Change-Up Help

Have you tried the circle, pitchfork (3 finger)? You can basically hold the changeup anyway you want, but there should be at least 3 fingers on the ball. Experiment. Try 4 fingers on top, thumb under. Or 3 fingers on top, thumb on one side, pinky on other side.

Choke the ball

When my son was this age and learning to pitch, he threw his change-up exactly like the fastball but dragged his toe in the dirt as he came through. It slowed down the ball enough to change speed but allowed him to concentrate on the mechanics of throwing and location rather than worrying about different grips.

He now throws an effective change using a different grip that still looks just like his fastball when delivered.

I also dragged my foot, but I had arm problems later and have been working on using my back side so I don't want any bad muscle memory like that. What I think about is just not snapping my wrist, letting the ball go and just kind of slip out of my hand with no help from my wrist. I use a no seam grip, or a two seamer. But you just need to experiment to find a good grip.

At 11 try gripping the ball with the thumb, ring finger and pinkie. Don't grip the seams. Keep the index and pointing finger off the ball. When thrown properly the ball will be about 10 mph slower than the fastball and will tumble and drop. Older kids will be able to pick up the spin and adjust but 99% of 11 and 12yo will not be able to handle the pitch.

Like any change up it will take time to master. Eventually he'll have to go to a grip that results in more deceptive spin but in the meantime this pitch gets kids to throw their change with fastball arm speed.

For small hands pitcher I recommends palm ball as a change up. Any thing you throw with fastball's like motion will be good at 11 years old.

My son had trouble at age 12 when trying to learn the circle change. He was more worried about trying to make his grip 'look' like it did in the book than in finding what really felt good to him. This year, after some experimentation, he's finally found a grip that works for him, that doesn't alter his arm action, and has very good movement starting about six feet from the plate. If I had to describe the grip, I'd say it's more like a 3-seamer shoved back onto the palm pads just below the fingers. Just keep experimenting - like everything, no one 'way' will work for all. We wasted over a year trying to 'master' the circle change - didn't happen - so he let it go and came up with something that works very well for him.

Krakatoa, Very good advice. Find what is comfortable and what works best for you.

The key is that nothing - absolutely nothing - change but the grip.

No toe dragging, no slowing the arm down. Nothing but the grip. Learn to properly throw the changeup now.

The mechanics must be the same exact mechanics used to throw the fastball.

I do not recommend the palmball (shoving the ball back deep in the hand). As they get older, this will take too much speed off the pitch. They will end up overthrowing with the arm trying to get the proper c/u speed.

Two good grips for a full changeup. Find one that works, use it until he throws it for strikes. Then start working on the other, so he can have a second c/u grip eventually.

Three finger change:
Three finger fastball grip, but move the thumb and little finger out from under the bottom of the ball to the sides of the ball. Can be thrown in a two or four seam orientation. Make sure the finger tips are not on the seams, but on bare leather. Hold the ball in the fingers, don't push it back in the palm.

Modified circle change:
Take a circle change grip, but do not curl the index finger into the web of the thumb. Instead, leave the index finger tip touching the thumb tip (e.g., as in making the "okay" sign with the thumb and forefinger). The reason for this is to avoid stressing the tendon leading down from the forearm to the elbow.
Again, this can be thrown in a four seam or two seam orientation. Each will have a little different movement. Hold the ball in the fingers, don't push it back in the palm.

Experiment with different finger pressures for both grips. Don't let the size of the hands influence the choice of which grip to use. I have know small players with small hands who threw the modified circle extremely well. Some just seem to take to one or the other of the grips easier. I have seen no correlation with hand size in the years I have worked with pitchers.

Good luck.

Oh, and one last word. DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING BUT THE GRIP!

Trevor Hoffman's c/u was voted (in an ESPN poll a couple of years ago) as the most feared pitch in baseball. What was the common comment from the hitters on this? You never can tell when it is coming. "His c/u delivery looks just like his fastball delivery."

when i was 11-13 i would slow down my arm ALOT
i knew it was the wrong thing to do but it made the hitters look stupid, i would only throw it once or twice a game, eventually the batters got smarter and then i stopped throwing it

now, as a 16 year old, i throw a splitter instead of a change up, i never really found a good grip for it

best of luck with it

texan:
You forgot that the original post said that the 11 years old kid has very small hands. I don't know how a 11 years old kid with small hands will grip the baseball with the fingers avoiding the ball to touch his palm.

A palm ball can be a very effective pitch if thrown with same conviction as a fastball(armspeed). My son uses one and it is a nasty pitch if u have a good fastball. Try it. Above else, experiment, my son came up with the palm ball on his own before he knew it was actually a known grip. He thought he invented it.....lol. It is his best out pitch but I havent convinced him of it yet......still working on it.

quote:

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Originally posted by Racab:
texan:
You forgot that the original post said that the 11 years old kid has very small hands. I don't know how a 11 years old kid with small hands will grip the baseball with the fingers avoiding the ball to touch his palm.

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Nope, didn't forget. Also didn't say "avoid the ball touching the palm."

I said don't push it back in the palm and don't shove the ball back deep in the hand.

There is still a difference - even for a small 11YO - in a finger grip (yes will be some palm contact) and shoving the ball back in the palm (e.g., gripping the ball with the palm as in the palmball grip).

For smaller hands have the player grasp the ball comfortably (medium to soft pressure) in his throwing hand with all fingers on top and thumb set more on the side of the ball.

At 50% speed or at a speed he can control have him practice throwing the ball about 30 feet to start out with, while making sure the tip of the thumb is pointing directly toward the ground as he releases the ball.

In addition, the whole idea of a change up is that the ball should be thrown exactly like he normally throws a fastball.

The fact that the ball is set deeper in the hand and is grasped with all fingers on top with thumb on the side of ball will create a natural drag affect on the ball as it is being released from the hand, thus slowing it down enough to effect the timing of the batter.

In addition the ball will take some unusual rotations that can confuse a batter, just enough to also off-set the batters timing, which is what the change up is designed to do.

Remember the ball must be thrown with the thumb pointed directly downward toward the ground. The ball will have a tendency to come off the outside side of the hand and rotate diagonally while tumbling toward the RHB, assuming a RHP.

I concur with all of those who discuss finding a grip that is comfortable and removes about 10-12 mph while still throwing like a fast ball. Do NOT change arm speed or arm angle or any other mechanics. Also, to the 16 yr. old throwing the splitter. I would not recommend it at all for someone your age. It is very hard on the tendons in your forearm (which don't mature, on aerage, until about 24 yrs. old).