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 Few pitchers in major league history have ever had better command of the bottom of the strike zone. article ul,article ol{padding:0;margin:0 0 0 2.5rem;}/*!sc*/ .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*/ Bruce Sutter's Splitter down in the zone Chris Sales/Finest Haders Slider Roberto Osuna/D. body{margin:0;}/*!sc*/ The difficulty with this pitch isn't from the pitch itself. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header--inner{margin:auto;max-width:none;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ Overall, 24 out of 62 pitchers landed on the DL, That number might look high, but it matches up exactly with Jeff Zimmerman's finding that the average starting pitcher has a 39 percent chance of going on the DL. Throw it like you would a fastball: Same mechanics. .mHQYb .p-search-item__container--sm{font-size:12px;height:30px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ .dLQAwR a{color:#057AFF;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu{right:32px;top:calc(56px - 4px);}.mHQYb .mlb-header[data-is-club] .mlb-header__login-menu{top:calc(112px - 4px);}}/*!sc*/ And you STILL will NOT hit it! Bruce and I spent a lot of time together, and I was as close to him as any teammate I ever played with, said Kaat, who spent seven decades in and around Major League Baseball as a player, coach and broadcaster. @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos{-webkit-flex-basis:75%;-ms-flex-preferred-size:75%;flex-basis:75%;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header__login-menu__link:hover{background-color:#057AFF;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .icon *{fill:currentColor;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--parent[aria-expanded='true'] .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner::after{display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ Bruce Sutter passed away today, aged 69, confirmed by the Cardinals' official Twitter account: We are saddened over the passing of Bruce Sutter. .drUhS rect{fill:#000000;stroke:#000000;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu__link{display:block;padding:10px;color:#081c3b;background-color:#f7f7f7;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration: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). I was so honored when he gave me a shout-out at his induction at the Hall of Fame. You dont see it as much, Cuddyer said. .sczZi{border-bottom:1px solid #dddddd;border-top:1px solid #dddddd;font-size:1rem;margin:32px 16px;padding:32px 0;}/*!sc*/ Howard Bruce Sutter was born in Lancaster, Pa. on Jan. 8, 1953. The longtime Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley does not have a pitcher who throws one. Sutter saved 27 games in 1978, then followed with a Cy Young Award and a National League record-tying 37 saves in 1979. html{font-size:16px;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;}/*!sc*/ He was a conventional pitcher, but it was Fred Martin with the Cubs who came up with the idea [to throw the splitter] because Bruce had big hands and he could really wedge that ball between his fingers, Kaat remembered. The straight curveball (or "overhand curveball") is one of the most common breaking ball grips. On behalf of the Cardinals organization and baseball fans everywhere, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the Sutter family, said Cardinals principal owner and chief executive officer Bill DeWitt Jr. Bruce was a fan-favorite during his years in St. Louis and in the years to follow, and he will always be remembered for his 1982 World Series clinching save and signature split-fingered pitch. .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-selector--active{background-color:#4c8cee;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g154[id="newsletterLogostyle__NewsletterLogoContainer-sc-j5dgcz-0"]{content:"bZhBFV,"}/*!sc*/ But in a Roger Kahn / Bruce Sutter interview in Kahn's book,The Head Game: Baseball Seen from the Pitcher's Mound, he points out that this is not the case. .mHQYb .p-search__form svg{width:16px !important;height:16px !important;}/*!sc*/ There are a lot of good ones -- and Im not knocking [Rich] Gossage or anybody else -- but when I warmed him up, if I didnt use him that inning, hed still pitch the next inning. button,input{overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ Splitter-heavy pitchers who have developed shoulder and elbow problems include Bryan Harvey, Rod Beck and John Smoltz, who took a break from throwing his splitter after experiencing elbow pain. button::-moz-focus-inner,[type="button"]::-moz-focus-inner,[type="reset"]::-moz-focus-inner,[type="submit"]::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;padding:0;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu__link:hover{background-color:#e2e2e2;color:#002867;border-radius:3px;}/*!sc*/ The pitch that looks like a fastball but falls off the table at the last second was revolutionizing the game, reviving careers and tormenting the unlucky guys standing in the batters box. But as the years wore on and more pitchers adopted the splitter, it started to become apparent that it could have significant consequences. Herzog also predicted when Sutter left via free agency in 1984 that he would be 25 games dumber without his trusted closer to finish off games. He was PISSED. Six out of fifteen pitchers did time on the DL, missing a total of 400 days. .mHQYb header.mlb-header{width:100%;font-family:'proxima-nova','mlb-primary','Helvetica Neue', 'Helvetica','Arial',sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:15px;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ Call 1-800-GAMBLER. A straight curve requires mastery of my beginners curveball, because many of the same principles that apply to both grips. