Best curveball you've ever seen? (1 Viewer)

[Raider Nation]

I'm not going to bother making this a poll, as anyone old enough to have seen Bert Blyleven would likely make this a rout. But is there anyone you would at least put in the conversation with him?

A few that come to mind for me:

Barry Zito

Doc Gooden

Nolan Ryan

Orel Hershiser

Pedro Martinez

Mark Clear (NASTY hook, but he couldn't throw it for a strike)

Sandy Koufax was said to have a filthy curve, though I've only seen it in highlites.

Some current pitchers with great curves: Beckett, Lincecum, Halladay and King Felix.

 

[Limp Ditka]

Dave Stieb

 

[Raider Nation]

Dave Stieb

Sweet porn mustache too!

 

[The Ref]

Tom Gordon.

 

[monessen]

Blyleven, Koufax, and Gooden are way up there. But, before his tragic downfall, Rod Scurry was consistently cited by NL hitters as having a truly nasty curveball.

 

[Eephus]

El Duque's was a pretty ridiculous combination of big break and low velocity

 

[shamwow!]

Nowhere near the guys already mentioned but when he was on, Sheets had a pretty nice knee-buckler

 

[Raider Nation]

El Duque's was a pretty ridiculous combination of big break and low velocity

Watching a few Nats games this year, Livan's curve is very similar to that. He throws it mid-60s.

 

[RnR]

Darryl Kile

 

[dparker713]

Strasburg's is pretty nasty, especially when the other options are a 90 mph changeup or 100 mph heat, but Wainwright probably has had the best of the past few years.

 

[jon_mx]

Not a curve, but Bruce Sutter's split-fingered fastball was a wicked pitch.

 

[Smack Tripper]

Ben McDonald had a beautiful one. Probably would go with Gooden and Gordon is also a good call. Footage of Koufax is ridiculous too. I remember Gregg Olson having a pretty mean uncle charlie too

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Mike Boddicker. Good call on Gregg Olson too.

Current, Jonathon Niese deserves some love.

 

[Raider Nation]

Ben McDonald had a beautiful one.

Okay, but what did you think of his curveball?

 

[Encyclopedia Brown]

John Tudor.

Barry Bonds said his curve was so wicked that it screwed up his timing for the next couple of games.

 

[Raider Nation]

How about Radar's nasty curveball which dazzled Brett, Garvey and Lynn on Fantasy Island.

 

[Limp Ditka]

How about Radar's nasty curveball which dazzled Brett, Garvey and Lynn on Fantasy Island.

Must have something to do with the gimp hand.And Leslie Nielsen as a angry mob leading pilgrim is quality schtick.

 

[boubucarow]

Kerry Wood's curve in his first incarnation was absolutely filthy. That Astros one hitter was the most dominant pitching performance I have ever seen and that curve made very good hitters look very silly.

 

[wilked]

Best in the game is Lincecum IMO. Here is a big reason (besides the sick 12 to 6 action)

Burnett, when he is on, has a great one too

 

[otello]

Great video on Lefty's slider:

 

[pantagrapher]

Best ones I can think of are Zito, Gooden and Wood. Ben Sheets had a pretty nice one. Kershaw is no slouch.

 

[Greco]

I think Verlander throws one.

 

[wilked]

Best curveball you've ever seen?

Great video on Lefty's slider:

 

[wilked]

I think Verlander throws one.

Verlander's works well because you have to be prepared for his heat. By itself it is not best in baseball though...

 

[wilked]

Best ones I can think of are Zito, Gooden and Wood. Ben Sheets had a pretty nice one. Kershaw is no slouch.

Good list here

 

[Raider Nation]

Best curveball you've ever seen?

Great video on Lefty's slider:

Some old-timers consider a "curveball" and a "slider" to be interchangeable terms for similar pitches.

 

[wilked]

This guy is no slouch

 

[Good Posting Judge]

Best curveball you've ever seen?

Great video on Lefty's slider:

They are two different pitches, with completely different grips. A slurve has qualities of both, but I think they're pretty easily discernible from each other.

 

[100]

Best in the game is Lincecum IMO. Here is a big reason (besides the sick 12 to 6 action)

Burnett's curve was etched in my mind, first guy I thought of after Zito

 

[Brady Marino]

Vin Scully loves Clayton Kershaw's curve

 

[Arsenal of Doom]

El Duque's was a pretty ridiculous combination of big break and low velocity

Watching a few Nats games this year, Livan's curve is very similar to that. He throws it mid-60s.

Of course his fastball isn't much more than that.

 

[D in the D]

David Cone's, at times, looked like a yo-yo. Although, in my lifetime I believe the Gold Standard is Bert Blyleven.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

I think Verlander throws one.

Verlander's works well because you have to be prepared for his heat. By itself it is not best in baseball though...

It is one of the best, by itself or with a twist of lime. Frank Tanana had the best curve I've ever seen. Lincecum right now.

 

[Michael Brown]

All the ones I would have named (Zito, Lincecum, Sheets, Gooden) have already been named, so I'll add David Wells to the list of guys in the next tier.

 

[RnR]

Darryl Kile

Can't get any back-up on this? Best 12-6 in the league for a decade.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Darryl Kile

Can't get any back-up on this? Best 12-6 in the league for a decade.

Too soon.

 

[Eephus]

Darryl Kile

Can't get any back-up on this? Best 12-6 in the league for a decade.

Too soon.

Dead Man's Curve, it's no place to playDead Man's Curve, you best keep awayDead Man's Curve, I can hear 'em sayWon't come back from Dead Man's Curve

 

[Don Quixote]

I don't think Mussina has been mentioned yet. But that might depend if you include the knucklecurve.

 

[RnR]

I don't think Mussina has been mentioned yet. But that might depend if you include the knucklecurve.

I consider that a different pitch, but I'd be comfortable saying his is the best knucklecurve I've ever seen.

 

[Frostillicus]

Amanda Whurlitzer.

 

[Da Guru]

Watch film of Frank Tanana his first few years. Wicked curveball.

 

[Wrigley]

sat behind home plate for a Rich Hill game once.

Knee buckler.

 

[Tom Servo]

Great video on Lefty's slider:

That slider is a beautiful thing.

 

[bigmarc27]

I always thought Roy Oswalt had a nasty curve.

 

[Wrigley]

Kerry Wood had a pretty good one this day

 

[beaux]

Rod Scurry

 

[rodg12]

Kerry Wood and Doc Gooden were the first two that popped into my head.

 

[D in the D]

Sidd Finch's was pretty good. When you are bringing heat like he did, he never really had to rely on the offspeed stuff, so his wasn't showcased much.

 

[Sweet Love]

I remember hearing Tim Belcher had a very good curve. Can anyone cirm/deny?

 

[Mentos]

My father raves about Camilo Pascual's curveball.

http://www.1960sbaseballprofilesal.info/1960sBaseball_PP_CamiloPascual.html