(Lou Sauritch/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). A six-time All-Star, Sutter led the National League in saves for five years and won the 1979 Cy Young Award. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo img{height:30px;}/*!sc*/ Kevin Gausman's splitter is one of the filthiest pitches in baseball. 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button .header__nav-top__nav-item__text{display:none;}/*!sc*/ There's some selection bias in that I've picked pitchers whose arms have been able to handle the splitter to some extent. Sutter was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 as the first pitcher without a single starting assignment to be elected. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold.woff') format('woff');font-style:normal;font-weight:800;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ 4 views of Bruce Sutter's split-finger fastball grip lostwalletMP 1.9K views 11 years ago Dempsey's Dugout: Ubaldo Jimenez shows how he grips his pitches masn Orioles 3.6K views 6 years ago. 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. summary{display:list-item;}/*!sc*/ How To Grip And Throw A Beginner's Curveball. .ezZJVn:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ A splitter grip is like a 2-seam grip, only the fingers are wider apart, often along the outside of those closest-together seams, . .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item{display:none;-webkit-flex:1 1 100%;-ms-flex:1 1 100%;flex:1 1 100%;position:relative;text-align:center;}/*!sc*/ @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*/ Finally, there could be a myriad of other factors causing the injuries besides the splitter. 27 Dec 2022 16:10:10 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.. This enables a pitcher to apply pressure to the outer-half of the ball with the index finger. Use these pitching grip descriptions and pictures as a guide to getting a better grip on the baseball. Bruce ascended from being a nondrafted free agent to the heights of baseball by pioneering the split-fingered fastball. @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*/ Those guys make a lot of money.. Jul 28, 2006. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-closed .header__nav-top__nav-container .header__subnav{display:none;pointer-events:none;}/*!sc*/ sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0;position:relative;vertical-align:baseline;}/*!sc*/ In essence, this pitch does the exact opposite as a fastball. Sutter, 69, passed away on Oct. 13, 2022. 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. 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. 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top__nav-items{display:none;}/*!sc*/ He never beat himself with a base on balls. To throw a splitter, split the middle and index fingers and grip the ball along the widest point of the ball. Another more advanced variation of the curveball is the knuckle curveball (sometimes called a spike curve). 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). By spreading his index and middle fingers farther apart on the ball when he pitched, the right-hander developed a split-fingered fastball that stunned opposing batters and gave him a second chance at the game he loved before his Major League career even began. The Angels, the Twins, the Giants, the Reds, the Padres and the Rays are among the many major league teams that discourage their pitchers from developing a splitter, citing health reasons as well as the belief that throwing it too much can reduce the velocity of a pitchers fastball. How do you throw your pitches? But Sutters performance declined in 1985 and after the season he had shoulder surgery. In his first season as a professional in 1972, Sutter experienced pain in his right elbow while pitching in the Gulf Coast League and was shut down for the rest of the year. 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. Pitch counts and five-man rotations are recent developments aimed at preserving those valuable commodities. Hold a baseball with a splitter grip. 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. 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. We spent a lot of time together, and as happens when your careers end, you go your separate ways. .mHQYb .p-search__list:focus{outline:0;}/*!sc*/ 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. The modern splitter is often credited to baseball coach Fred Martin who threw the pitch in the minor leagues as a changeup of sorts. 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. Hold a baseball with a splitter grip. Bruce Sutter introduced the pitch in the late 70s and 80s, and Roger Clemens built a career around an explosive fastball and a devastating splitter. The splitter is a very effective pitch. 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. Place index and middle fingers on the outside of the horseshoe seam. .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*/ .dLQAwR:not(:last-child){border-right:1px dashed #ccc;}/*!sc*/ Right away, you'll notice the extra tension it puts on your elbow and forearm when compared to a fastball grip. .fYCiRB{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;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;height:40px;width:40px;}/*!sc*/ .blLcNM .content .share-btn{-webkit-align-self:flex-end;-ms-flex-item-align:end;align-self:flex-end;margin-left:auto;min-width:32px;position:relative;top:-16px;}/*!sc*/ Some more guesses as to who will be on the field at Wrigley on March 30. 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. .bZhBFV img{max-width:220px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav{text-align:left;background-color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline img{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ Self-guided tour or VIP experience. 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. 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. Walt Dixon, Sutter's manager in the rookie league and at Quincy, wasn't overly confident in Sutter's potential. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group-title{color:#aaaaaa;font-weight:700;font-size:12px;background-color:#ffffff;text-transform:uppercase;}/*!sc*/ I always liked how the feel of the grip of the two-seamer in my glove (when I was in my pre-pitch stance) let me know on a sub-conscious level that I was going inside on guy. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). @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*/ Theyll never develop their other pitches because theyll always get guys out with that pitch.. .iwXciG{display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ Him and Goose Gossage, who I was also teammates with, both had that ability to forget about a blown save. .mHQYb .p-search__list{z-index:50;min-width:250px;border-radius:6px;-webkit-mask-image:-webkit-radial-gradient(#ffffff,#000000);}/*!sc*/ .koKsQt{font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-button__link--message-icon{width:10px;margin-right:5px;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.epHHrr.youtube iframe{width:500px;}}/*!sc*/ .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*/ Another early look at the Cubs 2023 Opening Day roster. with the fingers spread farther apart to change the rotation and add break. 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. