You touched on Rich Hill, but it seems like there are several major league curveballs that are extremely effective that lack high velocity (Kershaw, Wainright, Hill, Greinke, etc. ). If movement is not driving that productivity, what do you think is? Is it location/command, arm slot, usage, tunneling, or perhaps something else? It seems like there is a highly effective way to throw a curve at low velocities, but this data cannot quite quantify it. Any thoughts on why this might be?
Kershaw does reverse tunneling for his Curve. He actively makes both end up high in the strike zone near the same spot to freeze the batter. Grenkie does something similar, but changes his throwing mechanics as well to slow it down and cause loopy movement that throws the hitter off. Even if they swing, their timing is screwed up because of the velo gap (and doesn’t help he does a leg hitch sometimes). At least that’s what I have seen. Batters expect tunneling, and when tunneling doesn’t happen it freezes them.
Really insightful video as always, seems to me a main goal of making a successful high competive curveball is simply make it like your fastball in initial stature/perception. I wonder if there are solid ways to build offspeed velo
Does spin rate on a curveball have any direct correlation to whiff rate? If you throw a less loopy faster curve ball will that affect spin rate at all?
Velocity and spin rate have a positive correlation. So at least for a fastball throwing it harder would increase spin rate. I would imagine it would be the same for breaking balls🤷♂️
What you have to have is lots of CLEAN spin, with the least amount of rifle spin as possible. Your curveball needs to look exactly like a fastball out of your hand.
I agree with this, perhaps comparing heat maps of woba based on where a curveball was located would show us a pretty simple and understandable correlation
![Top 7 Pitching Velocity Hacks to Try [Not Clickbait]](/img/n.gif)
You touched on Rich Hill, but it seems like there are several major league curveballs that are extremely effective that lack high velocity (Kershaw, Wainright, Hill, Greinke, etc. ). If movement is not driving that productivity, what do you think is? Is it location/command, arm slot, usage, tunneling, or perhaps something else? It seems like there is a highly effective way to throw a curve at low velocities, but this data cannot quite quantify it. Any thoughts on why this might be?
Kershaw does reverse tunneling for his Curve. He actively makes both end up high in the strike zone near the same spot to freeze the batter.
Grenkie does something similar, but changes his throwing mechanics as well to slow it down and cause loopy movement that throws the hitter off. Even if they swing, their timing is screwed up because of the velo gap (and doesn’t help he does a leg hitch sometimes).
At least that’s what I have seen. Batters expect tunneling, and when tunneling doesn’t happen it freezes them.
Really insightful video as always, seems to me a main goal of making a successful high competive curveball is simply make it like your fastball in initial stature/perception. I wonder if there are solid ways to build offspeed velo
Does spin rate on a curveball have any direct correlation to whiff rate? If you throw a less loopy faster curve ball will that affect spin rate at all?
Velocity and spin rate have a positive correlation. So at least for a fastball throwing it harder would increase spin rate. I would imagine it would be the same for breaking balls🤷♂️
How steep of vertical approach angle is needed?
What you have to have is lots of CLEAN spin, with the least amount of rifle spin as possible. Your curveball needs to look exactly like a fastball out of your hand.
Is this just not the place to discuss location? CB up in the zone v down. I'd bet you'd find more coorelation
I agree with this, perhaps comparing heat maps of woba based on where a curveball was located would show us a pretty simple and understandable correlation
So what about 80-82 with 2200 yet I have extremely high Efficiency on my 12-6 curveball getting roughly -10 and -1
People always talking about how hard it is to hit a major league fastball but never wanna talk about hitting an 87 mph curveball 🥴