Josh Beckett Pitch?

He throws a hard change-up that acts like a slow fb/sinker. He also has the traditional change as well. I have been working with my son on the pitch. It will take a long time to master. He can do it 2 out of 10 times. When he does it right, it is nasty. comes in at 82-83 and then just dies late. Beckett's is like 85-86. Beckett is awesome.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Chicks... I may have a clip of that pitch. Let me do some digging.

Jason

I believe you can find what you are looking for here: Josh Beckett

Flipj, why won't it play for me? What do I need?

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

...or here: Josh Beckett

Bighit15,

To play it you'll need the latest version of the FREE Quicktime player.

Let me know if you still can't get it to play and I'll put it out there in a different format.

Jason

flippj,
nice video but that's not the pitch. It starts out a little higher and ends up below the knees. Takes a very pronounced dive and is a fast pitch. Can you look for another one? thx

Knowledge is Power! Thank you Mavens and HSBBWEB!

second video look more like slower change. The World Series is closest. Got any more...thx

Knowledge is Power! Thank you Mavens and HSBBWEB!

Both were 86 mph. The second one is the one that my son and I are working on. Looks very much like a fb. Tough to learn. It is unhittable after a fb 7-10 mph faster. Great clip. Somehow my qt plugins got deleted I had to un install and reinstall. Thanks Flip

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

bighit you have a pm.

Knowledge is Power! Thank you Mavens and HSBBWEB!

Okay... Here are a couple more.

Josh Beckett - WS #2

Josh Beckett - WS #3

I don't believe either of these are what you're looking for either. Both are below 80mph and look like curveballs to me. I'll do some more digging. I think I have some more video of Beckett stored away. I'll dig them out and look at them.

(edited) Just saw your post Bighit15. I thought one of those was the pitch being discussed. Maybe that pitch wasn't dropping as much for him that game. I have seen it drop more than that, but I do believe that is the pitch. You're welcome. Glad I could help.

Jason

Back at ya.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

flipj,
The WS #3 looks like the pitch but it was only 77 like you said. I believe he can throw that pitch at around 85? Thanks for finding these great shots!

Knowledge is Power! Thank you Mavens and HSBBWEB!

You're welcome.

Hey Bighit15... Does your son throw a circle changeup? If so, how does he grip it? My son has large hands (larger than mine already) and we've been working on his changeup but it doesn't seem to be getting the consistent drop in velocity that it should. Is it just one of those things that takes time and patience or is there a grip that your son has found that is working? My son grips his with his middle & ring finger across the seams.

Jason

u have a pm

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

FlippJ

The circle change is a very difficult pitch to throw properly. I would recommend some professional instruction or try some alternatives. As has been described to me by a number of professionals, the pitcher must actually throw "through" the circle to be thrown properly. My son's first instructor taught him a change-up touching the little finger to the thumb with very little wrist action.

Most youngsters that try to throw the circle change throw it very similar to a fastball minus the index finger and the result is nothing more than a slower fastball.

My son also has large hands for his age and has had great success with a knuckle-curve thrown exactly like a fastball (very deceptive) and the bottom drops out. It is one of his favorite pitches because the delivery looks just like his fastball and ball is appreciably slower.

This is the grip that he uses:


R.
Edited: Didn't mean to get off topic but I was actually wondering if this was the Becket pitch? Also, it is very difficult to take a picture left-handed!

Thanks for the information Callaway. I think we'll stick with the circle changeup and see what happens down the road. When thrown well my son typically gets about a 10mph drop in velocity. He feels comfortable throwing the pitch but we're experimenting to find the right grip for him to get consistent movement and reduced velocity.

Bighit15... you have a PM.

A 10mph drop in velocity is nice with some movement, but if you throw a hitter a fastball, he speeds up his swing and if you then come back with that 10mph slow changeup that doesn't move and is right down the plate, you can kiss it good-bye.

Kinger

You are exactly right. A lot of kids try to throw the circle change and it has no movement because it is just a slower (and often telegraphed) fastball. Against better hitters I have seen many pitchers completely abandon their changeup because it gets hammered. I much prefer an off-speed pitch that has deception and looks like a fastball but the bottom drops out.

The circle change works for Maddux and he can make it move left and right but he is throwing it over 80mph to get the movement that he does.

IMO it is not a pitch for youngsters. But since so many kids throw it, I am sure that not all will agree. JMO.

the only pitch i struggle with hitting is a GOOD cut fastball. When a pitcher knows how to throw a good one, its almost impossible to hit because if they cut it away from the hitter, then right when it hits the plate it will drop outa your reach instantly. The beckett pitch would seem to be easier since it drops like a curve ball, just stand ****her towards the pitcher and if it drops right when it gets to you then it will be a ball (determining where it breaks from) but if it breaks high, you will just have to expect that pitch on like a 1-2, 2-2, maybe 3-2 but u just gotta get pitches beofre he is able to kill u with that one.

Dont Try..
You Already Lost..

A changeup takes time to develop. Obviously if you are looking for instant success you'll use a breaking pitch of some sort because that will get immediate results. Especially at your son's age (10 years old) Callaway.

Of course I want my son to be a great pitcher, I just don't care too much about him being great at 12 years old. That's why we're being patient and experimenting with different grips to find the one that works best for his arm slot.

With enough practice it will become a successful/consistent pitch for him. He's got 6 years to master the pitch. I think he'll be just fine.

