Backdoor Curve

[JAD]

I am not a physics major and it has been awhile since I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but I think as the ball decelerates, the spin has a great effect on the movement of the ball, which creates the appearance of late break. Gravity also helps...

 

[riseball]

Tips on backdoor curve? Differences or changes to be made from the normal spot? Also, how do you change a "late break"?

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Back to your OP let's describe a backdoor curve as a pitch that breaks into the strike zone versus away. My understanding is that it picked up this name because on a perfect day it would enter the back half or "back door" of the plate for a called strike.

Understand that any pitch that breaks into the zone is a high risk pitch because if it breaks too much it is a fatty. So before you even consider throwing a back door curve you better have the ability to throw a curve with excellent command and consistency. Beyond that it is just a curveball thrown to an unconventional location. The mechanics need not change, just need to own the pitch and throw it.

As to the late break, I have yet to see any pitcher control when a pitch breaks. However, if you look at my post above you can see that a decent curve will break more, sometimes considerably more toward the end of the pitch than the beginning, giving it the "late break". Assuming proper spin axis, the more spin the more break. Focus on getting a proper spin axis, and high spin rate and do not worry about when the pitch breaks.

 

[CasshendyB]

Back to your OP let's describe a backdoor curve as a pitch that breaks into the strike zone versus away. My understanding is that it picked up this name because on a perfect day it would enter the back half or "back door" of the plate for a called strike.

Understand that any pitch that breaks into the zone is a high risk pitch because if it breaks too much it is a fatty. So before you even consider throwing a back door curve you better have the ability to throw a curve with excellent command and consistency. Beyond that it is just a curveball thrown to an unconventional location. The mechanics need not change, just need to own the pitch and throw it.

As to the late break, I have yet to see any pitcher control when a pitch breaks. However, if you look at my post above you can see that a decent curve will break more, sometimes considerably more toward the end of the pitch than the beginning, giving it the "late break". Assuming proper spin axis, the more spin the more break. Focus on getting a proper spin axis, and high spin rate and do not worry about when the pitch breaks.

Thank you. How do get it to the unconventional location though? What exactly needs to happen with your body to change the original direction of the pitch? It's hard for me to grasp bc your snapping the ball to the outside and finishing outside. How do you continue to get proper spin but directed inside?

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[Ken B]

Instead of making it a completely different pitch with different mechanics to hit a spot, just use the same CB but thrown to a different spot.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I am not a physics major and it has been awhile since I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express, but I think as the ball decelerates, the spin has a great effect on the movement of the ball, which creates the appearance of late break. Gravity also helps...

But there was a physics major with a Doctorate that dispelled the myth of the "late break" in the 46 page "riseball spin" thread.

There are all sorts of graphs, charts, and facts in that thread...

 

[riseball]

Actually with respect to a curve ball with is a totally different pitch than a rise Dr. Nathan agreed that the ball does break more in the latter part of the pitch. His findings are aligned with NASA (the folks who landed us on the moon) and the JPL on this one.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Actually with respect to a curve ball with is a totally different pitch than a rise Dr. Nathan agreed that the ball does break more in the latter part of the pitch. His findings are aligned with NASA (the folks who landed us on the moon) and the JPL on this one.

Break more or late break? Dr. Nathan was quite clear on this and I would encourage others to read through that thread and his other published papers on the web.

"I agree late break is a myth, at least in the sense that the trajectory of pitched balls are pretty much governed by the laws of physics, which tell us that the trajectory has to be pretty smooth. And certainly the constant-acceleration fit to the trajectory is necessarily smooth, as your comment indicates. However, it is also true that there is a *perception* of late break. In my view, the challenge to pitchf/x analyzers is to identify the characteristics of the smooth trajectory that give rise to the perception of late break.

Posted by: Alan Nathan"

 

[riseball]

Break more or late break? Dr. Nathan was quite clear on this and I would encourage others to read through that thread and his other published papers on the web.

"I agree late break is a myth, at least in the sense that the trajectory of pitched balls are pretty much governed by the laws of physics, which tell us that the trajectory has to be pretty smooth. And certainly the constant-acceleration fit to the trajectory is necessarily smooth, as your comment indicates. However, it is also true that there is a *perception* of late break. In my view, the challenge to pitchf/x analyzers is to identify the characteristics of the smooth trajectory that give rise to the perception of late break.

Posted by: Alan Nathan"

When a ball moves significantly more in the last 1/3 of the pitch, what is that if not a late break? Splitting hairs and mental masturbation is fun but lets keep it real! You have a graphic from NASA that clearly shows otherwise.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

You have a graphic from NASA that clearly shows otherwise.

Fake news!