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Here is a baseball pitch grip generally thought of as a movement pitch, or somewhat similar to cut fastball, a cutter or sinker. The two seam fastball is a pitch that requires a slightly tight grip and deeper in the throwing hand compared to the four-seamer.

In pitching a two-seam fastball, the position of your index and middle fingers are kept directly on top of the narrow seams of the baseball. (See above photo).

Then, keep your thumb on the bottom side of the baseball and on the silky leather in between the narrow seams.

The two seam fastball pitch requires a firm grip to give essential friction; And this is a good advantage to cause the baseball to change direction, it can “back up” or “run in” to the throwing hand side of the plate. It slightly reduces the speed of the pitch as well, which is slower than four-seam fastballs.

(Photo via thecompletepitcher.com)

Chan Ho Park, who pitched for the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies out of the bullpen last season, has made a one year deal agreement with the New York Yankees. This announcement was made Monday at a news conference in Seoul, South Korea. Although the Yankees have not confirmed the signing and even the team’s General Manager Brian Cashman has not disclosed if the deal was really approved and finalized. There were some talks between Park’s agent Jeff Borris and Cashman, and according to Brian Cashman, the deal is not yet over.

It was said that the offered package is worth US$1.2 million with an additional $300,000 in performance bonuses if Park decides to join the Yankees. And this is exactly what Chan Ho Park agreed to when he announced in the news conference his decision to join the New York Yankees. The 36-year old right-hander went 3-3 with a 4.43 earned-run average in 45 games with the NL champion Philadelphia Phillies last year. Park also made 3 1-3 scoreless innings against the Yankees in the World Series.

Park has a career record of 120-95 with a 4.35 ERA over 16 big-league seasons with the Phillies, Rangers, Dodgers, Padres and Mets. And the first South Korean to play in the Major League

(Photo via zimbio.com)

Lou Gehrig aka “Iron Horse”, won the Triple Crown in 1934, leading the American League in batting average (.363), home runs (49), and runs batted in (RBIs; 165).

Lou sacrificed many body injuries to play the consecutive MLB games.  Not as popular as his teammate, Babe Ruth. Lou was a tremendous baseball player; from 1926 to 1938 he hit at least 100 runs for 13 straight seasons,.  He made an American League record of 184 RBIs and hit 493 home runs in 1931.

Unfortunately, in 1938, Lou Gehrig was too ill to play baseball.  He was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a deadly disease that affects the central nervous system.  Lou Gehrig has no choice but to retire from baseball. He was the first player to have the honorable rite of retiring his uniform number, 4 presented by the Yankees. Lou Gehrig was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.  And 2 years later, Lou Gehrig died of ALS at the age of 37.  A movie was made in memory of the great player, his life story entitled “The Pride of the Yankees”.

(Photo via repairstemcell.wordpress.org)

Another common breaking ball grip that combines a bit of beginners curve and knuckle curve, it’s called the overhand curveball or popularly known as the straight curveball.

Learning the straight curve requires good skill in throwing a beginners curveball, because both grips are somehow similar in principles. Working on the beginners grip is a stepping exercise towards the straight curve pitch. As mentioned, both pitching grips are almost the same except for the position of the index finger. It should be placed on the baseball contrary to beginners curve where the index finger is pointed at a target.

To do this pitch, the thumb action goes upward. It rotates up while the middle and index fingers rotate down. The arm movement must be a little short at the end. The position of your pitching arm elbow must be to the opposite hip. This makes a short follow through while giving a real snap off the pitch.

(Photo via completepitcher.com)

Collecting baseball cards may not just be a hobby it may also provide you with an asset that you or your heirs will be able to sell someday for a lot of money.

Baseball cards have value for different reasons to different people. But how much the piece of history worth is important to many collectors, or people just looking to sell cards they may have inherited.

So, what is the most valuable baseball card that you know? According to recent research done by Forbes Magazine in 2009, the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie Card would range from $250,000-$500,000 in good condition. Now, if you happen to stubble onto one of these in near-mint condition the value of this card would shoot up to an estimated 3-5 million dollars! Unfortunately no one has ever found one as of yet.

So, is there a card that would likely sell for a cool 3 million bucks in 2009/2010 if it were put up for auction?  In fact there is, that card is a near-mint condition 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner Rookie card also known as the “Gretzky Wagner” after Wayne Gretzky bought it in 1991 for $451,000.

