Four-seam and two-seam pitches are the most common subtypes of the fastball pitch in baseball games. The difference is that a 4-seam fastball leaves the pitcher and travels hard and fast, straight at the plate.
The 2-seam, on the other hand, is a trickier customer. Just before the two-seam reaches the batter, it swings to the left.
That’s the most important difference between the two pitches, although there’s a bit more to it than that, but we’ll get to that later.
In recent news, there was a surprising collaboration between physicists and baseball players. Scientists at the Utah State University conducted experiments to determine the aerodynamics behind baseball pitches.
Why does a baseball swing left if it’s thrown by the pitcher with the proper two-seam grip?
Major league players have always claimed that the baseball ball’s movement is affected by the way air moves over the seams.
And the experimenters were able to confirm that this is indeed the case – the way the pitcher throws the ball affects the way the seams cut through the air. And this is what makes the baseball ball move.
In this article, I’m going to tell you about the basic difference between 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs in a baseball game, correct finger placement and how to throw a good pitch. Plus, other interesting stuff, like how a left-handed pitcher has an advantage over right-handed batters.
Contents
The 4-Seam Fastball
The 4-seam fastball is the pitch that is used most often in baseball games. The goal when pitching it is to make the pitch as fast as possible.
There’s nothing subtle about a good 4-seam fastball pitch. It’s a fast and in-your-face baseball pitch.
The goal when pitching the 4-seam is to rely on pure speed to get past the batter’s hitting zone. To throw a 4-seam pitch well, you need to have raw power in your throwing arm.
I’ve managed to build up my arm strength over the years to improve my four-seam fastball. But if you’re a newbie to baseball, then your four-seam pitch isn’t likely to be very effective.
It’s the easiest throw for a batter to track because there’s no extra movement on the ball. The only way batters can miss is if the ball is moving too fast for them to get their bat to it.
So if you’re looking to master the 4-seam fastball, then my advice is to build your arm strength by practising repetitive throws against a wall. It’s going to take time, but it’s worth it.
And before you know it, you’ll be one of those pitchers whose ball’s too fast for the eye to follow!
The 4-seam fastball gets its name from the fact that a batter can see four seams on the ball when it’s thrown. It’s also called a rising fastball, four-seamer, or cross-seam fastball.
The 2-Seam Fastball
The 2-seam throw is a fastball like the four-seamer, but it has some breaking movement. The speed of the ball is slower, but the change in its trajectory can make a batter miss his strike.
Throwing a 2-seam fastball requires more than brute force. You’ve got to make the ball move as it rockets towards the batter.
It is also thrown using different finger pressure than in a four-seamer.
I use the same arm movement when throwing this pitch as I use for a four-seamer, but my hand is tilted slightly. When a right-handed pitcher throws straight down the middle, the ball will move left; for a left-handed pitcher, the ball will move right.
It travels in the same direction as the arm used to pitch.
When a batter sees a pitcher throwing a two-seamer, he sees two seams on the ball. And that’s what gives the 2-seam fastball its name.
To throw a good 2-seam fastball, you need to have flexibility in your wrists. When using this pitch, arm strength counts for a lot, but you also need to be able to snap your wrist slightly.
I’ve found that a good way to strengthen your wrists is to do curling lifts with light weights.
Your thumb is positioned as it is for a four-seam grip.
How to Pitch Four-Seam Fastballs in Baseball
When I use this pitch against baseball batters, I’m betting on the ball being too fast for their reaction time. So I focus on putting as much power as I can into the throw.
I use an overarm throw for the pitch as it gives me the maximum power I can get. I use a looser grip for the 4-seam fastball – the classic C-shape or horseshoe grip. This is when you put your middle fingertips on the seam that looks like a horseshoe—the horseshoe seam.
I use two fingers—my index finger and middle finger—to hold the ball across a ball seam on the top, and I use my thumb, directly beneath, to grip the plain leather on the bottom of the ball. The parallel seams provide added traction for my fingers, making sure the ball doesn’t slip.
When I swing my arm, I release the thumb first and the fingers last. This gives the ball more movement and a backwards spin creating what’s called the Magnus effect.
The Magnus effect is an example of aerodynamics in action. The effect stabilizes the ball’s trajectory and ensures that it doesn’t dip on the way to the batter.
