Sutter was a dominant pitcher and a member. The less friction, of course, the quicker the baseball can leave your hand. .dMKvOx{line-height:1.2;}/*!sc*/ Those guys make a lot of money.. 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. .dLQAwR .contributor__text--twitter{font-size:0.8rem;font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ .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*/ \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Bruce Sutter, whose career was an incredible baseball success story, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Bruce Sutter, a split-finger ace and Hall of Famer, dies at 69 Closer had a different connotation back then; Sutter would often pitch two or more innings at the end of games. 20 than he did early on in his career, and Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer thinks more pitchers are going to cutters and sinkers instead. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo--with-sponsor,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo--with-sponsor,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo--with-tagline,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo--with-tagline{display:none;}/*!sc*/ I never adjusted my grip after the first day.. data-styled.g140[id="sharestyle__Label-sc-9nfkvu-0"]{content:"ezZJVn,"}/*!sc*/ sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0;position:relative;vertical-align:baseline;}/*!sc*/ After his retirement, he focused on raising his family. After compiling 133 saves for the Cubs -- the second-most in franchise history -- Sutter was acquired by Cards GM Whitey Herzog on Dec. 9, 1980, in exchange for slugger Leon Durham, third baseman Ken Reitz and player-to-be-named-later Ty Waller. Its a pitch we really try to shy off of.. .mHQYb .p-search-item__team-logo--container{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;margin-left:auto;}/*!sc*/
Bruce Sutter splitter grip - YouTube Alternate fastballs and changeups at 90-or-more feet for about 20 throws a couple of times a week. data-styled.g163[id="Styles__OEmbedContainer-oapuup-0"]{content:"epHHrr,"}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-regular.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-regular.woff') format('woff');font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ But the beginners curveball is a good place to start. data-styled.g162[id="Styles__NewsletterOptinContainer-sc-10yslsy-0"]{content:"sczZi,"}/*!sc*/ @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*/ He was 69 years old. If many pitching coaches and executives across the league have their way, it is also a pitch that is seeing its last days. He posted 133 saves as a Cub, which ranks second in franchise history to Lee Smiths 180. @media (min-width:768px){.cHcHkC{font-size:1.44rem;max-height:32px;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap;display:block;-webkit-line-clamp:none;-webkit-box-orient:inline-axis;}.cHcHkC::before,.cHcHkC::after{display:none;}}/*!sc*/ They're both great pitches. He couldnt even throw it 60 feet, six inches, Cubs assistant minor-league director Pat Nugent told The Atlanta Journal in 1985. Obviously, this isn't the full picture. .ezZJVn{background:transparent;border:0;color:#000000;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-size:1rem;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;right:35px;top:60%;-webkit-transform:translateY(-50%);-ms-transform:translateY(-50%);transform:translateY(-50%);white-space:nowrap;}/*!sc*/ .epHHrr.youtube iframe{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ Theyll never develop their other pitches because theyll always get guys out with that pitch.. This is called pronating your hand. Every baseball player wants to be remembered, Sutter said, whether its for a pitch or a play or a season.. And you STILL will NOT hit it! 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. .eJdqRG a{color:#057AFF;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list:focus{outline:0;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list--sm{font-size:12px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ Another more advanced variation of the curveball is the knuckle curveball (sometimes called a spike curve). h1.Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0{font-size:2.074rem;margin-bottom:8px;}/*!sc*/ forbid young players from learning the splitter, average starting pitcher has a 39 percent chance of going on the DL, The Royals are on the verge of returning to relevancy, Morning Mound Visit: Reds sign Tommy Pham to one-year deal, Morning Mound Visit: Ghost runner rule reinstated, Offensive woes will hold back elite pitching in Guardians maiden voyage, Morning Mound Visit: Rockies extend Ryan McMahon. I call it the horseshoe seam simply because the seam itself looks like the shape of a horseshoe. Bruce Sutter's Splitter down in the zone Chris Sales/Finest Haders Slider Roberto Osuna/D. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button .p-icon--login{width:35px;height:35px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-items{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;padding-top:2px;}/*!sc*/ I always thought that if thrown properly with the fingers really split like a forkball, thats when you can get hurt because theres no resistance against the ball being thrown and it really put a lot of pressure on the elbow, Rays Manager Joe Maddon said. 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 is a member of both teams Halls of Fame.
