Lance Niekro

[parlo]

Here is a story I read this morning about Lance Niekro, who is the son of former pitcher Joe Niekro. I thought it was pretty good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/sports/baseball/22niekro.html?_r=1&ref=sports

[Dalkowski110]

FWIW, I'm almost positive that both Phil and Joe Niekro used a three-fingers-on-the-ball grip for their knucklers. As you can see in the Spring Training photo with Atlanta, Lance uses a two-fingers-on-the-ball grip. I wonder...was it that he couldn't master the three-finger grip or simply threw better from the onset with a two-finger grip?

[SamtheBravesFan]

FWIW, I'm almost positive that both Phil and Joe Niekro used a three-fingers-on-the-ball grip for their knucklers. As you can see in the Spring Training photo with Atlanta, Lance uses a two-fingers-on-the-ball grip. I wonder...was it that he couldn't master the three-finger grip or simply threw better from the onset with a two-finger grip?

That's an interesting question.

I certainly hope that he's able to turn into a knuckleball pitcher. :)

[CandlestickBum]

It'd be nice to see him suceed, obviously he was a disappointment here in SF, but most of us were rooting for him as he seemed like a nice kid.
Lots of us were urging him to turn to pitching his knuckler before he was ready to admit batting defeat.