CU vs Off-Speed

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Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
So I have another pitching DD dilemma:

DD has a CU that is 15mph slower than her FB.
DD has an "off-speed" (remember, just names now...) that is 7-10mph slower than fastball.

Which one is more effective at the 16U level?

My personal opinion is that the CU can be re-loaded to easy by good batters. But the CU will get the best "whiff" by a lesser batter. The Off-Speed will get the good batter to hit off-balance more.

I look forward to your experienced insights.
 
May 15, 2008
1,913
113
Cape Cod Mass.
I think that off-speed is more effective. The "Bugs Bunny" change up looks great, gets a lot of attention, but is not as effective as you go up the ladder. A good off speed pitch will not get a lot of swing-misses but it will get a lot of cheap ground ball and popup outs. However one thing that you cannot overlook, ability to locate the pitch might be the final determining factor, throw either one of them on the inner half of the plate and you are asking for trouble. My daughter made a living throwing her off speed pitch on the low outside corner. A lot of hitters and coaches never really caught on to the fact that it was an off speed pitch.
 
Oct 19, 2009
1,277
38
beyond the fences
The beauty of a breaking pitch when throw effectively is not
only movement but a drop in velocity. Thus equaling off-speed,
this is of utmost importance in advanced age groups
 
Dec 7, 2011
2,368
38
Ya my DD's "off-speed" is a slow drop which I guess is a rollover drop. I like that one better after seeing the CU get hurt a few times over the last year.....
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
I think mixing both in is best. If you show 3 different speeds, instead of 2, its harder for the batter to sit on one or the other. That slow CU should never be up or down the middle. Low and on a corner or off the plate, even if it does not create a swing, or a called strike. You are setting them up for something else. As long as she is not telegraphing the pitches, does her CU look like a fastball coming out of her motion?

Plus it depends on the batter. What are they doing, are they in front of or behind the fastball. Don't abandon the CU, its a very effective pitch and is useful. Will it get hit sometimes? Yes, but so will the fastball and the drop. We can't stop throwing pitches just because they might get hit, they all might get hit.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
It may not be just the difference in the speed that hurts the CU. It may be the delivery. For example the Flip is usually pretty easy to pick-up. A lot of players really slow down with the palm shove change so it is easy to pick up. Here is a change that my be very much like the "off-speed" you describe
my DD's "off-speed" is a slow drop which I guess is a rollover drop.
and this is very effective and I would call it a change-up. hump and all.

16h3kfl.gif
 
Aug 2, 2011
129
16
Is this a flip change that Finch is throwing? The batter looks to be right on it timing-wise. She just swung through it.
 
Sep 29, 2008
1,401
63
Northeast Ohio
The batter looks to be right on it timing-wise.
Batter made a nice adjustment but was unable to adjust for all factors like pitch plane and speed. Basically lunges and gets upper body way out there.

I do no believe this is a flip change. My daughter started with a flip and now throws this and there is a big difference.
 
Jun 10, 2010
554
28
midwest
What do you think it is lhowser...a horse shoe change?

On the OP...i would say all three too. We really missed having a CU the later part of the TB season and HS season.
 
Last edited:
Jun 20, 2008
235
0
Depending on who is calling pitches and if they know how to use them, having one of them makes a pitcher harder to hit, but having both can make a pitcher devastating, if you have to worry is this going to be 60 or 45 or 52 will leave many batters and coaches scratching there heads.
 

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