Fastball

Fastballs are usually thrown with a backspin so that the Magnus effect fastball creates an upward force on the ball. This causes it to fall less rapidly than expected, and sometimes causes an optical illusion often called a rising fastball. Although it is impossible for a human to throw a baseball fast enough and with enough backspin for the ball to actually rise, to the batter the pitch seems to rise due to the unexpected lack of natural drop on the pitch. Colloquially, a fastball pitcher is said to throw "heat" or "high cheese” among many other variants.

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