No. 14 Pitcher's Grip On The Ball. Most major league pitchers grip the ball with the top two fingers across the stitches in order to obtain a firm purchase on the ball. A few pitchers place their finger between the seams. Young pitchers should be careful to hoid the ball the same way for every delivery, particularly avoiding the habit of curling back the thumb when preparing to throw their curve. Opposing batsmen are quick to notice such changes and take advantage of them. Grip the ball firmly, neither too hard nor too loosely. - By Austen Lake, Baseball Editor, Boston Transcript.