A breaking ball of professional baseball pitchers is amazing, isn't it? Why does a ball curve or fall in its course? Let's study the mechanism and methods of pitching! Considering physically or hydrodynamically, there is...against the ball, then have patience, this difficult breaking ball is called a curve. When a pitcher throws a curve, two forces work on the ball-one force tries to go straight and the other tries to go transversely. The direct force is applied to the ball when the pitcher throws the ball. With the spin applied to the pitch, a force to go transversely is generated. So, why does it go transversely due to spinning? Let's look at a spinning ball from the top.

The air hits the ball while it's flying and the air ahead of it is squeezed in the direction of the spin. The speed of the side, where more air gathers, increases and the air pressure becomes lower. This makes the ball curve to the side whose air pressure is lower. So, why doesn't it curve from the very beginning? Why does it curve on its way? Initially, the ball goes almost straight because the force to go straight is strong and the force to go transversely is still weak. As it comes closer to the batter, the force to go straight becomes weaker and it starts to curve transversely... This is why the batter can't hit this ball. The spinning force works to make the ball curve transversely. When a pitcher throws a breaking ball, he holds the ball differently. That is to make it easier to spin the ball, which is necessary for each breaking ball. Let's get to know how to hold the ball. This is how to hold a straight ball, which goes directly. You can compare and understand the difference between the other forms. A right-handed pitcher twists his wrist to throw and spin the ball in an anti-clockwise direction, so the ball curves to the left to become a curve. If he spins the ball in a clockwise direction, it curves to the right to become a shoot.

 Are curve and shoot the same!?

When a right-handed pitcher throws the ball to the curve to the left, it is a curve. If it curves to the right, it is a shoot. In the case of a left-handed pitcher, the ball which curves to the right is a curve and the ball which curves to the left is a shoot. So, the curve is the ball which curves in the opposite direction of the throwing arm and the shoot is the ball which curves in the same direction as the throwing arm.