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opposite handedness of the pitcher, making an 11 to 5 curveball the more effective pitch type in that situation. The effectiveness of the pitch also depends on the ability of the pitcher to apply topspin to the ball, creating movement. When stats for a high level pitcher's average 12 to 6 curveball are factored in, the 12 to 6 and the 11 to 5 are much more effective than Major League
Baseball's average throwers of the pitch due to the pitcher's high level of ability for that pitch.
65:(also referred to as the "11 to 5 curve" or a "2 to 8 curve" for its motion), breaks in a downward motion in a straight line. This explains the name "12–6", because the break of the pitch refers to the ball breaking from the number 12 to the number 6 on a clock. While the 11–5 and 2–8 variations are very effective pitches, they are less effective than a true 12–6, because the ball will break into the heart of the bat more readily.
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is placed directly on the bottom of the baseball. This grip allows the pitcher to create a high amount of topspin while still having a good control of the pitch. The pitch is then thrown with an exaggerated 12–6 motion with both the middle finger and the thumb simultaneously helping move the baseball
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uses it correctly in a pitching sequence. The 12 to 6 curveball is usually pitched from the overhand motion, as a three-quarters or sidearm delivery would cause the ball to break 2 to 8 instead of 12 to 6. The sharp vertical break on the 12–6 curveball is created when pitchers apply topspin to the
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Depending on the situation and the type of pitcher, the 12–6 curveball may be more or less effective. Against a batter with the same handedness as the pitcher, the 12 to 6 curveball has been proven to be a very effective pitch in general, but the pitch is much easier to hit if the batter is the
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The 12–6 curveball is thrown similarly to most curveballs. The pitch is generally thrown using a four-seam grip, in which the middle finger on the pitcher's throwing hand is placed in the gap between the two seams on the right side, and the
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The 12 to 6 curveball is the toughest type of curveball to hit, because it moves vertically, and has no horizontal break. The difference of the speed from a fastball and the break make the pitch difficult to hit if a
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There were nights when the fastball was clocking in the upper nineties and the curveball was hitting eighty-nine on the radar gun. At that speed, the curve would break so hard it'd take your stomach away.
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powered his fastball at 95 mph-plus and finished off hitters with a 12–6 curveball that reminded people of the dirty yellowhammer that made Nolan Ryan more than just another power pitcher.
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184:, Major League Baseball's all time leader in career strikeouts, deployed a 12–6 curveball that could reach up to 89mph, and was described by
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is noted for having an especially effective 12–6 curveball, colloquially named "Uncle
Charlie" by Wainwright and St. Louis fans.
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117:. This extensive combination of mechanics makes this one of the most difficult pitches to master.
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The 12–6 generally agreed upon as the most effective of all time belonged to
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towards home plate, while the pitcher's index finger giving the ball
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because of its downward break. The 12–6 curveball, unlike the normal
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An example of the topspin applied by pitchers to a 12–6 curveball
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488:"Adam Wainwright's Curveball and the Nastiest Pitches From 9/13"
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331:"MLB Power Rankings: The Top 10 Curveballs in Baseball History"
358:"Barry Zito's Nasty Hook - Interactive Graphic - NYTimes.com"
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as being able to "break so hard it'd take your stomach away."
72:. It has several nicknames, including the "yellow hammer".
413:"Little Roy getting by these days with a little less heat"
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ball with their fingers in the process of releasing it.
30:"Yellow Hammer" redirects here. For other uses, see
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278:The Louisville Slugger Complete Book of Pitching
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384:"On this date: The Clayton Kershaw era begins"
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319:Gola, Mark; Myers, Doug (2000), p.117
264:Gola, Mark; Myers, Doug (2000), p.115
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866:The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers
452:The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers
792:2021 pitch doctoring controversy
274:Gola, Mark; Myers, Doug (2000).
240:from the original on 22 May 2009
228:Carty, Derek (August 18, 2008).
455:. New York: Fireside. pp.
1:
382:Osborne, Cary (25 May 2018).
68:The pitch is used throughout
32:Yellowhammer (disambiguation)
428:– via Newspapers.com.
306:Paul Dickson, Skip McAfee,
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57:. It is categorized as a
282:. McGraw Hill. pp.
418:Philadelphia Daily News
49:is one of the types of
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178:as "Public Enemy #1."
121:Notable practitioners
70:Major League Baseball
40:
153:San Francisco Giants
494:. 14 September 2019
388:Dodgers.mlblogs.com
362:Archive.nytimes.com
329:Fairburn, Matthew.
197:St. Louis Cardinals
168:Los Angeles Dodgers
877:(2012 documentary)
147:, formerly of the
99:Throwing mechanics
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829:Pitching position
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682:Straight changeup
592:Off-speed pitches
234:Hardballtimes.com
149:Oakland Athletics
16:(Redirected from
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897:Baseball pitches
744:Intentional walk
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230:"On Curveballs"
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874:Knuckleball!
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705:Eephus pitch
697:Junk pitches
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496:. Retrieved
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409:Conlin, Bill
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174:broadcaster
172:Hall of Fame
134:Sandy Koufax
106:index finger
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869:(2004 book)
860:Strike zone
787:Quick pitch
710:Knuckleball
498:12 November
443:James, Bill
393:12 November
367:12 November
342:12 November
158:Three-time
822:Deliveries
813:Wild pitch
777:Shine ball
772:Emery ball
447:Neyer, Rob
244:2009-05-16
208:References
195:Long-time
186:Bill James
182:Nolan Ryan
176:Vin Scully
145:Barry Zito
53:thrown in
844:Submarine
737:brushback
649:Changeups
624:Screwball
609:Curveball
562:Four-seam
549:Fastballs
190:Rob Neyer
63:curveball
891:Category
834:Overhand
782:Spitball
767:Beanball
749:Pitchout
677:Splitter
672:Palmball
662:Forkball
582:Gyroball
567:Two-seam
449:(2004).
238:Archived
199:pitcher
76:Movement
55:baseball
853:Related
839:Sidearm
633:Sweeper
166:of the
162:winner
143:winner
128:Dodgers
115:topspin
83:pitcher
51:pitches
639:Slurve
629:Slider
577:Sinker
572:Shuuto
557:Cutter
467:
424:15 May
290:
801:Other
139:2002
110:thumb
808:Balk
667:Fosh
613:12–6
500:2021
465:ISBN
426:2022
395:2021
369:2021
344:2021
288:ISBN
188:and
151:and
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