The fosh, fosh ball, or fosh change is a seldom used pitch in Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 described as "a cross between a split-fingered pitch and a straight change-up". It is designed to fool a batter

Batting (baseball)

In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...

 expecting a fastball

Fastball

The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...

 to have to contend with a slower pitch. The pitch has a grip like a fastball, but the index and middle fingers are spread slightly across the baseball, and the ring and little finger wrap around the side of the ball. If thrown properly, it has characteristics like a breaking change-up or an off-speed split-finger fastball

Split-finger fastball

A split-finger fastball or splitter is a pitch in baseball. It is named after the technique of putting the index and middle finger on different sides of the ball, or "splitting" them. When thrown hard, it appears to be a fastball to the batter, but suddenly "drops off the table" towards home...

.

The origin of the fosh is unknown. Mike Boddicker

Mike Boddicker

For the similarly named musician , see Michael BoddickerMichael James "Mike" Boddicker was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles , Boston Red Sox , Kansas City Royals , and Milwaukee Brewers...

 was the first pitcher known to throw it, having tried it in the 1980s. As pitching coach for the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

, Al Nipper

Al Nipper

Albert Samuel Nipper is an American professional baseball coach and a former Major League pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians...

 taught the pitch to Jeff Suppan

Jeff Suppan

Jeffrey Scot Suppan , is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-Baseball career:Suppan was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 1993 amateur draft, and rapidly ascended to the Majors making his debut at the age of 20...

 in 1995, and Tom Gordon

Tom Gordon

Thomas Gordon , nicknamed "Flash", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played with the Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , Chicago Cubs , Houston Astros , Chicago White Sox , New York Yankees , Philadelphia Phillies and the...

 and Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens

William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...

 in 1996. Other pitchers who have used it in a game are Jason Frasor

Jason Frasor

Jason Andrew Frasor is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball. He made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in , and he had a 4.08 ERA in 63 games....

, Trevor Hoffman

Trevor Hoffman

Trevor William Hoffman is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During his 18-year career from 1993 to 2010, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, spending years of his career with the Padres. A long-time closer, he is the Major...

, Johan Santana

Johan Santana

Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....

, Carl Pavano

Carl Pavano

Carl Anthony Pavano is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher currently with the Minnesota Twins.-Early career:...

, Carlos Rosa

Carlos Rosa

Carlos Rosa Mayi is a Major League Baseball pitcher who currently plays for the Chiba Lotte Marines in Nippon Professional Baseball....

.

There are various etymologies for the term fosh. According to The Neyer/James guide to pitchers: an historical compendium of pitching, pitchers, and pitches, three derivations are known. One is that Earl Weaver

Earl Weaver

Earl Sidney Weaver is a former Major League Baseball manager. He spent his entire 17-year managerial career with the Baltimore Orioles . Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.-Playing career:After playing for Beaumont High School in St...

 described it as "a cross between a fastball and a dead fish". Another is a description by David Nied

David Nied

David Glen Nied is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.-Career:Nied attended Duncanville High School. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft...

, who said the term sounds "like the perfect word for the movement of the pitch". A third derivation, from Al Nipper, is that fosh is an acronym for "full of ...".