The Splitter

[Parfigliano]

Isn't a splitter what they used to call a fork ball?  Years ago when a RHP threw a pitch that broke sharply down and in on a RH bat it was a fork ball.  Years before that it was called a screw ball.  Same pitch now called a splitter.

Why?

[Trov]

There are differences, rather slight, but they are not the same pitch.  The splitter is normally held on laces on the finger tips.  This will produce more spin with slightly more control.  The fork ball is not held on the laces and will have much less spin, more similar to a knuckle ball. The screw ball is held more like a curve ball or slider, but you snap the arm the opposite way it is normally done, causing the break to opposite way a curve or slider normally would.