Palm Change vs Back Handed Change

[dellla96]

My dd is 14 and just started highschool conditioning for highschool softball. There pitching coach is a college D1 pitcher. The coach threw a back handed change, while my daughter throws a palm change. DD is coached by a private coach, whom has produced numerous D1 pitchers. The highschool pitching coach wants her to switch to a back handed change. Of course this contradicts our pitching coach. We want to be a team player but its tough when the 2 coaches are not consistent. DD will throw her change for strike and her change is a average. We just got over a big mental block with the change resulting in some great strides. I really don't want to start something new with such good improvement. Thoughts? I don't want to be that pain in the but parent, but I wish the 2 coaches could be consistent. there is plenty to work on between them, such as more speed, better location, (dd has a great drop ball) slow drop and then fast drop... Pitching coach is now moving to the curve ball for a 4th pitch, while staying on course with the palm change for perfection.

Any thoughts.... The palm change can easily be converted to a knuckle once her fingers get stronger and her hands get a small bit larger.. Obviously, I like the palm.....

 

[sluggers]

First, I fully understand your frustration. It shouldn't matter what anyone throws as long as it works. But, that isn't the way it is.

Time to teach your DD a life lesson. I suspect that you have faced a similar situation at your job. And, what happened? You ended up doing it the way the boss/customer told you to do it--sometimes you later got them to change their mind, and sometimes you never did. This is exactly the way this is.

Fighting with the HS coach over this isn't going to work. The HS coach can play or not play whoever she wishes. And, there is nothing you can do about it. She determines how much your DD is on the playing field. As long as she makes that decision, and if your DD wants to play, your DD has to do what the coach wants.

So, tell your pitching coach about the problem and have your DD learn the flip change. Many good pitchers use the backhand, so this isn't like someone is telling your DD to learn something that is completely useless. And--be real--your DD isn't going to throw this pitch more than 5 or 6 times during a game.

As one father to another (I had three kids play sports in HS).... Do *NOT* go talk to the HS coach. You can whine and cry about this as much as you wish, and it isn't going to change anything. The best thing to do is for your DD to learn the backhand change and move on.

 

[dellla96]

good thoughts and comments. Fortunately, I have not mention 1 word to anyone. Just thinking and collaborating with others before hand. I will follow their wishes and we adjust accordingly. DD will just have to step up an grin and bare it! thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[Hoover's Dad]

Tell your DD to throw the back hand change about 8-10 feet over the batters head everytime!

 

[Greenmonsters]

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Sluggers - agree w/ you re coach approach. The boss is always right; however I don't understand the 5-6 times per game bit. Why bother with it at all then? IMO, a good change up can thrown 5-6 times or more an inning! Or are you saying that assuming that the pitcher doesn't have good command of it?

Now I'm curious - GM

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Any thoughts.... The palm change can easily be converted to a knuckle once her fingers get stronger and her hands get a small bit larger.. Obviously, I like the palm.....

Forget any knuckle balls. As a former pitcher and decent batter, ANY knuckle ball is the easiest read pitch. ( or at least should be ) A big fat tucked knuckle is hard to miss. I had the privilege to talk for a few minutes about knuckle pitches with Cat Osterman this summer. ( DD did a camp ) Cat agreed she quit throwing them early in her pitching career.

 

[Greenmonsters]

GD - agreed if it doesn't move very much, but if it does move then how come pros had/have such a hard time hitting Hough, Niekro, Wakefield etc when they knew it was coming every pitch? Or is it just that a SB knuckler, even a good one (i.e., < 1 revolution), doesn't have enough time/distance to move much?

 

[starsnuffer]

It's just another pitch, at her age, it shouldn't be a problem to learn.

I know several girls who went on to play D1 ball after having to bat a particular way for travel ball and bat a completely different way for HS ball. Two of them now play on the US national team.

Sluggers is right, do what the boss says and move on. If not, it's no big deal, it's just HS ball. What does her travel ball coach say?

-W

 

[dellla96]

Thanks for all your thoughts. Its much appreciated. I love the thought of throwing it over the back stop a few times and then throwing the palm for a strike. Good or bad, we'll just have some fun with it. you never know DD might like it.......

Thanks

 

[sluggers]

Idon't understand the 5-6 times per game bit. Why bother with it at all then? IMO, a good change up can thrown 5-6 times or more an inning! Or are you saying that assuming that the pitcher doesn't have good command of it?

Yes...plus his DD has an off-speed drop. If I had a 14YOA freshman on the mound pitching against 18YOA seniors, I would go with the off-speed drop more than the CU. If the all-conference clean up hitter on the other team detects that the DD is throwing a CU, the ball will go over the fence. If the same batter detects that she is throwing an off speed drop, it will be a ball.