Breaking ball
Curveball
The classic dropping pitch. You roll your wrist and fingers over the top so the ball spins forward, and that topspin plus gravity bends it down. It comes in slower than a slider with a bigger, looping break to throw off a hitter's timing.
The grip
Gripped to be thrown with topspin — the pitcher rolls the wrist and fingers over the top of the ball at release so the rotation runs forward-over-the-top rather than fastball backspin.
What it does
The classic downward-breaking pitch: topspin plus gravity produce a pronounced, looping drop, thrown slower and with more overall break than a slider to keep hitters off balance.
Who throws itClayton Kershaw, Sandy Koufax
Study this first
The filed 12-6 Curveball is the purest vertical version of this pitch, thrown from a high over-the-top slot so the break runs straight down. Study it to see where the curve's topspin can take the ball.
Basic file
This pitch has a sourced one-line grip and movement and an honest explanation, not yet a filed specimen with authored grip geometry and a full craft chapter. A fuller breakdown is coming; the source trail stays attached.
Others in the breaking ball
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