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold-italic.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-semibold-italic.woff') format('woff');font-weight:600;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ Gambling problem? @media only screen and (min-width:568px){.kwDmpG{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-flex:1;-webkit-flex-grow:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;margin-right:8px;}}/*!sc*/ fieldset{padding:0.35em 0.75em 0.625em;}/*!sc*/ The baseball should be tucked comfortably against the circle. .dMKvOx{line-height:1.2;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-extrabold.woff') format('woff');font-style:normal;font-weight:800;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g140[id="sharestyle__Label-sc-9nfkvu-0"]{content:"ezZJVn,"}/*!sc*/ You dont see that anymore.\n\nDuring the prime of his career, Sutter led the NL in saves for four straight seasons and five times in six years before joining the Braves as a free agent after the 1984 season. h5.headlinestyle__HeadlineWrapper-sc-1ccyctx-0{font-weight:normal;}/*!sc*/ The pitch not only led him to the Major Leagues, but also made him a Cy Young Award winner with the Cubs and a World Series Champion with the 1982 Cardinals. "No," says Bill James, author of the The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers. Sutter, 69, passed away on Oct. 13, 2022. Throw this pitch with the same arm speed and body mechanics as a fastball, only slightly turn the ball over by throwing the circle to the target. Seek out and celebrate your heroes, and explore online and in-person exhibits commemorating the history and impact of the game. 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). .blUWSx .share-icon{width:25px;cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ A six-time All-Star, Sutter led the National League in saves for five years and won the 1979 Cy Young Award. Not every team in the league is shying away from the splitter. This .mHQYb .p-search-item__image-selector{width:3px;height:100%;}/*!sc*/ .fuMUTu rect{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ I consider Bruce the most dominant relief pitcher in the history of the game. Next, place your middle finger along the bottom seam of the baseball and place your thumb on the back seam (as shown in the middle picture above). .dLQAwR a:hover{color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ Same everything. FILE - St. Louis Cardinals ace reliever Bruce Sutter celebrates after the last out in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series at St. Louis, Oct. 20, 1982. .hspSPq svg{padding-top:1px;vertical-align:top;fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .cwEpxl{height:100%;width:100%;border:transparent;background:none;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:0.2s;transition:0.2s;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ Sutter and the split-fingered fastball -- a pitch he learned from Cubs Minor League instructor Fred Martin following an arm surgery in 1973 -- became forever linked in the history of the game. Still, it doesn't appear that pitchers who are throwing a splitter are at a higher risk of injury than pitchers who do not. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-closed .header__nav-top__nav-container .header__subnav{display:none;pointer-events:none;}/*!sc*/ It includes the Cubs coming back on the field to celebrate with fans, something rarely done in that era. After compiling 133 saves for the Cubs -- the second-most in franchise history -- Sutter was acquired by Cards GM Whitey Herzog on Dec. 9, 1980, in exchange for slugger Leon Durham, third baseman Ken Reitz and player-to-be-named-later Ty Waller. Splitters account for only a little more than one percent of all pitches, and several organizations have gone so far as to forbid young players from learning the splitter. The final installment of $9.1 million reportedly was paid to him in 2021. .blUWSx .share-icon__button{background:none;border:none;padding:0;}/*!sc*/ After compiling 133 saves for the Cubs -- the second-most in franchise history -- Sutter was acquired by Cards GM Whitey Herzog on Dec. 9, 1980, in exchange for slugger Leon Durham, third baseman Ken Reitz and player-to-be-named-later Ty Waller. There should be a "gap" or space between the ball and your palm (as shown in the middle picture). .groqnz .ad-body-container{border-color:#dddddd;border-style:solid;border-width:1px 0 1px 0;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;margin:0 2%;min-height:343px;width:96%;}/*!sc*/ And he'd throw the fastball just enough to keep them guessing. .fuMUTu 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. