What is a sweeper pitch?
Noah Mitchell
Published Jan 19, 2026
It's Pitch Design. Not "sticky stuff." - @ Rob Friedman. The newest idea is the sweeper, which is essentially an exaggerated slider. Yahoo Sports has reported that the sweeper seeks to dramatically shift horizontally, monkeying a curveball that is meant to sink.It's Pitch Design. Not "sticky stuff." - @ Rob Friedman. The newest idea is the sweeper, which is essentially an exaggerated slider. Yahoo Sports has reported that the sweeper seeks to dramatically shift horizontally, monkeying a curveball In baseball and softball, the curveball is a type of pitch thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball, causing it to dive as it approaches the plate. Varieties of curveball include the 12–6 curveball, power curveball, and the knuckle curve. › wiki › Curveball
What is a sweeper in baseball?
ADVERTISEMENT. It's a variation of breaking ball distinguished by horizontal movement — more across than up and down. Sweepers are essentially a subset of sliders, an endpoint on a spectrum that includes traditional sliders in the middle and hard, darting cutters on the other end.
What is the hardest pitch in baseball?
As a result, Aroldis Chapman is credited with throwing the fastest pitch in MLB history. On Sept. 24, 2010, Chapman made MLB history. Then a rookie relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, the fireballer unleashed a fastball clocked at 105.1 mph by PITCH/fx.
What is the best pitch to throw?
Always start with good old # 1: The best pitch in baseball is a good fastball, and if you're blessed with the ability to blow the ball by every hitter you face, that's really all you need. That's especially true for kids at the Little League level.
What is the hardest pitch to do?
Without further ado, here are the five toughest pitches to hit in baseball, based on Fangraphs data compiled in 2020.
- Dinelson Lamet's slider.
- Adam Wainwright's curveball. ...
- Zach Davies' changeup. ...
- Dallas Keuchel's cutter. ...
- Marco Gonzales' fastball. ...
What is the rarest pitch in baseball?
Definition. A screwball is a breaking ball designed to move in the opposite direction of just about every other breaking pitch. It is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, mostly because of the tax it can put on a pitcher's arm.
What is the easiest pitch to hit?
Four-Seam Fastball
This is usually the easiest pitch to throw for a strike. If released properly, four laces of the ball rotate through the air, helping to keep the throw in line with the target. Pitchers should hold the baseball with their pointer and middle finger on the top laces or seams of the baseball.
Are there any illegal pitches in baseball?
An illegal pitch may be quick pitch (i.e. a pitch made before the batter is properly set in the batter's box), a pitch made while the pitcher is not in contact with the pitching rubber, or one in which he takes an extra step while making his delivery.
Who has the best curveball ever?
1. Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers.
What pitches should a lefty throw?
Many left-handed pitchers are noted for their off-speed pitches, particularly at the major league level. However, a young left-handed pitcher should be encouraged to go after the batter with a good, hard fastball, a sharp breaking curve and perhaps one off-speed pitch to keep the batter off balance.
What's the longest home run ever hit?
Giancarlo Stanton, 504 Feet (2016)
Since the installment of technology, Giancarlo Stanton's home run is the longest homer ever recorded. Stanton hit a ball in the Coors Field, one of the highest (sea level) baseball parks in the MLB.
What pitch is faster 2 seam or 4 seam?
Definition. A two-seam fastball is generally one of a pitcher's fastest pitches, although it doesn't have quite the same velocity as a four-seam fastball. A two-seam fastball is one of the most frequently thrown pitches in baseball.
What is the farthest baseball ever hit?
On June 2, 1987, the Denver Zephyrs hosted the Buffalo Bisons at Mile High Stadium. Aided by the thin air, much like baseballs hit out of Coors Field today, Joey Meyer launched a towering blasted that traveled an absurd 582 feet and is the longest homer ever caught on video.
Who has the nastiest curveball in the MLB?
Corbin Burnes – Milwaukee Brewers
Aside from his cutter, which due to sheer volume of use may be the best performing pitch in baseball, his curveball is as nasty as any pitch comes, whiffing batters at a 50.3% clip, which was the 8th highest whiff rate among all pitches in baseball.
Who throws the best screwball in MLB?
The Best Screwball Pitchers in MLB History
The most famous screwball pitcher is Carl Hubbell. Carl Hubbell “King Carl” was a pitcher for the New York Giants from 1928 – 1943 and is in the Hall of Fame today. During his career, Carl was able to record over 250 wins and earn an average of three.
Who is the fastest pitcher of all time?
Aroldis Chapman has the fastest recorded pitch on record in MLB history, when he turned a baseball into pure gas against Tony Gwynn Jr. on Sept. 24, 2010, reaching 105.1 miles per hour.
What is doctoring a baseball?
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.
What is a spitball in baseball?
From BR Bullpen. A spitball (aka spitter, wet one, or unsanitary pitch) is a pitch in which the pitcher applies saliva to the baseball, either to change its aerodynamic properties or to reduce friction between his fingers and the ball.
What does putting vaseline on a baseball do?
By lubricating the ball—with saliva, Vaseline, hair grease, or something else—the pitcher can throw a pitch that slides off his fingers without generating too much backspin. A greased-up pitch behaves kind of like a split-fingered fastball—it drops to the ground faster than a typical pitch.
What is a hanging slider?
A slider that doesn't break as much as a pitcher hopes is referred to as a "hanging slider" or a "hanger" and is much easier for the batter to hit because of its straight trajectory and sub-fastball velocity.
What are the three kinds of pitch?
There are three main types of pitches you should prepare for; the elevator pitch, short form pitch, and long form pitch.
What does Opie's mean in Major League Baseball?
Definition. OPS adds on-base percentage and slugging percentage to get one number that unites the two. It's meant to combine how well a hitter can reach base, with how well he can hit for average and for power. It can also be used in evaluating pitchers; when used in that context, it is referred to as OPS against.
What is a backdoor pitch in baseball?
If a righty is pitching to a lefty, and throws a breaking ball that starts outside and breaks to catch the outside corner, that's a backdoor breaking pitch.
What does a splitter do in baseball?
As mentioned above, a splitter is thrown with a pitcher's two fingers split apart by the baseball. Because of its deceptively slower velocity and sharp drop, a splitter is designed to get the hitter's bat ahead of the pitch and induce weak contact.
