Most baseball pitchers like the idea of being able to throw a big hooking curveball to make the hitters look silly. The curveball is a pitch that many young players experiment with in backyard baseball, yet do not properly throw it in a real game. Throwing the curveball incorrectly can present arm problems as well as be less effective than a properly thrown curve.
The Curveball Grip
To grip a curveball, the pitcher should find the narrow seams of the baseball. A right-handed pitcher should place his index and middle finger together on the right narrow seam, running parallel to the seams, while a lefty should do the opposite. His thumb should be placed firmly underneath the baseball, with his ring and pinky fingers tucked out of the way on the side of the ball. The index and middle finger should be generating pressure on the right side of the baseball so as to create the top sping needed to make the ball move.
Releasing a Curveball
Throwing a curveball is similar to throwing any other pitch. The grip and the final release motion is what causes the movement. To throw the curveball, the arm speed should be the same as for a fastball. The only change is the hand angle at release point.
The pitcher should try to 'karate chop' when making delivering the pitch, meaning the palm of the throwing hand should be facing first base for a right handed pitcher.
At release, the pressure from the index and middle fingers should be forcing the ball to roll forward off the hand with quite a bit of front spin. Right before the ball is released, the pitcher should snap his wrist downwards to generate the last bit of forward spin.
When to Use a Curveball
A pitcher should not rely totally on his curveball. Doing so will allow the hitters to get a good look at it which will render it useless as the game goes on. A good time to throw a curveball is when the pitcher is ahead in the count such as 0-2 or 1-2.
Some hitters may only be good at hitting fastballs, so starting them out with a curveball may be a good way to get ahead in the count.
Throwing a curveball in the dirt that starts in the strikezone is an effective way to get the batters to chase after a pitch. This is a great strategy for an 0-2 count when the pitcher can afford to waste a pitch.
Practice Throwing the Curveball
Throwing an effective curveball takes practice. The pitch requires a certain amount of 'feel' to get the spin just right. The only way to master the pitch is to practice it in bullpen sessions.
Another good strategy to practice thowing this pitch is to play short toss with the grip. Practice getting the correct spin by playing short toss with emphasis on creating the proper curveball spin.
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