Is There Room For a Slow-Pitch in Today’s MLB?

The “Eephus” is a pitch with an arc thrown in the 50mph range or slower.

MLB announcers and players scoff at it, but the Eephus is effective under the right circumstances.

As pitch speed in the MLB increases, the Eephus pitch and pitches under 80mph get less recognition.

Players Using An Eephus

However, Cy Young winner, R.A Dickey, the knuckleballer, would usually throw at two speeds:

In the 73–75mph range or in the 75–80mph range.

He gets more velocity on his pitches than other knuckleballers like Tim Wakefield who would consistently throw between 66–67mph.

Dickey’s range of speed is an asset, keeping hitters off balance.

This makes him dangerous, and hard to read.

Dickey has three distinct knuckleballs, and the velocity he throws them at provides different movement.

Again it’s the variety that baffles hitters, not the speed.

This is what gives Dickey an edge over knuckleballers like Wakefield.

What’s The Slowest Pitch Possible?

There is an internet question, or famous bar argument, asking what is the slowest pitch one could throw that will reach home plate?

Neil deGrasse Tyson said the slowest baseball pitch to reach a catcher would be 30mph thrown at a 45 degree angle.

Any slower, or any angle variation, and the ball hits the ground.

Imagine a 90mph average pitcher incorporating a 30mph pitch into their repertoire.

Would this variation not frazzle even the heaviest of hitters?

A batter needs more effort to knock a 30mph pitch out of the park than a 100mph pitch, where all the batter needs to do is make the right amount of contact.

Since the ball has virtually no momentum, the batter needs to exert more power.

Will We See The Slow-Pitch?

It would be interesting to see a focus on slower pitches in the MLB, and more pitchers incorporating them, instead of focusing on speed.

And when slow pitches work, they really work!