZi,"}/*!sc*/ The thumb is along the seam of the bottom, on the back seam. data-styled.g147[id="Styles__MarkdownContainer-dxqlie-0"]{content:"eJdqRG,"}/*!sc*/ [hidden]{display:none;}/*!sc*/ Cardinals third baseman Terry Pendleton threw home for a force at the plate, but then St. Louis catcher Glenn Brummers throw to first was wild and the winning run scored. .bZhBFV{margin:0 auto 16px;}/*!sc*/ In 1979, Sutter returned to near his 1977 level, posting a 2.22 ERA and 0.977 WHIP, led the major leagues with 37 saves and won the Cy Young Award. On 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. Few pitchers in major league history have ever had better command of the bottom of the strike zone. Hall of Fame reliever and 1979 Cy . .mHQYb header.mlb-header a:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header button:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header [class*='__nav']:focus{outline:1px dotted #fff;}/*!sc*/ .hspSPq:hover{cursor:pointer;background-color:#0462CC;}/*!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. template{display:none;}/*!sc*/ 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. When thrown, try to manipulate the pitch to come off of the thumb-side of your index finger NOT your index- and middle-fingers, as with a two-seam fastball because a two-finger release will cause the pitch to balance out, which reduces the spin that you are looking for. He was a three-sport athlete in high school, excelling as captain of both the football and basketball team while leading the baseball team to a county championship. Alternate fastballs and changeups at 90-or-more feet for about 20 throws a couple of times a week. 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. However, it has a reputation for ruining arms. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:56px;-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;-webkit-flex:99 1 45%;-ms-flex:99 1 45%;flex:99 1 45%;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos > *{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;}/*!sc*/ He was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1981 season, in which he made his fifth consecutive All-Star appearance. .hHLkAw input::-ms-clear{display:none;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-black.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-black.woff') format('woff');font-style:normal;font-weight:900;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo a{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;}/*!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. 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. During his career, he fought through devastating elbow and shoulder injuries and underwent three surgeries, yet retained his calm demeanor and ability to stay poised under pressure as he became the first pitcher to lead the National League in saves five times. .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-thumbnail{margin-top:auto;height:45px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item .icon__subnav-arrow{-webkit-transform:rotate(-90deg);-ms-transform:rotate(-90deg);transform:rotate(-90deg);margin-right:0;width:11px;height:11px;float:none;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g122[id="Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0"]{content:"dMKvOx,"}/*!sc*/ We spent a lot of time together, and as happens when your careers end, you go your separate ways. .mHQYb .p-search__input--icon--sm{top:0.5rem;right:0.5rem;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side__nav-item[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item__subnav-arrow{opacity:0;}/*!sc*/ He was a true pioneer in the game, changing the role of the late inning reliever.. As mentioned above, a splitter is thrown with a pitcher's two fingers split apart by the baseball. I always felt like he was a brother. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button .p-icon--login{width:35px;height:35px;}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-button__link--message-icon{width:10px;margin-right:5px;}/*!sc*/ To throw an effective three-finger changeup, center your ring, middle, and index fingers on top of the baseball (as shown in the third picture at right). I mean, heres this guy who went out and did this on his own to save his career.. Splitter-heavy pitchers who have developed shoulder and elbow problems include Bryan Harvey, Rod Beck and John Smoltz, who took a break from throwing his splitter after experiencing elbow pain. .hspSPq:hover svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ 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. If youbelieve adding velocity could be critical to your success,check out my proven programsfor pitchers of all ages. sub{bottom:-0.25em;}/*!sc*/ The irony of that is that he struck out Gorman Thomas for the last out of the World Series on a high fastball that was just 84 miles per hour.. .groqnz{margin-bottom:32px;}/*!sc*/ The middle finger and index finger will be spread out on the outside of the baseball seams that create the horseshoe shape. A six-time All-Star, Sutter led the National League in saves for five years and won the 1979 Cy Young Award. He was 69. h5.headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0{font-weight:normal;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player.p-search-item--es:before{content:'Jugadores';}/*!sc*/ Here are some of the most common baseball pitching grips and how I threw them in college and professional baseball. 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). Use these pitching grip descriptions and pictures as a guide to getting a better grip on the baseball. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos{-webkit-flex-basis:75%;-ms-flex-preferred-size:75%;flex-basis:75%;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player:before{border-top:1px solid #ddd;content:'Players';left:10px;right:10px;}/*!sc*/ This enforces the splitters downward movement. [type="search"]::-webkit-search-decoration{-webkit-appearance:none;}/*!sc*/ .sczZi{border-bottom:1px solid #dddddd;border-top:1px solid #dddddd;font-size:1rem;margin:32px 16px;padding:32px 0;}/*!sc*/ The difficulty with this pitch isn't from the pitch itself. Bruce Sutter passed away today, aged 69, confirmed by the Cardinals official Twitter account: We are saddened over the passing of Bruce Sutter.Sutter was a dominant pitcher and a member of the '82 World Series Championship team.He is a member of both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Cardinals Hall of Fame.Our thoughts are with Bruce's family and friends. The Baseball Hall of Fame said Bruce Sutter died in Cartersville, Georgia. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item__link{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-weight:700;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;padding:10px 12px;}/*!sc*/ Ted Williams once said that a slider was "the best pitch in baseball." It's easy to see why in 2014 among all pitchers who threw at least 300 splitters, Tanaka ranked 1st in whiffs/swing (46%), 1st ground balls per balls in play (69%), and 2nd in velocity (87.27 mph average). .hHLkAw input[type='search']{height:32px;-webkit-appearance:none;}/*!sc*/ He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through his family and through Cardinal Nation!\n\nSutter got to see both sides of the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry, pitching for Chicago from 1976-80 and for St. Louis from 1981-84. He allowed a career-low three home runs on the season en route to both the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award and the Sporting News Fireman of the Year Award. .ggWmAj{background:#ffffff;box-shadow:0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.2);max-height:64px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 16px;position:fixed;top:0;width:100%;z-index:2;}/*!sc*/ He was PISSED. Still, it doesn't appear that pitchers who are throwing a splitter are at a higher risk of injury than pitchers who do not. .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu__link:hover{background-color:#e2e2e2;color:#002867;border-radius:3px;}/*!sc*/ Sutter 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. ::-webkit-file-upload-button{-webkit-appearance:button;font:inherit;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline img{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ .dMKvOx{line-height:1.2;}/*!sc*/ Lets take a look at the injury history of pitchers who utilize the splitter.

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