Comments on: 7 Famous Baseball Pitches (and some physics behind them)

By: billjohn

billjohn — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:17:00 +0000

the knuckle curve has nothing to do with a knuckleball. its a type of grip for the curve ball where you tuck your index finger in, placing your knuckle on the ball and your middle finger on the seam so it looks like you’re giving the finger. it gives you so much more torque when you snap it so the spin is much, much tighter as compared to barry zitos “once” gigantic looping curve.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:19:00 +0000

It would be difficult to describe the physics of the knuckleball. Even the greatest KB pitcher of his era – Phil Niekro – always said he had no idea where the ball was going until it crossed the plate. That’s why it was so dangerous!

By: Eric E

Eric E — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:47:00 +0000

HAHA cole. At least im not quoting Wikipedia on everything i say.
Your first comment was debatable but you took your second right from the same page.

By: PartiallyDeflected

PartiallyDeflected — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:24:00 +0000

and there’s the infamous “Vulcan curve” where the ball is jammed between the middle two fingers – seriously.

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:11:00 +0000

Good article – I’ve always been a huge baseball fan and wondered how this stuff worked.

(although, there are two #3′s on this list, so you actually gave us seven pitches. bonus baseball!)

reCAPTCHA is Tom Jesup, who Wikipedia tells me was a general during the Second Seminole War. Crazy stuff.

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Burt Blylevyn probably had the best curveball of the modern era. Practically unhitable. His other pitches, not so much.

By: Cole

Cole — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:09:00 +0000

Eric, are you serious? Any fan, even a Yankees fan, would know a knuckle curve is NOT AT ALL a knuckleball. It’s a CURVE ball thrown with force and spin, but with a grip similar to a knuckleball. The physics of a knuckle curve have as much to do with a knuckleball as Reggie Jackson does with common decency.

By: Eric E

Eric E — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:57:00 +0000

What about Moose’s Knuckle Curveball. That’ll take on Wakefields anyday. Any Red sox fan would know the Yankee lineup too.

By: Cole

Cole — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Great idea for an article. But Wakefield is pitching tonight!!! You really should update this and add the knuckleball. He and Dickey (Mariners) are the only knuckleballers in the whole league.

By: n2y2

n2y2 — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:10:00 +0000

No mention of the knuckle ball? It has the most interesting physics.