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Pete Fairbanks and the cutting, rising fastball

I have always been fascinated by Pete Fairbanks.

In 2020, Ian and I documented the changes he made to his slider, which helped turn him into the elite bullpen arm we know him to be today. But in 2021, he made another interesting change, this time to his four-seam fastball.

When you think of Fairbanks, you probably think of a few things right away. Maybe you think of his intimidating stare. Perhaps you think of his high velocity, or his slider that gets swings and misses in droves. What may not be as apparent is that he has one of the more unique fastball shapes in baseball.