Mendick’s eephus
Friday, Jun 7, 2024 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This may turn out to be the high point of the entire White Sox season…
* From MLB.com…
Definition
The eephus is one of the rarest pitches thrown in baseball, and it is known for its exceptionally low speed and ability to catch a hitter off guard.
Typically, an eephus is thrown very high in the air, resembling the trajectory of a slow-pitch softball pitch. Hitters, expecting a fastball that’s nearly twice the velocity of the eephus, can get over-zealous and swing too early and hard. But for a hitter who is able to keep his weight back and put a normal swing on the pitch, it is the easiest pitch to hit in baseball — one without unexpected movement or excessive velocity.
Origin
Pirates pitcher Rip Sewell was the first pitcher to throw the eephus pitch regularly — although, at the time, the pitch hadn’t yet been named. Sewell’s teammate Maurice Van Robays took care of that. He concocted the name “eephus” and when asked why, he responded by saying, “Eephus ain’t nothing, and that’s a nothing pitch.” In Hebrew, the word “efes” can be loosely translated into “nothing,” and the word “eephus” undoubtedly stems from that.
Zack Greinke is famous for surprising hitters with an eephus on occasion, one of the only modern-day pitchers to use the eephus pitch with any frequency.
Mendick threw seven eephuses (eephi?) out of 15 pitches yesterday.
Feel free to use this post as an Illinois sports open thread.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:03 am:
And, yes, it’s a very slow news day.
- Amalia - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:15 am:
as Sox fans we are down to this as fun and hope. we had the Campfire Milkshake but now a fans protest has started because some say it is watered down and with hard marshmallows. Meanwhile the fan groups have started a campaign to elect Martin Maldonado to the All Star team. Yes, he of the batting average below 200 #VoteMaldy is hitting home with national chatter and other team fan groups hopping on this snark idea. The worst chatter is the Sox are talking trading LuRob. Sob.
- H-W - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:29 am:
Worth the price of admission, right there.
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:31 am:
Both baseball teams stink. The Sox are historically bad, while the Cubs are wallowing in their own mediocrity. The Bulls are the epitome of milquetoast and the Hawks are nothing to be excited about at the moment. The only hope for the state is the Chicago Bears, who we all know will produce unwarranted excitement leading up the the season, but that excitement will fade as fans realize that their new QB is not the savior everyone makes him out to be. The Sky are turning into the villains of the WNBA and I wouldn’t even know what to say about our soccer teams. Illinois sports are in a sad state indeed.
- Responsa - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:33 am:
Danny cementing his value to the team.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:48 am:
Still better than LaTroy Hawkins.
- Ducky LaMoore - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:51 am:
“Worth the price of admission, right there.”
You really think that was worth seven dollars?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 11:53 am:
===The Sky are turning into the villains of the WNBA===
You say that like it’s a bad thing.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:10 pm:
“The Sky are turning into the villains of the WNBA”
The NBA has had heel teams for as long as I can remember.
They’re good for business.
– MrJM
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:12 pm:
=== You say that like it’s a bad thing. ===
Others may like it, but its not my cup of tea. That cheap shot on Caitlin Clark reeked of jealousy and desperation.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:16 pm:
===That cheap shot on Caitlin Clark===
Clark is a notorious flopper.
- Hannibal Lecter - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:30 pm:
=== Clark is a notorious flopper. ===
I saw the hit. That was no flop. And I am no fan of Caitlin Clark either.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:31 pm:
===That was no flop===
Floppers in every sport (except soccer) will eventually get checked.
- Keyrock - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:35 pm:
Ah, that pitch reminds me of Bill “Spaceman” Lee, one of my all-time favorite players.
- TheInvisibleMan - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:51 pm:
Next Wednesday is the 54th anniversary of the Doc Ellis no-hitter, while he was… ahem, ‘driving on Lake Shore Drive’.
If you know, you know.
- Save Ferris - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 12:53 pm:
Kevin Warren wishes he had a pitch that good.
- Model T - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 1:21 pm:
Clark is a notorious flopper? Huh? Lol
- Amalia - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 1:22 pm:
Clark did not flop on that hit, which was accompanied by a word that indicates the intent of the player who made the hit. Sally Jenkins in WaPo has a good piece on it.
- levivotedforjudy - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 1:25 pm:
It always amazes me how that pitch just throws the hitter’s timing off. Fun to watch. As far a Caitlin flopping, let someone ram into you from your blind spot when you don’t expect it and see what happens. I think that type of hit in the NFL on a kick return is a penalty - the NFL!
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 1:49 pm:
===into you from your blind spot===
I didn’t say that was a flop, I said she’s a notorious flopper.
- H-W - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 1:54 pm:
@ DuckyLaMoore
Out here in West Central Illinois, I would pay $7.00 to see any team, win or lose. And that pitch is better than an overpriced ballpark hotdog or a ballpark beer.
- cermak_rd - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 2:02 pm:
אפס
Is commonly also used for the word zero which makes sense as zero is a numerical nothing.
- Vote Quimby - Friday, Jun 7, 24 @ 2:12 pm:
A brutal summer for baseball fans of the 3 teams, either inside the state or within 2 miles of its border. Sad when my only hope is to watch a couple of NFL rookies in a couple months…