Okay, so today I wanted to mess around with something called a “knuckle curve,” specifically trying to mimic what this guy Buehler does. I’d heard a bit about this pitch, and it sounded pretty wicked, so I figured, why not give it a shot? I started by just trying to find out what it even was.
Turns out, the knuckle curve is a pretty tricky pitch to throw right. Like, there are a bunch of different ways to grip the ball, and it’s not easy to get it perfect. I found some stuff online that said mastering this grip could totally change the game for a pitcher, so I was pretty hyped to try it out. From what I gathered, it’s supposed to be like a curveball, but it drops down even more or something.
Getting Started
First, I tried to imitate some grips I saw pictures of. Some people put their knuckles on the ball, others kind of dig their fingers in, it’s wild. I spent a good chunk of time just holding the ball in different ways, trying to feel out what was supposed to be “right”. It was pretty awkward at first, I gotta say. It felt like I was gonna chuck the ball straight into the ground every time.
Practice Makes…Better?
Then came the actual throwing part. Oh boy, was that a mess. I tried throwing it easy, then harder, then I watched some videos of that Buehler dude to see how he moved. It was tough, guys. A lot of my throws were just all over the place. I had a buddy there who knows a bit about baseball, and he was trying to give me pointers, but honestly, I think I just needed to get a feel for it myself.
- Grip: Still felt weird, but I started to settle on a way that felt okay.
- Motion: Tried to copy Buehler’s wind-up and release, which helped a bit, but it’s not easy.
- Result: Most of my throws were junk, but every now and then, I’d get one that actually kinda curved and dropped like I wanted.
The Verdict
After a few hours of this, I was tired and my arm was sore, but I felt like I was starting to get it. I mean, I’m no pro, but I could see how this pitch could be super effective if you really master it. It’s definitely not something you can just pick up in an afternoon. It takes a ton of practice and patience, for sure. But hey, it was a fun experiment, and I might keep messing around with it just for kicks.
I saw some comment online somewhere that someone had talked about this, like, back in November. I guess it’s a pretty popular thing to try and figure out. Anyway, that’s my story about trying to throw a knuckle curve like Buehler. It’s way harder than it looks, but it’s a pretty cool pitch if you can get it down. Maybe one day I’ll be throwing it in a game, who knows? But for now, I’m just glad I didn’t break any windows or anything.
