Brent Honeywell is the best pitcher in the Rays system, a coveted top prospect, and among the best minor league pitchers in all of baseball. He boasts five major league ready pitches, and yes, one of them is a screwball.
But if you’re going to talk about it, you better be right, or Honeywell will find you:
Brent Honeywell, Screwball Movement (Home Plate View). pic.twitter.com/2HyRthWtEO
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 5, 2018
This twitter moment starts out innocent enough. At an angle, a screwball and a change are hard to differentiate, so Honeywell steps in:
That would be a chg up https://t.co/jHuewtBeQO
— Brent Honeywell (@brent_honeywell) February 6, 2018
(Then the next tweet has been deleted! It’s a college player saying Honeywell lies about throwing a screw, and, well...)
If anyone tells you they throw a screwball, they are lying. To create enough spin rate to get any significant movement would destroy your elbow in two innings. https://t.co/QjcMm4eEZS
— Cooper Bullough (@ThaCoop25) February 6, 2018
... Honeywell responded:
I’m bout to destroy you in 2 seconds... pronation is a natural movement supination is not. You reach max pronation on the screwball. I’ve thrown it since I was 13? I’m 22 now. Little over 2 innings https://t.co/jCSEuSfnDE
— Brent Honeywell (@brent_honeywell) February 6, 2018
One more thing. Look at screw ballers careers in the show... they are a little over two innings too.. you woulda had a better argument telling me my uni was two different colors. https://t.co/jCSEuSfnDE
— Brent Honeywell (@brent_honeywell) February 6, 2018
If you’re curious as to see one in action, Honeywell dropped a screwball for a called third strike to end the first inning in the nationally televised MLB Futures Game in 2017:
Brent Honeywell struck out four batters in that performance as the Team USA starter, becoming the first pitcher to be awarded the MVP trophy in its history.
Again, that’s his fifth pitch.
Nasty.
BREAKING: Honeywell throws more than pitch?? And I forgot I everyone was doctors? And everyone throws the screwball? Any ?'s just ask.
— Brent Honeywell (@brent_honeywell) December 8, 2016