Jason

My son throws the circle change and has a problem with choking the ball with it. We throw a changeup where the grip is like a 2 seam fastball, but where the 2 and 3 fingers are across the seam, and 1 and 4 are dropped off under the ball - taking the index finger out of the snap takes the speed off. The pitch will tail away and fall when thrown correct. I agree that it takes time to perfect it. He also throws the knuckle curve that was shown earlier and it is a wicked pitch, everyone should have that pitch in their arsenal.

http://www.highviewheat.com/index.asp

http://www.kristensfastpitchworld.com/index.asp

Flipj

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That's why we're being patient and experimenting with different grips to find the one that works best for his arm slot.

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The key is to find a pitch that works for your arm slot and arm swing. A good cahnge up takes years to develop.

Deception is the key, but also remember that younger pitchers tend to think in terms of k's, so do inexperienced coaches and the fathers of younger pitchers. Having the batter hit your pitch is a true art form. It is not about having hitters at upper levels miss the ball, not the pitcher missing the bat. It is about having them hit "your" pitch and putting in the air or on the ground. Never getting real solid contact. At upper levels you will not strike everyone out. I am much more impressed with an efficient pitcher who gets 5 k's and 15 ground balls than vica versa. JMO

Kinger

quote:

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A 10mph drop in velocity is nice with some movement, but if you throw a hitter a fastball, he speeds up his swing and if you then come back with that 10mph slow changeup that doesn't move and is right down the plate, you can kiss it good-bye.

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Same can be said for a fb with no movement. I don't think anybody is advocating a no movement change up. If you look at the clips, we are talking about pitches that move.

I agree about the cut fb being a tough pitch. A slider is tough as well, but can be "hung" much easier than a cut fb. My sons out pitch is a cut fb. Also think in terms of setting hitter up also. Sometimes a change just shown once and inning keeps hitters honest and looking for it.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Well said Bighit15!

Bighit

I agree with you. The problem that younger pitchers have is that they can not and should not try to throw all types of pitches (I know that you know this.). For instance, while the slider and cut fastball have incredible movement young pitchers should not even attempt them because they put too much stress on the arm and typically young pitchers can not generate the speed and spin required for them to "work" properly anyway.

Having said that, the circle change is not an easy pitch for a young pitcher to throw properly. IMO to throw a circle change properly is far too difficult and creates too much strain on the arm. If thrown simply as a fastball with three fingers like most kids throw it, it is just not an effective pitch against good hitters. That is not how to throw a circle change. What often happens is that to get 10mph difference in speed, the pitcher has to change arm speed and it is detectable by good hitters. I see so many kids start out with that as their change and they simply can not get movement, it does not have enough deceptiveness and too often, they leave it up in the strike zone. Most kids abandon it when they face good hitters because they get rocked!

I agree that it is a pitch that should be practiced and learned and I agree that it takes YEARS to perfect. I would not recommend using it in games though until the pitcher became extremely competent with it.

I agree with you that a pitcher should try different pitches to find what works with their arm slot, hand size, mechanics, etc. My only point in all of this is to not be boxed in by a specific pitch. Don't be afraid to experiment with other "safe" pitches. Find what works for you. If it is the circle change or the three-toed-knuckle-wrencher, it doesn't really matter as long as it works and is safe. Plus it is great fun for the youngster! JMO.

Callaway,

I happen to agree with most of what you say except for the cut fb being hard on the arm. If thrown simply with the grip, you get plenty of movement and no added stress. Also there are other change-up grips besides the circle change. The key is to find the one that works. For my sons part, I did no allow breaking balls until the year. He threw a change up and experimented with a slider last year. We never "worked" on it until this fall. It made him not the star, but we wanted to develop the fb and used the breaking balls 1 or 2 times an inning just for show to keep the hitters honest. Now he has learned to throw the fb and pitch with it. He will just get better adding the breaking balls. Also my son never really pitched until he was 14.

quote:

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I agree that it is a pitch that should be practiced and learned and I agree that it takes YEARS to perfect. I would not recommend using it in games though until the pitcher became extremely competent with it.

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I say use the change and get the feel in game situations, it is a feel pitch. I understand the need to be sucessful now. I just felt that at the younger ages the most important pitch to learn is the fb. Others do other things, this works for him.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"

Bighit

I agree with you about the FB as the primary pitch and "showing" the other pitches. It is a very powerful edge for a pitcher and creates uncertainty for hitters.

Sometimes it's hard for me to explain specifics because of the different ages of the pitchers. I find myself sometimes referring to Boomer (10) examples in one sentence and Connor (20) examples in the next without explaining that in the post. Great info out here though. I have learned a lot.

R.

I agree with Bighit. The cut fastball is not hard on your arm.

http://www.highviewheat.com/index.asp

http://www.kristensfastpitchworld.com/index.asp

Guys

quote:

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typically young pitchers can not generate the speed and spin required for them to "work" properly anyway.

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Complete my thought. I agree that a cut FB is not hard on the arm, I just doubt that many young pitchers can generate the velocity required to make it "work" that's all I said. It is simply a matter of quantifying the age of the pitcher. I was referring to the 9-11 age group specifically. Maybe movement can be generated by adjusting the grip. My 10 year-old is going to try it this weekend. I'll keep you posted as to our results. Thanks.

R.

If they generate enough spin to throw a fb, they generate enough to throw a cutter. The very grip itself will cause the ball to move even if just enough to keep it off of the sweet spot. If a knuckle curve will move so will a pitch with both fingers on it.

the Florida Bombers
"I love the HSBBW"