The knuckle ball. Where did it go?

[Fish Oil]

Truly amazing.

Please delete if this has already been posted.

[Erstad Grit]

There was a short time we had a knuckleball SP in consecutive years. 

Steve Sparks, Dennis Springer, Tom Candiotti was in spring one year.

I love when there are 1 or 2 in the league. Dickey was insane with his. 

 

 

[Docwaukee]

I love the knuckle ball and that's a cool video.  

I remember when we used to warm up before games and you'd be in pairs of two down the outfield line on the side of your dugout.  Pretty much everyone would be throwing knuckle balls to each other.  It was kinda dangerous actually as once in awhile one would really dance and someone would take it right in the pucker.  I remember one of our coaches passing by with 'Goddammit, knock it off with that knuckle ball crap!'  

[Dtwncbad]

Where did it go?

A little to the left, then suddenly to the right, then dropped a little. . .

[Angel Oracle]

HOFer Hoyt Wilhelm was the first one that the Halos had, in 1969.

At age 46, he put up a 2.47 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP in 65 innings in 1969.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[Dtwncbad]

I have wondered why an elite knuckleball pitcher couldn't pitch on 1-2 days rest in a critical postseason series. . . or heck even start back-to-back games if he is dealing.

There is just no way throwing the ball at 70 mph has the same fatigue on the arm as throwing 95.

[Jeremiah]

It’s too bad that few coaches really teach it anymore. It can prolong the careers of pitchers, and as has been noted, it puts much less strain on the arm, allowing pitchers to go on shorter rest. I’d like to see it come back.

[AngelStew43]

If you're throwing it at 70, it is probably a little too hard.  I played with it a little when I pitched, threw one to a friend, he said, "What the h*** was that?"

Knuckleball, I said.  Wanted me to teach him.  I said, it took three winters of playing with it just to get it to work sometimes.  

A ML pitcher that could throw one exclusively could probably start every 3 days. 

[Angel Oracle]

Wilbur Wood pitched 376 innings and 359 innings in back-to-back seasons.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[WicketMaiden]

55 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

HOFer Hoyt Wilhelm was the first one that the Halos had, in 1969.

At age 46, he put up a 2.47 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP in 65 innings in 1969.

Wow, he must have had a fine catcher to hit that number. I love a knuckleballer but I do feel for the poor sod behind the plate who has to receive them. 

[oldguy]

15 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Wilbur Wood pitched 376 innings and 359 innings in back-to-back seasons.

Including starting both games of a doubleheader!

[Tank]

9 minutes ago, oldguy said:

Including starting both games of a doubleheader!

seriously, @Angel Oracle, how did you leave this one out?

[Tank]

if you learned how to throw it well, you could make a pretty good living. i wish we'd see more pitchers try it. 

and @Dochalo i think anyone who played any kind of organized baseball tried to throw a knuckler. it was fun to play around with. i never threw it enough to get very good at it but there were a couple of moments it would dance a wee bit.

i taught myself how to throw a forkball. that was a fun one because the spin was so different. i could even throw one with a regular sized softball - that was even more fun.

[Fish Oil]

37 minutes ago, WicketMaiden said:

Wow, he must have had a fine catcher to hit that number. I love a knuckleballer but I do feel for the poor sod behind the plate who has to receive them. 

I remember Steve Yeager complaining about Wilhelm when I was a kid. If I remember correctly, Yeager had a special mitt made just to catch Wilhelm.

[Duren, Duren]

It was fun watching Wood, Wilhelm, Eddie Fisher, and others on the mound. Throwing with a minimal windup, the ball slowly dipping and fluttering. The catcher unsure what direction to lean or reach.

And with the better pitchers it was damned effective. Little arm strain, treated as oddball specialty gimmick stuff, but effective.

There should be more attention to these type of unusual skills. I also miss the screwball. Mike Marshall was the master, and won aCy Young award with it as a reliever. Also could have more submarine and side arm specialists. They can be really good if they have excellent control.

Pitching is about deceiving the batter. Not just throwing smoke. 

 

[Lou]

These days, batters would take the walk.

[Angel Oracle]

Clyde Wright went from 1 win in 1969 to 22 wins in 1970, because of his screwball improving.

[T.G.]

It's like Kareem's sky hook in basketball.  It's a lost art.  It's too bad too.

[Angels 1961]

1 hour ago, Angel Oracle said:

Wilbur Wood pitched 376 innings and 359 innings in back-to-back seasons.

I believe he pitched both ends of a DH once.

[Angels 1961]

32 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Clyde Wright went from 1 win in 1969 to 22 wins in 1970, because of his screwball improving.

Then he got BBQ stand at stadium.

[Tank]

17 minutes ago, Angels 1961 said:

I believe he pitched both ends of a DH once.

 

1 hour ago, oldguy said:

Including starting both games of a doubleheader!

craig pitched both ends of a doubleheader, too.

[Angelsfan1984]

The answer is over the fence

[eligrba]

3 hours ago, Dochalo said:

I love the knuckle ball and that's a cool video.  

I remember when we used to warm up before games and you'd be in pairs of two down the outfield line on the side of your dugout.  Pretty much everyone would be throwing knuckle balls to each other.  It was kinda dangerous actually as once in awhile one would really dance and someone would take it right in the pucker.  I remember one of our coaches passing by with 'Goddammit, knock it off with that knuckle ball crap!'  

Bob Uecker had the best explanation on how to catch a knuckle ball.  Obviously, someone didn't heed the advice.

[Redondo]

1 hour ago, eligrba said:

Bob Uecker had the best explanation on how to catch a knuckle ball.  Obviously, someone didn't heed the advice.

Do tell

[Blarg]

Former catcher and current announcer, Bob Uecker, once said, “I always thought the knuckleball was the easiest to catch. Wait till it stops rolling, then go to the backstop and pick it up.”