Have you ever wondered, where and when baseball started? Who invented baseball? Well. No one precisely knows the answers to these questions, but settlers in America brought with them the English games of cricket, rounders and the similar townball, which gradually evolved into the game we know today.

The first known reference to “baseball” as a game was in 1791 in Massachusetts where a town bye-law banned it from the proximity of the town meeting house. There is also a detailed account of a game of base ball in Ontario, Canada in June1838.

However, in 1845 the ‘Knickerbocker Rules’, named after the breeches worn at the time, were devised to regularize the playing of baseball. Alexander Cartwright was given credit for shaping baseball into what it is today. On September 23, 1845, Cartwright published “Rules and Regulations of the Knickerbocker Base Ball Club.” These 20 rules are the basis of the rules of the present Major League Baseball (MLB). The Knickerbockers became the first team to wear uniforms.

More years later and baseball had become so popular that professionals started to play for the better and richer teams and the game was transformed. The success of this formula and the popularity of the game itself led to the foundation of a National League which was the first true major league.

Although baseball started in England it has come a very long way from its humble origins.

Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson was an exceptionally talented and disciplined baseball hitter, with a career average of .317. He was known as the most aggressive and successful base runner of his era. But these statistic achievements were not the real reason for his significance. In 1947, Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers. As the first black man to openly play in the major leagues since the 1880s, he was instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in professional baseball, which had relegated African-Americans to the Negro leagues for six decades.

In 1999, he was named by Time magazine on its list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Also in 1999, he ranked number 44 on the Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team as the top vote-getter among second basemen.

Jackie Robinson did it all. He scared the pitchers, rattled the fielders, broke the batting record books but most importantly he opened the doors for the blacks in Major League Baseball. Baseball was a sport that was run by the Whites and played by the Whites, this had changed forever.

In 1962, Jackie Robinson was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. Jackie Robinson died at the premature age of 53 in 1972. After his death the Jackie Robinson Foundation was instituted. It provides scholarships to 141 students annually who are sent to more than 60 colleges all over the country.

Another heart warming day for the White Sox as Frank Thomas officially announced his retirement at the U.S. Cellular Field Conference and Learning Center, first hand news by MLB.com Thursday night. Thomas who broadcasted about his illustrious 18-year-career, with 15 coming as part of the White Sox organization has finally decided to put his bat to rest and leave his career in Major League Baseball for good.

Thomas honestly speaks about his accomplishments. The two time American League Most Valuable player joined the Hall of Famers Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams as one of four players to have a .300 average, with 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs scored and 1,500 walks in his career. Frank Thomas ranks in the top 30 all-time in eight statistical categories, including sitting in a tie for 18th with Willie McCovey and Williams at 521 home runs. These numbers certainly indicate how well he did his homework, keep countless hours in the weight room yet spent just as much time going over film to get extremely prepared.  Thomas played for 18 years, which is a long time in this game and undoubtedly for his indefinite absence, he’ll be missed.

Does the name “George Herman Ruth, Jr.” ring a bell? Or should I say “Babe” Ruth. For those who haven’t known, Ruth was regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American Culture and has been named as the greatest baseball player in history. Also known as “the Bambino” and “the Sultan of Swat”, He played in American Major League Baseball from 1914-1935. Ruth Started as a Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and later on joined New York Yankees as a full-time right fielder. He became one of the league’s most productive hitters and won seven pennants and four World Series titles with the Yankees. His home run hitting prowess and enigmatic personality made him a baseball celebrity in the Roaring Twenties. Ruth retired in 1936 and became one of the first five players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. In a 1999 ESPN poll, he was ranked as the third-greatest US athlete of the century, behind Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali. The name Babe Ruth will forever be remembered as the supreme baseball player in the Professional League

Melvin said that he wanted 2 pitchers for 2010. Melvin got his guys. He already has Randy Wolf and on Wednesday, left-hander Doug Davis has come to terms on a one-year contract with an option to extend to 2011. The deal guarantees Davis $5.25 million and could pay up to $12.75 million if the option is exercised and Davis reaches all of his non-awards-related incentives.
The contract won’t be official until Davis passes a physical. And until that final step is complete, Melvin said he could not confirm that a deal was in place.
“We don’t have anything finalized yet,” Melvin said Wednesday afternoon, “but I guess we’re getting close.”
The Brewers are getting a pitcher with a track record of durability. Davis has made at least 33 starts and pitched at least 190 innings in five of the past six seasons. The Brewers are getting a pitcher with a track record of durability. Davis has made at least 33 starts and pitched at least 190 innings in five of the past six seasons.