Struggling with the flip change.

[Amy in AZ.]

I find it the easiest pitch to throw. I do not flip the wrist. It stays stiff. I find that I cut my stride off a little bit and I land harder, than normal. I call it "putting on the brakes." My release of the ball is even with the front foot. The back of my hand floats out toward the catcher.

There are various versions of this pitch and she doesn't have to be exactly like someone else.

I send my students home with a laundry basket full of balls and I have them pitch the balls to the basket, at least twice a day.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I read a post where someone said that that flip (hand turning over) occurs at 3:00. My DD says it's much later in the release for her.

I was wondering what everyone else was teaching.

 

[dbias]

I don't like the flip change up. Might as well tell the batter what you are throwing before you start the windup. Older batters will see the back of the hand at delivery and wait on it.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I don't like the flip change up. Might as well tell the batter what you are throwing before you start the windup. Older batters will see the back of the hand at delivery and wait on it.

I don't know what type of pitchers you are facing but the ones we face throw with IR so we see the same follow through on every pitch.

I guess if the pitchers we faced were throwing with "hello elbow" I would hate the flip change as well.

 

[bucket pinata]

If you want a beginning 11 year old to throw a consistent strike zone change go back to to the Horseshoe change and get a bowling wrist brace and have her pitch with that so she learns to stop snapping and slow the pitch. tell her to just release the pitch under the table and it should be flat and convincing. Last but not least bury that ball in your palm. Not a fan of the flip change .Both my DDs 11-13 throw a back door change. Nothing better than a watched strike 3 change up!

 

[dbias]

I don't know what type of pitchers you are facing but the ones we face throw with IR so we see the same follow through on every pitch.

I guess if the pitchers we faced were throwing with "hello elbow" I would hate the flip change as well.

"We" see mostly IR pitchers. Regardless of IR or Hellow Elbow we always see the skin on the back of the hand on a flip change and likewise with the roller over drop. Two easiest pitches to pick up for a batter.

 

[Sparky Guy]

One of my students was told by a big name pitching coach from the New England area that throwing a flip change causes shoulder problems. I'm still scratching my head on that one.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

What? I guess if you can't teach something just say that it causes shoulder problems. I think we need a sticky of someone throwing all of the known change ups, along with what you call them.

 

[coach james]

I read a post where someone said that that flip (hand turning over) occurs at 3:00. My DD says it's much later in the release for her.

I was wondering what everyone else was teaching.

Each person may be a tad different, but we are closer to 5-6:00 when the hand turns over. Plus, my dd will continue rolling over until her thumb is pointed downward, this will give the flip change a 10/4 rotation and the ball will break away from a RHB an inch or two.
Oh, I really like the analogy of throwing under a table... I'm gonna steal that one

 

[Carly]

Honestly, I think you just have to plug away and wait. The problem is the mid-high 30s, which is where you said your daughter's fastball is sitting, is, I think, kind of a natural range for a young girl's change up. Slowing it down MORE than that is going to be really tough. So rather than trying that, I would spend more time working on the fastball mechanics and getting her general speed up. Then all of a sudden a change in the 30s is going to look good instead of the same.

As for the discussion about different change ups, it's something TOTALLY personal. One will work for one pitcher, another won't. It's not a matter of which one is the undisputed best; it's a matter of which one a given pitcher can throw consistently and comfortably.