1st Time DD Has Seen a Change up

[quincy]

10 Rec.

Last night was the 1st time my DD has ever seen a changeup; She knew she was in trouble on a 2-2 count and did an all Arm swing and missed the ball by a mile. P threw it again to strike out the next batter and I thought she was going to drill a hole in the batter box the way she spun like a top.

Next time DD was up P threw it again on a 0-2 count; DD was a little bit prepared and fouled it off. After a few more fastballs, hit a weak grounder to 1st on a changeup.

Some parents on our Team asked if the ball was slipping out of the P’s hand, we apparently live a sheltered life. Somehow the ball kept slipping out of the P hand when DD was up, she couldn’t get a fastball by her.

It was fun to watch. Not as enjoyable as being a neutral observer but it is great to see good P that works hard on their game.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Two of my top students were All Star rec pitchers a year ago. I could not teach them a CU, because their mom's were scared that someone would hit the ball.

Now, a year later and they are in TB, I am having a hard time getting them caught up.

My advice is pick a change up that you like and practice it. Then, throw it often. One other problem is that coaches weren't calling the pitches, at all.

 

[quincy]

The P threw 5 CU all game, 3 to my DD., 1 to arguably our best hitter.

Usually if a P has a good changeup they also have a very good fastball. At a young age it is a hard pitch to call. The weaker hitters might have a chance to hit a CU, where if the P just throws their fastball they can cruise thru the bottom of the order.

Only time the poor P is allowed to throw the CU is to the best hitters in the lineup, so she only throws a pitch she does not throw very often, to the best hitters on the other Team. That logic is a little messed up; easy answer is you are not allowed to throw CU.

Not saying that is what I think or do, just what I have observed.

 

[LAdad]

Very astute observation.

 

[Momo'sDad]

The only players on my 10u rec roster who were susceptible to a CU were my 3 best hitters. The rest of my lineup loved it.

 

[andyh64000]

Yeah...problem with a change up against a bad hitter is that it will speed up their bat and give them a chance to get a hit. If they can't catch up to a fastball there is no reason to throw them anything else.

 

[dbias]

Yeah...problem with a change up against a bad hitter is that it will speed up their bat and give them a chance to get a hit. If they can't catch up to a fastball there is no reason to throw them anything else.

Even in HS ball there are some hitters you cannot throw a CU. Look for aggressive or nervous hitter to get at least one or two per bat. I love it when first fastball or drop goes by them and they are late... coach growls at them second fastball they foul off late again and the coach growls even more... then a good CU float in and they swing with all their might and literally fall to the ground laying the bat on the baseline for balance. Aggressive or nervous hitters are the prime for a CU.
Had a coach reprimand one of his batters the other day for swinging on a first pitch CU and told her out loud and the rest of the team not to swing at them. I should have thanked him, nothing like starting 0-1 when batting.

 

[starsnuffer]

Changeups are awesome pitches. Just be careful using them in rec ball. Pitch them to the top of the order, but don't pitch them to the kids who generally can't hit the ball. . . as these kids will always hit the change-ups (yet swing and miss 3 fastballs down the pipe).

I know quite a few pitchers who will only throw change-ups for their warmup pitches, in hopes to throw off the timing of the opposing team. Not sure how well this really works, but I suppose it can't hurt either (the catcher usually will throw a rainbow or poor throw on the throwdown as well for the same reasons).

-W

 

[Lozza]

If a player is so late they're swinging when the ball is already in the glove it's a waste to throw a CU to them. There's also a good chance they'll hit it.