Best Change Up Grip for Small Hands??

Interesting that everyone thinks the flip change takes a long time to learn. Part of the problem is likely the flip itself. Try it with dragging the hand through the release zone and flinging the ball forward without the flip at the end. That will keep it low and slow. It is very effective because it can be thrown with full leg drive and full speed arm circle.

With a high school-age pitcher I can usually teach it in a half hour. It then takes a couple of weeks to become competent. After that it's a matter of perfecting but you can use it in a game.

Younger players take a little longer to learn it initially and a little longer to get the hang of it. But I have 10U pitchers who can throw it.

The big key is to just throw it without worrying about it or trying to "fix" it before you throw it. That's where they often go wrong.

I like the shove for an easy change to learn. Either palm the ball, move the thumb over, or both, then think about pushing the ball with the palm. You can also think about gripping tight with the thumb and pinky. I think it helps to think about palm forward during the downswing and even bend the elbow back to 2B.

IMO the horseshoe change is by far the simplest to throw and easiest to learn and the most effective for smaller hands.......

The index through pinkie fingers are all touching each other (opposite of spread apart) and the thumb is opposite the index finger making a "C" shape with the hand. The "C" shape hugs the horseshoe on the laces on the ball......

As the pitching arm turns over the top of the circle, and thumb is rotated inward toward the thigh and fingers outside the ball by 9:00 (early I/R). The pitcher shuts down humerus (upper arm) at the side and snap-flexes the elbow upward toward the throwing arm shoulder to propel the ball toward the plate.....

Here is one of Mr. Balswick's students performing the horseshoe change:



And here is one of mine:



The 2 keys to this pitch are to get the thumb rotated inward toward the thigh BY 9:00 (early I/R) and keep it there right down through release and up through finish..........This shuts down the I/R sequence all together as the ball is delivered in the form of a short-arm flip up AT THE ELBOW......

2nd, is to keep the pivot foot back as close to the mound as possible (like dragging an anchor) which shuts down the linear drive train, dampening the sharp "acceleration corner" created as the arm moves over the top of the circle during a full on linear drive train delivery.........

The benefit of this "Sell" is that the quick "snap up" of elbow flexion LOOKS like a RISE BALL delivery to the hitter, when in the fact the ball falls off the table with 10-15mph of decelerated velocity........

This is the change I teach to ALL size hands.......Large or small...........

BoardMember said:

IMO the horseshoe change is by far the simplest to throw and easiest to learn and the most effective for smaller hands.......

The index through pinkie fingers are all touching each other (opposite of spread apart) and the thumb is opposite the index finger making a "C" shape with the hand. The "C" shape hugs the horseshoe on the laces on the ball......

As the pitching arm turns over the top of the circle, and thumb is rotated inward toward the thigh and fingers outside the ball by 9:00 (early I/R). The pitcher shuts down humerus (upper arm) at the side and snap-flexes the elbow upward toward the throwing arm shoulder to propel the ball toward the plate.....

Here is one of Mr. Balswick's students performing the horseshoe change:

And here is one of mine:

The 2 keys to this pitch are to get the thumb rotated inward toward the thigh BY 9:00 (early I/R) and keep it there right down through release and up through finish..........This shuts down the I/R sequence all together as the ball is delivered in the form of a short-arm flip up AT THE ELBOW......

2nd, is to keep the pivot foot back as close to the mound as possible (like dragging an anchor) which shuts down the linear drive train, dampening the sharp "acceleration corner" created as the arm moves over the top of the circle during a full on linear drive train delivery.........

The benefit of this "Sell" is that the quick "snap up" of elbow flexion LOOKS like a RISE BALL delivery to the hitter, when in the fact the ball falls off the table with 10-15mph of decelerated velocity........

This is the change I teach to ALL size hands.......Large or small...........

