what is the proper way to throw a curveball?

Answer 1

Start off with a two seam fastball grip and move your index finger over so that it is next to your middle finger on the seam on the right (for a righty pitcher). Your throwing mechanics should be almost the same as a fastball with the exception of your wrist, which should be to the outside of the ball (3rd base side for a righty) and instead of pushing with your fingers as you would with a fastball, you flick your wrist forward in order to get the nice topspin that makes the ball drop faster. Two tips for beginning to throw the curveball is that instead of having your thumb fully suppotring the ball, it should be tucked under the ball so that it is next to the bottom of your palm. Here, Bonderman isnt using a curveball grip, but his thumb is what you should look at here.

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2004/fantasy/09/03/grey.matter/p1_bonderman_all.jpg

One other pointer that might help is that instead of using both fingers, start with a two seam fastball grip and just lift your index finger off the ball and control with just your middle finger. When you reach high school and college level ball (if you decide to keep playing) this grip should only be used as practice because batters will be able to pick up your raised finger.

Remember that when you start that you wont see the ball drop like Barry Zito's demon curve, you have to get the grip and throw right before you can start throwing it faster in order for it to start moving to where it might throw batters off. Professional pitches tend to throw the curve 10 - 15 mph slower than their fastball, so dont worry about the pitch being really slow at first. Stick to the fundamentals and practice.

Answer 2

If you're under the age of 13 you shouldnt be throwing a curveball. That being said, the arm action of a curveball should be the same as throwing a fastball, as to not tip off the batter of the upcoming pitch. The wrist action is key to a good curveball; its the same motion as turning a doorhandle, clockwise for a righty, counterclockwise for a lefty.
Ive found that placing your fingers where you feel comfortable on the ball is more important than a basic set position. Arm and wrist action are key, finger placement will come over time.
Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Place the ball against your middle finger on the "horseshoe" part of the ball. You will have your index and middle fingers together. Placing them on this part of the ball will cause it to catch all four seams and allow for more break. You can also throw it from any angle when holding the ball like this. Take your same motion you would take as if throwing a fastball, and snap your wrist on delivery. It will take some time to perfect it, but you will eventually be able to control it. A good strikeout pitch is a straight overhand curveball. Really good pitch to throw when you have the batter 0 and 2. The ball will start at the hitter's head, and end up catching the strike zone. It looks like it's going to be a ball, but will break downwards quickly.

Answer 4

RE: How do you throw a appropriate curveball, slider, slurve and cutter? I even have been attempting for a mutually as with some progression yet I nonetheless won't be able to be waiting to get that lots circulate on the ball. Is there any common thank you to throw those pitches? My pitch has a organic curve and that i will for sure pull of the cutter particularly properly yet i could nonetheless % to enhance thank you in strengthen

Answer 5

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO STEP 4!!!!

The Steps to a Good Curveball...

STEP 1: Keep your pitch a secret -- don’t let the batter know it’s coming! A mistake often made by pitchers at every level is that they “tip” the batter to the pitch they are going to throw; in other words, the batter knows what pitch to expect. You can gain the upper-hand on the batter by following two basic rules even before you go into your windup: a) hide the ball in your glove, and b) have the ball already in the proper curveball grip. The best way to hide the ball is by having a closed web glove, opposed to an H-web glove, where the batter has a clear view of the ball and your grip.

STEP 2: Expect each pitch you are going to throw to be a curveball. If you have to “dig” into your glove to get the proper grip after you receive the curveball sign from the catcher the hitter is going to know what is coming. It is much easier to change your fingers to a fastball grip than it is to properly grip a curveball while the ball is already in your glove.

STEP 3: Grip the ball by placing your middle finger on the inside half of the seam and apply pressure to the ball. Your index finger should stay as close to your middle finger as possible. If you cannot comfortably grip the ball with these two fingers touching or nearly touching, then your hand is too small and you should wait for your hand to grow before trying to add this pitch to your repertoire. Your ring and pinkie finger should rest under the ball with only your ring finger in contact with the baseball. The ideal location for your ring finger is to have its “door knocking knuckle” on the seam (the same side of the baseball as your middle finger). Finally, the side of your thumb, and not the pad of the finger, should rest directly on the top of the seam. Your thumb and middle and ring finger should all be in contact with a seam, preferably the “horseshoe,” the wide part of a baseball. Another way to look at it is to have your fingers going with the seams opposed to against them to ensure optimal control.

STEP 4: Deliver the baseball to your target. The mechanics of pitching a baseball stay the same, however, the angle by which your hand is positioned as it accelerates toward home plate is what makes the ball live up to its name...curve. This action involves NO “snapping” or “twisting” of the wrist. This popular belief is a good way to spend a considerable amount of time on the disabled list. The proper arm action and angle of your hand is very similar to pulling down a window shade or doing the tomahawk-chop at a Braves game. For right-handers, your palm should be facing first base as you prepare to release the baseball, and this angle should continue as you follow-through (third base for lefties.)

