Eddie Gamboa is becoming a knuckleballer

[PaulFolk]

This will definitely be an interesting experiment to keep an eye on. Best of luck to Gamboa on his conversion.

http://www.pressboxonline.com/blog.cfm?ID=5872

[weams]

This will definitely be an interesting experiment to keep an eye on. Best of luck to Gamboa on his conversion.

http://www.pressboxonline.com/blog.cfm?ID=5872

Good article. Thanks.

[luismatos4prez]

Really awesome. Why not?

[Oldorioles]

I've always liked Gamboa, solid steady numbers. I'll be rooting for him. Thanks for sharing.

[Can_of_corn]

Since he can hit 90 with his FB I wonder if he will be throwing the "Hard" knuckler that Dickey throws or the more conventional variety?

[Morgan423]

Good stuff, I'm rooting for him and hoping to see him in action for the O's one day.

If you could throw several good knuckleballs in the high 50s to high 60s MPH range, a 92 MPH fastball thrown right after would look like it was shot out of a railgun. :rofl:

[DrungoHazewood]

Since he can hit 90 with his FB I wonder if he will be throwing the "Hard" knuckler that Dickey throws or the more conventional variety?

These are the type of things that intrigue me.

I want to know what it would be like if a guy who could throw 96 added a knuckler. (I think it could be devestating, but he'd hang one just often enough to have people tell him he's stupid to not throw 96 all the time.)

What would a 90 mph knuckler be like? (I'm guessing a sinker.)

Would knuckleballs become commonplace if you had hundreds of people trying to learn the pitch, or would its ubiquitousness lead to familiarity and an inevitable decline in effectiveness? In other words, it's so popular nobody throws it anymore? (I think the pitch would still be effective, but players/teams would develop more strategies specifically to counteract knucklers.)

Would a knuckleballing closer work in modern baseball despite the fear of wild pitches and passed balls in crucial situations? (Sure, Hoyt Wilhelm rode that train to the Hall.)

Would hitters just give up and go home if someone threw a 92 mph submarine knuckler? (Yes.)

If you played a game in La Paz, Bolivia at 13,313 ft, would the lack of atmosphere combine with the lack of spin on the knuckler and result in a pitch with absolutely zero spin deflection, creating a permanent zen-like state on Earth? (For a fraction of a second, not permanently. It would be broken by Chris Davis hitting the zenknuckler 825 feet.)

[Enjoy Terror]

[Tony-OH]

These are the type of things that intrigue me.

I want to know what it would be like if a guy who could throw 96 added a knuckler. (I think it could be devestating, but he'd hang one just often enough to have people tell him he's stupid to not throw 96 all the time.)

What would a 90 mph knuckler be like? (I'm guessing a sinker.)

Would knuckleballs become commonplace if you had hundreds of people trying to learn the pitch, or would its ubiquitousness lead to familiarity and an inevitable decline in effectiveness? In other words, it's so popular nobody throws it anymore? (I think the pitch would still be effective, but players/teams would develop more strategies specifically to counteract knucklers.)

Would a knuckleballing closer work in modern baseball despite the fear of wild pitches and passed balls in crucial situations? (Sure, Hoyt Wilhelm rode that train to the Hall.)

Would hitters just give up and go home if someone threw a 92 mph submarine knuckler? (Yes.)

If you played a game in La Paz, Bolivia at 13,313 ft, would the lack of atmosphere combine with the lack of spin on the knuckler and result in a pitch with absolutely zero spin deflection, creating a permanent zen-like state on Earth? (For a fraction of a second, not permanently. It would be broken by Chris Davis hitting the zenknuckler 825 feet.)

You have too much time on your hands.

[Tony-OH]

That is utterly amazing! Even the catcher moved his head out of the way.

[Tony-OH]

I've always rooted for Gamboa so I'm happy to hear that he's found something that could make a difference. Gamboa also has a very nice change with drop but I'm not sure how that would play in comparison to a knuckler. He could be a three-pitch knuckle baller though.

[DrungoHazewood]

I've always rooted for Gamboa so I'm happy to hear that he's found something that could make a difference. Gamboa also has a very nice change with drop but I'm not sure how that would play in comparison to a knuckler. He could be a three-pitch knuckle baller though.

That would be awesome, if for no other reason than a science experiment to prove it can still be done.

[waroriole]

That is just mesmerizing. How are you supposed to hit that?

[Can_of_corn]

That is just mesmerizing. How are you supposed to hit that?

Just take it and hope it gets called a ball.

[waroriole]

Just take it and hope it gets called a ball.

It's a Bugs Bunny type pitch that could get 3 strikes at once.