--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There aren't many hitters who like facing…" description: "\"There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball pitchers. They may not be intimidated by them, but they sure are thinking about them before they ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/phil-niekro-52187_about_there-aren-t-many-hitters-who-like-facin_1615339.jpg" --- # There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball… ![“There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball pitchers. They may not be intimidated by them, but they sure are thinking about them before they go into the box.” quote by Phil Niekro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/phil-niekro-52187_about_there-aren-t-many-hitters-who-like-facin_1615339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/phil-niekro-52187_about_there-aren-t-many-hitters-who-like-facin_1615339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/phil-niekro-52187_about_there-aren-t-many-hitters-who-like-facin_1615339.jpg) > “There aren't many hitters who like facing knuckleball pitchers. They may not be intimidated by them, but they sure are thinking about them before they go into the box.” [Phil Niekro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-niekro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Batters often think about the unpredictable movement of knuckleballs, which makes them uneasy even if they aren't scared. **In simple terms:** Knuckleball pitchers cause mental distraction for hitters. Key Takeaway Focus on the pitch, not the reputation. Themes baseball psychology pitching Mood concentrated analytical Type sports motivational When to use this quote - game preparation - batting practice - pitcher analysis Key Concepts unpredictability mental focus Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay present when facing unpredictable challenges? - What mental tricks help you ignore distractions? A Different Perspective Hitters can still be overconfident despite knowing the pitch. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Intimidated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intimidated/) [Knuckleballs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knuckleballs/) [Pitchers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitchers/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [With a runner at second base with nobody out, you're trying to punch somebody out. You understand when there are guys in scoring position;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-arrieta/with-a-runner-at-second-base-with-nobody-out-you-re-trying-to-punch/) [Jake Arrieta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-arrieta/) > [I know my Dad's a National League guy. I'm an American League guy. I tell him all the time we got better hitters. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-know-my-dad-s-a-national-league-guy-i-m-an-american-league-guy-i/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [My dad played for a coal-mining team in eastern Ohio; he was a very good pitcher. If he hadn't hurt his arm, he probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-niekro/my-dad-played-for-a-coal-mining-team-in-eastern-ohio-he-was-a-very/) [Phil Niekro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-niekro/) > [The minute you start getting in trouble, you can't try to do new stuff. You can't try to make a nasty pitch or 'paint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mulder/the-minute-you-start-getting-in-trouble-you-can-t-try-to-do-new-stuff/) [Mark Mulder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mulder/) > [I couldn't throw a knuckleball if my life depended on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gio-gonzalez/i-couldn-t-throw-a-knuckleball-if-my-life-depended-on-it/) [Gio Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gio-gonzalez/) > [Look for the seams (on a knuckleball) and then hit in-between them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmon-killebrew/look-for-the-seams-on-a-knuckleball-and-then-hit-in-between-them/) [Harmon Killebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmon-killebrew/) > [There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-lau/there-are-two-theories-on-hitting-the-knuckleball-unfortunately/) Charley Lau > [You don't catch the knuckleball, you defend against it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/you-don-t-catch-the-knuckleball-you-defend-against-it/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [Throwing a knuckleball for a strike is like throwing a butterfly with hiccups across the street into your neighbor's mailbox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/throwing-a-knuckleball-for-a-strike-is-like-throwing-a-butterfly-with/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [It's a pitch you can extend your career with because it's less taxing on your body. It's like dog years, but in reverse. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/it-s-a-pitch-you-can-extend-your-career-with-because-it-s-less-taxing/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [You know, catching the knuckleball, it's like trying to catch a fly with a chopstick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-varitek/you-know-catching-the-knuckleball-it-s-like-trying-to-catch-a-fly/) Jason Varitek > [It's (Phil Niekro's knuckleball) like watching Mario Andretti park a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-kiner/it-s-phil-niekro-s-knuckleball-like-watching-mario-andretti-park-a-car/) [Ralph Kiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-kiner/) > [I don't really feel much more confident than I did the last couple years. I've always felt like I have a pretty good knuckleball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/i-don-t-really-feel-much-more-confident-than-i-did-the-last-couple/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [The # knuckleball can be a metaphor of what it's like to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-dickey/the-knuckleball-can-be-a-metaphor-of-what-it-s-like-to-let-go/) [R.A. Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-dickey/) > [ \[A knuckleball is\] a curve ball that doesn't give a damn. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cannon/a-knuckleball-is-a-curve-ball-that-doesn-t-give-a-damn/) [Jimmy Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cannon/) ## More by Phil Niekro > [I would think every organization has pitchers who have good talent but just don't have what it takes to make it with what they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-niekro/i-would-think-every-organization-has-pitchers-who-have-good-talent/) [Phil Niekro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-niekro/) > [I don't want anybody to panic. I'm not pitching. I'm just throwing out the first ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-niekro/i-don-t-want-anybody-to-panic-i-m-not-pitching-i-m-just-throwing-out/) [Phil Niekro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-niekro/) > [I never knew how to throw a fastball, never learned how to throw a curveball, a slider, split-finger, whatever they're throwing nowadays. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-niekro/i-never-knew-how-to-throw-a-fastball-never-learned-how-to-throw-a/) [Phil Niekro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-niekro/) > [I remember going to see my dad pitch against other coal-mining teams, and he was successful with the knuckleball. 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