Top 9 Nastiest Pitches in Baseball History
- Clayton Kershaw’s 12-6 Curveball.
- R.A. Dickey’s Knuckleball.
- Mariano Rivera’s Cutter.
- Randy Johnson’s Slider.
- Sandy Koufax’s Curveball.
- Trevor Hoffman’s Changeup.
- Greg Maddux’s Two-Seamer.
- Satchel Paige’s Hesitation Pitch.
In this post
What is the slowest baseball pitch?
35.1 MPH Frank Schwindel pitch
This 35.1 MPH Frank Schwindel pitch is the slowest (known/measured) MLB pitch to ever get hit for a home run!
What pitch is banned in MLB?
Spitball
A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of a foreign substance such as saliva or petroleum jelly. This technique alters the wind resistance and weight on one side of the ball, causing it to move in an atypical manner.
What is a filthy pitch?
A filthy pitch is basically a get out of jail free card for the guy on the mound. It can also strike fear in every batter around the league because the fact that this guy has a dominate pitch that cannot be touched is always in the back of his mind.
What is the weirdest pitch in baseball?
Top 9 Nastiest Pitches in Baseball History
- Clayton Kershaw’s 12-6 Curveball.
- R.A. Dickey’s Knuckleball.
- Mariano Rivera’s Cutter.
- Randy Johnson’s Slider.
- Sandy Koufax’s Curveball.
- Trevor Hoffman’s Changeup.
- Greg Maddux’s Two-Seamer.
- Satchel Paige’s Hesitation Pitch.
What pitch is hardest to hit?
Each baseball player has their own specialties. However, the two pitches that stand out to be the hardest to hit are the splitter and the slider.
Why is a spitball illegal?
The reason why the spitball was banned was that it was regarded as doctoring a baseball. And everything that was considered doctoring a baseball was banned on this day in 1920. Throwing the spitball before that 10th of February 1920 was a common thing. Many pitchers did it.
Can you spit on a baseball?
For pitchers, doctoring the baseball through saliva or other slippery liquids makes the pitch challenging to hit. Although spitballs were commonplace in the early years of the game, they’ve since been outlawed — although some pitchers still push their luck by doctoring the ball.
Is quick pitching illegal?
Rule 8.05(e) Comment: A quick pitch is an illegal pitch. Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter’s box. With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.
What does F mean in baseball?
fielder. Any defensive player (as opposed to a batter). Often, defensive players are distinguished as either pitchers or position players. Position players are further divided into infielders and outfielders.
What does cheese mean in baseball?
fastball
cheese. A fastball, particularly one that is difficult to hit. A fastball high in the strike zone is also called high cheese, and one low in the zone can be called cheese at the knees. ‘Easy Cheese’ refers to the seemingly effortless motion of a pitcher as he throws a fastball at very high velocity.
Is the Eephus pitch Legal?
Is the MLB Eephus Pitch Legal? The Eephus pitch is legal in Major League Baseball to throw. As long as the pitcher does not deceive the batter by slowing down in their pitching rotation, there is no issue. Since there is no minimum speed that a pitcher needs to pitch, a pitcher can mix this pitch in their arsenal.
Who is the hottest hitter in baseball?
The Boston Red Sox second baseman continues to rake after earning the American League Player of the Week award.
Why is an Eephus pitch hard to hit?
Or, and such is the case with the eephus, you can throw so slow that the hitter’s natural, ingrained sense of bat speed takes over and causes him to fail.
What is the rarest pitch?
Definition. A screwball is a breaking ball designed to move in the opposite direction of just about every other breaking pitch. It is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, mostly because of the tax it can put on a pitcher’s arm.
Who threw the fastest pitch ever?
Jordan Hicks‘ scorching fastballs
On May 31, 2019, Hicks nearly accomplished the feat again by throwing a 104.3 mph pitch on his final throw of the night. Hicks said he likes having the cachet of having thrown the fastest pitch in three different MLB seasons, doing so in 2018, ’19 and ’22.
What is the easiest pitch to hit in baseball?
Four-Seam Fastball
Four-Seam Fastball
This is usually the easiest pitch to throw for a strike. If released properly, four laces of the ball rotate through the air, helping to keep the throw in line with the target.
Why do pitchers use Vaseline?
By lubricating the ball—with saliva, Vaseline, hair grease, or something else—the pitcher can throw a pitch that slides off his fingers without generating too much backspin. A greased-up pitch behaves kind of like a split-fingered fastball—it drops to the ground faster than a typical pitch.
Why do pitchers lick their fingers?
Pitchers can lick their fingers before drying them off on their uniform to get a grip on the ball, but they can’t be in contact with the rubber when they do so.
Can a pitcher touch his mouth?
A pitcher can not go to their mouth while on the pitching plate (rubber). If a pitcher brings the pitching hand in contact with the mouth without distinctly wiping off the pitching hand before it touches the ball, that is an illegal act and results in an illegal pitch or balk.
Do baseball players smoke cigarettes?
Many players, notably Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale, quit chewing following Gwynn’s death, and a 2015 study found that about 37 percent of MLB players and coaches chew tobacco, down from 46 percent in 1987.