@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*/ data-styled.g163[id="Styles__OEmbedContainer-oapuup-0"]{content:"epHHrr,"}/*!sc*/ Sutter got to see both sides of the Cubs-Cardinals rivalry, pitching for Chicago from 1976-80 and for St. Louis from 1981-84. .jiNMQU{background:#f3f3f3;padding-top:56.25%;position:relative;width:100%;}/*!sc*/ *{box-sizing:border-box;}/*!sc*/ DID YOU KNOW? .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu__link{display:block;padding:10px;color:#081c3b;background-color:#f7f7f7;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ The index and ring fingers are placed on either side of the baseball for balance, and the thumb is placed directly below the baseball. 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. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button.account--logged-in::after{background:none;bottom:-17px;content:'';height:22px;left:auto;right:7px;opacity:0;position:absolute;-webkit-transform:rotate(45deg);-ms-transform:rotate(45deg);transform:rotate(45deg);-webkit-transition:opacity 100ms ease 100ms;transition:opacity 100ms ease 100ms;width:22px;}/*!sc*/ .ggWmAj .sticky-header__share button{font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ Proper pitching starts with the right grip on the baseball. The grip is firm. How have splitter throwers fared in recent years? But we stayed in touch and considered each other great friends. .hHLkAw input.right{padding-right:32px;}/*!sc*/ .hUHmCp > article > header,.hUHmCp > article > section{grid-column:1 / span 12;}/*!sc*/ Throw it like you would a fastball: Same mechanics. Bruce will be remembered as one of the best pitchers in the histories of two of our most historic franchises. .drUhS path{fill:#000000;}/*!sc*/ We lost a wonderful person, a very humble guy and a great teammate, said Herzog, who added that he didnt learn of Sutters illness until a week ago, and that he only got word on Thursday that the former standout closer was being rushed to a Georgia hospital. ST. 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. I always felt like he was a brother. .drUhS{pointer-events:none;width:100%;height:100%;display:inline-block;overflow:visible;fill:#000000;stroke:#000000;}/*!sc*/ The two pitches are gripped in almost the same way, except a splitter is generally held with more ease and placed toward the top of the fingers. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button .header__nav-top__nav-item__text{display:none;}/*!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. Day trip or a week-long adventure. .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*/ A lot of his saves were 2 to 2 1/3 innings. It should be placedonthe baseball as opposed to pointed at a target. Sutter played 12 seasons in the big leagues from 1976-88, including four years with St. Louis, before being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2006 as the first pitcher inducted without ever starting a game. Today's Posts; Member List; Calendar; Forum; General Baseball; History of the Game; If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. Other MLB pitchers to throw the splitter include Bruce Sutter, Masahiro . Though Reitz and Waller were duds as Cubs, Durham put together several good seasons for the Cubs, so it wasnt a terrible trade. Every baseball player wants to be remembered, Sutter said, whether its for a pitch or a play or a season.. If many pitching coaches and executives across the league have their way, it is also a pitch that is seeing its last days. He didnt sign, and eventually signed with the Cubs the next year as an amateur free agent. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo{padding-left:20px;-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu--open{display:block;left:auto;opacity:1;}/*!sc*/ h1.Styles__HeadlineContainer-sc-19rm04l-0{font-size:2.074rem;margin-bottom:8px;}/*!sc*/ He was 69 years old. @media (min-width:500px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos{-webkit-flex-basis:60%;-ms-flex-preferred-size:60%;flex-basis:60%;}}/*!sc*/ Same everything. 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. Statistics courtesy of FanGraphs, Brooks Baseball and Baseball Heat Maps, Chris Moran is a former college baseball player and current law student at Washington University in St. Louis. Back to Sutter: He signed a six-year deal with the Braves after the 1984 season, a contract said to be worth, per the New York Times: about $44 million. I mean, heres this guy who went out and did this on his own to save his career.. .mHQYb .p-search__input--icon--sm{top:0.5rem;right:0.5rem;}/*!sc*/ Discover one-of-a-kind artifacts and get lost in sweeping exhibitions that explore pivotal moments in the game and its impact far beyond the field. He won the 1979 Cy Young and became the only National League pitcher to lead the league in saves 5 times. The split finger was a dominant pitch for Ron Darling on the 1986 World Champion New York Mets staff. .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*/ He was a true pioneer in the game, changing the role of the late inning reliever.. 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.. Where as a fastball spins from the bottom to top (which is known as "backspin"), a curveball spins from top to bottom. .jDETbc{font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;font-size:40px;color:#222222;margin:0;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item:focus{outline:1px dotted #041E42;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club] .header__nav-top{background-image:linear-gradient( #002D72 50%, #041E42 50% );}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--parent::after{border-color:transparent transparent #057AFF;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--current{border-color:#057AFF;}}/*!sc*/ He finished with a 1.34 (!) .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*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-thumbnail{margin-top:auto;height:45px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top > *{-webkit-order:0;-ms-flex-order:0;order:0;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;}/*!sc*/ I think there is a correlation between some stresses put on the arms some guys have had elbow problems, forearm problems, shoulder problems and that pitch, Scioscia said. You then center the baseball between your three other fingers (as shown in the middle picture above right). The "horseshoe seam" should face into your ring finger of your throwing hand (as shown in the picture on the left). It is for sale at a price of $ .99. A lot of his saves were 2 to 2 1/3 innings. .ggWmAj .sticky-header__share{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row-reverse;-ms-flex-direction:row-reverse;flex-direction:row-reverse;grid-column:9 / 13;}/*!sc*/ Gambling problem? body.side-nav-open{max-height:100vh;overflow:hidden;overscroll-behavior:none;touch-action:none;position:fixed;top:0;width:100vw;}/*!sc*/ button,select{text-transform:none;}/*!sc*/ The splitter received a great deal of recognition thanks to Hall of Fame reliever Bruce Sutter, who threw the pitch with regularity. