You Learn Something New Every Day, Week 3

Hey--it took me a while to figure out what to do for today's YLSND, so if you guys have something you'd like to see here, feel free to email me or post it in the comments.

For this week's YLSNED, I thought originally I might try explaining free agency and everything that goes along with it, but a) it's kind of boring, and b) it's...uhh...kind of boring.

So, instead, I thought I'd go and explain some of the lesser-used pitches: the knuckleball and the gyroball.


A knuckleball is probably the one with which you are the most familiar. The knuckleball is thrown to minimize spin on the ball; if done correctly the ball will change directions mid-flight, but the pitch is incredibly hard to throw.

Originally, the pitch was gripped with the knuckles, hence the name, though nowadays it's common for pitchers to use their fingertips and using the thumb for balance.

Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox is one of the better known knuckleball pitchers today.

You can read more about the knuckleball here


The Gyroball has got nothing to do with the Greek food, though I'd be lying if I said it wasn't making me incredibly hungry right now...

The gyroball is a Japanese-developed pitch, designed to reduce the stress on a pitcher. A gyroball is thrown so that the arm does not move towards the body, but instead away from the body. The legs are key to the delivery; if done correctly, it flies like a fastball, but because of the delivery the batter is fooled by the spin, thinking that the pitch is faster or slower than it is.

You can read more about the gyroball here



The Yankees have until tonight to pick up Bobby Abreu's option; rumor is that they will do it.

[edit] Per ESPN News, the Yankees have picked up Abreu's 2008 option