This is my first post. I am just a softball dad who has been reading all I can about hitting. Rather than a hitting mechanics question I would like to get some feedback on hitting change-ups. This is more of a philosophical post. Even on this site I have seen mention of taking change-ups unless you have two strikes. I believe that this gives the pitcher a tremendous advantage. I have seen games where the pitcher on my DDs high school team throws more than 50% first pitch change-ups and almost all are called strikes. This usually results in a shutout. I am more of a zone hitter believer and if the pitch is in the area you are looking for, hit it. I would appreciate any comments.
Hitting Change-ups
- Thread starter mark13122
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A blanket statement in fastpitch softball usually doesn't have merit. I would say that some hitters may struggle with a change up, so yes they should probably take them if possible. However if you have a good hitter and they know the pitcher like to throw the change it should result in many well struck balls. The comment about the other team leading every batter off with a change just shows how much better your opponents are being coached than your team. They know you won't swing at them so why not throw them. My last and most important comment is your daughter needs to do what the coach tells her to do or else she may not get much playing time.
This is how Candrea beat Weekly because everyone knew Weekly has his players lay off change ups unless they have two strikes.
We like the Barry Bonds drill as it makes you adjust on every pitch. The other huge adjustment factor is the flex in the front knee. Without it the change is more effective and with it the change up is easier to adjust to. We teach it is all relevant as to time...blink your eyes as quickly as possible twice and it is equivalent to about one second and then blink once and it is about a half a second. Most pitchers can come from the K position to release in about 11 to 20 hundredths of a second and from release 22 to 28 hundredths of a second and the ball is crossing the plate and it is decision time or in less than a blink of an eye. Slow to load, soft to step on a flexed front knee with our hands separated rearward slightly.
Thanks Howard
Howard has a pretty good change up drill that I use with my high school and travel teams. I will let him explain it. Low ball off Short Schutt Tee…combined with soft toss…change up/ eye movement. I don't have a short Schutt T, I make everything myself. I use the gator aid bottle Fill with sand and taped at the top, like Howard posted on the Pull Hitter thread.
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Schutt makes a "Shorty Tee" and I think it is 14 inches high at the lowest height. I place the tee on the outside half of the plate with a ball on it. They are looking through the net and I explain always think in/ in and adjust away. So when I throw the ball the hit it where I throw it which is inside of the ball on the tee. When I go through the motion to throw it and do not release it they must act instinctively to hit the ball off the tee. I look for their eyes to shift inside to outside and NOT to follow the ball up wards with my hand that has the ball in it. They feel like it helps to stay focused on the pitch and keeping their hands back while making a decision.
Thanks Howard
Cannonball
Ex "Expert"
- Feb 25, 2009
- 4,882
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Howard, I've done a variation of that drill only I used a colored ball forcing hitters to recognize the color and then hit off the tee. I never thought to have a low tee bud did this with baseball and so, we just set the tee up on the outside. BTW, our goal was to "kill the pitcher" BUT pulling the change was a no no. We told our players that in fact, they won't hit the pitcher but will learn how to control the core with a target in mind.
Watch their eyes as you do this as it becomes a game of who can out fox who with the throwing hand and they love the challenge.
Thanks Howard
I don't believe you hit good change ups. If you're lucky you foul them off and stay alive if it's 2 strikes. Even for a first strke, if it's thrown well, it's most likely going to throw the hitters timing off and result in a ground out. A hanging change that doesn't fool anyone is different. They should be hacking at that. I've heard bad coaches yell watch out for the change at girls for years. You can't watch for a change. Look fast, react to slow (unless you pick up a patern or a grip or something so that you know it's coming). For what it's worth, we use a light flight machine during the winter. As the balls get older they come in slower. So you can use new balls for fast balls and save the old ones and throw them in and they act as changeups. I ask my DD to try foul them off or check her swing if it's a ball.
