Cosart to add one-seamer to repertoire

HOUSTON -- Astros right-hander Jarred Cosart plans to unveil a one-seam fastball Saturday, giving him a pitch designed to sink dramatically in the zone and that goes away to left-handers and in to right-handers. The pitch comes at the advice of pitching coach Brent Strom.

"The two-seam [fastball] is just going to have more horizontal movement, but the one-seam I'm getting more downward action, almost like my changeup but harder," Cosart said. "Probably like 90, 91, 89 [mph], somewhere in that range."

Cosart had mostly turned to two pitches, relying on his fastball and curveball while throwing an occasional changeup. The one-seam is gripped one finger on a seam and two on the leather, and Cosart said he planned to squeeze it hard like a slider.

"I think Strom wanted me to break it out sooner, but I don't want to risk my performance out there by hitting somebody or whatnot," he said. "I have a pretty good feel for it, and I'll break it out tomorrow and hopefully get some quick outs or maybe some strikeouts."

Cosart has also been working on a new grip on his changeup with Strom, and he threw a couple of changeups in his latest start.

"I've been doing a lot of different changeup grips trying to find the right one," Cosart said. "I think we did find one, but it's going to take me throwing it [more] to get feedback."