Four-Seam Fastball

How to throw a four seam fastball: The four-seam fastball is the easiest pitch to control and is the first baseball pitching grip learned. The four-seamer usually doesn't have much movement, so it is an ideal pitch for young pitchers to use to master the strike zone. Because it lacks movement, this pitch is less important to the older pitcher who has good control but needs a fastball with movement. The exception to that rule is the pitcher with the great arm who can throw at around 90 mils per hour. He should use the four-seamer because the ball will have good movement at that speed --and obviously a pitcher who can throw 90 miles per hour with good control will win. 

The four-seam fastball is held with the index and middle finger across the hourshoe of the baseball. The end joints of the fingers should be over the seam to ensure a good grip. The thumb should be on the bottom of the ball on an imaginary line between the two fingers on the top.

The pitcher should hold the ball loosely in the hand, and he should have at least a finger-width space between the ball and the palm of the hand. Ideally the enclosed end of the hourseshoe seam should be closest to the middle finger; this helps with the feel of the seams, given that the index finger is shorter.