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My only comment is when you throw the change-up, it should look exactly like every other pitch. Hillhouse has a great demonstration on fastpitch TV where he demonstrates the last portion of his arm circle and follow-thru after release, and all three pitches: drop, rise, and change-up look almost identical (and his pitching hand finishes to the left shoulder no matter what pitch he throws). I think that is the ideal that pitchers should strive for. I just don't see that in the pitcher at the bottom.

The 2 keys to this pitch are to get the thumb rotated inward toward the thigh BY 9:00 (early I/R) and keep it there right down through release and up through finish..........This shuts down the I/R sequence all together as the ball is delivered in the form of a short-arm flip up AT THE ELBOW......

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What fingers most actively push this pitch towards the plate and touch the ball last?

Screwball said:

The clock is from the pitcher's perspective, so it is 3:00, people. If you tell her 9, she thinks that's out in front. Do you teach hitters as if you are watching them from outside?

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ROFL!........Who designated you the clock police???

When teaching my students and I'm looking at them face on.........I see this........I say this........And they get this.........



You can have your clock any which way you like Screw........In fact, here's one just for you!

SoCalSoftballdad said:

My only comment is when you throw the change-up, it should look exactly like every other pitch. Hillhouse has a great demonstration on fastpitch TV where he demonstrates the last portion of his arm circle and follow-thru after release, and all three pitches: drop, rise, and change-up look almost identical (and his pitching hand finishes to the left shoulder no matter what pitch he throws). I think that is the ideal that pitchers should strive for. I just don't see that in the pitcher at the bottom.

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Yes I get that theory Dad. I'm just not as sold on that theory as some are...........

Apparantly neither are these girls..............And they seemed to have done ok........



I like to focus more on "sales" (arm speed), velocity change, and LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION as they say.......

The young lady in the blue above won 3 straight Div. 4 section titles in Nor Cal living on that change........It was pretty much un-hittable.........

Here's my experience........As a hitter.......If you're focused on arm movement AFTER release......You're pretty much toast in .35 sec it takes the average pitch speed to reach the plate.......So IF you don't "pick" change BEFORE release your pretty much dead.......IOW.......Arm speed is more important then the "look" of the follow through......

lhowser said:

What fingers most actively push this pitch towards the plate and touch the ball last?

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The beauty of this pitch is that there are no fingers propelling the ball toward home.......The pitch relies on the momentum of elbow flexion to reach the plate.........It's like standing at 45-50 degees to the target, with your arm stuck at your side, fingers and thumb to each side of the ball (not behind) and trying as hard as you can with just elbow flexion to throw the ball almost 40ft........Try it and you'll understand why the ball falls outta the sky like a rock as it loses momentum......If you throw it waist high.....It ends up at the catcher feet..........Instead of flipping potential backspin that keeps the ball floating into the zone........Or worse....UP in the zone if the flip is mis-timed........



The miss with this pitch is that it doesn't reach the plate...........Which, with the right "sell" off a higher velocity pitch.......Ends up in a K most of the time anyway........Given the right count........1-2, 2-2, 3-2.........

That's why this pitch is the change of choice with my.......No reload JACKS......No texas leaguer's the drop over the infield because although a change is off speed, if it's up ANYWHERE above the thighs, a hitter can "smell one" into the outfield..........

Like I said......You are entitled to your own clock......

When I'm demonstrating to my students and they are looking at me......They see the same clock I do when I'm looking at them.......

I don't care to argue such a "subjective" item with you Screw.......

Screwball said:

I think it is better to teach by putting yourself in the view of the pitcher, not your own view. What if any teacher asked you to read something upside down or in their (different) language, let's say, because it was easier for them? I feel uncomfortable with your clock and would not want to take lessons from a teacher who did not care to put themselves in my shoes. That's just me. All my students describe the clock to me from their own view and I owe it to them to discuss it that way.

Also, the bench and the coaches are trying to read all your pitches during a game and they can surmise patterns if you give them enough cues, especially if something jumps outs like a sore thumb. I think hiding your repertoire as long as possible makes it more difficult for hitters to sit on locations or pitches.

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A must for all pitching coaches.