submarine ball

6.9

A baseball pitch thrown with a low underhand or sidearm motion that moves in an unusual way

noun
/ˈsʌbməˌrin bɔl/

Jargon

: lanzamiento submarino

The pitcher surprised the batter with a submarine ball that curved sharply across the plate.

Examples

Throwing a submarine ball can be challenging for hitters used to traditional pitching styles.
He developed a reputation for his accurate and deceptive submarine ball delivery.
He threw a perfect submarine ball to the catcher.
Did you see that submarine ball he pitched?
The pitcher surprised his opponents with a powerful submarine ball that left them swinging at air.
With his unique technique, he perfected the art of throwing a submarine ball, making it difficult for batters to hit.
Many players struggle to adapt when facing a skilled pitcher who uses a submarine ball effectively.

Synonyms

submarine pitch

vssubmarine ball

Jargon

7.5

A baseball throw made with the arm moving low, close to the ground

is the same technique but called by a different name

How Underhand

submarine ball

Jargon

6.9

sidearm

6.1

overhand pitch

6.5

Surface Forms

submarine ball singular

submarine balls plural

Morphology

submarine + ball

The noun phrase composes transparently: 'submarine' (an underhand/sidearm throw) modifies 'ball' (a pitch), so the combined meaning — a pitch delivered using a submarine/underhand motion — is directly inferable from the constituents. Although baseball-specific, the modifier+noun construction follows regular English composition, so a learner who knows both words would understand the MWE.

Etymology

The noun submarine ball comes from the image of a submarine sliding low under the water and a ball that moves very low when a pitcher throws from the side or under the arm. So, the name means 'a pitch thrown with a sidearm or underhand motion that stays low and can surprise the batter'.