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff2') format('woff2'), url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:normal;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{padding:0 16px;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item .icon__subnav-arrow{-webkit-transform:rotate(-90deg);-ms-transform:rotate(-90deg);transform:rotate(-90deg);margin-right:0;width:11px;height:11px;float:none;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight{background-color:#333333;}/*!sc*/ From Jack Morris and Roger Clemens to practically every pitcher on Roger Craigs staff in San Francisco, the split-finger fastball was the ticket to success on the mound. Children generally can't throw split-finger fastballs because their hands aren't big enough. *{box-sizing:border-box;}/*!sc*/ But first, check out this splitter from Masahiro Tanaka and tell me it isn't awesome: Tanaka's splitter hits the triple crown of traits for what a dominant pitch should exhibitgood velocity, generates ground balls, and gets whiffs. Sutter eventually got hurt in August, and perhaps not coincidentally, the Cubs started losing games. ERA, 31 saves, sixth place in Cy Young voting and seventh place in MVP voting, and compiled 6.5 bWAR. What set Sutter apart from forkballers, and before that, spitballers, was how the ball came out of his hand with a spinning action indistinguishable from a fastball. straight down at the last second. .groqnz.markdown.youtube,.groqnz.photo figcaption.youtube,.groqnz.oembed .social-embed.youtube{padding:0;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search-item__team-logo{margin-right:15px;max-height:25px;width:25px;}/*!sc*/ Im a believer that its not pitches that hurt people, its poor deliveries, Cooper said. He's also an assistant baseball coach at Wash U. Every baseball player wants to be remembered, Sutter said, whether its for a pitch or a play or a season.. And it helps to make fingernails a little tougher. And he'd throw the fastball just enough to keep them guessing. Bruce Sutter passed away today, aged 69, confirmed by the Cardinals official Twitter account: We are saddened over the passing of Bruce Sutter.Sutter was a dominant pitcher and a member of the '82 World Series Championship team.He is a member of both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Cardinals Hall of Fame.Our thoughts are with Bruce's family and friends. .epHHrr iframe{max-width:100%;}/*!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*/ Instead of getting a nice long arc of deceleration and finishing throwing elbow outside of your opposite knee (as with your fastball), you'll want to bring your throwing-hand elbow to the opposite hip. .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side__nav-item[aria-expanded='true']{-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav ::-webkit-scrollbar{width:0px;}/*!sc*/ A lot of his saves were 2 to 2 1/3 innings. In 1982, Sutter pitched the final out in the seventh game of the World Series to help defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-3. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item{border-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.15);background-color:#041E42;}/*!sc*/ When thrown with the effort of a fastball, the splitter will drop sharply as it nears home plate. .blUWSx .share-icon__close{width:18px;}/*!sc*/ Jim Thome said he is definitely seeing fewer and fewer of them in year No. Right away, you'll notice the extra tension it puts on your elbow and forearm when compared to a fastball grip. .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player.p-search-item--es:before{content:'Jugadores';}/*!sc*/ "When Bruce Sutter is ready for the big leagues, that's the day the Communists take over," he reported to the Cubs' minor league staff. @media (min-width:768px){body.article .ad-top-container{min-height:106px;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(2),.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__button-menu--icon span:nth-child(3){top:8px;}/*!sc*/ If you believe adding velocity could be critical to your success, check out my conditioning and throwing programs for baseball pitchers of all ages. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo img,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo a{height:56px;}/*!sc*/ Those guys make a lot of money.. main{display:block;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top [class$='button-menu--icon'] span{background-color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ In fact, most pitchers feel this grip gives them the most rotation and most movement of any breaking pitch. forbid young players from learning the splitter, average starting pitcher has a 39 percent chance of going on the DL, The Royals are on the verge of returning to relevancy, Morning Mound Visit: Reds sign Tommy Pham to one-year deal, Morning Mound Visit: Ghost runner rule reinstated, Offensive woes will hold back elite pitching in Guardians maiden voyage, Morning Mound Visit: Rockies extend Ryan McMahon. data-styled.g21[id="imagestyle__Img-sc-xw1tzz-1"]{content:"ebrWqN,iQELft,"}/*!sc*/ There was a change of heart right there, Nugent said. pic.twitter.com/BjxKBnK0Lw, I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Bruce Sutter, whose career was an incredible baseball success story, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. He agreed to receive $750,000 a year in salary with Atlanta and defer the remainder of his money, with the Braves paying him $1.12 million over a 30-year period. Penny accounted for nearly half the time missed, and his injury was an oblique strain. It is for sale at a price of $ .99. I feel like a brother passed