Yes, but it's a question of perception.
To a human brain that's programmed to catch things, I can easily see how "dropping less" would be perceived as "rising."
As for the breaking curveball ... that, too, would be a matter of perception. To be a strike, the curveball has to be thrown wide of the plate. Close to the pitcher, it's moving away from the plate. Close to the hitter, it's moving back toward the plate.
The perception of "breaking" is a matter of angles -- as seen by the hitter, the outward part of the curve is far away and covers a small angle; the inward, final part of the curve is close, and covers a relatively large angle. So it seems to "break."
The next thing they will tell us is a bowling ball doesn’t break, and a golf ball always goes straight.
Hmmmmm.....
Since the pitcher may actually have to throw the ball slightly upward, the visual perception is based on an object rising and then falling, while getting closer. It’s the timing of it’s arrival that we misjudge. That causes the ‘perception’ that the ball ‘broke’ hard (changed directions without any input).
Depends on the angle of release. The 6to 9 curve goes straight down. Not to mention the movement of a split finger fastball going down. This has been studied to death by scientists, but the fact remains that the ball does move. Some pitchers make it move differently than others
Kinda like "Chinese missiles" being fired off the California coast.