What is a Knuckleball Pitch?

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Sep 4, 2015
70
0
Georgia
My DD went to a tryout yesterday and their pitcher was throwing a knuckleball pitch. She had trouble catching it because it doesn’t spin initially, but then spins when it gets to her mitt? I’m probably not explaining that correctly, but that’s all I could gather from a fast talking 12 year old! Just interested in knowing what exactly the ball does on this pitch so she can catch it better.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
My DD can throw a knuckleball change up. In a perfect world it does not spin and seems to "float" to the catcher. You do not see it often at higher levels because the raised knuckles required to throw it are a tip to the batter on the pitch being thrown.
 
Last edited:
Jul 14, 2010
716
18
NJ/PA
Knuckleballs are hard to catch because they don't rotate. The air catches the ball's seams and can move it in a number of directions, at random. Baseball catchers who catch knuckleball pitchers generally have enormous gloves because the pitch is so unpredictable.

It's a pretty uncommon pitch in softball, except for some changeups. Tough to throw consistently for any pitcher and if it spins, it turns into a lazy fastball down the middle of the plate.
 
Nov 16, 2015
184
18
I threw a knuckleball as my change-up. It worked well for me. Self proclaimed best knuckleballer in the men's league i used to play for. I had 3 pitches. Up-spinner, down spinner and knuckleball. Unfortunately for me, when my knuckleball was moving it moved more than my up or down. I wasnt a very good pitcher, so threw the knuckleball a lot just for fun.

Knuckle balls shouldnt spin. Actually, seem to be more effective in baseball, my assumption is that they can throw it a little harder and longer distance between mound and plate. Fun to play with though and real fun to throw into the wind. Throw it right and it can dance.
 

Tom

Mar 13, 2014
222
0
Texas
"The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up."....Bob Uecker
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
A knuckleball rotates very slowly on the way to the play. It is also thrown slower than other pitches.

When thrown correctly, the seams on the ball act like rudders. So, as the ball slowly rotates on the way to the plate, the seams move the ball up, down, left and right.

The "trick' to throwing a knuckleball is to reduce the spin on the ball to almost zero. A normal pitch will do about 10 full rotations on the way to the plate. A knuckleball will do 1 or 2. If a pitch does more than 3 rotations, the pitch is simply a very slow fastball...it will not move, and it will likely end up on the other side of the fence.

It is a very difficult pitch to throw consistently. Few softball pitchers throw a true knuckleball...usually, they are throwing a changeup but call it a knuckleball.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wYydACT-uOA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Last edited:
Aug 16, 2015
129
18
I don't know about softball, but I know with a knuckleball in baseball, I could tell the batter (I was a catcher) it was coming and they still couldn't hit it if thrown right.
 
Sep 4, 2015
70
0
Georgia
I don't know about softball, but I know with a knuckleball in baseball, I could tell the batter (I was a catcher) it was coming and they still couldn't hit it if thrown right.

Is there anything you did in particular to catch that pitch or will she just figure it out? Looks like she might be on this team. I've never seen her so excited about a pitch!
 

javasource

6-4-3 = 2
May 6, 2013
1,347
48
Western NY
What is a knuckle ball pitch?

1) A baseball pitch... thrown at a greater distance with considerably less mass than a softball.
2) A ball that when thrown... changes directions faster. Known to cause neck problems in pitchers... as they are constantly looking over their shoulder to see where it lands.
3) An absolute gift to the third base coach... who in turn, shouts out the pitch to their batter on the upswing.

In all seriousness... a good pitcher spends countless hours developing every pitch they use... it might be wise to recognize the efficacy of this pitch at the next level... and direct your focus to something you can endlessly develop in the coming years.
 

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