To become a great pitcher, you have to throw more than fastballs. In fact, the better variety of pitches you have in your arsenal, the more you can confuse a batter. However, in order to practice throwing it’s common to use a baseball and if you don’t have one it can make things difficult. But you can easily substitute with the same light weight ball used in many baseball pitching machines; a tennis ball.
Pitchers in baseball & softball can throw many types of pitches with a tennis ball like breaking balls and changeups but the first pitch you should learn is the curveball. Here is how to beat hitters and become a curveball pitching machine, while using just a tennis ball.
How to throw a curveball using a tennis ball?
First, Locate a tennis ball to use. The newer the ball, the easier it will be to throw a curveball. Tennis balls that are worn down have deep seams and are less likely to break. You can also buy new tennis balls in bulk on Amazon. In fact, you can buy most major equipment like softball pitching machines, ball feeders, Jugs MVP and the hack attack jr for under retail price on Amazon.
Next, identify the spot on the tennis ball that makes a U-shape. Rotate the ball so that the U-shape appears upside down. In game, do this in your baseball glove so that way you don’t tip off the hitter and allow for an easy base hit.
Next, place your index finger and your middle finger together so that there is no gap between them. If you are a left handed baseball player, or lefty, you will do it with your left hand. Then, Place the fingers on the right seam of the upside-down U-shape from the top of the ball down. .
Throw the curveball by rotating your wrist forward as you release the ball. Tennis balls are lighter than a normal baseball, so you need a very exaggerated wrist rotation, harder than you would when throwing a regular baseball.