Giving Pitcher a Knuckleball

[KBLover]

Would you feel it plausible to give one pitcher in my system who's really a long shot at the majors a knuckleball?

I'd start it at like 1/1/10 or something and leave him be.

Figure it's him trying whatever he can to make it, or something.

I guess I'm just itching for a knuckleballer and don't want to trade for Dickey (don't like his knuckleball anyway, I want a Charlie Hough/Tom Candiotti 60s-MPH knuckler, not Dickey's 80 MPH version).

I'd make sure it's a pitcher with no velocity (or drop his FB in favor for the KN) so there's no 90 MPH with a knuckleballer sort of thing.

Thoughts?

P.S. Do the generated (I assume they are generated and not pre-set like Madden?) draft classes create some knuckleballers?

[Bacong]

Re: Giving Pitcher a Knuckleball

honestly, who cares? have fun. I created Brandon Webb under the context of him returning to the game with a knuckleball. it's been fun.

[xandere313]

Re: Giving Pitcher a Knuckleball

honestly, who cares? have fun. I created Brandon Webb under the context of him returning to the game with a knuckleball. it's been fun.

Its definitely about fun, I wanted a knuckballer too, and I happened to draft an 18 yo kid with a 96 potential but his projection for velocity was atrocious (his fastball now is mid 80s at best and he's a 63 ovr so I doubt it will shoot up) so I moved his fastball from the first spot and in 4 or so years Ill have the next Phil Neikro...or at least Tim Wakefield.

[BA2929]

Re: Giving Pitcher a Knuckleball

This is a cool idea. I might give it a shot.

[@legendm0de]

Re: Giving Pitcher a Knuckleball

In the past the definitely generated draft classes with pitchers throwing knuckleball and many uncommon pitches. They actually did this far too often, and with pitch repertoire's that didn't make sense at all, like knuckleballers throwing high 90s fastballs as their primary pitch.

They scaled it down, and worked on rookie classes being far more realistic so I don't know how often you would see something like this now.

[Jr.]

Re: Giving Pitcher a Knuckleball

It's definitely realistic. There are quite a few organizations that take minor leaguers with very little shot of making it, and try to teach them a knuckleball.

I'm actually thinking about doing this with a couple of my guys that haven't panned out at all.