Fangraphs: The Modern Screwball

[weams]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/searching-for-the-modern-screwball/

It probably shouldn?t come as a shock that none of these pitchers consider what they?re throwing to be a screwball (or anything close to one), because screwballs are notorious in pitching circles for putting a lot of stress on the arm ? a claim that research has found to be unsubstantiated. In the New York Times article referenced previously, the paper even had The Connecticut Center for Motion and Analysis run a test measuring the torque on the elbow resulting from throwing a screwball versus a fastball: they found almost the same reading for each pitch, with the screwball actually putting slightly less strain on the elbow than the test subject?s fastball (34 vs. 36 foot-pounds, respectively).

Everyone?s physiology is different, and pitching in general is a terrible idea if you want to avoid the DL ? but there?s simply no credible evidence that throwing screwballs is any worse for a pitcher?s arm than throwing sliders, two-seam fastballs, or circle changeups. Because these hard, tailing changeups are thrown with more velocity than the ?traditional? screwball, they theoretically even might put more stress on the arm than the classic version of the pitch. When we reach this point, there?s simply a lot of hot air and conjecture that tends to creep into the conversation. One thing is for sure: with the amount of arm rotation (pronation) and arm speed modern-day pitchers use on their circle changeups, there is little chance that the pitch is actually better for the arm than a screwball.

Still, the two pitches aren?t the same. Today?s pitchers are not throwing screwballs, but they are throwing pitches that act like, and aim for the same outcome as, screwballs: ground balls, weak contact, and swinging strikes. They get those results by the same vicious combination of two-plane, vertical and horizontal movement. Screwballs from decades past might have had more vertical movement, but it certainly came at the expense of velocity. The screwball has turned into something harder now, and its masked by a new name and the fact that most types of pitches are thrown harder than they used to be.

Gausman and Despaigne?

[weams]

[weams]

[weams]

Ubaldo?

[OFFNY]

[Number5]

[OFFNY]

My cousin Donnie (Yankee fan) is 9 years older than me, born in 1956.

He said that there were two players on the Orioles that absolutely drove him crazy when he was growing up.

One was Brooks Robinson, specifically in clutch-hitting situations on offense.

The other was on the other side of the ball, on defense ....... and that was Mike Cuellar and his pitching.

[theobird]

Mike Cuellar's screwball was sic. sic I tell you. When he had that going, he was a force in that rotation. Cuellar was tough on RH hitters because of it.

[weams]

Mike Cuellar's screwball was sic. sic I tell you. When he had that going, he was a force in that rotation. Cuellar was tough on RH hitters because of it.

I always liked Mike. I was fortunate to see him and his family some during his last spring training. He was still a great Oriole.

[theobird]

I always liked Mike. I was fortunate to see him and his family some during his last spring training. He was still a great Oriole.

Very cool little story, Weams. You are a lucky man. I always had a great deal of confidence when Mike took the mound. He was a battler and that breaking ball from a Lefty running away from a RH hitter was magic.

[Tryptamine]

Don't quote me on it, but I believe Tampa Bay Prospect, Brett Honeywell is just about the only one still throwing a true screwball. He's a really intriguing prospect.

[Tryptamine]

Don't quote me on it, but I believe Tampa Bay Prospect, Brett Honeywell is just about the only one still throwing a true screwball. He's a really intriguing prospect.

Brent Honeywell, lack of an edit button is annoying.

[Orioles4Life21]

Don't quote me on it, but I believe Tampa Bay Prospect, Brett Honeywell is just about the only one still throwing a true screwball. He's a really intriguing prospect.

Pitching grows on trees down there apparently.

[weams]

Brent Honeywell, lack of an edit button is annoying.

Go plus. You'll get it back. Tony only gives free full access for 500 posts.