If you are a pitcher and are called a junk-baller, take it as a compliment. The term means you don't just rear back and throw fastballs. It means you can throw a variety of off-speed pitches --curve ball, change-up, slider or even a knuckle ball.
Fastballs
You throw fastballs in Little League, and even the best Major League pitcher relies on the fastball more than any other pitch, except for those few who specialize in knuckle ball. As you get older, the velocity on the fastball is going to increase as you grow bigger and stronger. You also can throw a two-seam fastball and a four-seamer. A two-seamer, also known as a "cut" fastball, gives the pitcher sinking action on the baseball. A four-seamer gives the baseball rising action.
Change-up
The change-up is the second most popular pitch in baseball and it is relatively easy to throw, even for beginners. To throw a change-up, the arm action is the same as it is for a fastball. However, by gripping the baseball in a different fashion and applying more pressure, the change-up arrives at home plate at a slower speed and often leaves the hitter off-balance.
Curve Ball
It would be wise to hold off on throwing the curve ball until high school. This is an effective pitch, but it puts some stress on the elbow and can cause injury if you throw it at too early an age. The curve ball gives the hitter the opposite look of a fastball. According to Steven Ellis of The Complete Pitcher.com, a curve spins from the top of the baseball to the bottom. A fastball spins from the bottom to the top, creating backspin.
Slider
Outside of the fastball, pitchers throw the slider with the most velocity of any pitch. The grip is different, however, and the baseball is held on the outer half rather than the middle. This gives the ball a sliding action. Well-executed sliders stay up in the strike zone and suddenly drop when the hitter is ready to swing. This is a deceptive, effective pitch because pitchers throw the slider with the same arm action as a fastball.
Posted in: Baseball