Knuckle curve

The Knuckle curve ( portmanteau word of Knuckleball and Curve Ball) is a collective name for three different throwing techniques of a pitcher in baseball.

• The " obvious " Knuckle curve a throw in which the ball is thrown with the throwing motion of a curveball, but with the curved finger position of a knuckleball. Here, the spin of a curveball is connected with the coasting trajectory of a Knuckleballs. This pitch is one of the favorite litters of, inter alia, Mike Mussina and Jonathan Sanchez.
• A second variant is a fast curveball, thrown with only a slight knuckleball grip: this technique has less spin and less spin recovery than the first one, but is faster. This pitch was, inter alia, used by Burt Hooton.
• In the third variant, the ball is with the curved finger position of a knuckleball, with the " soft" wrist of curveballs, but executed with the arm movement of fastballs. Despite " straight " throwing motion this pitch has the twist of a curve ball and the spin of a Knuckleballs. In particular, Hoyt Wilhelm was known for this version.