DropDeadFread
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Oct 21, 2016 3:43 AM
DropDeadFread
45908
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53
GunstarHero
Thanks for getting Fernandez in there with a beauty. RIP
perseco
Let's not forget that nasty Darvish slider...
v
GeekStrong
"Public Enemy #1" ~ Vin Scully on that Clayton Kershaw curveball.
sikzik
Awesome post @Op!
smithdogg22
ProbablyHot
50's Babba Booey impression
SAH86
Pitcher in 2 left baseball because of smoking weed and tended bar in AZ. A scout randomly found him and he's had a respectable career
ChasingAustin
Crack
fumblemetuna
R A Dickey! Not a Mets fan but I love a knuckleballer!
serenityred
I used to pitch in fastpitch softball. I HAAAAATED throwing for lefties. Screwed my groove up.
MyGODitsFullOfJeffs
RUN HOME JACK! RUN HOME JACK!
YoureTheBIGmarriageExpertOhIMsorryiForgotYourWifeIsDead
Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock
DropDeadFread
My boooooy! No, my boy!
findyourway14
Rufi- Ohhhhh!
stefandeseve
Smee, no, no, no! They've got it backwards! Tell them to turn it around!
wobuckman
HOME RUN JACK HOME RUN JACK
wobuckman
Good form !
mediocrelygoodlooking
Klayton fuckin kershaw
CorneliusBreadington
MikeMcAwesome91
Oh so that's he's saying
JimmySmits
How the fuck does anyone ever hit a knuckle ball?
GunstarHero
How does anyone ever catch it?
DropDeadFread
They use bigger catchers mitts. Also, each team carries two catchers and one is usually better at catching knuckle balls. Sometimes its OJT.
KeyserHD
MLB knucklers have special catchers that go from team to team with them that specialise in knuckleballs.
kurastwolf
As a famous Knuckleball catcher once said, "wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up." - Bob Uecker
Lew4731
My best friend was a knuckleballer. I was his catcher since childhood. No one could hit it in college, but no one could catch it, either.
upvoteDogs22
When they are on, most people don't. When they are off it's like batting practice for pros.
Celebrimbor
What does on/off refer to for the pitch?
CodySage
If you throw it right (on) or not (off), a knuckle ball will move around randomly if thrown right, if wrong it's a slow steady feed
daugbret
It has a high margin of error for the pitcher, if they're not at their best it can easily become a simple pitch to hit.
daugbret
Also, their arm gets tired after a while, further reducing their accuracy and execution.
Jester269
My dad throws a mean knuckle ball maybe 1/4 turn on the threads. Always impressed me could never duplicate.
sirnickothy
Close your eyes, swing, and hope
DropDeadFread
It's the hardest pitch to throw. Sometimes it's on, other times not. If they aren't on, batters just tee-off on them. Theyre only @ 70-80mph
fr1080f
It's funny that a slow pitch is only 70-80mph
perseco
That's pretty standard for a sharp curve. A low-60s eephus pitch will really kick your ass though.
Krzyjoe
They're not usually 80. Wakefield dipped into the 60s.
WhippedVoltage
TIMMY!!!
DropDeadFread
Dickey's is in the mid 80s. But I'm aware that's not normal.
MarioBoon
With a baseball bat, duh
CloudCider
The knuckle ball is high risk/reward. Really hard to hit but if it doesn't knuckle it's batting practice.
EdawSlohcih
The catchers tracking that shit is just as impressive.
GLORYTOHYPNOTOAD
As a former catcher, that's why communication of the pitch to the pitcher is so important. BP sessions are super important
DropDeadFread
Think about how much it hurts your hand.
LuckyDirt
Not much really, not if you catch it correctly.
theyallfloatdownhere
Very impressive but the catcher knows what the pitchers is throwing each pitch
thatswhatyouthink
Not with the knuckleballers.
EdawSlohcih
I know, but still enough variance to require amazing skill to track.
KeyserHD
Once you catch each pitchers pitches about 5 times you know how much they move so it's not hard at all... knuckle balls are a differentstory
TheRicM
Yes, but nah just kidding that's enough
Camelspotting
In #3 you can just see him go "ah shit I have no idea where this is going."
TheRicM
"ah shit I have no idea where this is going."- that guy, probably
TheLonelyLighthouse
The best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait for it to stop rolling and pick it up.
Krzyjoe
I'm pretty sure he closed his eyes. Which doesn't actually lower your chances of catching a knuckleball.
ProbablyHot
No lie. Especially a 70mph+ one
GdSvThQn
And since that looks like the mets I'm guessing it was R.A. Dickey before he decided to suck so it might have even been in the 80s.
BaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaBATMAN
I know nothing about baseball. What happens if they miss the catch?
snooabusiness
If a runner is on base they can steal a base... just realized how little sense that probably makes to you...
MasonKaufman
well, if someones unlucky, a fastball going 80+ mph nails then and probably shatters something, if everyone is quick and lucky it just sails
BaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaNaBATMAN
I meant in context of the game rules.
daugbret
Batter has to run to 1st.
smudgymc
If it's the third strike, to complete the out
ggwhorea
If catcher fails to catch the ball anyone onbase can advance at their own risk. Batter: must be 2-strike 3-ball count to attempt run @ 1st.
PressmanPressmanPressmanMD
Mostly true. Doesn't need to be 3 balls. If the batter strikes out at any point on a passed ball they can try to run to first base
GaiusOrpheus
I'm no baseball fan but there's no fucking way like half of those are in the strike zone.
NOINOON
Can anyone refer to a non-TLDR version of the rules that specify what constitutes as a valid pitch?
Notme68
see above
dougiefresha
Over the plate, knees to letters (major strike zones tend to be a little smaller)
Camelspotting
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strike_zone
StephanieWasTheTrueVillainOfLazyTown
If it goes through the (invisible) strike box, it's valid. Otherwise, it's invalid.
Notme68
Of course not. Making a batter swing at a pitch out-side the zone is a large part of it.
Notme68
Outside curving in or inside curving out
Ravenuser
So, it's not a strike, but you stress out and tire the batter?
minuteye
If the batter swings and misses, it's always a strike.
Ravenuser
Thank you, I don't know the rules. Seems fair: if the batter sees that the ball is going to be "out", he shouldn't swing. Got it.
Ravenuser
But then again, with a curving ball like those shown here, you never know if it will be in or out.
minuteye
1/ Exactly, often with a pitch like a curveball the idea is to trick the batter into swinging at a pitch that he can't possibly hit.