MLB: Why Fans Love Rip Sewell's Manhood-Defying Eephus Pitch

The eephus pitch has been a ginormous thorn in the side of major league hitters since Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Rip Sewell introduced the slow-motion contraption in the 1940s.

This 55-mile-per-hour-or-slower pitch has been called the fossum flip, the folly floater, the LaLob and the dead fish. It has also been called the bloop curve, the space ball and the Bugs Bunny curve.

Of course, legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully had the best nickname for this meatball.

He called it a soap bubble.

Whatever the name, to hitters, the eephus is like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster. It looks big. It looks juicy. But just when one thinks they have captured it, it simply vanishes into the darkness.

But many big league hitters and fans wish that this monstrosity which defies manhood would disappear.

To many, the eephus is worse than the knuckleball.

It is worse than the pitcher on the road who constantly throws over to first base.

Put a better way, if Cain had another shot at murdering his brother, he would use the eephus pitch.

That is, unless the pitcher on your home team throws one.

Then it is the coolest thing on earth.

To fans that have a ballplayer like, say Boston Red Sox pitcher Vicente Padilla, the eephus is a beautiful form of art.

It is the great equalizer.

It is the pitch that enables fans to chuckle from the bleachers at imposing men who lick their chops only to walk back to the dugout, cursing all the way.

“Man! You see that guy whiff?” asks the average fan as he celebrates.

“I could have hit that pitch,” you say, though deep down you know you would not have a chance in hell if put in the same situation.

With that said, as a baseball fan, I am just waiting…and waiting…and waiting.

I am waiting for the joyful day when some big league hitter steps to the plate, eyes this beach ball up and obliterates it so far into the distance that it will traumatize every pitcher and keep them all from throwing such pitches in the future.  

Pitchers who even think of throwing the eephus will remember that very moment and think, “Changeup will do.”

However, I am not so sure that will ever happen.

For the eephus, although rare, is equal to the $8.00 hot dog and the $10.00 beer. Indeed an annoyance, it is nonetheless an ugly but effective part of our beautiful game.