10u pitches

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Nov 16, 2016
4
1
My 10 year old DD has gotten fairly accurate with her FB and is mixing in a few knuckle change ups. FB is consistently low 40s which the good hitters are sitting on. I’m tempted to work with her on a curve to help keep the batters off balance. Is this a bad idea at 10u? Knuckle change has been effective but predictable. I don’t think she’ll be able to develop an overpowering FB but command has been a plus. I’m curious if anyone has had success with other pitches at this level?


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Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I would be surprised if she could throw it fast enough to move.

I would keep working on spotting FB and changeup for now.

College pitchers are still successful with just those 2 pitches.

Work on getting rid of the fairly.
 
Nov 16, 2016
4
1
I would be surprised if she could throw it fast enough to move.

I would keep working on spotting FB and changeup for now.

College pitchers are still successful with just those 2 pitches.

Work on getting rid of the fairly.

Got it. Thanks. Her FB does have some movement with IR already and I thought maybe a curve would be a next step but I’ll hold off.

How about grip? She throws a 4 seam. Any point in mixing that up or are they all too similar at that speed.

I’ve heard the knuckle change won’t be effective in a couple years with girls spotting the fingers... just wondering what pitches are more conducive to IR if any.



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Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
Work on getting the CU delivery to look like the FB delivery. She should dominate most 10Us if she can get keep from telegraphing the CU which is what sounds like is happening from your description.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I am all for players playing with their grip at all ages not sure how much difference it will make but can not hurt anything IMO.

Lot of different options on changeups, DD throws a flip change.

Right now board seems to like the circle change.

I assume her season has started, weather has finally cleared up here. I would leave change up alone until off season then change if you want.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Once she had good location on her fastball and change up, DD's first movement pitch was the drop ball. At 35 feet it didn't seem like a curve or rise would be very helpful to learn. She's 12U now and throws the curve more than the drop, but the drop was very effective in 10U.
 
Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
FB and CU are the 2 best pitches, even in 12u they are still extremely effective. My daughter learned curve in 10u and it never really moved, but once we moved back 4 feet it did. She has a really good CU so she throws mostly FB and CU with a couple screw or curve here and there. She is working on a drop. At our level, if the ball doesn't drop it goes bye bye
 
Apr 12, 2015
792
93
Are you trying to build a successful long term pitcher or a 10U pitcher? The two have relatively little in common.

10U will be dominated by pitchers that have either matured early or simply throw hard for whatever reason. 12U these start to fade and pitchers that can move the ball around the zone (not breaking pitches but location) and have developed a change up start to take over. At 14U and up, if a pitcher can't paint the corners, disrupt batter timing with a change up AND an off speed, and have one effective breaking pitch they are not going to last long as pitchers. Those flame throwing monsters from 10U? 99% of them will have washed out by now.

Can your DD hit her called spot 7 out of ten times at full speed? Can she deceive at least 70% of batters with her change up delivery? If not, continue working those things until she can. If so, than introduce a breaking pitch. Just be aware it is going to do absolutely nothing at 10U.
 

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