| Forkball | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Seen | |
| Anime | S1 - Episode 19 |
| Notable Users | |
| Pitchers | Amahisa Kousei |
The Forkball is a breaking ball that has a relatively high speed that breaks sharply downward at the plate. This pitch is best for making the batters swing and miss, which is the reason why many pitchers use it as the finishing shot.[1]
Despite being a very effective pitch, it is recommended that young players should not be practicing or using this pitch too often because throwing this pitch places considerably high level of stress on both the fingers and the arm. This may also be the reason that the Splitter and the Changeup are often the recommended alternatives for young pitcher.
Grip
It is gripped deep between fingers (inserted between the index and middle fingers). The pitcher would swing the arm strongly like throwing the fastball which makes the pitch slip away from the fingers and has little spin moving to the plate. This allows for greater air resistance and pronounced deceleration resulting in the ball dropping down at the plate.
The grip for the Forkball is notably insecure, which results in a higher ratio of wild pitches as it is a very difficult pitch to control. The wrist isn't snapped when releasing the ball, only the swing of the arm and the strength of the two fingers is used to impart speed to the ball.
Users
| Pitcher | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Tanba Koichiro | The Forkball is Tanba's secret weapon in his third year. Batters usually aims for his straight fastball instead of his reliable curveball against Tanba. Mixing the forkball in helps him surprise the batter. | (see infobox) |
| Narumiya Mei | Mei has the Forkball as one of his breaking pitches. This pitch allows his fastball to become even more effective. | 
|
| Wakabayashi Gou | TBA | TBA |
| You Shunshin | Shunshin was said to possesses the forkball. However, he is rarely shown using it within a match and relies more on his pinpoint fastball control. | TBA |
References
- ↑ Act II - Chapter 30
