Types Of Breaking Balls

[Chris O'Leary]

Another thread about curveballs has interested me in starting a conversation about types, philosophies, and strategies of breaking balls (which includes curveballs and sliders).

As I see it, pitchers throw a number of different types of breaking balls...

1. The High Dropper
This is a breaking ball that looks like it's going to miss high but then drops into the strike zone. Often moves 12-6.

2. The Slider
This is a breaking pitch which looks like it's going to nick the lower outside part of the plate but that drops down and out at the last second.

3. The "Oh Snap" Curve
This is a ball that looks like it's coming directly at the batter's head but then dives into the strike zone. Often moves 1-7 or 2-8 to RH batter.

4. The "Hit It If You Can" Curve
This is a breaking ball (e.g. Sandy Koufax curve or even Eephus pitch) that is obviously a curveball but is hard to hit due to its movement. Often moves 12-6.

[SluggerCF91]

I've only had the follwoing pitches thrown at me: fastball, changeup, curveball, knuckle ball. A fast ball spins 12-6 and looks like white blur, a changeup looks like the same thing as a fastball but the velocity is slower, a curveball can be thrown 12-6, 1-7, 2-8 or even 3-8 and looks like the ball is popping out of the pitchers hands, and if your eye is keen enough you can pick up the spin and recognize that the pitch is a curveball. A knuckle ball has little or no spin on it and is thrown slower than a fastball. I dont remember if I was ever thrown a slider, but I heard that a slider looks like a red dot, is this true?

[POHusKy9]

A fast ball spins 12-6
fast balls spin backwards

[SluggerCF91]

Really???? I didnt know that I have just been playing baseball since I was 4 years old. Let me rephrase, 12-6 "back" spin. Do you care to educate me on the 4-seam and 2-seam fastballs also? Curveball spin 12-6 with "top spin".

[JLeicester]

Those are all different breaking pitches for sure, but the reason they look different is only because of their desired effect.
Every pitcher must establish that he(/she?) can throw their breaking ball for a strike. Those might be #'s 1 and 3 on you list.
After the pitcher has established their ability to throw strikes, they will throw those same breaking balls to land lower in the zone (for a ball) or often times in the dirt. These might be #4.
My list of different breaking balls looks like this:
1. 'Get me over'- thrown early or behind in the count to get a quick strike.
2. '2 strike'- thrown in the dirt in front of the plate to get a strikeout.
3. 'Back-up'- thrown unintentionally. the breaking ball actually has similar movement to that of a sinker. Hitters complain that these are hardest to hit because they don't break like they expect them to.
4. 'Back-door'- these are thrown to start off the plate away (Rh Pitcher to a LH hitter, or LH pitch to RH hitter) and break over the outside corner at the very last for a called third strike.
5 'Hanging'- these occur when the pitcher tries to throw the 'best breaking ball ever'. timing gets thrown off, pitch never breaks, and a lucky fan catches a souvenir.
and
6. 'On the shoe tops' -thrown with two strikes to end up on the hitters shoe tops. (Rh Pitcher to a LH hitter, or LH pitch to RH hitter) Hitter sees a fastball middle-in, but the ball breaks sharply as they swing for it.