Coaching against the Change Up

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Aug 16, 2010
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I did a search and all I found was Bristow's 4 methods on 8/9/19, so sorry if this has been covered at great length.

Do any of you have or coach a kid that hits change-ups well? I've seen some girls who just seem to have a knack for recognizing and whalloping a change up (you can see them grin when its coming). Others - like me - seem to coach lay off unless third strike and then fight it off, with anchor method. I'm just wondering if your recognizing a special ability in a certain kid and then developing that or whether it can be taught adequately to any decent hitter - without spending too much time there. I frequently mix changes into my batting-practice coach-pitch but we don't spend a lot of time on it specifically unless we know that a pitcher is prone to throw in certain situations and we will signal to look for it, sit on it and hurt it -- with limited success I might add.
 
Jul 26, 2010
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Recognization is key. Kids should learn how to make "good takes" anyway, so have them stand in the batters box with a pitcher and a catcher. Catcher calls fastball or changeup. Batter assumes their stance but does not swing. They watch the ball to the catchers mitt and load up for a good take. The only difference is they call out "fast" or "change" as soon as they recognize the pitch. This helps your pitcher sell the change better too. (Unless you're a windmill pitcher yourself, use a pitcher, not a coach for this drill). This drill works for learning to spot other pitches too and benefits both batter and pitcher.

Once they're able to recognize the pitch, whatever strategy you teach for dealing with the change-up will be far more effective. I'm in the take unless it's 2 strikes camp as well, but I just coach 12u travel. If you have a strong (physically strong) batter, you can teach them to reload on a changeup. There are a few videos at fastpitch.tv with Lisa Fernandez giving some suggestions on how to hit the change, if I remember correctly.

-W
 
Aug 4, 2008
2,364
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Lexington,Ohio
I have kids that do pretty well hitting change ups. Many different drills we use. The one I like is two pitching machines one set for a fast ball one for a change up. Two people feeding the machines , both act like they are pitching and only one feeds the machine. It is reading the pitch and learning to adjust.
 

sru

Jun 20, 2008
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This is where a slow pitching machine is great practice for the batter to adjust timing. They need the ability to recognize a change up and adjust in a split second, I like SBF's drill.
 
Aug 16, 2010
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SS - trying your live arm next field practice. SBF - in the cages tomorrow - have 2nd pitching machine lined up already. I do know there are a few girls that we play regularly that have a reputation for being able to make you pay w/change up. They don't see very many any more. Would like to get that rep for a few of my girls. Thanks.
 
Aug 4, 2008
2,364
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Lexington,Ohio
Here is one I was shown that I do during lessons. I teaches a student timing and helps them adjust to a change up. I drop a ball from above the students head, after I allow her to go to load. She must hit it after it bounces off the concrete floor. Another is I soft toss to a student, with a softball setting on top of a milk jug 1/2 filled with small gravel. It sets just off the outside corner of the plate, where a perfect change up would be pitched. They never know when I'm going to call change up and not toss the ball and they must adjust and go down and hit the ball off of the milk jug.
 
Jun 17, 2009
15,105
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Portland, OR
Vision & recognition are believed to be key. There is a school of thought that there is critical information at the pitcher’s “release” point ….. and that the later you pick up the ball after release, the more of a disadvantage you will have in terms of hitting off-speed pitches.

There is also a school of thought that a hitter’s swing mechanics makes a difference in their ability to hit off-speed pitchers. The belief is that hitters that swing in the sequence of Coil-Stretch-Swing tend to perform best, and among those in this sequence, that those with longer ‘Stretch” periods are at an advantage.
 
Oct 14, 2008
667
16
The 4 biggest things that i see from kids that are able to hit the change are ........... They see the ball at the hip, or pick the ball up at the first available moment, they are able to track the ball well, they have the mental process to think fast and adjust slow, and they keep their weight centered between front and rear leg ( not getting the weight out on the front foot ).
A drill we use is the in and out drill, place a ball on a tee and then have a ball ready to soft toss , the hitter out of the corner of her eye has to load and as you start to soft toss either hit the ball you soft toss or if you freeze your hand go for the ball on the tee. I also use the drill that SBF mentioned. both work well.

Tim
 
Feb 6, 2009
227
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I have a jugs lite flight machine. As the balls get older they don't have the same speed. So new balls go one speed and older ones slower. We live in the north so I have it set up in the basement and we'll use it during the winter. I try have my DD's recognize and foul them off. Personally, I don't think a good changeup should be hit. That's the point of throwing it. My older DD is a DII outfielder and she's been taught go after something good early in the count. Foul changeups off when recognized. I hear coaches yell look for the changeup all the time. My 14U pitches. I love hearing a coach yell that. It confuses the batter. If you look changeup, there's no chance to hit somethign fast.
 
Jul 28, 2008
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A good change should be low and outside corner. If they're throwing it where it should be, the hitter should take the pitch. If you have a 2-strike count, you foul it off. If they hang it over the plate, you make them pay. The idea is to wait for the pitch you want and drive it, not to become their victim by trying to hit the junk stuff. Besides, the change up should be a set up pitch. It makes the next pitch seem 3-4 miles an hour faster.
 

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