A typical curveball in the major collegiate level and above will average between 65 and 80 mph, with the average MLB curve at 77 mph. From a hitter's perspective, the curveball will start in one location (usually high or at the top of the strike zone) and then dive rapidly as it approaches the plate.
Curveball. Coming in, on average, at around 14 mph slower than a fastball, curveballs have the largest average velocity gap by almost five mph.
Spin basically absorbs velocity.
Curveballs are typically 13-20% slower than the fastball, though as hard as possible is also a rule on the curveball. In summary: throw it as hard as you can, and the speed change should be 8-10% slower than your fastball speed.
Prototypical Division I pitching recruits throw anywhere between 87 and 95 MPH on a consistent basis. It is important to remember that coaches are looking for pitchers to consistently throw at this velocity, not just touch it every once and awhile.
This seems to meet the definition of "illegal pitch" in the MLB rulebook, which reads, "An ILLEGAL PITCH is (1) a pitch delivered to the batter when the pitcher does not have his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate; (2) a quick return pitch. An illegal pitch when runners are on base is a balk."
All Major League hitters can hit a fastball, but only the best have a solid plan to hit the curveball. No one can hit the great curveball - the curveball low and away, the hall of fame pitcher's pitch. Even the best hitters don't swing at that pitch until they get two strikes.
However research performed at the University of California Davis and reported in the American Journal of Physics, has shown that just the opposite is true. In fact, a perfectly hit curve ball will travel farther then either a fastball or a knuckleball.
Randy Johnson was known for throwing a fastball that could reach over 100 mph. It's not every day you see a dove explode in front of home plate, and this was all caught on camera.
Clemens was said to throw "two pitches: a 98-mph fastball and a hard breaking ball.
1. Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bob Gibson's average fastball velocity was 91.9 mph!
The best pitchers' velocity in Ruth's day topped out at about 90 miles per hour, while relievers you've never heard of now flirt with 100 mph fastballs. But some objective measures of athleticism are consistent.
Facing Nolan Ryan's Fastball
The guy could even swing the bat a little, like when kicked off his Houston years by hitting a home run off Los Angeles Dodgers' Don Sutton in 1980. According to the baseball documentary “Fastball”, Nolan Ryan? s final fastball, which he threw at age 46, was clocked at 98 MPH.
A breaking ball (aka breaking pitch) is a pitch in which the pitcher snaps or breaks his wrist to give the ball spin and movement. This includes the curveball, slider, and slurve, but not the various kinds of fastball and change-up or trick pitches like the knuckleball.
An effective way to recognize the curveball out of the pitcher's hand is anticipating the “pop” at the release point. In other words, the ball will seep to “pop out of the hand” before getting on its pitch plane. A solid approach to hitting curveball is looking for one up in the zone.
Know the pitcher's patterns, so to anticipate when a curve will be thrown. Factor in the game situation and what the batter and pitcher are each trying to accomplish, so to better anticipate the curve. The depth in the strike zone to best contact a curve ball. Practice hitting the curve ball to the opposite field.
An MLB umpire confirmed pitching underhand is allowed.
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.
Definition. No player is permitted to intentionally damage, deface or discolor the baseball by rubbing it with any type of foreign item or substance, including dirt or saliva. Failure to follow this rule will result in an ejection and an automatic 10-game suspension.
Pitchers who are 13-16 should throw a maximum of 95 pitches; 13- and 14-year-olds need four days rest when they reach 66 pitches, and 15- and 16-year-olds need four days rest when they reach 76.
13 and 14 Year Olds
A typical fastball from this age group is anywhere from 55 mph (on the low side) to 75 mph. A pitcher throwing 75 mph is well above average for this age, and their fastball is at a high school caliber. An average changeup for this age is somewhere around the 50-60 mph mark.
According to the definition, a pitch is a ball delivered to the batter by the pitcher. It doesn't matter how the pitch reaches the batter. The batter may hit any pitch that is thrown. Note that a pitch that bounces before reaching the plate may never be called a strike or a legally-caught third strike.