Pitching Repertoire

You know my opinion b/c we've discussed this off-line . I think it makes sense to develop a change up. 1) it makes the fastball better (effectively faster), _if_ the arm slot and arm speed are the same as the FB. 2) it can also have a lot of movement (often 2-seam tail action) with work and refinement. 3) at some point, especially if your son doesn't end up throwing 95+, your son will be thankful he worked on it.

A power pitcher as a Freshman...he may end up gaining another 10mph on his FB, or he may not. No one knows for sure. But I wouldn't classify a HS pitcher as a true "power pitcher" unless he's hitting 90+. Of course, a lot of that depends on the competition he faces (regardless of school classification... even 5A can vary a lot). 83-84 may be blowing it by one team he faces, and a BP fastball to another team.

My opinion is to work on command within the strike zone (and just outside of it) with the FB, choose the best breaking pitch that he throws to focus on, and then learn command of an effective change-up.

The pros who do not have change-ups have either incredibly explosive and moving fastballs, and/or they are just 1 inning pitchers. Pitchers who face an order 2-3+ times through in a game, need a change up, IMHO. Some days, if hitters cannot catch up to the FB... may not throw it much, and certainly not in the strike zone. But against the teams who are loaded with high-end talent and can time a good fastball, it will be a more effective pitch than having 2-3 different kinds of breaking balls b/c a good change up has good movement as well as a change in speed.

_All this being said_... there are plenty of very good, college scholarship-pending, HS pitchers throwing just 2 pitches. But that doesn't mean they aren't working on a change-up. We just may not see them throwing it much.

Tell him to throw his change up when he's long tossing at practice. At the very least, he's working with his grip and training himself to throw it with fastball arm speed. It is a drill that my pitchers do on long toss days...change up long toss.

quote:

Originally posted by funneldrill:
Tell him to throw his change up when he's long tossing at practice. At the very least, he's working with his grip and training himself to throw it with fastball arm speed. It is a drill that my pitchers do on long toss days...change up long toss.

Good idea. The big thing, and i have discussed this with Allen Wranglers, is that he is a little immature in his fascination with junk or speed. Just doesnt realize that a change-up makes the fastball look that much faster et cetera. His complaint has always been his hand isnt big enough. Makes no sense to me as he is about 6'3"...I think its more of him not wanting to do it. Guess I will have to break out the shock collar.

I love the shock collar idea. When you get throughh with it I would like to borrow for my boy.

Monkeyboy, check your PM.

For what it's worth, my son toy'd with using a split finger fastball as his change. It is still called a FB, but effectively became a great change up for him. He does need bigger hands to pull it off though, but maybe worth a try. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by monkeyboy:
Father of a 2014 who is getting absolutely no "real" game reps at pitching on Varsity. He is getting the occasional innning or so in scrimmage and has been successfull. With the lack of pitching reps he would normally get he hasnt really been able to work on an affective change-up to compliment his fastball. He has been working on a slider and has had a nice cutter in the past. Can a pitcher get by on a fastball\cutter\slider menu or is an effective change-up a must for a top level pitcher. He is a power pitcher with a lot of movement...still needs to work on a little more accuracy.

He definately he needs a change-up. In my opinion a change-up is probably the most important pitch he will develop. A changeup however needs to come from the same arm slot, release point and with the same arm velocity as the fastball to be truly effective. For a starting pitcher a change up is a critcal weapon, reliever can get away without one since he more than likely is only going to see the batter once and can put presure on with power pitches if he has a good fastball and slider.
Circle change is the change of choice right now but a football change or palm ball are other effective changes.

He throws a palm ball as the circle just doesn't fit in his hand. If\when he matures as a pitcher he will realize he needs the change-up.

I don't see any HSV pitchers throw effective changeups at our games. They make good HR balls.

You must have a decent curve.

I'd rather face a guy with a good curve than a good change-up. It's all about pitch recognition.

I'd like least to face a guy with a good fastball/good slider combination. That's just silly hard to hit.

quote:

Originally posted by ironhorse:
I'd rather face a guy with a good curve than a good change-up. It's all about pitch recognition.

I'd like least to face a guy with a good fastball/good slider combination. That's just silly hard to hit.

Yep... I remember facing Billy Brewer (DBU, and then I think Royals/A's) as a freshman in college and it was laughable how ridiculous his FB/slider combo was.

quote:

Originally posted by ironhorse:
I'd rather face a guy with a good curve than a good change-up. It's all about pitch recognition.

I'd like least to face a guy with a good fastball/good slider combination. That's just silly hard to hit.

The only time I ever had success with those guys is when I guessed slider and he left it over the plate. Otherwise, it was good morning, good afternoon, good night!

quote:

Originally posted by ironhorse:
I'd rather face a guy with a good curve than a good change-up. It's all about pitch recognition.

I'd like least to face a guy with a good fastball/good slider combination. That's just silly hard to hit.

The best slider is the one that breaks real late. Best one I ever saw was Jack Donovan who threw for the Angels in the mid-seventies. He actually threw a slider that broke mostly straight down and was late. He would start it on RH Hitters at their elbow and buckled the hitter as they watched it break at the last what seemed like 8 feet for the strike. He coupled that with a fastball that didn't as much break but ride in to right handers that would saw you off. He was double tough when he had both working.
Problem with sliders is they put alot of torque on the elbow and as you get tired and flatten out the break you are more susceptable to elbow injury.

Alright y'all lets get real here...nothing beats a good gyro

Best pitch...strike 1.

However they can do that go with it.

After that, best secondary pitch...a good change up.

POOR BOY Change-up - Hold the baseball with a fastball grip and then curl all the toes under on your pivot foot and pitch the ball. Guaranteed change of speeds! Keep a close eye on how many times your pitcher throws it during a game because there is a chance his toes might start to cramp. I know this sounds funny but I actually coached a pitcher whose former coach taught him how to throw a change up this way.

quote:

Originally posted by hasbeen:
POOR BOY Change-up - Hold the baseball with a fastball grip and then curl all the toes under on your pivot foot and pitch the ball. Guaranteed change of speeds! Keep a close eye on how many times your pitcher throws it during a game because there is a chance his toes might start to cramp. I know this sounds funny but I actually coached a pitcher whose former coach taught him how to throw a change up this way.

Mine used to do this in the early years...but as a 15u it seems more gimmicky. I guess if gimmicky translates to success it cant be all bad. Would rather my turd just get the pitch down without any added thought...his brain is full of mush as it is. :-)