The gyro ball, a relatively new baseball pitch from Japan, has received a lot of attention in the baseball world. American pitchers are considering it as a potential addition to their arsenal. When properly executed, the pitch causes the ball to rotate on the horizontal axis, similar to the spiral rotation of a football pass. Arm rotation and an outward wrist turn during the pitch set the spin in motion. The pitch looks like a breaking ball, yet it does not drop, causing confusion on the part of a batter and a possible strike.
Step 1
Grip the ball between your thumb and your forefinger and middle finger with your fingers slightly separated. Use a grip similar to that of either a four-seam fastball pitch, where your thumb and fingers each cross over two seams on the ball, or a two-seam fastball pitch, where your index and middle finger lie along two of the seams.
Step 2
Stand on the mound sideways to home plate with your hands together. Wind up, step out and bring your pitching arm back. Raise the ball behind you and rotate your body toward your pitching hand.
Step 3
Bring your pitching arm forward, with force, to throw the ball. Rotate your body and bring your torso and head down to build momentum.
Step 4
Rotate your pitching arm and wrist outward during the pitch to impart a clockwise axial spin on the ball, if you are right-handed, or a counterclockwise spin if you are a leftie.
Step 5
Drop your head and body after you release the ball to follow through.
Things You'll Need
- Baseball
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