Change up (Change?)

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
Maybe, because the pitcher is throwing a change up when the batter has three balls in their count?

If the pitcher has thrown 3 straight balls the CU would be ill advised. I throw the CU for a strike early in the count even on a first pitch. Especially when I have had the 3rd base coach berate the batter screaming "WE DON'T SWING AT CHANGE UPS!!!". I have a young lady with a phenomenal CU who also bumps 60mph on her peel drop. On aggressive teams I will throw 2 or even 3 CU inside which usually get jacked foul into the adjacent field. Now at 0 - 2 we have established the off speed and our options are wide open, and a good time for yet another CU low and away.
 
Jul 22, 2012
20
0
Fine tuning a pitch when our team is hitting is something we use all the time and totally believe in... first of all we believe the change up is totally a "feel" pitch and possibly the most difficult pitch, so if its off, we have our pitchers fine tune it while our team is hitting... Helps our pitchers to get their confidence back with their change-up so they can be more confident and effective.
 

amandascarborough

where's the chocolate?
Jan 22, 2014
67
6
Everywhere, USA
Fine tuning a pitch when our team is hitting is something we use all the time and totally believe in... first of all we believe the change up is totally a "feel" pitch and possibly the most difficult pitch, so if its off, we have our pitchers fine tune it while our team is hitting... Helps our pitchers to get their confidence back with their change-up so they can be more confident and effective.

Love everything about this. Great perspective!!! Well done.
 
Feb 17, 2014
7,152
113
Orlando, FL
... first of all we believe the change up is totally a "feel" pitch and possibly the most difficult pitch...

Agree 100%. My DD is in college and only now is starting master the CU. Throws into a bucket in the cages, often with her eyes closed. Has been doing 5 buckets every day recently and it is really paying off. I think seeing Waldrop in the Super and a couple of SEC teams telling her they wanted to see it made a huge impression on her.
 

amandascarborough

where's the chocolate?
Jan 22, 2014
67
6
Everywhere, USA
Side note to all of you out there, sorry for my multiple posts in a row! I go away and do other things for a while, and there are so many things I come back to and want to reply on :)
 
Dec 23, 2009
791
0
San Diego
Jusy my opinion but the most important part of pitch calling (coach or catcher) is understanding and working within the umpire's zone...I love batters that walk away shaking their heads saying "it wasn't a strike" when the umpire's been calling that "in the river" outside strike the whole game...the catcher that understands that and works with it is worth her weight in gold...
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Jusy my opinion but the most important part of pitch calling (coach or catcher) is understanding and working within the umpire's zone...I love batters that walk away shaking their heads saying "it wasn't a strike" when the umpire's been calling that "in the river" outside strike the whole game...the catcher that understands that and works with it is worth her weight in gold...

or, if you find that its bigger, working within the hitter's zone! Which leads to what should be a pitcher's operating premise "Never throw the ball over the plate unless you have to!"

And you're absolutely right about that catcher! They can see so much more from behind the plate than from the bench!
 
Last edited:
Mar 23, 2014
621
18
SoCal
I think we live in an alternate reality. Last Night, AC called 4 CUs in a row!!!!!

Not that DD has mastered the flip change, but we are glad that she can build the confidence to use it in a game. FOUR in a row is a bit ridiculous. Not one of the four were called for strikes or fooled the batter.

On the bright side, she did l learn a few things:
1. That she will shake off a CU if he calls more than two in a row (owning her pitching as this was all her thinking and I support it)
2. She's not afraid to throw a pitch that is "in the works"
3. She can recover.....the next two fastball pitches were high but she figured out exactly why (change in mechanics from throwing CU) and made a great adjustment.

Go figure.....
 
Oct 22, 2009
1,781
0
I think we live in an alternate reality. Last Night, AC called 4 CUs in a row!!!!!

Not that DD has mastered the flip change, but we are glad that she can build the confidence to use it in a game. FOUR in a row is a bit ridiculous. Not one of the four were called for strikes or fooled the batter.

On the bright side, she did l learn a few things:
1. That she will shake off a CU if he calls more than two in a row (owning her pitching as this was all her thinking and I support it)
2. She's not afraid to throw a pitch that is "in the works"
3. She can recover.....the next two fastball pitches were high but she figured out exactly why (change in mechanics from throwing CU) and made a great adjustment.

Go figure.....

Oh I used to love to call the multiple changes in a row--of course they need to be working!

One of my 12u's did this a couple of weekends ago in a tournament. Predominately change-ups, one inning was nothing but change-ups. She had a great time and her team won the tournament. And she's not afraid to throw change up ever again.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,468
Members
21,443
Latest member
sstop28
Top