Once the ball is released, the curveball’s trajectory is from north to south. While a slider runs east to west, an ideal curveball is commonly referred to as “dropping off the table” or by going from “12-6” on a clock.

Tips & Warnings

You can also try gripping the ball between and along the seams. Spread your fingers apart slightly and press your middle finger into the ball. Go with the grip that allows you a comfortable release, the proper spin and maximum control.

Develop your fastball and change-up and its placement before moving ahead to other pitches such as a curveball. Also, the belief that “well, I’ll only throw a couple” is not a good strategy. Damage to young, immature arms can happen swiftly and nag the athlete throughout his playing days. It is not something that is progressive or can be staved off by limiting how many you throw in a given start. My advice for any young pitcher out there is to work on your mechanics and your fastball and how to consistently throw baseball’s most effective pitch— a strike!

What slows down your arm? Your body. Just like how your back should stop your bat when swinging, your left hip (for righties) is responsible to stop your arm. To stop your arm before it reaches your hip means you had to start de-accelerating the very thing that gives you velocity—arm speed—before even releasing the baseball. This also puts a lot of added stress on the elbow and shoulder.

Throwing a curveball can cause serious and possibly permanent damage to your shoulder, elbow and wrist. For this reason, most managers and coaches advise that young players avoid this pitch until they reach physical maturity.

Answer 6

I would agree with Chris L on the age issue. If you're in the 13-14 age group you have no business throwing a curve ball. Those kids need to focus on repeating their delivery, changing speeds and hitting spots on both sides of the plate.

Having said that, I've always used the index and middle finger on the seams (thumb underneath), and snap the wrist down.

Answer 7

As much as I'd like to go clicking away on the thumbs up from others who have posted before me, here is my two cents. A curve ball is any pitch that breaks in a manner other than linear travel toward home plate. In this sense, a slider, splitter, forkball, cutter, slurve, palmball, and knuckle could be described as breaking pitches yet not a curve. The definition of a curve, -negating splitter, cutter, slider, and palmball- is a continual bending pitch that will travel downward.

This leaves the traditional Curve, 12-6 Curve, Slurve, Screwball, and Knuckle Curve. All of which have different bending arcs, yet all will tapper downward in their approach to home plate. Proper pitching mechanics of all these pitches will have some different little twist to them.

A traditional curve ball is thrown with the index finger being the key point. Having top spin, created by throwing so that the index finger travels forward over the surface of the ball will create the breaking action. The plane of travel and breaking direction is in direct coorelation to the axis of spin.

A true 12-6 has an axis of spin parallel to the ground, with the two poles perpendicular to the forward travel. Tilting the y-axis forward and backward in this case makes no change to the direction of the curve. Yet rotating the z-axis left or right will change the break left or right. Top spin in continuous motion makes the curve ball curve.

The Knuckle Curve is thrown as the exception to my rules. The index finger is knuckled and the middle finger is on the seam. As you release the standard forward motion will continue and the index finger (depending on arm speed and release point) will generate a slight breaking motion left or right. If you're like me you'll end up throwing a fouled up looking slider.

A screw ball is thrown a few different ways and some will argue its just an odd angle fastball. I've thrown it by following through and mimic'ing spider-man doing his web slinging. Which is horrible mechanics, physically destructive, and by no ways should it be mirrored. Others have thrown it by having the index and middle fingers outward (on top of the ball) at the release and then following through. Some have thrown it with the index and middle fingers directly upward and letting the ball roll over the other two fingers with side spin. If you can, look up some pictures of Jim Mecir and his Screw Ball.

By throwing in a traditional fast ball manner (without a baseball), raise your index finger and middle finger. As you follow through with your pitch, your thumb should be outward making an L. Continuing your follow through, rotate the entire fore arm and wrist so that you will be pointing at your target as if your hand was a gun, thumb upward. The rotation of the fore arm and wrist will more evenly disperse the stress through out the arm.

Thats the conceptual, now for the practical application. The starter curve as it is described has the index finger raised off the ball. This is to allow for beginners to create break with less effort. The philosophy is that one less finger is in the way. Standard curve ball motion relies on both index and middle fingers to hide the pitch (one each side of the seam). The power curve however relies more heavily on the index finger, so shift the index finger onto a seam, and the middle finger on the white of the ball.

For a simple practice of mechanics, lay on your back, and toss a baseball into the air. The point being to have a fluid motion and follow through so that your right arm ends at your left side (reverse for lefties). This will get you ready for proper arm de acceleration when you're on the mound.

Answer 8

its really hard to describe the exact way to throw a curve but i'll tell you a good drill to practice. its might sound wierd but trust me on this. get a pringles bottle or even a pop bottle an throw it from a close range, working on a top over bottom spin. this will help you stay on top of your curve an get the break your looking for.

Answer 9

I think you put our middle and index finger parallel on a seam and then bring your hand as far up over your head and twist from your elbow.