This is not video doctoring. It's the effective delivery of a Major League knuckleball. What makes it effective and what is difficult to do is the lack of rotation while throwing this pitch 70 mph. To hit a ball floating in like that, with such unpredictable movement, is really tough on the hitter. It's also a tough pitch to catch. Many catchers have to use specially designed mitts just to catch pitchers who throw mostly knuckleballs.
via Yahoo Sports:
Rather than spinning at a rate of 2,500 revolutions per minute like an elite fastball, knuckleballs appear to float through the air as if suspended in space.
[Baltimore] Orioles' video content creator Johnny Douglas captured pitching prospect Mickey Jannis throwing the knuckleball during a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. Jannis, 33, is a former 44th round pick attempting to bring the knuckleball back. The last full-time pitcher to use it was Steven Wright, who hasn't appeared in an MLB game since 2019.
Douglas's work with the camera deserves to be commended as well. It's already difficult to track a pitch moving 70+ mph from the mound to home plate, but to achieve that level of focus with the lens at the same time is an impressive feat.
