Pitching: Off Speed Pitches

Originally Published in: Baseball Steps to Success

Provided by: Human Kinetics

The changeup is an important pitch at every level of the game, simply because it is thrown with the same arm action as the fastball. For youth, the changeup creates deception while protecting the arm; the young pitcher does not have to expose the arm to turning a baseball improperly while trying to throw a curve or slider. At higher levels, this advantage holds true as well. To be honest, the changeup is an extremely effective pitch that many pitchers in recent years have gotten away from. Now, with the arm care conversation in the public eye, the changeup is beginning to blossom again.

The changeup is one of many pitches that can disrupt a hitter's timing. Unlike many other off-speed pitches, the change is thrown with the same arm action as the fastball. The difference is the grip. The grip will slow the ball by 8 to 15 miles per hour (3.5 to 6.7 m/s), creating deception. By using the same arm action, the initial spin of the ball out of the hand will resemble a fastball, so the hitter has an extremely difficult adjustment to make. Figure 3.1 presents two variations of the changeup grip: the circle change (a) and the three-finger change (b).

Figure 3.1 CHANGEUP GRIPS

Circle Change Grip

1. The index finger and the thumb should make a circle, or the OK symbol, on the side of a four-seam grip.

2. The middle and ring fingers should cross the laces of the horseshoe.

3. The little finger should rest on the side of the ball.

Three-Finger Change Grip

1. The index, middle, and ring fingers should cross the seams of the horseshoe.

2. The thumb and little finger should come together under the baseball.

The art of throwing the changeup is derived from mastering the release point and feel of the grip that works for you. Depending on the grip and your natural arm action, the flight path of a changeup should resemble that of your fastball. When the ball gets near the target, it should have a slight downward action. Some may have some run or cut as well. Most hitters describe this action as backing up, almost as if the pitcher pulls the ball back with a string as it approaches the target.

The concept that everything works off of the fastball is the backbone for throwing any off-speed pitch successfully, especially the changeup. We recommend that this be the standard pitch used when teaching youth pitchers the beginning stages of throwing off speed.