Split-Finger Fastball: Use of a Popular Pitch Falls Off the Table - The Still, it doesn't appear that pitchers who are throwing a splitter are at a higher risk of injury than pitchers who do not. @media only screen and (min-width:568px){.kwDmpG{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-flex:1;-webkit-flex-grow:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;margin-right:8px;}}/*!sc*/
Splitter vs. Changeup: The Timing-Killer Pitches of Baseball data-styled.g160[id="newsletterOptinstyle__InputWrapper-sc-d7sh2p-5"]{content:"hYmwpY,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button{background:none;border:none;padding:0 16px 0 0;font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}/*!sc*/ Finally, there could be a myriad of other factors causing the injuries besides the splitter. .mHQYb .p-search-item__team-logo{margin-right:15px;max-height:25px;width:25px;}/*!sc*/ If they blow out that way, theyre going to blow out doing it with their best pitch. .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player.p-search-item--es:before{content:'Jugadores';}/*!sc*/ The beginners curveball is a great pitch for younger pitchers. .huJzbO{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium-it.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium-it.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Bruce was a team guy. Twelve years in the majors and 300 saves later, Sutter had become one of the most dominant relievers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, all because of a different grip on the ball. The final installment of $9.1 million reportedly was paid to him in 2021. img{border-style:none;}/*!sc*/ sub{bottom:-0.25em;}/*!sc*/ That's because there is essentially no significant difference between a straight curveball and a beginners curveball, except for the finger placement of your index finger. The middle finger and index finger will be spread out on the outside of the baseball seams that create the horseshoe shape. .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*/ According to the Baseball Hall of Fame, he died Thursday in Cartersville, Georgia. This, of course, is the reason this pitch is great for beginners: the ball goes where your index finger points. .fuMUTu rect{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ 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. Show your love of the game and play a part in preserving past and ensuring the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Im not even saying theres proven data that a split-finger hurts somebody, but its always in the back of your mind or in the back of their mind that this might not be a good idea and lets work on a changeup instead.. The Washington Senators selected Sutter in the 21st round of the 1970 draft, but because he was not yet 18 years old he was unable to sign a contract. More images of splitter grips Image source: baseball-pitching-tips.com DID YOU KNOW? @media screen and (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item:hover{background-color:#057AFF;}}/*!sc*/ (The No. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner::after{display:none;content:'';width:0;height:0;position:absolute;left:auto;right:-1px;top:33%;z-index:calc(99992 + 1);border-color:transparent #ffffff transparent transparent;border-style:solid;border-width:8px;}/*!sc*/ As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The thumb is along the seam of the bottom, on the back seam. @media (min-width:1024px){article > header{padding:0;}}/*!sc*/ Sutter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 as the first pitcher without a single starting assignment to be elected. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through his family and through Cardinal Nation!. You can see the break on the splitter here: That great year sent Sutter and the Cubs to arbitration, the first arb hearing involving a Cubs player in the then-fairly new system. Now it is viewed as more of a pitch of last resort for the veteran trying to hang on for a few more years or for the prospect who desperately needs it to get to the next level. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold.woff') format('woff');font-weight:600;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Many pitching coaches and minor-league instructors are urging their younger prospects to focus on the straight changeup over the splitter, even though it is not quite as effective. Whether or not that's true depends on a lot of things, of course, but the slider is certainly an effective pitch for those who can throw it correctly. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top{height:56px;}/*!sc*/ ERA, 31 saves, sixth place in Cy Young voting and seventh place in MVP voting, and compiled 6.5 bWAR. .jDETbc{font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-size:40px;color:#222222;margin:0;}/*!sc*/ It's an off-speed pitch. He was one who didnt have any trouble forgetting [a bad outing]. And I could bring him in with the bases loaded and hed go down 3-0 and hed still not walk a hitter. What set Sutter apart from forkballers, and before that, spitballers, was how the ball came out of his hand with a spinning action indistinguishable from a fastball. In every year from 1978 through 1981, Sutter either won or saved the All-Star Game for the National League. Ultimately, the two of them were swarmed by teammates and fans at Busch Stadium while celebrating the Cardinals' first World Series title in 15 years. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Had he finished, hed have broken the MLB single-season record for saves (Dan Quisenberry, 1983). data-styled.g165[id="Styles__AspectRatioContent-sc-1t1lmmv-1"]{content:"fvEQJr,"}/*!sc*/ In 2011, six of the fifteen pitchers ended up on the DL, with two of them undergoing season-ending surgery. .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*/ button,[type="button"],[type="reset"],[type="submit"]{-webkit-appearance:button;}/*!sc*/ It turned Mike Scott from merely another guy into a Cy Young Award winner and helped Bruce Sutter become one of the games great closers. Notice that Penny cut his splitter usage in half upon returning from injury and Morrow scrapped the pitch for the 2011 season. .hspSPq:hover svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/