SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. Derek Lowe learned to throw a sinking fastball when he was in Class AA with Seattle in the mid-1990s. Where would he be without it? <\/p>\n
\"Without the sinker, I'd be working at McDonald's, supersizing your Value Meal,\" Lowe said. <\/p>\n
Lowe's sinker was on display Wednesday against San Francisco at Scottsdale Stadium. He pitched four crisp innings, as the Indians played to a 2-2 tie after 10. <\/p>\n
Half of Lowe's 12 outs came on ground balls. <\/p>\n
\"I learned how to throw it in Double A,\" Lowe said. \"I was at a crossroad. I had to come up with something to separate myself from the next guy. Our pitching coach, Jeff Andrews, really understood the sinker. <\/p>\n
\"My grip is about as basic as you can get. I throw extremely far across my body. I do a lot of things mechanically that you wouldn't teach. I think you either do it or you don't [throw a sinker] . . . I don't even know what makes it sink.\" <\/p>\n
Lowe was the first Tribe pitcher to go four innings this spring, and he did it in fewer than 50 pitches. <\/p>\n
Before the sinker, Lowe threw harder but not necessarily better. <\/p>\n
\"I threw in the low 90s, but so did a lot of guys,\" Lowe said. \"It was as straight as a string. I tell people, 'If you can get it to move a skosh, try it.' Then you can throw it in a general area instead of throwing a four-seamer where you have to have really good control.\" <\/p>\n
Lowe, 9-17 last year, issued a warning for the coming season. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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\nPitcher Derek Lowe owes his longevity to his sinker: Cleveland Indians Insider<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"