utilize to throw off hitters' timing. The most common grip that all

運用在投球上來混淆打者的時機點。所有位置的球員及投手

position players use and pitchers, commonly, is the four seam fast ball grip.

最常使用的握法，通常是四縫線速球的握法。

This grip will throw the baseball in the straightest, fastest fashion.

這種握法投出來的球會是呈直線，而且是速度最快的投法。

It's important with all of these grips that pitchers keep the same

重要的是，投手使用這種握法投球時，

arm speed and arm slot as they deliver the pitch so, as not to tip off the

揮臂速度和放球點會是一樣的，不會向打者透漏

batter as to what pitch is coming.

投出的是什麼球種。

The second grip that can be used on the baseball is the two seam fast ball

第二種棒球的握法是二縫線速球，

grip as the two fingers are held across the two laces. And this creates a downward, sinking motion.

握法是將兩隻手指緊扣在兩條縫線上，這樣球會產生向下沉的移動。

Thrown from a left-handed pitcher's arm,

左投手投出的二縫線速球，

the ball will drop down and away from a right-handed batter and vice versa for a right-handed pitcher.

球會往右打者的外角下墜，反過來對右投手來說也一樣。

Another pitch that can be thrown is known as the cut fast ball.

另一種可以使用的球種是卡特球，

The cut fast ball is effective in that's it's a combination of the fast ball and the slider

卡特球是將速球和滑球有效結合的一個球種，

and that it runs away from the batter. So a right-handed pitcher

它會往打者的另一邊位移，所以右投手像是

like Mariano Rivera, who mastered the cut fast ball, throws pitches that

精通卡特球的 Mariano Rivera ，右投所投出的球會

run away from a right-handed batter and into a left-handed batter as a right-handed pitcher.

往右打者的外角移動，對左打者來說就是往內角移動。

The cutter, as it's known, has been Rivera's only pitch his entire career as the greatest relief pitcher of all time.

眾所周知，卡特球是史上最偉大的救援投手 Rivera，整個生涯唯一在投的球種。

Another effective pitch, which more young players should be focusing on, is the change up.

另一個有力的球路年輕球員都該學會，那就是變速球。

The change up can be thrown with two different grips.

變速球主要有兩種不同的握法，

The three finger, or trophy change up, in which three fingers are on top of the

三指變速球或 trophy change up，三隻手指放在球的上方，

baseball and the thumb and the pinkie fingers are attached below the baseball.

大拇指和小指緊貼在球的下方。

And the circle change up, where the player will make an okay symbol

然後是圈指變速球，投手會做出 okay 的手勢，

with his pointer finger and thumb and drape the other three fingers around the baseball.

將食指、大拇指，還有其他三指蓋住整顆球。

As with all change ups, it's imperative that pitchers

在投變速球時，有一點非常重要，

not slow down their delivery when delivering a change up. Otherwise, the batter will be tipped off.

就是投球時不要放慢投球速度，否則打者就會知道你要投變速球。

Another pitch that's an effective pitch to use at higher levels is the

另一個有力的球種比較進階一些，

split finger fast ball. The split finger fast ball, which was mastered by Mike Scott in the late 1970s,

那就是快速指叉球， 70 年代末的Mike Scott 精通此球種，

early 1980s, has been used by many players since, including Roger Clemens.

而 80 年代後許多球員也開始使用，包括 Roger Clemens。

The split finger fast ball is held between

快速指叉球的握法是，

the pointer finger and the middle finger, and it is thrown just two to

用食指和中指夾住兩側，而且投出來的球速

three miles an hour slower than a fast ball. The batter perceives that it's

只比快速球慢 2 到 3 英里。打者會以為

a fast ball approaching, and then the ball drops right out from under.

投出的是速球，但球卻會突然下墜。

And he swings over it quite commonly.

所以打者很常會揮空。

The fork ball is a similar pitch to the split finger fast ball, except that

指叉球與快速指叉球有一點相似，差別在於

it's held deeper in the hand. As a result, it goes slower than a split finger fast ball

手在握的時候會比較開，因此球速會比快速指叉球慢

and it has a tumbling action. The fork ball has been

也有下墜的變化，歷史上把指叉球

perfected by a couple of pitchers in history, namely, Jack Morris, in the mid-1980s and early '90s

投得好的投手也不少，像是 80 年中和 90 年初的 Jack Morris

and most recently, Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants.

以及現在舊金山巨人的 Tim Lincecum。

Another pitch that's become very popular is the knuckle ball.

另一個越來越受歡迎的球種是蝴蝶球。

R.A. Dickey of the New York Mets has had a Cy Young-level season by perfecting the knuckle ball.

紐約大都會的 R.A. Dickey 靠著完美的蝴蝶球，投出賽揚等級的賽季，

He has the fastest knuckle ball in history.

他有著史上最快的蝴蝶球。

The curve ball is a pitch thrown with the two fingers next to each other

曲球的投法是將兩隻手指緊靠，

along one of the seams on the baseball. This ball will break from nose to

並沿著球上其中一條縫線。曲球的變化就像

toes or 12 to 6 as hands on a clock. An effective curve ball is thrown with

從上到下或 12 點到 6 點鐘一樣。強而有力的曲球投法，

the fingers leading the way and the back of the hand being thrown towards the catcher.

是由手指帶動整個投球，順勢把手背帶往捕手那方向。

Dwight "Doc" Gooden was known to throw an excellent nose to toes curve ball.

Dwight 「Doc」 Gooden 也是以優秀的大幅度曲球為名。

And in modern times, Stephen Strasburg of the Washington

現代的話，華盛頓國民的 Stephen Strasburg

Nationals has a very sharp, breaking curve ball.

有著一顆銳利又會跑的曲球。

The slider is another effective which pitchers can use to throw off

滑球又是另一個有力的球路，投手可以用滑球

hitters' timing. The slider is a combination fast ball and curve ball, and

混淆打者的出手時機，滑球是快速球和曲球的結合，

it's thrown much more like a fast ball. And the pitcher will put his

投起來比較像是速球，投手會把手指

fingers together against the seam and really focus on that middle finger as he delivers the pitch.

緊貼在縫線上，然後投球時專注在中指上

C.C. Sabathia is a modern-day pitcher who throws an effective slider.

C.C. Sabathia 是現代投手中，將滑球投得相當好的人。

Decades ago, Bob Gibson was known for having a wicked slider.

幾十年前，Bob Gibson 以出色的滑球聞名。

And perhaps most famously, David Cone, in July of 1999, threw a

但最有名的可能還是 David Cone，他在 1999 年 7 月

perfect game by throwing a very sharp, nasty slider.

投了一場完全比賽，靠的就是他銳利又刁鑽的滑球。