I/R Change Up

[MountainMan]

Hey all,
What is the recommended change up style for the I/R arm motion. I feel like the change up that I was having my DD learn with HE is not very conducive with I/R.

Thanks.

 

[Man10]

We like the circle change, concentrating on the ball entering the release before the ball and pushing more than whipping.

 

[Doug Romrell]

Pauly showed us a change-up where you execute the IR very early on so as to take the whip out of the release, at least most of the whip. The clip below shows an example of it. HOWEVER, the picture below the clip shows the path her hand should take if she's doing it correctly.



She does a good job of neutralizing her long fingers with the turning of her hand going into release, which I think is the main thing that gets the speed off the ball. She is releasing just a hair late in this clip resulting in this change-up being too high, but I'm guessing the speed of it is around 43 mph.

 

[GoCaboNow]

This is exactly what DD does. Basically, puts hand on top at release without having to push the ball down. Drove 10yo DD nuts trying to go from pulling down for her normal throws to a push down changeup. Totally messed with her arm circle. I finally had to move on because I didn't want the bad muscle memory.

But this motion she doesn't have to change anything until release. She thinks throwing her palm at the catcher's feet with a firm wrist. Drops her speed 10+ mph and has 14-17rps which gives it a downward tumble at 40'.

 

[chrispots]

Hey all,
What is the recommended change up style for the I/R arm motion. I feel like the change up that I was having my DD learn with HE is not very conducive with I/R.

Thanks.

Just to add to Doug's excellent post...

Watch his student's arm turn the ball OUT so that it is facing second base at around 11 o'clock:

That KILLS the whip...

Here's another angle of a different pitcher:

CP

 

[Doug Romrell]

That's an interesting point you make about ball orientation at 11:00. Thanks for pointing that out. That WOULD eliminate at least some of the power generated by the arm whip.

There is another consideration that struck me in that second clip you posted.... I don't know how that pitcher firms up when she lands throwing her other pitches, but it appears that she's dampening her landing with her change-up pitch. Hmmm. I guess that's something additional to do if the pitch needs slowed down further.

I have been intrigued by Hillhouse's recommendation that a pitcher look the same with each of her pitches.....so as to not telegraph to the batter what's on its way.

 

[chrispots]

It's a student of mine, not DD.

My apologies...edited my post...CP

 

[chrispots]

It's a student of mine, not DD.

That's an interesting point you make about ball orientation at 11:00. Thanks for pointing that out. That WOULD eliminate at least some of the power generated by the arm whip.

There is another consideration that struck me in that second clip you posted.... I don't know how that pitcher firms up when she lands throwing her other pitches, but it appears that she's dampening her landing with her change-up pitch. Hmmm. I guess that's something additional to do if the pitch needs slowed down further.

I have been intrigued by Hillhouse's recommendation that a pitcher look the same with each of her pitches.....so as to not telegraph to the batter what's on its way.

Finch appears to have a similar (albeit not as dramatic) dampening move when she lands...you can also see the top of her forearm around 11 o'clock too indicating the I/R has been arrested due to the outward turn...

CP

 

[Rick Pauly]

Use the exact same grip as her fastball.......fingers across the four seams.....then just paralyze the fingers which should get 6-7 mph off the speed. In the end it is the fingers that put the energy into the ball, so if you can paralyze the fingers vs. allowing the fingers to snap as in a fastball it is an effective way to take speed off the ball.

Now if she can also get the fingers rotated some toward the outside of the ball instead of directly behind the ball she will not be able to get as much energy into the ball....good for a few more mph off the speed.

Thirdly, if she can shorten/"crook" her arm so the ball leads the elbow in a pushing fashion it will take a few more mph off the speed.

Put these three things to work and you will have a great change up with drop spin action. Describing a change up is difficult.....you have to do lots of things totally counter to a fastball and yet make it look like a fastball.

 

[MountainMan]

Hey all,
I was just able to get on today after posting this yesterday. Thanks for all the awesome information. This will help tremendously.