The well-thrown curveball has been one of the most difficult pitches to hit in the history of baseball. It is also a difficult pitch to throw with consistency. Since the mid-1970s, the slider has eclipsed the curveball as the breaking pitch of choice for most pitchers. One of the reasons is that it's a bit easier to execute. However, a curveball that breaks sharply down and away or down and in is always a challenge to hitters.
Step 1
Place your fingers along the seams of the baseball to make your pitch curve effectively. Those fingers should be your index finger and your middle finger. They should be right next to each other. Apply a bit more pressure on the ball with your middle finger as you prepare to throw the baseball.
Step 2
Use a straight overhand delivery when you want to throw a curveball that breaks from the batter's nose to his toes. Many pitchers use a three-quarters delivery and some may throw sidearm. It is much harder to throw a curveball with a significant break if you don't throw it with an overhand motion.
Step 3
Snap your wrist hard just as you release the ball to impart a spin on the ball. Coupling that spin with the finger pressure you have put on the ball should make your ball curve and drop dramatically. The twisting motion is keyed by your wrist. You will turn it violently inward upon release to get the proper rotation on the ball.
Step 4
Build strength in your wrist and forearm to help develop a strong curveball. According to Cy Young Award winner Steve Stone, a longtime Chicago baseball analyst, power for a pitcher's fastball comes from the shoulder while the ability to curve the ball comes from the wrist and forearm. Stone says that if you can build up strength in your wrist and forearm, you will impart more spin on the baseball, and that will cause the baseball to break more on its journey toward home plate.
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