Spit, Wipe and Throw: Pitcher’s Techniques to Distract Batters

By Christy Flom on May 12, 2015

Ever wonder why pitchers always look so mysterious behind the mound before they are about to whip the ball at the batter? It’s like they are in the middle of a poker match with the batter upping the ante.

Well, it turns out the strange mystique of pitchers is no joke. In an effort to distract the batters, pitchers use many techniques to get whatever advantages they can during a game.

Image by Peter Miller (via flickr.com)

A fastball is great, but the way pitchers prepare to throw the ball and even how they hold the ball are all a part of elaborate measures that teams take to try and get a batter to strike out.

An infamous method of distraction is when pitchers lick their fingers and then rub the top of their hats as if to dry them off. This is a small, and barely noticeable movement that pitchers do on the mound in preparation for their throw.

The reason behind this is simple: if the pitcher’s fingers are wet, the ball will become wet which will make it harder to connect with the bat. This is illegal, hence the reason why the pitchers must then dry off their hands. The main point of this is to get inside the batter’s head and intimidate him or make him think the pitcher is going to throw a certain type of ball.

Another method of distraction that is extremely common in baseball is how a pitcher holds the ball in his glove. If you watch a pitcher, you will notice he will keep the ball in his glove for as long as possible.

This is to hide the ball from the view of the batter. The less visible the ball is to the batter, the harder it becomes for the batter to make contact with the ball. As the pitcher raises his arms and leg right before he throws the ball, he keeps the ball in his glove until he is ready to throw. This makes it more difficult for the batters to see the ball and can throw off their timing of swinging the bat.

Image by Clayton Kershaw (image via flickr.com)

Another form of this method is that the pitcher will hide the ball behind his back as the batter steps up to the plate. Standing straight up with his throwing arm behind his back, the pitcher appears intense and domineering towards the batter. This not only intimidates and distracts a batter but also takes time away from the batter being able to lock his eyes on the ball as he prepares to hit it. When pitchers these days are capable of throwing a ball faster than 90 miles per hour, batters need all the time they can get to see the ball and this method deters them from doing so.

Finally, pitchers have the most power on the field and will use this power as an easy way to keep everyone on their toes. What I mean is that pitchers get to decide when to check on the bases to see if runners are trying to steal or to throw the ball to the catcher. So, while seasoned players may be used to the different antics of pitchers, they still have to deal with them.

If a batter is all ready and focused at home plate and then the pitcher decides to throw the ball to first base, this can take away the focus of the batter. Standing at the plate for a long time can take the batters off of their game and pitchers know this.

How a pitcher decides to distract a batter can be very individualistic to each pitcher, too. It is all about figuring out what works best for each thrower. In a game that relies so heavily on the pitcher and his performance, it is no surprise these methods of distraction are so heavily employed during games.

Next time you go to a baseball game or are playing a friendly pickup game yourself, watch for these different maneuvers by the pitcher and see if you can find any others. From switching up the type of throw or purposefully walking a player to playing mind games such as spitting or hiding the ball, there are so many ways that pitchers distract batters.

Now go out this summer and try them out for yourself with some friends!

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