Sidearm

Sidearm

Sidearm is a method of throwing an object in which the arm swings parallel to the ground and the palm of the hand points towards the target. In baseball, sidearm throws are common in the infield because it is easier to throw off balance or while turning, as opposed to overhand throws which require a back leg-to-front leg weight shift. Sidearm pitchers are fairly rare, but many have succeeded in the major leagues, including Pat Neshek, Scott Sauerbeck, Dennis Eckersley, Mark Eichhorn, Javier Lopez, Jake Peavy, Dizzy Dean and most notably Walter Johnson. Others like Jered Weaver, David Cone and Tom Henke will sometimes change to sidearm for a strike out to fool batters. Sidearm pitchers are widely popular in Japanese baseball, usually because of the varied release point of the baseball. Different release points often make it more difficult for the batter to get into a rhythm or predict the timing or type of a pitch.

The sidearm motion is a more natural motion of the arm and leads to a reduced risk of elbow and shoulder injuries that are common in pitchers. Sidearm pitchers are often referred to as sidewinders.

Sidearm pitching is becoming more popular in baseball, especially for relief pitchers. The change in arm angle can throw a hitter off. The side spin of the ball leaving the hand of the pitcher can allow for more movement, either run (arm-side movement) or sink. Breaking pitches thrown by a sidearmer can be effective because of the sweeping motion of the break. The breaking ball thrown by sidearmers tends to move more side to side rather than vertically because of the arm angle.

References

See also

*Submarine (baseball)


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • sidearm — ☆ sidearm [sīd′ärm΄ ] adj., adv. with a sweeping forward motion of the arm from the side of the body at or below shoulder level [a sidearm pitch] …   English World dictionary

  • sidearm — /suyd ahrm /, adv. 1. with a swinging motion of the arm moving to the side of the body at shoulder level or below and nearly parallel to the ground: to pitch sidearm. adj. 2. thrown or performed sidearm: a sidearm curve ball; sidearm stroke.… …   Universalium

  • sidearm — I. noun Date: 1689 a weapon (as a sword, revolver, or bayonet) worn at the side or in the belt II. adjective Date: 1908 of, relating to, using, or being a throw (as in baseball) in which the arm is not raised above the shoulder and the ball is… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sidearm — I adjective (of pitches) made with the arm moving parallel to the ground a sidearm pitch • Pertains to noun: ↑pitch II adverb in a sidearm manner he prefers to throw sidearm …   Useful english dictionary

  • sidearm — side•arm [[t]ˈsaɪdˌɑrm[/t]] adv. 1) with a swinging motion of the arm moving to the side of the body at or below shoulder level and nearly parallel to the ground: to pitch sidearm[/ex] 2) thrown or performed sidearm • Etymology: 1925–30 …   From formal English to slang

  • Sidearm (disambiguation) — Sidearm, side arm, Sidearms (as well as other variations) may refer to: *Sidearm, a baseball pitch *Side arm, a backup weapon *Side Arms Hyper Dyne, a 1986 arcade game *AGM 122 Sidearm, a missile …   Wikipedia

  • sidearm chiefly Baseball — adjective & adverb performed with a sweeping motion of the arm from the side of the body at or below shoulder level. verb throw or pitch in this way. Derivatives sidearmer noun …   English new terms dictionary

  • sidearm controller — A sidestick, or a miniature control column at the side of the cockpit on the console. It is fitted normally on aircraft with fly by wire or fly by light controls. An armrest is provided to assist the pilot with accurate flying. Any pressure… …   Aviation dictionary

  • Sidearm — Eine Sekundärwaffe ist eine die Primärwaffe ergänzende, weitere Waffe. Führen Soldaten oder Polizisten als Primärwaffe ein Gewehr oder eine andere automatische Waffe, so handelt es sich bei der Sekundärwaffe in der Regel um eine Pistole. Bei… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • sidearm — 1. noun A personal weapon normally carried in a holster on the body of a wielder for immediate use. 2. verb To throw a ball with ones arm roughly parallel to the ground. 3. adverb With ones arm roughly parallel to the ground …   Wiktionary

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