Table of Contents
Who made the eephus pitch famous?
Rip Sewell
Its invention is attributed to Rip Sewell of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1940s, although according to historians John Thorn and John Holway, the first pitcher to throw a big blooper pitch was Bill Phillips, who played in the National League on and off from 1890 through 1903.
Who pitched the eephus pitch?
Holt ended up tossing a 31 mph eephus pitch for a perfect strike to A’s batter Josh Harrison. It happened on the first pitch that Holt threw and it was just his third career appearance on the mound since entering the majors back in 2012.
How did the eephus pitch get its name?
Rip Sewell, a pitcher on the Pittsburgh Pirates, came up with the Eephus pitch in the ’40s. The name originates from the Hebrew word “efes,” which means nothing. Since the pitch is seen as a junk pitch since there is nothing special on it, the Hebrew phrase perfectly describes the nothing pitch.
How do you hit an eephus pitch?
Essentially, an eephus is a very slow, very high arcing pitch that will drop down right through the strike zone, throwing the hitter’s timing off. You grip the eephus like you would a four seam fastball. Your index and middle fingers should go across the horseshoe of the baseball, with your thumb directly underneath.
Is the eephus pitch real?
Definition. The eephus is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, and it is known for its exceptionally low speed and ability to catch a hitter off guard. Typically, an eephus is thrown very high in the air, resembling the trajectory of a slow-pitch softball pitch.
Is eephus pitch effective?
Despite its incredibly slow speed, the eephus pitch manages to hold its own. Batters have trouble making high quality contact with the pitch, and in general get on base less often when the pitch is utilized in a plate appearance.
Who threw the gyro pitch?
Daisuke Matsuzaka
In the United States, the gyroball became a media goldmine when word spread that Daisuke Matsuzaka, an outstanding Japanese pitcher, threw this pitch— maybe—or at least was considering throwing it. As Matsuzaka negotiated a contract with the Boston Red Sox, the gyroball became one of baseball’s hottest topics.
Is the gyro ball a real pitch?
A gyroball is a type of baseball pitch used primarily by players in Japan. It is thrown with a spiral-like spin, so that there is no Magnus force on the ball as it arrives at home plate. The gyroball is sometimes confused with the shuuto, another pitch used in Japan.
Who invented gyro ball?
Ryutaro Himeno, the inventor of the gyroball, has some very interesting stuff on his web site. Note particularly the very impressive high-speed movies, especially “movie 1” which clearly shows the spiral-type spin.