Comments on How to Throw a Curveball

To pitch a curveball, kinda throw it up, but hard enough for it to get to the batter's box. It will slightly come back down and will fool batters a lot. Believe me, it works.

First off, don't throw this until your about 16. And don't throw it often. Throw just like a curveball except you flip your wrist the other way so it curves in on righties (that is if your a righty). This takes a lot of time to master, if you feel any pain at all then stop. It also helps if you throw side arm or submarine. Submarine is the easiest.

I'm a high school pitcher and my curveball is my best pitch. First off, this pitch is best for those throwing in a 3/4 arm slot. Grip it like you're throwing a two seam fastball (with the seams) and slide your index finger over next to your middle finger (if you're a righty your two fingers should be together on the right seam). Start your windup. Do everything like you're throwing a fastball, as you don't want to tip your pitch. When you get to your release point, snap your wrist down hard and sharply. You should feel like you are "pulling the seams to the ground." The result: a sharp curveball that breaks down and away from a righty.

Hold the ball along the seam with you middle and ring finger. Your index finger should barely be touching the ball. Place your thumb between the horseshoe seams and throw. The ball should basically fall out of your hand...no matter how hard you throw it.

I've been pitching on a 17-20 year old team for two years now, and I've found that placing your middle finger on one of the seams, then placing your thumb on the opposite side of the ball (seam) creates the best break on the ball. Just those two fingers! You might think you have less control doing this, but you can easily pin-point your breaking ball by releasing the ball as soon as your foot touches the ground (from the wind-up or the stretch). Taking a longer stride makes the curveball go lower in the strike zone.

I started to throw this pitch after watching a Nolan Ryan video at about age 12. I have yet to see a curve that moves as much or even as effective as this. Grip the ball at the horseshoe area where the laces make a reverse C (for righties keep your middle finger on the right side of the lace and your "pointer" finger on the left side of it). Throw the ball with a straight over-the-top release, and instead of flicking your wrist - just use your thumb to spin the ball. If you can, check out the video Nolan Ryan Throwing Heat. He goes over it in that video. This curveball doesn't use too much stress on the arm. I have little speed on my fastball, but this pitch keeps everyone off balance.

Put your index and middle fingers together until they are touching. Put these two fingers like you are throwing a four-seam except on a slant, so that it breaks partly naturally.

Look at the horseshoe on the seams. Put your index and middle fingers together and have the ring finger rest in the inside of the right horseshoe. Have your thumb directly on the bottom of the ball, but grip it with the side of your thumb and not the big skin part. When you throw the ball, come straight over the top and throw your arm down to your thigh while twisting your wrist clockwise. You will have a curveball that will drop about 10 inches.

I throw a curveball like a 2-seamed fastball. All I do differently is snap my wrist to the right before I release the ball.

Grip the ball the same way you would a fork finger fastball. Move your index finger so that the tip of your finger is the only part of your index finger on the ball. Throw the ball. Don't throw it like a fastball, throw it slower.

Grab the ball with the middle and index fingers on the widest part of the ball. Place your thumb under the ball, then spin the wrist in a circler motion. Follow through with speed and you've just thrown a Big Daddy curveball.

I have a better way of throwing a curveball. I have also figured out that it will break a whole lot better. Here is how you throw it. 1. Grip the ball just like a 2 seam fastball. 2. Lift your index finger up and hold it there. 3. Release it like a regular curveball.

I find the best way to throw this is to throw it like a 2 seamer, then apply more pressure on your middle finger, and snap your wrist a lot.

What I like to do when I throw my curveball is I hold my fingers along the seams with my thumb on the bottom seam. This way, it gets a bit more of a vertical 11-5 or if you practice it a lot, a 12-6 drop on it.

When you throw this simple curveball, position your hand like a regular 2-seam fastball. Lift your index finger and apply more pressure to your middle finger. Then throw it like a fastball.

Hold the baseball any way that feels comfortable. I suggest when the seams look like a U taking your middle finger and putting it on the outside seam and putting your thumb under the ball on the inside seam. Using your grip, put your arm in a karate chop angle. Release it with that same karate chop arm angle and motion. This will cause the ball to soar up and then come right back down, low in the strike zone or low out of the stroke zone. Both are good locations. The batter will swing and miss, or take strike three. I throw a knuckle curve which causes a tighter spin and more effective break (both of these things increase greatly when I drop down to the side also). To throw a knuckle curve, take your index finger (which does nothing on a regular curve ball) and either put the nail straight down into the ball or lay the nail down onto the ball, both work fine. Use the same arm angle and motion to throw both regular and knuckle curve.

Take the ball in your hand like you're holding a 2 seam fastball. Slide your fingers down until the horseshoe starts to open up, then slide your fingers over to the left of the seams (if your right handed). Take your index finger off the ball completely.Your thumb should be about a 45 degree angle away from the middle finger. Place it on the inner seam of the horseshoe. When you throw the ball, angle your arm about 45 degrees up in the air. Snap your wrist down and your index finger should point toward the direction the ball is going. If the batter is right handed, you aim for his shoulder, then it breaks right across the middle or inner half of the plate.

To add more curve to the fastball, give it a harder flick, it will go faster, but it will drop in an instant.