If a ChangeUp is the second pitch every budding young pitcher learns...

[Traps71]

At 14U, I see many girls who cannot control their change up, if they have one. Not being able to control it is almost the same as not having one. Probably the biggest issue I see around here is girls throwing the backhand flip change. I sometimes call this the butterfly change up. The pitch comes out high and is easily recognizable by a good batter. Sometimes--with the help of an umpire--it can float into the strike zone and get called. Most of the time I see batters spit on the pitch. Other times it floats in belt high and gets crushed. Still other times the pitch ends up rolling on the ground because the girl's timing was off on release (girls almost never get brush contact at release with this pitch IME).

As someone who has called pitches for several girls on our old team, you end up getting handcuffed. You might throw it to show the batter something different when you are ahead, but know in warm ups that you are not going to be able to call the pitch for a strike and that if you throw it with runners on base they are just as likely to advance on a wild pitch. If they throw it too poorly, pretty soon you aren't calling it at all. Then you just hope they can spot their fastball, but chances are the batters are eventually going to time them up as your pitcher becomes one dimensional.

As with all pitches, it takes a lot of work to throw a high-quality change up that has great deception.

 

[radness]

There are two ways to deal with a change-up. One of them is learning to resist (in the swing) and the other is not recognize the change and not swing at it.

Can also CRUSH IT !!! BUNT !!!

 

[_MIA_]

Correction three ways to deal with a change up.

#3 CRUSH IT !!!

Especially if its a strike!

Well I think he was implying the result of his 1st way of dealing with it was your 3rd way..

 

[radness]

not *exactly* sure what you are implying, but...






If this pitch isn't effective or even necessary,
then why are we all wasting our time teaching this pitch to every 10U, 12U, 14U pitcher there ever was?

Pattar was utilizing a math analytical /joke statistical approach !

 

[_MIA_]

Pattar was utilizing a math analytical /joke statistical approach !

With me it is usually one of two things. What you said or me being a wiseass..that was a combination of both..

 

[radness]

Well I think he was implying the result of his 1st way of dealing with it was your 3rd way..

Yeah had to edit.....cuz wasnt sure of the MATH on that hahaah !

 

[radness]

Agree with the posters Traps71 Corlay

On the backhand flip change being
Less controllable, floaty
Easier to recognize as a hitter.

 

[corlay]

I don't know much about softball pitching but I would assume that with many of the other pitches you need to be able to throw a minimum speed in order for the pitch to do much of anything (drop,rise,curve)? So it gets taught 1st. Once a kid starts to throw harder and can start throwing other pitches and make them do what they are intended to do, they may find that for whatever reason those pitches are more effective than their CU so they just go with it.

A reasonable theory: the ChangeUp serves as a 'placeholder" pitch, until more "effective" (debatable) pitches can be taught.

But there are some holes:
1. A true, backspinning riseball can be effective at as little as 50mph, with sufficient revs (25-30rps).
2. Likewise, a Dropball, at even 45mph with sufficient 12-6 revs (~15-18rps) will "move".

A curve is a little tougher to realize success with low mph.

But my point is: if we don't value the Change in 18U level pitching, then why not teach our young pitchers to spin the ball *properly* for a Drop and Rise at young ages?

I am a BIG proponent of the Change, but one thing that I think is lost on young pitchers is learning to SPIN the ball, and learning to spin it DIFFERENTLY for a few (not 6!) different pitches. We tend to focus upon mph at the expense of spin rate and/or axis. And I think that is why we see so many 1-dimensional, hard-throwing pitchers at the 18U level.

 

[joe720]

Really depends on the pitcher and there are all kinds. If you can throw gas past every batter, there is no reason to show them a change. Why slow the ball down to let them catch up to it? Doesn't mean they don't have a CU. Just isn't a reason to throw it.

Opposite could be said of a pitcher like Delanie Gourley from Florida. She threw probably 90% CU. Doesn't mean she didn't have a FB.

 

[thecat]

My daughters have two pitches. A fastball and a changeup. They will throw changes from 38 mph to 52. Batters get scoliosis trying to hit against them