In Major League baseball, whatever happened to the split-finger fastball?

Question

Note that I'm not saying that it's extinct, or anything (I just saw one in recent game), more that there's nobody like Bruce Sutter these days, who lived and died by it. It's not like Zambrano whose main pitch is still the fastball.

Answer 1

Jon Papelbum has a fairly good splitter.

Forkball usually occurs with far east pitchers (Chien Ming Wang)

Answer 2

are you kidding, though in less use it still is a used pitch and when used well, you have Jonathan Papelbon, thats his bread and butter, h**l get you with a high fastball then he'll drop a splitter out of the zone, i dont know about the fork ball though

Answer 3

It is still very much used in major league baseball.  Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden both love using this pitch.  It's used by a lot of pitchers.  I really don't know where you get your information from to assume it's not used anymore.

Answer 4

According to Wikipedia it is still used by a number of pitchers including Carlos Zambrano, Rich Harden, Dan Haren, and Curt Shilling.

I couldn't find any information about whether this has any long term health effects (I know throwing a slider can be damaging to the elbow).

Answer 5

Ha, other than Papplebon the only other 2 I can think who throw it, one was just indicted and the other is on the DL forever. (Clemens/Schilling)