It’s been estimated that Major League Baseball batters reach base on about 30% of the pitches they hit in play. That’s not very impressive. What’s less impressive is how that number drops when facing a pitcher with a nasty curveball in his arsenal.
What makes this particular pitch so dangerous? Why does a pitcher with a solid command over the ball’s spin strike fear into the hearts of batters?
The answers to this timeless question might surprise you, so we turn to the best curveballs in MLB history.
“Everything is set up by a good fastball,” explains hall of famer Bert Blyleven – one of the best curveballers of all time.
It goes without saying that every pitcher to ever step foot on the mound has mastered various forms of a fastball, but only some can use that pitch as a means to a more effective end.
The members of our short list of all-time curve pitchers fit this description.
New York Mets great Dwight Gooden. “Doc” Gooden had a blazing 98-mph fastball as his anchor and would mix in a sweeping curve when you least expected it. That potent mix of pitches made him one of the best in the game during the 1980s.
Not only was Gooden named to the National League all-star game at 19 years of age, but he also struck out the side in his first inning. And then he went on to set the rookie strikeout record later that season. Now that’s impressive.
A good curveball is sometimes called an Uncle Charlie. Gooden earned the nickname Lord Charles because of how dominant he was with the pitch.
In this video, Dwight Gooden is coaching players on the pitching mechanics of the curvevall and demonstrating his famous curveball.
For Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven, the curveball seemed to work out for him too as he was one of only 16 pitchers to strike out more than 3,000 batters during his career.
What separates Blyleven from other curveball pitchers is his impeccable command over such a difficult pitch. While many curveball pitchers hold the ball in typical curveball fashion, Blyleven would hold it as if he were throwing a four-seam fastball. Why? Better command and ability to always be in control of how the ball spins. That’s awesome.
Not only that, but late in his career Blyleven would change the angle in his pitching arm just for the heck of it. The batters had seen him throw it one way before so why not change it up? Amazing.
So whether it was the unconventional angle or manner for holding the ball, Blyleven’s curveball success ultimately came from the fastball as mentioned.
In this video, Bert Blyleven talks about how he effectively through the curveball utilizing his lower body mechanics to follow through and get the proper spin on the ball.
Those two pitches seemingly could not be more different, so how about a pitcher with only those two pitches: Sandy Koufax. Ever heard of him?
Here’s a little anecdote (from Jane Leavy’s incredible biography of Koufax) to describe the ferocity of Koufax’s curveball and the daring manner in which he utilized it.
It’s the 1963 World Series and Koufax was facing the terrifying Mickey Mantle. At the time there was a simple scouting report on the Yankee great – never ever EVER throw a curve at him.
When Mantle stepped up to the plate for the first time he strikes out on three straight fastballs. Ok, great. At least one of the two Koufax pitches works. But then Mantle comes up again.
Already ahead in the count 0-2, Koufax wants to throw his evil and destructive curve at Mantle, but as we all know, that’s a ridiculous notion. But he does it anyway.
“Because he’s Koufax.”
And wouldn’t you know it? Mantle strikes out staring. He then turns to the catcher, and here’s the real kicker, and says, “How the f*** is anybody supposed to hit that?”
I believe the argument is over for the greatest curveball pitcher of all time.