Use of the Change Up

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Dinonj

Jun 13, 2017
11
3
My DD is first year 14U playing on a club team. She has a decent change up where she disguises it well and changes speed effectively. She played at a tournament over this past weekend and struck several girls out with it.
My question I wanted to throw out is if there are thoughts as to how much to use the change. I personally think she should use it more, potentially against every hitter she faces, but would love to get thoughts on the overall approach on when to use it. She’s facing good competition and girls who can hit.
 
grcsftbll

grcsftbll

Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
One of our pitchers has a nasty change up. Our HC calls it a good bit. I think the key is having a coach that understands pitch calling. You don't have to save the change up for X/2 count.
 
B

BuckeyeBW

Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
grcsftbll said:
One of our pitchers has a nasty change up. Our HC calls it a good bit. I think the key is having a coach that understands pitch calling. You don't have to save the change up for X/2 count.
Click to expand...

You hit the nail on the head, having a coach that understands pitch calling is paramount. I see pitchers all the time that don't use the change up properly. I see coaches who don't use it enough even though the girl has a good one. I find myself coaching first base, and in my head saying "don't throw the change up, don't throw the change up". Equally as often I see coaches call a change up when the batter clearly isn't catching up to the fastball. They speed the batter's bat up and many times pay for it.
 
quincy

quincy

Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
If batter can not catch up to her fastball you are giving them an opportunity to hit the ball. If you are up or down by a bunch though throw it.
 
GunnerShotgun

GunnerShotgun

May 17, 2012
2,807
113
As someone who coached a change-up pitcher I have some observations. If her primary pitch (or secondary pitch) is a great change-up you want to throw it early and often. I am talking 60% of the pitches should be change-ups. Start the batter off with a change-up on the first pitch. Throw 3 change-ups in a row.....pound the change-up. You want them to hit the change-up or at least put it in play. If one batter hammers a change-up it's not a problem. What you are betting on is that three batters in a row cannot hit a change-up (in order to score a run).

Imagine that we replaced change-up with drop-ball. Would you limit your drop ball to certain counts and throw in sparingly? No you would throw the drop early and often!. Same goes with a great change-up pitcher, you need to throw it.

One other great tactic is to nibble on the corners with fastballs (or whatever other pitch you throw hard) and pound the change-up for strikes. Coaches get nervous because a change is so slow but few kids have the discipline to hit a change consistently.

Having said that there are very few kids with great change-ups...
 
B

BuckeyeBW

Jan 30, 2018
252
0
SE Michigan
GunnerShotgun said:
As someone who coached a change-up pitcher I have some observations. If her primary pitch (or secondary pitch) is a great change-up you want to throw it early and often. I am talking 60% of the pitches should be change-ups. Start the batter off with a change-up on the first pitch. Throw 3 change-ups in a row.....pound the change-up. You want them to hit the change-up or at least put it in play. If one batter hammers a change-up it's not a problem. What you are betting on is that three batters in a row cannot hit a change-up (in order to score a run).

Imagine that we replaced change-up with drop-ball. Would you limit your drop ball to certain counts and throw in sparingly? No you would throw the drop early and often!. Same goes with a great change-up pitcher, you need to throw it.

One other great tactic is to nibble on the corners with fastballs (or whatever other pitch you throw hard) and pound the change-up for strikes. Coaches get nervous because a change is so slow but few kids have the discipline to hit a change consistently.

Having said that there are very few kids with great change-ups...
Click to expand...

My daughter plays 12u and we are relegated to the fact that she is not probably going to be a fireballer. She throws 50, while are other pitchers throw 55-57. So we work on her accuracy and her other pitches a lot. She actually can throw a circle change, which she disguises fairly well, and she throws a flip. She is pretty accurate with her curve, it doesn't break a ton from 40' but she is learning to paint the corner with it.
 
quincy

quincy

Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
I would be remiss if I did not post change ups should be illegal, DD is toast.

No reason to throw this silly pitch, throw your fastball!
 
Last edited:
JAD

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Dinonj said:
My DD is first year 14U playing on a club team. She has a decent change up where she disguises it well and changes speed effectively. She played at a tournament over this past weekend and struck several girls out with it.
My question I wanted to throw out is if there are thoughts as to how much to use the change. I personally think she should use it more, potentially against every hitter she faces, but would love to get thoughts on the overall approach on when to use it. She’s facing good competition and girls who can hit.
Click to expand...

If she can get batters out with other pitches she needs to use a change up to keep batters off balance. If she starts to rely too heavily on the change up batters will wait for it and she will get rocked by good hitters.
 
B

BT3100

Apr 28, 2014
2,322
113
I love the CU and my DD has worked hard to develop what umps say is one of the best around. Our HS HC loves Ks and loves speed so he doesn't call the CU enough in my opinion. During travel games our HC dominates girls with it. HS HC doesn't like CUs to get hit, even if it's for pop ups or ground outs. I think that's the purpose of the pitch. Not for K's but to disrupt timing. I'd rather a weak ground out to second.
A few things.. you DD has to sell it great. You, as the parent, know if she slows down her motion, even one notch when she throws it. This year DD has the exact same speed of motion with FB and CU.. But that took 18 months.. Why that's important is that great teams will pick right up on the change is speed of her motion and Tee off on it.
 
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