Change up (Change?)

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Feb 22, 2013
206
18
My dd throws 2 different change ups.

She throws a horseshoe grip change up where she pops her hand open at release, not to get any fingers behind the ball. Her pitching motion on this pitch is identical to her fastball and it is quite easy for her to keep this pitch low and throw for strikes.

She throws a flip change, which is a slower pitch with more movement. The pitch in itself is a little more erratic and isn't a go to pitch if she is trying to throw it for a strike.

Which change up is better is matter of opinion. I have seen my dd embarrass more hitters with changeups that never made it to the plate before hitting the ground, than I have seen changeups that were thrown for called strikes that froze a batter.

In my opinion, a changeup that can't be hit out of the park or tatooed for a double or triple and drive in several runs, is a good changeup, as long as it doesn't hit a batter or walk a batter.

There have been days and tournaments where my dd couldn't throw a horse shoe changeup to save her life. There have been days and tournaments where my dd couldn't throw a flip change worth a darn also. There have been days and tournaments where my dd could throw both changeup pitches effectively. There have been entire tournaments where my dd would toss the changeups away because it got hit once or twice and she would quit on the pitch and try to over power batters.

My dd's flip change has a tell. Her shoulder is more closed on release than her other pitches. With that being said, there are several instances where her flip change is her better change, even though she is giving the pitch away. I've seen many changeups in the dirt that were better than any pitches that were close to or off of the plate. I've seen many pitchers over the years that couldn't throw a changeup for a strike. Still, their changeups were very effective pitches because they changed the speed of the pitch and the eyes of the batter.



I
 
Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
I love the Hey Dad's article and plan to share it with all my sports teams (and make sure to include moms, grandparents, uncles, etc!) Great message.
 
May 7, 2008
8,506
48
Tucson
I beg the coaches to call the CU. Heck, I can't get them to call anything. The poor little girls are just on their own, out there. I sent the article to one dad, though, that I think might call the CU - if I keep hounding him. This is fall ball 12U. They are still worried about winning games. While I want the pitcher to learn to pitch.

I have said "Do not throw the same pitch time after time," so much lately, that I might as well save my breath.
 

javasource

6-4-3 = 2
May 6, 2013
1,347
48
Western NY
Amanda, love the format of your website... even on my handheld it looks awesome! Whoever designed that gets an A+ in design... really nice.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
I beg the coaches to call the CU. Heck, I can't get them to call anything. The poor little girls are just on their own, out there. I sent the article to one dad, though, that I think might call the CU - if I keep hounding him. This is fall ball 12U. They are still worried about winning games. While I want the pitcher to learn to pitch.

I have said "Do not throw the same pitch time after time," so much lately, that I might as well save my breath.

Same here. It's not called nearly enough. I've worked with many pitchers who have great changeups, but you'd never know it because the pitch ends up in their back pocket all game. Or the coach will call one, it will be called a ball, and then it gets abandoned. Never mind all the balls getting called on other pitches. For some reason, coaches seem more ball-averse on the change than any other pitch.
 
Feb 7, 2013
3,188
48
Same here. It's not called nearly enough. I've worked with many pitchers who have great changeups, but you'd never know it because the pitch ends up in their back pocket all game. Or the coach will call one, it will be called a ball, and then it gets abandoned. Never mind all the balls getting called on other pitches. For some reason, coaches seem more ball-averse on the change than any other pitch.

Absolutely correct. There is this unwarranted fear by some coaches that the change-up will get hit hard and therefore it shoudn't be used often. I believe the opposite, you want to disrupt the batters timing and throwing the same types of pitches at around the same velocity makes it easier for the batter to adjust to location only. The beauty of the change-up is it can be used to set-up another pitch or be used as a strikeout pitch. Furthermore, I rarely see a change-up hit hard, in fact most coaches tell their batters to lay off the change-up unless they have two strikes on them (which is great advice if you are the pitching coach for the other team :D) I have even had head coaches tell me that change-ups don't really work after 10U! One can only shake their head with such advice...
 

amandascarborough

where's the chocolate?
Jan 22, 2014
67
6
Everywhere, USA
I love the Hey Dad's article and plan to share it with all my sports teams (and make sure to include moms, grandparents, uncles, etc!) Great message.

Thanks so much! I think it is SO important. Seen so many relationships, good AND bad....and it effects the future more than know...
 

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