Coach calling 1st pitch changeup

[Momo'sDad]

I know it can be hard, but take the long view. Is working on things outside her comfort zone going to help or hinder her development for the future? If this was May and your team was gearing up for a large, end-of-season tournament, I could understand going with what works best now. But it's September, and the goal should be to prepare DD and her team to be as competitive as possible next summer, not right now.

I don't know what level you're talking about, but the only thing I'd suggest to the coach in your case is to maybe have the catcher and pitcher working together on calling games. Not every coach is open to this, but as far as the pitch call itself is concerned, I see nothing at all wrong with it. As a pitcher, it should be a goal of your DD to do what she can to keep the hitters from getting comfortable in the box.

 

[sleepwalker]

My dd's had more 3, 4, or 5 pitch innings by throwing changeups on the first pitch than she has by leading out with dropballs or fastballs. My dd usually doesn't show her changeup until around the 4th inning, unless she is getting beat up in the earlier innings. My personal opinion is that a first pitch change up can be an effective way to mess with the hitter's timing.

If the concern becomes that the hitters are only able to hit her changeup and not her fastball, I would work with my dd on locating her first pitch changeups out of the strike zone, outside, in the dirt, etc. Every time my dd has asked a College Softball Pitcher for advice about pitching, the response has always been very similiar, "Never throw a strike, unless you absolutely have to."

I've attended several college games where the pitchers would throw changeups that weren't close to the strike zone all game long. I always assumed that these pitchers were using the changeup as a set up pitch and not necessarily a pitch to get a strike with. I would be willing to bet that some of these pitchers could actually throw a changeup for a strike occasionally if they wanted to. I would be willing to bet that some of these pitchers weren't comfortable with their changeups and didn't want to get beat with a pitch that they didn't have confidence in.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[shockcoach]

I called a 1st pitch change up to begin a game. That slapper was messed up for the rest of the game. Ain't nothing wrong with throwing it for the 1dt pitch. At 10u, if a pitcher has a change up, I call it often to get them used to throwing it. For now, she isn't playing for 16u nationals.

 

[CoachFP]

A first pitch change-up for a strike can be a very effective pitch for the reasons stated prior in the thread.

Another effective pitch is the change-up that's thrown high and out of the strike zone intentionally when it can't hurt the pitcher. If a batter thinks a pitcher can't control their change-up they are likely to lay off of it before recognizing it when it's been thrown for a strike.

Kinda like the movie Bull Durham when the catcher tells the pitcher to hit the mascot with the next pitch. Put something in hitters mind for later in the game.

That makes no sense. You have never pitched.

 

[chinamigarden]

I have become a fan of the first pitch change up. At first I thought it was a bad idea, but it works so often that I changed my mind. I might not do it at 10u for the first pitch of the game, but one everyone has seen the fastball, thats what they are geared for.

 

[Softballs]

It sounds like the coach knows more about coaching than I do.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

 

[chinamigarden]

It sounds like the coach knows more about coaching than I do.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

The best thing that comes of this is what you already committed to and thats working on the CU. My dd was working on a drop curve and after her 9th grade HS season she joined her 14u travel team the very next day to play. I talked to the coach and explained that she was working on it but its not been used in a game yet. He called for it on about 40% of the pitches. I talked to him after the game thinking maybe I had misspoke and told him it was game ready. He said, no I understood, but nothing is going to get that pitch ready faster then using it.

And he was right because we focused on it.

 

[Sparky Guy]

That makes no sense. You have never pitched.

How many times have you seen a hitter lay off of the high CU? Most of those I've seen the majority of them will. If the hitters don't think the pitcher can control it they will often times disregard it until it's too late.

The same goes for the CU that bounces off of the plate. It's a little something that keeps the hitters wondering.

 

[Greenmonsters]

All this crazy talk about change ups! What's next, throwing consecutive change ups?!!! LOL

 

[Jackel2168]

I tell my pitchers to be able to throw their change up all the time, that I need their change up to be just as good as their fastball. My 14U team beat a state champ last year with a pitcher who only threw fastball/change up and we threw that pitch a ton. We won the game throwing consecutive change ups. Watching the other coaches and players get flustered was hysterical.