away," said Sutter's teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jim Kaat. The split finger was a dominant pitch for Ron Darling on the 1986 World Champion New York Mets staff. He won the 1979 Cy Young and became the only National League pitcher to lead the league in saves 5 times. @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__content{-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;}}/*!sc*/ In the mid-1980s, former MLB pitcher Roger . How have splitter throwers fared in recent years? data-styled.g100[id="styles__SearchWidgetContainer-sc-1vorjk3-0"]{content:"fYCiRB,"}/*!sc*/ Long before Bobby Bonilla famously deferred much of his contract with the Mets to make additional millions in salary, Sutter pulled off a financial move for the ages. Bruce Sutter introduced the pitch in the late 70s and 80s, and Roger Clemens built a career around an explosive fastball and a devastating splitter. Most good slider pitchers grip the outer-third of the baseball and cock their wrist slightly, but not stiffly, to their throwing hand's thumb-side upon release of the pitch. @media (min-width:1024px){.hUHmCp > article{margin:auto;max-width:967px;}.hUHmCp > article > section{grid-column:1 / span 8;}.hUHmCp > article > aside{display:block;grid-column:9 / 13;}}/*!sc*/ Twelve years in the majors and 300 saves later, Sutter had become one of the most dominant relievers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, all because of a different grip on the ball. But Sutters performance declined in 1985 and after the season he had shoulder surgery. .ezZJVn:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ ", How To Grip And Throw A Two Seam Fastball. article ul{list-style:disc;}/*!sc*/ One thing you can do is apply a thin coat ofnail polishorfingernail strengthener. .ebrWqN{box-sizing:border-box;padding:0px;background-color:#f3f3f3;border-radius:50%;-webkit-border-radius:50%;}/*!sc*/ There are a lot of good ones -- and Im not knocking \\[Rich\\] Gossage or anybody else -- but when I warmed him up, if I didnt use him that inning, hed still pitch the next inning. .hHLkAw input::placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ .dLQAwR .contributor__text--twitter{font-size:0.8rem;font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ .eJdqRG a{color:#057AFF;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ The circle changeup and the four-seam fastball are what got me to professional baseball. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight{background-color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ Cubs ownership claimed the salary was something they couldnt afford, and after Sutter had another very good season for a 98-loss Cubs team in 1980, they traded him to the Cardinals for Leon Durham, Ken Reitz and Ty Waller. Great Split Finger Pitchers Tim Hudson and Carlos Zambrano throw splitters. Use these pitching grip descriptions and pictures as a guide to getting a better grip on the baseball. .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*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav--teams__team--logo{height:24px;width:24px;padding:2px 2px 2px 0;margin-right:2px;display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. And I could bring him in with the bases loaded and hed go down 3-0 and hed still not walk a hitter. When this pitch is thrown, your thumb should rotate upward, and your middle finger should snap downward while your index finger points in the direction of your target. But if you throw the fastball overhand with enough force, it will appear to rise because it's not dropping as much as the batter's brain thinks it should. He became the first pitcher enshrined who had never started a MLB game. In his first season as a professional in 1972, Sutter experienced pain in his right elbow while pitching in the Gulf Coast League and was shut down for the rest of the year. That way, you can still get good wrist-snap upon release. .XOHMa{bottom:0;left:0;position:absolute;right:0;top:0;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb input[type='search']::-webkit-search-cancel-button{-webkit-appearance:none;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav ::-webkit-scrollbar-track,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__main-nav ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb{background:transparent;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list--sm{font-size:12px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ @media only screen and (min-width:568px){.hYmwpY{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;}}/*!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. .fvEQJr{bottom:0;left:0;position:absolute;right:0;top:0;}/*!sc*/ Early on, when no one in the . pre{font-family:monospace,monospace;font-size:1em;}/*!sc*/ This enforces the splitters downward movement. I always liked how the feel of the grip of the two-seamer in my glove (when I was in my pre-pitch stance) let me know on a sub-conscious level that I was going inside on guy. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline--no-sponsor{margin-right:0;}/*!sc*/ "A fastball can't rise unless it's thrown underhand. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos img{max-height:56px;max-width:none;}/*!sc*/ Sutter made his first big league appearance on May 9, 1976 when he pitched the ninth inning in a 14-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.