Use of the Change Up

[GunnerShotgun]

HS HC doesn't like CUs to get hit, even if it's for pop ups or ground outs. I think that's the purpose of the pitch..

That's exactly right. For a pitcher that has a great change-up (can locate inside and out AND change speeds) you want this pitch to be swung and/or hit.

It's no different than a pitcher that has a dominant drop-ball or rise. Again they are few and and far between.

 

[Dinonj]

Appreciate the feedback everyone. My DD can sell the pitch well but still needs to work on locating it where she wants. At this point I think it can be effectively used to keep hitters off balance. I was thinking it would, as a general rule, make sense to throw it about 1 out of every 4-5 pitches (20-25%) which doesn’t seem to be far off the feedback received. This is with the assumption the other team has good quality hitters.

 

[mmeece]

I want to call it enough that every batter thinks they are about to get one; which means calling it early and often. Once they do start to look for it you can go 3 or 4 batters without calling one and really throw them off.

 

[Vertigo]

My dd gets it called anywhere in the count. It is her best pitch. Love calling it on 3-0 or 3-1 or 3-2 counts. It’s the last pitch the batter expects to see. Also will call a lot of first pitch change-ups. Like mentioned previously, I never call it for a batter that can’t catch up to her FB. There’s no point. I also do not call it on 0-2 counts. They expect it then. She can float it in for a called strike or have it drop down and away for a swing and miss. Been working that pitch hard since 12U. If hit it’s usually hit foul or is a pop up or fly out.