To add movement, the ball can be gripped off-centre (where a portion of the ball protrudes out of the side of the hand between the thumb and index finger).To create the grip for a “C” changeup, a pitcher should attempt to hold the baseball like a football, where all four fingers line up opposite the thumb to make the letter “C.”.The “C” changeup can be a good option for players who have smaller hands or have trouble with their feel for the circle changeup.“C” Changeup: Variation of a Circle Changeup Let the grip and the natural pronation of the hand (where thumb turns down) take care of the pitch. The changeup is a feel (touch) pitch, and it can be difficult for some players to throw a consistent strike using this grip.The index finger slides off to the thumb side of the ball, and the pinky raises up on the opposite side of the ball.For a circle changeup grip, the ball is held deeper in the hand or the palm than a fastball.The fastball action of the pitcher’s delivery will convince the hitter he is seeing a fastball however, by the time he realizes it is a changeup, he will either swing early and miss, or the batter will hit the ball softly to the defense.However, it is just 8 to 12 miles per hour slower. A changeup is meant to deceive the hitter by appearing to be a fastball on release.Additional movement can be created with a two-seam fastball by holding the ball slightly off center, adjusting thumb placement, or holding the ball next to the seams instead of placing the pads of the fingers directly on the seams.Some pitchers have trouble controlling this for a strike because the ball can start off in the strike zone and drift out by the time it reaches the plate.When a two-seam fastball is properly released, the ball cuts through the air, moving naturally from right to left or left to right.The main variation from the four-seam fastball is how the laces or seams of the ball are positioned in the fingers.Will create some movement to help deceive the hitter.After a pitcher can command the four-seam fastball for a strike, it is time to introduce him to a two-seam fastball.The ring finger and pinky finger rest on the side of the ball to give it balance.The thumb should be underneath the ball, approximately splitting the distance of the top two fingers.The pads of the fingers rest across the seams. Pitchers should hold the baseball with their pointer and middle finger on the top laces or seams of the baseball.If released properly, four laces of the ball rotate through the air, helping to keep the throw in line with the target.This is usually the easiest pitch to throw for a strike.The first pitch that must be mastered is the four-seam fastball.Video: Fastball and Changeup (Winning Baseball) (4 mins.) Four-Seam Fastball At that point, they can spend time tweaking their grips and finger placement to determine what works best for them. Once they have a good feel for the delivery and location of a particular pitch, they can be shown other possible grip options to create more movement on the ball. Therefore, players should first be introduced to the basic grips of each primary pitch. Keep in mind that there is more than one way to grip a baseball when throwing a pitch. The key is that players must be able to command their pitches for a strike in the game otherwise, they are generally useless pitches. By this age, a player should be physically strong enough and possess the correct mechanics to throw fastballs (two-seam and four-seam), changeups, and some type of breaking pitch. When a high school pitcher attempts to throw more than three pitches, his primary pitches tend to lose effectiveness, and the pitches all start to look similar to the batter.Ī curveball should not be thrown as a primary pitch until a pitcher is at least fifteen or sixteen years old, and it is recommended that a slider not be thrown as a primary pitch until a player is at least seventeen years of age. It is critical that they also continue to polish their fastball and changeup by learning to command them in and out of the strike zone. Once they are fifteen or older, they should work to implement a breaking pitch by learning to throw a curveball or slider. This way they have a foundation of the two primary pitches needed to compete and win. They will be doing themselves a big favour if they can throw both of these pitches for a strike, in most any count to the batter, by the time they enter high school. Until the pitcher is at least fifteen years old, he should learn to command two types of pitches: a fastball and a changeup.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |