Offspeed
Fosh
A soft, low-spin pitch that sits halfway between a split-finger and a plain changeup. Thrown right, it behaves like a breaking changeup or a gentle splitter, and it is an early relative of today's kick change.
The grip
A fastball-style grip with the index and middle fingers spread slightly across the ball while the ring and little fingers wrap the side, producing a soft, low-spin split-change feel.
What it does
Described as a cross between a split-fingered pitch and a straight changeup; thrown properly it acts like a breaking changeup or a soft off-speed splitter.
What it really is
A soft, low-spin split-change and a conceptual ancestor of the kick change. Mike Boddicker is the first known thrower (1980s); pitching coach Al Nipper later taught it to Red Sox pitchers including Jeff Suppan, Tom Gordon, and Roger Clemens.
Often loosely linked to the Maddux name in popular discussion, but the documented origin is Mike Boddicker, not Mike Maddux; corrected to match the source.
Who throws itMike Boddicker, Trevor Hoffman, Johan Santana, Jason Frasor.
Study this first
The fosh sits between a split-finger and a straight change, and thrown right it behaves like a soft splitter. The filed Splitter shows the harder version of that off-the-table drop.
Basic file
This pitch has a sourced one-line grip and movement and an honest explanation, not yet a filed specimen with authored grip geometry and a full craft chapter. A fuller breakdown is coming. Sourced, not corrected.
Others in the offspeed