However, for it to work, the ball needs to have a certain momentum. So you’re going to need a lot of strength to pitch a perfect four-seam fastball.
Aside from strength and the correct fingertip pressure, the only thing you need to worry about is aiming the ball.
Some pitchers throw the ball as hard as they can when they need a strike for their pitcher’s count but completely forget about aiming.
If you miss the plate, no matter how fast the pitch was, it won’t matter. So you need to practice your aim if you want to be a pitcher that hits the strike zone.
How to Pitch Two-Seam Fastballs in Baseball
I use the same grip to throw a 2-seam fastball that I use for a four-seamer—the C-shape—holding my hand in a comfortable position.
The arm movement is the same – overhand; there are no fancy flicks in this pitch.
The difference is I hold the ball deeper in my hand and apply more pressure with my index finger, not the middle finger, on the narrow seams. I place my fingers between the two seams going up the ball.
The effect this grip has is that when the ball leaves my hand, it’s spinning off-center. This spin makes the ball break as it travels towards the batter.
I’ve noticed my 2-seam fastball tends to be slower than my 4-seam fastball.
That’s probably because I’m not gripping the ball with full force when I throw it. But the weaker grip gives the ball the spin it needs to break in a 2-seam fastball.
As a pitcher, if you don’t have enough arm strength to throw a good 4-seam fastball, then it’s a good idea to concentrate on improving your 2-seam fastball. You’ll need less strength for this pitch, but you need to practice your throwing action.
Comparing Fastballs – 4-Seam vs. 2-Seam Fastball
In terms of speed, when it comes to the 4-seam fastball vs. the 2-seam fastball, the 4-seam fastball gives you the fastest pitches. But that doesn’t mean that it’s always the best throw for a pitcher to use against every batter.
If the batter’s reaction time is fast enough, the 4-seam fastball doesn’t work.
In situations like that, most pitchers use a 2-seam fastball because it doesn’t rely on pure momentum and offers more movement. When a batter is facing a 2-seam fastball, the question is how fast can he adjust his swing to deal with the ball’s movement?
It’s more a question of adaptability than pure reflexes. Pitch decisions also depend on whether you’re dealing with right-handed pitchers or left-handed pitchers.
If a left-handed pitcher throws to a right-handed batter, he will struggle to hit the ball well if he gets it on the inside pitch. Similarly, if a left-handed batter is met with a right-handed pitcher, he will have the same struggles with the inside pitch.
The 2-seam fastball breaks, which means that it changes its straight-line path. That’s what makes it hard for batters to hit. The 4-seam fastball, on the other hand, doesn’t break, it just goes in a straight line and fast.
Mastering the four-seam throw depends largely on increasing your throwing power. With a 2-seam fastball, you’ll need to concentrate more on finger dexterity i.e., on the middle and index fingers.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I throw a 4-seam fastball?
I’ve found that, as a pitcher, reading the batter makes a lot of difference in baseball.
Sometimes, there’s a batter who looks really calm, with steady eyes. I call batters like that, cold customers.
Cold customers are good at reading pitches. So they’re likely to know what’s coming when I’m pitching.
The best way to rattle them is to throw a 4-seam fastball, relying on sheer speed.
With four-seamers, it’s not about how smart the batter is; it’s about reaction time to what a pitcher has thrown, and instinct.
Thinking gets in the way of instinct, so I pitch a 4-seam ball at a batter who looks like he’s thinking too much.
When should I throw a two-seam fastball?
It depends on the batter. If the batter is a show-off, he’s probably overconfident.
Against batters like that, a pitcher should use a two-seam fastball because they’ve got more movement. The overconfident batter is likely to decide on his swing too early, so he won’t be able to compensate for the fact that the ball rotates in the two-seam fastball, and for the extra movement.
In this case, the best pitch option is the 2-seam fastball.
Which is better when it comes to four-seam vs. two seam fastballs?
It all depends on who you’re pitching against and the type of baseball game. Both pitches have their advantages and disadvantages.
Understanding when to throw a 4-seam or a 2-seam fastball can make all the difference, especially when it comes to a strikeout or a base hit.
It’s smart to try to get good at both. Of course, all major league players need to rock both.