Change-up Help
- Thread starter GELLO
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- Jul 31, 2019
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Abandon the flip....
Very difficult to throw. At least try other change-ups
If she is set on throwing the flip, a video from the side and front would really help
Very difficult to throw. At least try other change-ups
If she is set on throwing the flip, a video from the side and front would really help
DD loves the flip but it does take a long time to develop the muscle memory to consistently release it at the right point to make it do what she wants it to do. When she is missing high 99% of the time it's due to her slowing her motion. If she misses low or bounces one up that is usually her release point is off, letting it go too soon. When she was learning the pitch she would set up a bucket in front of a bownet and start about 15 feet away and flip the ball into the bucket. Slowly moving back 5 feet at a time until she had the muscle memory to throw it from 43 feet. My observation has always been when she is struggling with the pitch it is usually due to her slowing her motion. I always felt that throwing a fastball then a change in that order over and over helped to keep her motion fast. When she would throw 5 or 6 change ups in a row her motion would tend to slow and this caused issues. Today she can throw it about 90% of the time exactly where she wants it.
Here is a clip from last weekend where she used it a lot. At 8:02 there is a good example of a 3-2 change up that crossed up the batter.
Here is a clip from last weekend where she used it a lot. At 8:02 there is a good example of a 3-2 change up that crossed up the batter.
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Another vote for ditching the flip. However, if she feels like she's getting a feel for it I'd try and tweak it a little to see if it helps. Most girls I've seen who had a consistently good flip (not that many btw) didn't actually even throw a true flip but added a bit of spin to it and released it somewhat out of the pinky side of the hand.
Maybe a better thought, change speeds on one of her already good pitches. A true change-up should spin like one of a pitcher's other pitches, but arrive at a different speed. Ideally, the spin would look exactly like her curve or drop, but come in slower. For the curve, I'd try to really bury the ball deep in the hand squeezed back against the part of the palm just below the wrist. If she throws a turn over drop, I'd push the ball further towards the pinky, maybe even take the pointer finger off the ball with a knuckle up or circle the thumb and pointer finger. She may not be able to get down to typical change up speed, but even taking off 4 or 5 mph can be effective
- Jul 31, 2019
- 495
- 43
A video would be great
I personally love horse shoe and have one student that throws it. Most of my students formerly threw the flip. Now they turn their hand like the flip but stop it at the back hip, making sure no flip and all threw it better day one. Basically the flip without flipping. Local D1 pitcher throws it
- Oct 26, 2019
- 1,391
- 113
I believe this is like the change up my DD throws. To be honest I’m not really sure because she came up with it on her own after watching a bunch of YouTube videos and experimenting. She makes a circle with index and thumb and tries to “throw the circle” to the catcher she says. Her spin on it is 12-6 like her fastball. Is that how the horseshoe spins or is it reverse like the flip change?
