Knuckleball Article

Why does the Knuckleball flutter? A decent little article. I've got a book floating around the BSTommy Compound here somewhere on the Physics of Baseball that I haven't seen in a couple of months. It's probably on the back of the toilet or something.

I read part of the when Sammy Sosa got caught with cork in his bat. The advantage is psychological to a batter, because there is no physical evidence that cork helps a hitter...any resulting lightening of the bat (and quickening of the swing) is undone because the cork also absorbs a goodly portion of the impact energy. It even hurts a power hitter, as he won't get as much distance on the ball. At least according to that book.

Both Harold Reynolds and Tony Gwynn said they used corked bats in practice, and that it would help immensely in a game situation.

But neither of them is a knuckleballer.

Speaking of knuckleballers, I saw where Jared Fernandez pitched for the Astros against the Marlins one day this past weekend. Dad and I saw him in Nashville when he was pitching for the Astros' Triple-A affiliate a few weeks ago. I remember Dad commenting on his lack of windup.

Knuckleball Link found on A Moveable Beast.