Is the knuckle curve a good pitch?

Is the knuckle curve a good pitch?

The first, more common pitch called the knuckle curve is really a standard curveball, thrown with one or more of the index or mean fingers bent. According to practitioners, this gives them a better grip on the ball and allows for tighter spin and greater movement.

How is a knuckle curve supposed to move?

Grip. There are a few different ways to grip and throw a knuckle-curve. For pitchers who emphasize the curveball aspects of the pitch (bending one finger so that a knuckle is on the ball), a knuckle-curve is basically just a curveball that spins and moves slower.

What is the path of a slider pitch?

In baseball, a slider is a breaking ball pitch that tails laterally and down through the batter’s hitting zone; it is thrown with less speed than a fastball but greater than the pitcher’s curveball.

Can you throw a knuckle curve?

To throw a knuckle curve ball, place your middle finger just to the left of the long seam in the horseshoe made by the seams of the ball. Then curl your index finger up like a knuckle-ball. Next, throw the knuckle curve ball over the top, pulling the ball down to get tumbling action.

How many pitchers throw a knuckle curve?

These two versions of knuckle curveball are thrown by about 75 active major leaguers, according to my count, yet the perception still seems to be that the knuckle curve is something of a novelty pitch.

How is a pitcher supposed to throw a knuckle curve?

There are a few different ways to grip and throw a knuckle-curve. The basic premise is that at least one of the pitcher’s fingers is bent while holding the ball — like a knuckleball — while the pitcher maintains the snap of the wrist that is synonymous with a curveball. Think of the pitch as a spectrum between a knuckleball and a curveball.

What are the parameters of a right handed slider?

Figure 14: Numerical trajectory of a slider delivered by a right-handed pitcher. The solid and dashed curves show the vertical and horizontal displacements of the ball, respectively. The parameters for this pitch are mph, , rpm, , and . The ball passes over the plate at about seconds after it is released by the pitcher.

How does a pitcher throw a slider in baseball?

Sliders are very effective in confusing a hitter’s timing. Sliders are thrown a lot like fastballs too. The pitcher puts his index and middle fingers together against the seam of the ball and makes his middle finger give the ball its thrust when delivering a pitch.

How does the Spike and knuckle grip affect the curveball?

Additionally, the spin data suggests that rotation rate on knuckle curves is roughly equivalent. The spike and knuckle grip group was therefore able to add speed to the pitch without sacrificing spin deflection. A pitch thrown faster has less time to drop due to gravity and drag.