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side__nav-item[aria-expanded='true']{-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;}/*!sc*/ Sutter asked for $700,000 a huge figure for the time and the arbitrator awarded the higher figure to Sutter. But you just want to avoid injuries at all costs. ERA, 31 saves, sixth place in Cy Young voting and seventh place in MVP voting, and compiled 6.5 bWAR. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{padding:0 16px;}}/*!sc*/ Bruce Sutter (center) with fellow Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith (left) and Johnny Bench at the 2006 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Cooperstown. .groqnz.markdown.youtube,.groqnz.photo figcaption.youtube,.groqnz.oembed .social-embed.youtube{padding:0;}/*!sc*/ 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. .hspSPq:hover svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ 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. ), Here's how it works: Grip a baseball leaving the index finger off like you were pointing at something. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight{background-color:#333333;}/*!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). In 2021, Gausman had a .133 batting average against his splitter with a 46% whiff rate. .koKsQt{font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ .kKeedG{color:#057AFF;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom:none;font-family:"proxima-nova","open Sans","Helvetica","Arial",sans-serif;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__leagues{min-width:600px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__divisions{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__divisions > *{-webkit-flex:1 0 200px;-ms-flex:1 0 200px;flex:1 0 200px;margin-left:0;}}/*!sc*/ At its release point, try to turn the ball over a little to get more movement. It was his 13th time on the ballot, and the player who had once known for taking the mound with little emotion was suddenly overcome. It's not. His dominance, and Hall of Fame career, can be directly traced back to learning the split-fingered fastball. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. .blUWSx .share-icon__button{background:none;border:none;padding:0;}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw input::placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ The straight curveball (or "overhand curveball") is one of the most common breaking ball grips. 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. .hHLkAw input[type='search']{height:32px;-webkit-appearance:none;}/*!sc*/ A slider is gripped like a two-seam fastball, but held slightly off-center. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ The splitter is known for its tight rotation and strong velocity. But its not just about them getting hurt. .mHQYb input[type='search']::-webkit-search-cancel-button{-webkit-appearance:none;}/*!sc*/ As a group, these 16 pitchers missed a total of 300 days, with only a quarter of them missing any time at all (though Morrow was subjected to an innings limit). .hUHmCp > article > aside{display:none;}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ Sutter saved 27 games in 1978, then followed with a Cy Young Award and a National League record-tying 37 saves in 1979. Watching Sutter use his 86-m.p.h. Him and Goose Gossage, who I was also teammates with, both had that ability to forget about a blown save. sub,sup{font-size:75%;line-height:0;position:relative;vertical-align:baseline;}/*!sc*/ article ul,article ol{padding:0;margin:0 0 0 2.5rem;}/*!sc*/ @media (max-width:1023px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-items--quick--show-revenue .header__nav-top__nav-item{margin-top:-12px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-items--quick--show-revenue .header__nav-top__nav-item__link{padding:0;}}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g143[id="Styles__SocialContainer-sc-1h38xz1-0"]{content:"blLcNM,"}/*!sc*/ Its a pitch we really try to shy off of.. Alternate fastballs and changeups at 90-or-more feet for about 20 throws a couple of times a week. It's an off-speed pitch. .blUWSx .share-list{position:absolute;list-style:none;margin:0;margin-left:2px;padding:0;margin-top:3px;margin-right:10px;}/*!sc*/ .hUHmCp{margin-top:24px;background-color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon-globe{margin-left:32px;}/*!sc*/ A split-finger fastball (sometimes called a splitter or splitty) is an advanced pitch. button,input{overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ Right away, you'll notice the extra tension it puts on your elbow and forearm when compared to a fastball grip. He. @media (min-width:768px){body.article .ad-top-container{min-height:106px;}}/*!sc*/ Notice that Penny cut his splitter usage in half upon returning from injury and Morrow scrapped the pitch for the 2011 season. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through his family and through Cardinal Nation!. data-styled.g162[id="Styles__NewsletterOptinContainer-sc-10yslsy-0"]{content:"sczZi,"}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo img{height:30px;}/*!sc*/ (National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum). And he'd throw the fastball just enough to keep them guessing. @media (min-width:768px){.ggWmAj{max-height:60px;padding:16px 32px 16px 24px;}}/*!sc*/ Here's his splitter and splitter grip.Shop now at PitchingNinja.com !Follow on social media!Twitter: @pitchingninjaInstagram: @pitchingninjaTik Tok: @pitchingninjaDirected by Rob FriedmanProduced by Will LeaheySubscribe to our presenting sponsor, FanDuel, and connect with them on social:FanDuel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FDSportsbookFanDuel on YouTube: https://bitly.com/sub2FanDuel I consider Bruce the most dominant relief pitcher in the history of the game.