This is a drill that I have been doing for about 9 years now.  I learned it from my friend Duane Rhine, who taught me the curveball that got me into college.  My hammer was the only reason my 78-81 arm ever saw the mound as a freshman, and this drill helps tremendously to get the spin and consistent release down.

The point of the bucket? Well, that’s your “strike” release point.  Don’t expect the ball to break at such low velocity; just work on getting tight spin from your grip and follow through. Learn to nail that bucket on a consistent basis and you will have no trouble spotting up that curve in game situations.  It’s all about repetition with proper mechanics.