Sinker Advantages * Easy on your arm * Produces a lot of ground balls * Keeps the ball low in the strike zone Sinker Characteristics * Trails downward a couple inches * The angled release lowers the spin rate of the ball * When thrown well, batters will hit the top of the ball, usually resulting in a ground ball * A sinker thrown by a right-handed pitcher will move in on a right-handed batter and away from a left-handed better. The opposite is true for a left-handed pitcher * A sinker is generally a few miles an hour slower than a fastball thrown by the same pitcher How to Throw a Sinker * Grip the ball with your thumb under the smooth part of the ball between the two seams * Put your index and middle finger on top of the ball and grip the two-seams * The release is similar to that of a two-seam fastball * The key to the pitch is to stay on top of the ball to produce the proper rotation * Your hand should turn outward slightly, and your hand should apply more pressure to the inside of the ball than the outside * Force your thumb to graze the thigh of your lead leg during your follow-through