9-CURVEBALL

The curve ball

The objective with the curve ball is to create a pitch that will appear to go straight toward the plate and then break sharply away from the hitter (right hand pitcher throwing to a right hand batter). The most frequent trajectory puts the pitch in a path to go down the middle of the plate before it breaks away to either the corner, or to a point a few inches off the corner.If you can throw the pitch so that it looks like a straight in fastball , before it breaks sharply, you will have a successful curve much of the time. A second trajectory puts the ball on the inside corner and breaks it all the way to the opposite corner. A third , is to send it toward the batter, before breaking it away toward the inside corner. By far , the best trajectory to select at higher levels , is the first.

Pitchers who do not know how to make the ball bend , but contend that they have a curve, will do well in the lower levels, before falling prey to smart hitters at the upper levels of the game. Typically, these pitchers will throw a straight fastball, with perhaps an inch or two of break. When they are throwing their curve, hey will appear to be doing about the same things they do with their fastball.

Here is how to throw the true curve:

1. Step across your power line by 3-9 inches. (later, as your skill in throwing it, you should practice stepping down the power line, or at least practice stepping, just barely over it).

2. Tilt your head and lean in the direction of the break. To do this, bend your knees slightly as you tilt your head, just before your stride foot lands. You may arch your back slightly.

3.The grip : Grip the ball so that the seams run parallel to your fingers , at the point on the ball where the seams are closest together(the narrows). Now take your first finger and curl it along the side of the ball. Curl the finger about 45 degrees. Your second finger should brace against the seam and your third finger should naturally secure the ball between the two seams. This grip should leave you with plenty of fingers along the outside half of the ball as it is in front of your hip during the release phase. This grip will provide superior torque on the ball as you snap through the pitch.

4.Arm and hand mechanics: Start the pitch as if you are throwing a fastball. As you stride forward and over the power line, your arm will circle in front of your body and up by your head at the top of the circle. By the time you get to the top of the circle try to have your hand in a loosely cupped position. This will put the arm and hand outside of the ball and the ball will appear to pass over your head with the hand outside of it. This pre- cupping action will make staying underneath the ball at release much easier. ( Don't worry about the batter detecting the pitch by observing your hand at this point, as they cannot possibly follow the arm on top of the circle, then look down to see the ball coming out of the release area). As the arm comes down the ball should pass your back hip with the hand underneath the ball and the fingers turned away from you. As you sling your hand around your waist,close and fast, the hand should remain palm up. Snap the pitch out of your hand around the belt buckle area, adjusting for accuracy as you learn the pitch. Make sure that you continue to keep the palm up. Snap the ball by flicking the fingers in toward your belt line. The ball should leave between the thumb and first finger. If you snap correctly your pitching hand will end up against your body, about waist high, thumb out and palm up. Remember, a pitch will only move as explosively as you cut(snap and release path) your hand, no matter what pitch you are throwing.

5. The finish: Once mastered the curve should leave your body slightly leaning toward the bending direction. Your shoulder will either be squared up to the plate, or barely biased in front of the glove side shoulder. Your hip will be squared up , or even a little in front as the shoulder does.The back foot may have left the ground earlier than normal and flown around, lagging behind the pitching aAltenratively, the back foot may stay on the ground, about like it would on a fastball and then set out about like a fastball.Watch to make sure you are not trying to bring your right shoulder, hip and leg around too fast and too far, even though these mechanics may assist you when you first start learning the pitch. Another variation that can be employed at first , is to over step the power line. That is, cross over it as you stride, further than normal, even to the edge of the legal limit. The overstepping should help you get the feel for curving the ball , as it forces your hand to get around the hip and to do so in a curving path. However, the overstep will produce a rounded, less explosive movement. To create a sharp , bending curve, the moderate overstep and the slight body lean must be employed.