- Jun 8, 2016
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As I said before, and you just mentioned, sit fastball with 0 and 1 strike and then with 2 strikes worry about the changeup. With 2 strikes have her have a mindset of taking the fastball the other way if she throws one.
Hitting the Change Up
- Thread starter julray
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Thanks pattar, that makes sense. I've talked to her about this approach before as well so this won't be anything new.... but a reminder will be good for her because I guarantee she has forgotten about it, LOL
- Oct 2, 2017
- 2,283
- 113
If worried about the change coming, have her move up in the box. At least that way if the change is coming and she is shortening up the time the ball is getting to her getting out in front. So it will be kind of like a fast ball.
- Sep 28, 2015
- 150
- 18
It amazes me how long it takes for most kids to become aware of their timing especially being too early.
With that said I know it has helped to keep explaining that “hitting” the ball does not always have to be a line drive up the middle. Bloops over the IF or foul balls are sometimes the best option.
So she doesn’t have to get a hit she just has to survive and discourage them from throwing the CU. Lots of whiffle front toss of going fast then slow and occasionally hitting them will get them to be more aware and make those mental adjustments. It just takes time...
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With that said I know it has helped to keep explaining that “hitting” the ball does not always have to be a line drive up the middle. Bloops over the IF or foul balls are sometimes the best option.
So she doesn’t have to get a hit she just has to survive and discourage them from throwing the CU. Lots of whiffle front toss of going fast then slow and occasionally hitting them will get them to be more aware and make those mental adjustments. It just takes time...
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- May 17, 2012
- 2,807
- 113
As someone who coaches at a high level and who specifically has coached girls where the change-up is their #1 pitch I have some observations.
1. If you can't hit the change-up quit swinging at it. This is not good long term advice but it is very practical short term advice. As the coach of a change-up pitcher I am not betting that you cant hit a change-up I am betting that you don't have three hitters in a row that can do it.
2. It took 13 posts in this thread before someone mentioned resistance which is the key to hitting a change-up. There is not one drill that will help you....you to have resistance built into the swing. The first time through the lineup I am looking at all of your hitters to see who "can" hit a change-up and they won't see that pitch again (for a strike) if they "have resistance" built into their swing. We are just playing with fire with those batters.
#2 is why it doesn't matter if the batter knows the change is coming....they still can't hit it if they don't have resistance. By resistance I mean the hitters are staring to "move" when the pitchers start their windup and when the change-up is recognized they continue to move (resist) and hammer the change. Those batters that start and stop or try and guess change can get lucky but they can't hit the change consistently.
Specifically how you physcially resist is another post probably best left to others...
MLB aren't the only hitters that have resistance/stretch on change ups and off speed pitches.
When 'fooled' keep resisting, keep stretching until swing launch.
If a hitter shifts their weight to the front side they are TOAST.
They are probably a hitter that shifts THEN swings and not a hitter who shifts AND swings.
When 'fooled' keep resisting, keep stretching until swing launch.
If a hitter shifts their weight to the front side they are TOAST.
They are probably a hitter that shifts THEN swings and not a hitter who shifts AND swings.
There's not a mystery to 'resistance'. Keeping the hip from opening. (Stay coiled inward). As soon as you uncoil (open your hips), you are swinging.
DD simply watched a lot of change ups this weekend... and hit the fastball. This was the only logical solution in such a short period of time. Funny thing is she seemed to be seeing the ball much better, high contact % and hitting the ball better up the middle and OPPO. I've always said to her she needs to see the ball longer, stop guessing, and I felt she was slowing her swing down in order to make contact. Anyway based on BA she did not have her best tournament, however she hit more hard balls this weekend than any other tournament, and for the first time since squirt she hit an absolute bomb, too bad the fence was 250' or it would have been her first OTF HR. The power is still there, and she has a renewed sense of confidence. Will continue to work on the change up and looking forward to the rest of the season.
Look fastball, hit change up.
Have a built in adjustment by Looking fastball and saying hit change up. If it's a fastball and a strike you swing if it's a change up you adjust and hit the change up. Look fastball and hit change up.
Have a built in adjustment by Looking fastball and saying hit change up. If it's a fastball and a strike you swing if it's a change up you adjust and hit the change up. Look fastball and hit change up.
This weekend, she hit fastball and avoided change up. Also she has nasty habit of being way out in front of fastballs which makes her very susceptible to the change up and pretty much guarantees seeing it. This weekend she let the pitch get deeper and was sometimes behind the fastball which means the pitchers kept throwing her fastballs. Her approach helped avoid seeing the change up.. we will work on her mechanics going forward to help her adjust to the change up. Her head coach told her teams will stop throwing her fastballs as the season goes on
