Lance Niekro attempts comeback as knuckleballer

[Derwood]

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Lance Niekro will sign a minor league contract the Braves and attempt to make a comeback as a knuckleball pitcher.

Just a few years ago Niekro was in position to be the Giants' starting first baseman, but he hit just .246/.288/.421 in 195 games before retiring last season after being released. Now he'll try to follow in the footsteps of his father Joe and uncle Phil, who combined to win 539 games with the knuckler.

 

I really hope he does it. Not because I'm a fan of the guy, but just because it would be a cool story

[JeffH]

I'm not sure that "comeback" is the right word.

[Derwood]

I'm not sure that "comeback" is the right word.

 

he retired after being a crappy first baseman, so he's attempting a "comeback" to baseball as another position. what word would you use?

[rawaction]

I'm not sure that "comeback" is the right word.

 

he retired after being a crappy first baseman, so he's attempting a "comeback" to baseball as another position. what word would you use?

 

Maybe he thinks it should just be called a "come" without the back because the word "come-back" implies he was ever somewhere to begin with.

[Wheelimus]

Well, they sold the film "The Rookie" as the "greatest comeback story of all time" and the situation was fairly similar. Hell, Niekro at least had a couple hundred MLB at bats under his belt.

 

I've never bet against a knuckleballing Niekro and I'm not about to start now. Stranger things have happened...

[bcl412]

The knuckleball is the best thing in sports.

[NewUserName]

I think Hawk Harrelson is probably the biggest DumbButt in all of sports...however he was telling a story of when he was the GM of the Sox he wanted to teach one pitcher who obviously wasnt going to make it every year the knuckleball. Pesonally I think it was a pretty good idea.

 

The Niekro bros were 2 of my favorite non-Cubs ever..I hope this works out for Lance, I wouldnt bet on it though

[Wheelimus]

I wonder if they don't because players might become more adapt at hitting it if every minor league team suddenly had 2 or 3 in their rotation.

 

Still, worth a shot I'd say.

[Mephistopheles]

i have a mean knuck.

[jacey]

Joe Niekro was a former Cub

[Guest]

I wonder if they don't because players might become more adapt at hitting it if every minor league team suddenly had 2 or 3 in their rotation.

 

Still, worth a shot I'd say.

 

I doubt anybody will ever be able to do anything with a good knuckleball. IMO the reason people don't throw it more is because it is so hard to master, and even if you do neither you nor the catcher know where the ball is gonna end up. Just look at Wakefield, Boston traded away his catcher and ended up having to get him back because nobody else could handle him.

[Wheelimus]

Which begs a bigger question. Not only "why aren't more teams trying to turn busts into knuckleballers". But "why aren't they also trying to turn every catcher bust into a knuckleball catcher" too.

 

Some kid might not be able to hit worth a damn, but if he could master catching the knuckleball it just might be his ticket to the show. Especially if some small market team ever pulled off the unthinkable and brought up 2 or 3 knuckleballers at once.

 

Can you imagine that kind of crazy jive? One year a team just says "bleep it", trades their rotation for prospects, and put 5 knuckleballing rookies in their rotation. Lol

[Abe Frohman]

To me, the knuckleball is a pretty damned tough pitch to master. I can't imagine how a guy could throw it 10 out of 10 times. I might be able to get it to work 1 out of 10 times. It takes a real master to get it down.

 

I imagine that is why they are so rare in baseball. I have a friend who was a catcher in the Mariner's system who could throw one. He was playing around before a game showing it off and the pitching coach saw it. A few days later they had the organizations pitching coach come check it out and their plans were to make him a knuckle ball pitcher - but he retired, so no dice.

 

Tough pitch.

[bcl412]

The other bad part about the pitch is if you don't have it down, it is easy to hit the crap out of. You can get away with a less than perfect fastball or curveball but if your knuckleball blows than it's like hitting a softball.

[erik316wttn]

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Lance Niekro will sign a minor league contract the Braves and attempt to make a comeback as a knuckleball pitcher.

Just a few years ago Niekro was in position to be the Giants' starting first baseman, but he hit just .246/.288/.421 in 195 games before retiring last season after being released. Now he'll try to follow in the footsteps of his father Joe and uncle Phil, who combined to win 539 games with the knuckler.

 

I really hope he does it. Not because I'm a fan of the guy, but just because it would be a cool story

 

I think there are far too few knuckleballers these days. I'd like to see him make it.

[Ski]

I love some of the quotes on wiki about the knuckler:

 

"I never worry about it. I just take my three swings and go sit on the bench. I'm afraid if I ever think about hitting it, I'll mess up my swing for life." ― All-star first baseman Dick Allen

 

I always thought the knuckleball was the easiest pitch to catch. Wait'll it stops rolling, then go to the backstop and pick it up." ― broadcaster and former catcher Bob Uecker

 

"There are two theories on hitting a knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works." ― famed hitting coach Charlie Lau

 

"For a knuckleballer, a pitch count of 150 is not a problem. Unless it's the first inning." ― Dave Clark, author of The Knucklebook

 

"Knuckleballs suck." ― Geno Petralli after giving up four passed balls in one inning

[laurens]

Haha, that last one is awesome.

[NCCubFan]

Joe Niekro was a former Cub

To be more specific, he started his career with the Cubs. He was with the Cubs for all of 1967 and 1968, then was traded to the Padres very early in the 1969 season (late April) for Dick Selma.

[NewUserName]

Joe Niekro was a former Cub

 

 

true, but long before I was old enough to follow baseball...so he was always on non-Cub to me

[chuckywang]

I wonder if the Cubs have any knucklers in their system.