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Jim Thome said he is definitely seeing fewer and fewer of them in year No. @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{padding:0 32px;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container{width:auto;min-width:50vw;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:56px;overflow:hidden;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container--initialized{overflow:visible;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__primary,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__revenue{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;width:auto;height:56px;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex:0 1 auto;-ms-flex:0 1 auto;flex:0 1 auto;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header 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A lot of his saves were 2 to 2 1/3 innings. 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline--no-sponsor{margin-right:0;}/*!sc*/ This puts the ball out front just a bit more than a fork ball. As mentioned above, a splitter is thrown with a pitcher's two fingers split apart by the baseball. data-styled.g101[id="styles__SearchWidgetButton-sc-1vorjk3-1"]{content:"cwEpxl,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__container--sm{font-size:12px;height:30px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ LOUIS -- Bruce Sutter, the Hall of Famer who revolutionized the closer position and the split-fingered fastball and clinched the St. Louis Cardinals' 1982 World Series title 40 years ago this week, passed away at the age of 69 near his home in Cartersville, Ga., on Thursday. During the Cubs great 40-15 May and June 1977 that put them in first place by as many as eight games, Sutter posted an 0.60 ERA and 0.763 WHIP, with 66 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 56 innings, with 18 saves (and five blown saves, though the Cubs won two of those games anyway). code,kbd,samp{font-family:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}/*!sc*/ This reduces speed and gives you that nice, fading movement to your throwing-arm side of the plate. Some guys have it and thats their bread and butter and what they go by. data-styled.g100[id="styles__SearchWidgetContainer-sc-1vorjk3-0"]{content:"fYCiRB,"}/*!sc*/ Early on, when no one in the . .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon{display:inline-block;-webkit-align-self:center;-ms-flex-item-align:center;align-self:center;line-height:20px;}/*!sc*/ Avoid any twisting of the wrist upon release. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ In fact, most pitchers feel this grip gives them the most rotation and most movement of any breaking pitch. Cubs 6, Athletics 1: Nick Madrigal makes his case. All the #Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB news you can use, four days a week. And instead of leverage coming from behind the top of the baseball (as a four-seam fastball), leverage on a curve comes from the front of the baseball. A slider is the third fastest pitch in baseball. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item .icon__nav-item{margin-right:8px;width:18px;height:14px;float:left;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;}/*!sc*/ "A fastball can't rise unless it's thrown underhand. Heres how various projection systems see the 2023 Chicago Cubs, Those systems dont hate the team, but a lot needs to go right for them to be above .500. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. He was just an amazing relief pitcher \\[who\\] was so good.","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"Video","contentDate":"1980-07-09T00:05:00Z","description":"7/8/80: Cubs pitcher Bruce Sutter fans the Tigers' Lance Parrish to earn the save in the NL's win in the 1980 All- Star Game","displayAsVideoGif":false,"duration":"00:00:22","mp4AvcPlayback":null,"slug":"sutter-saves-all-star-game-c20759321","tags":[{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-home-team-id-160","title":"HBmig home_team_id: 160"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-mmtax-no-pre-roll","title":"HBmig No Pre-roll on this clip"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-away-team-id-159","title":"HBmig away_team_id: 159"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"gamepk-67199","title":"1980/07/08 al@nl"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-subject-mlbcom-feature","title":"HBmig MLBCOM_FEATURE"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"teamid-112","title":"Chicago Cubs"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-team-id-112","title":"HBmig Chicago Cubs"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-mlbtax-vtp-1980","title":"HBmig 1980s"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-subject-mlbcom-no-transcode","title":"HBmig MLBCOM_NO_TRANSCODE"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-combined-media-state-media-archive","title":"HBmig MEDIA_ARCHIVE"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"playerid-123004","title":"Bruce Sutter"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"hbmig-mlbtax-save","title":"HBmig Save"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"classic","title":"classic"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"pitching","title":"pitching"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"all-star-game","title":"All-Star Game"},{"__typename":"Tag","slug":"highlight","title":"highlight"}],"templateUrl":"https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/{formatInstructions}/mlb/jcghmk8p9sgzun2anyla","title":"Sutter saves All-Star Game","type":"video","url":"/video/sutter-saves-all-star-game-c20759321"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"Herzog, who acquired fellow Hall of Fame closer Rollie Fingers from the Padres a day before trading for Sutter, referred to the shaggy-bearded Sutter as a door-slammer.\" Herzog also predicted when Sutter left via free agency in 1984 that he would be 25 games dumber without his trusted closer to finish off games.\n\nI feel like people didnt realize how good he was until you managed him, Herzog raved. A trip to Cooperstown has something for baseball fans and everyone else. .blUWSx .share-button{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;background:none;border:none;padding:0;cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ .ggWmAj .sticky-header__share button{font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ .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*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top [class$='__nav-item__text']{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ Once I was done playing, I walked away, Sutter said. This is the key to throwing a good, hard four-seam fastball with maximal backspin and velocity: A loose grip minimizes "friction" between your hand and the baseball. When throwing this pitch, throw the palm-side wrist of the throwing-hand directly at the target while keeping your index and middle fingers extended upward. data-styled.g164[id="Styles__AspectRatioContainer-sc-1t1lmmv-0"]{content:"jiNMQU,"}/*!sc*/ He's also an assistant baseball coach at Wash U. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner span{color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-style:italic;font-weight:800;font-display:fallback;}/*!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.