The knuckleball

[Can_of_corn]

Why do they have to be washed out minor leaguers? Heck they could be a fringe amateur that you could sign with an agreement said amateur becomes a knuckleball pitcher.

It's very hard.

It's not much money.

It's viewed as a gimmick.

The O's had a heck of a time getting Gamboa to increase the percentage of Knuckleballs he used.

There is a reason the number of active Knuckleballers hovers between 1-3.

[thezeroes]

It's very hard.

It's not much money.

It's viewed as a gimmick.

The O's had a heck of a time getting Gamboa to increase the percentage of Knuckleballs he used.

There is a reason the number of active Knuckleballers hovers between 1-3.

Active could/should be replaced with effective. Pitchers in general try different pitches all the time. Some are a lot easier to learn/teach some are impossible for certain pitchers to throw. (small hands/fingers, improper arm angels, inability to throw from different side of the rubber, etc...) The knuckleball is not an instant success and just look at the blasting that Ubaldo is taking this season, instant success is a must so therefore the rare bird that throws a knuckleball.

[weams]

All I'm really trying to say is that I think a good knuckleballer would be more effective in Baltimore than most other places. Due to regional climate factors Baltimore is one of the most humid places where MLB is played. It's just a theory of mine, one which I'd like to see tested.

As for the no one else is doing it argument. I say what could it hurt? Just need to keep trying guys out(minors) until someone sticks.

You might be right.

[Why Not?]

There was talk about the Orioles trying to gather knuckleballers a couple of years ago. Aside from Gamboa, it never really happened. Gamboa is with the Rays now and Tampa Bay also tried to turn Dan Johnson into a knuckleball pitcher this spring.

[frankhxp]

There was talk about the Orioles trying to gather knuckleballers a couple of years ago. Aside from Gamboa, it never really happened. Gamboa is with the Rays now and Tampa Bay also tried to turn Dan Johnson into a knuckleball pitcher this spring.

In addition to Gamboa, they tried the knuckleball with Zach Clark.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_Clark

[Morgan423]

I know I've said it before, but here's a knuckleballer that DD could draft easily on the back end. A pitcher, by the way, that's he has already met. It's a no-brainer DD, let's get it done.

[Why Not?]

In addition to Gamboa, they tried the knuckleball with Zach Clark.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zach_Clark

Thanks. I thought there was another guy in addition to Gamboa.

[weams]

I know I've said it before, but here's a knuckleballer that DD could draft easily on the back end. A pitcher, by the way, that's he has already met. It's a no-brainer DD, let's get it done.

I am all for this.

[weams]

There was talk about the Orioles trying to gather knuckleballers a couple of years ago. Aside from Gamboa, it never really happened. Gamboa is with the Rays now and Tampa Bay also tried to turn Dan Johnson into a knuckleball pitcher this spring.

I don't think the Orioles have Niekro any longer.

[Why Not?]

I don't think the Orioles have Niekro any longer.

I was under the impression that Niekro was sort of a one-off hiring or a "consultant".

The Rays now have Charlie Haeger on their minor league staff. He was a AAAA guy for a few seasons and threw it. I assume he's their designated knuckleball coach.

[DrungoHazewood]

Do you think it is easy to get guys that have washed out as minor league ballplayers to give it a go for another 2-3 years at what they make in an attempt to because a gimmick pitcher?

I think the case they presented to Gamboa and Zach Clark were try out the knuckler or get released. They tried the knuckler. Gamboa with some success, Clark not so much and he was released after 25 innings anyway.

It's probably worthwhile to regularly do that, but the success rate isn't going to be high. The idea that you can just get a bunch of guys to start throwing the pitch then you'll have a number of quality MLB pitchers is not at all likely. The Sox have pushed this to some degree for a while but for the first decade or so all they got was Charlie Zink's 4.1 innings, 8 earned.

[DrungoHazewood]

It's very hard.

It's not much money.

It's viewed as a gimmick.

The O's had a heck of a time getting Gamboa to increase the percentage of Knuckleballs he used.

There is a reason the number of active Knuckleballers hovers between 1-3.

In the period between 1945-1960 there were many knuckleballers, and most of them were multi-pitch pitchers, like fastball-curve-knuckler. The Senators had something like four guys who threw the knuckler on the same team. Don't know exactly why, but after 1960 or so someone decided knuckleballers had to specialize in the pitch and the number of knuckleball pitchers went way down.

It is viewed as a gimmick, a trick of last resort. Almost all decent minor leaguers see themselves as a tweak or two from the majors and won't do it unless they have no other choice.

[DrungoHazewood]

Why do they have to be washed out minor leaguers? Heck they could be a fringe amateur that you could sign with an agreement said amateur becomes a knuckleball pitcher.

Talent in baseball is a pyramid. For every player at the highest level there are several a step below, and a dozen the step below that. The Orioles have several hundred players in their organization and expect to get a small handful of good major leaguers out of that. Knuckleballers aren't an exception to that. If you have five in your org at any one point it may be many years before you find a good one.

There's also the issue of a poor knuckeball pitcher being essentially unpitchable. While your guy is learning, throwing tumbling, lifeless knucklers at 60 mph mixed in with 78 mph fastballs, he's getting shelled like Dresden. You can't play someone like that until he reaches a minimum level of competence. Anyone remember Joe Gannon? Knuckleballer signed by the O's in 2004. In 23 innings between Bowie and Ottawa he gave up 29 runs and 29 walks before earning his release. Caught on in indy ball, pitched a long time as an innings-eater for the SoMd Blue Crabs. That's what you're going to get much, much more often than Hoyt Wilhelm or even Charlie Zink.

[TouchemAll]

If this Kuckleball thing was so EASY to learn and develop every aging MLB pitcher, or former injured pitcher who's FB sunk into the mid 80's would take a stab at throwing it.

The reality of it... It's a rare dude who can throw it and COMMAND IT for strikes.

[Aristotelian]

I know I've said it before, but here's a knuckleballer that DD could draft easily on the back end. A pitcher, by the way, that's he has already met. It's a no-brainer DD, let's get it done.

I would love to see her strike out Jose Bautista.