Is it Smart to Throw a Curveball High In the Strike Zone?

[@stevel6220]

Coach, I like how you explain things in terms of what is likely to or could happen. Where will a particular pitch miss and what can happen on that kind of miss? This is how young pitchers should think. Lots of folks treat pitching like brain surgery and assume you can always hit your spots and that isn't very realistic.

[@DanBlewett]

yeah, its really just all about expected and probable outcomes

[@joastips7825]

yeah coach, all you said is right, very dangerous pitch to use as a strategy

[@josephmannix5120]

First pitch no one is expecting a high curve

[@DanBlewett]

GOT HEEEEEEM

[@Caudata_]

I agree with your conclusion and the reasoning. Completely relies on command being pretty exceptional and not something that most pitchers will find value in practicing. Miss high and you probably won't get a chase. Miss low, which is more likely given the break direction of the pitch, and you are asking for trouble.

[@DanBlewett]

yep 100%!

[@Caudata_]

@@DanBlewett I'm a big believer in not pigeon-holing pitches , like "2 seam is always low+inside!", but you've got 1/2, maybe 2/3, the zone to do good things with a curve let's not make things harder than they have to be.

[@gcbros6482]

I Love pitching high and low fastballs, inside two-seamer, low outside and inside curveball, and inside and outside slider, depending on the batter.

[@gcbros6482]

Thanks for the great tip! My coach was very impressed with My improvements, I fooled so many of My teammates. You are the best pitching coach!

[@dcowboys107]

Hey Coach, I’m 31 and have been taking weekly pitching lessons for two months now in preparation for spring adult league ball. I’ve watched a lot of your videos which have helped me learn the basic concepts and understand the feedback I’m receiving. I’m training primarily as a knuckleball pitcher and supplement with a curveball and four-seam fastball. As I practice, my coach is helping me design my sequence and location strategy and a high curveball is part of it. Since my knuckleball starts at least around shoulder level, and I throw it 80% of the time, I tunnel the rest of my pitches from there, with a high-fastball to set up a curveball that drops from ball to strike as you describe. The hardest part for me is to throw the high fastball since naturally I want to throw it lower and glove side to have the most power. Not always an issue since sometimes I’m just wanting to throw a fastball for strikes but can be an issue when I’m trying to change eye level to setup the curve ball. Any thoughts? My knuckleball gets good movement and break because I’m throwing it hard thanks to improved fastball mechanics and strength from practicing it. I got into baseball because I’m a big R.A. Dickey fan and wanted to play like him before I got too old.

[@DanBlewett]

nothing is going to tunnel with a knuckleball - the slowness of it (and thus the arc of it) will make it completely unlike any other pitch. So that strategy doesnt make any real sense to me. Where the pitch ends up in the zone has nothing to do with tunneling - only the initial trajectory. The knuckleball wont be even close in initial trajectory to any other pitch because of how slow and loopy it will be compared to others. And high curveballs that end up in the strike zone tunnel only with fastballs that are about a foot above the strike zone - so thats also not an effective strategy because youre tunneling high curveballs with fastballs that arent even close to being strikes. You should re-evaluate in general.

[@dcowboys107]

@@DanBlewett Hey Coach, thanks for replying. My coach didn’t care if the high fastball is for ball. I think it’s a pitch used 1-2x in a mound appearance to keep batters from constantly awaiting the knuckleball to drop and to setup a curveball if desired (my inference). My biggest focus has been throwing my knuckleball hard (minimal loopiness) for strikes and to have those two other pitches available that I can throw for strikes as well. I’m making sure to keep my mechanics consistent since you said one of the issues knuckleball pitchers encounter is having two sets of mechanics. I’ve relied heavily on your pitching mechanics videos and do not change what I do because following your steps does generate more velocity and movement for my knuckleball and it’s one less thing to think about as I throw. Anyways, I know you don’t recommend the knuckleball for pitchers, but I’m beyond earning a scholarship, so I’m “paying to play” solely for the love of the game and challenge. Your love of pitching series really made me appreciate the knuckleball as well and I feel like it’ll separate me from the pack when I go to tryout. If you have any strategies or pitch sequences for a knuckleball pitcher, that would give me something to work on when I go to the cages again.

[@DanBlewett]

I think my main advice is really to just see what you have once you're out there and don't think too much about strategy. You're not a collegiate or pro pitcher, so the likelihood you can execute a well-rehearsed strategy is unlikely, and thats okay. This is my issue with planning out pitch sequences in general - it doesnt really matter what you HOPE to do, only what you actually do in the moment. If you miss your spot on the first pitch, the whole sequence has to adjust. And you cant be trying to execute theoretical sequences because then youre not focusing on what the hitter or situation is telling you. There will be a breaking in period where you figure out what you can and can't do. My advice would just be to practice throwing all three of your pitches for strikes as best you can, then go out there, get ahead in the count as quickly as you can and then have fun, make the best pitch-calls you can and pay attention to the results of each pitch, swing and at-bat. Build your strategy from there, using real-world experience.

[@NinjaMaiku]

As a novice pitcher who has been practicing the curveball and grip placement at the tender age of 37 I can confirm that my high curveball is a result of bad form more than intent. For now, my best location is low and in and low and away with 1-7 run. Come my first season pitching hopefully enough off-season practice will help my command

[@DanBlewett]

curveballs take a lot of time to master but it sounds like you're working hard (and consistently) at it. keep it up.

[@andrewjamesspencer5934]

No. I totally agree

[@ram42193]

Very important to master the curveball entry point at knee level from high to low. It changes eye level and the hitter has to be able to follow it from high to knee level. Also important that the curveball doesn't exit the fastball plane by a notceable amount. A hard curveball has less break, when you hear throw it hard, that means squeeze the ball, throw it like a fastball. it makes the velocity go up and the break shorter and sharper. It's easier to throw than the slower speed curveball, which there is a twelve six sweep like you mention top to bottom, but also also slider curveball that is only cotrollable with the correct understanding of the release point on the knuckle part of the inner hand, rather than the fingers.