What the WCWS Can Teach Us about the Changeup

[Ken Krause]

Whenever I see one of my students after a tournament weekend, the first question I usually ask them is “How did it go?” Knowing how they performed in game situation is very helpful in determining what we’re going to work on in that lesson. Hopefully I get more than “good” or “fine” or “terrible” as […]

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[Rolling Hard]

You almost must have a change up to be compete at a high level. Even better if a pitcher has two off spreed pitches. Say her FB, SB, Rise are around 63 and her change up is around 52. To have a third pitch, usually a slower version of her DP, around 57 will make her that much unpredictable and tougher to hit.

 

[Cannonball]

The Changup = The Great Equalizer

 

[schwabach]

Nicole May's time in the circle was magic. A changeup clinic.

 

[bsbs]

My daughter is back with more local team for the rest of the summer where she or I call all the pitches. Our plan is she will throw change ups 1/4-1/3 of the time. That has never happened when someone else is calling pitches.

 

[mmeece]

I can't tell you how many times we faced a pitcher who had a great change and only threw it once every 3 or 4 hitters. If your pitcher has a good one, throw it and throw it often. If it isn't that good, throw it a little less, but throw it anyway.

 

[bsbs]

I can't tell you how many times we faced a pitcher who had a great change and only threw it once every 3 or 4 hitters. If your pitcher has a good one, throw it and throw it often. If it isn't that good, throw it a little less, but throw it anyway.

My thing is with my kid if you wait until the 2nd time through the lineup and she hasn't thrown one in the last 30- 40 minutes it's not going to be good. I can promise you that.

 

[Rolling Hard]

It fun to play a team that has been coached to not swing at the CU unless you have 2 strikes and after getting called strike one on the first 6 or 7 batters coach has to rethink his advise.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

I noticed Canady tipped her change poorly. She would stop her arm at release, unlike her other pitches, which she always followed through on. Oddly enough, either they didn't pick up on it, or they couldn't adjust to her speed on the other pitches, but it didn't seem to impact her.

What did amaze me was how many change-ups were thrown for called strikes. I've always felt that was a recipe for disaster.

 

[mmeece]

What did amaze me was how many change-ups were thrown for called strikes. I've always felt that was a recipe for disaster.

For the straight flip change or one without movement it can be. But if it has some drop or curve I loved calling them for strikes early in the count.