What Is a Changeup Pitch in Baseball?
If you watch sports from home or listen in on the radio, you may learn many things about what pitch to throw, must be thrown, or must not be thrown. The changeup pitch is the first off-speed pitch that a coach introduces to a young pitcher. Here is a little discussion on this famous baseball pitch and how to briefly throw a changeup.
What is a Changeup Pitch in Baseball?
The changeup is a regular baseball pitch suitable for players who want to learn the skill of deception. Like the breaking ball, the objective of a changeup is to create a weak contact or make the hitter miss.
Earlier in baseball history, people considered breaking balls unfair, making them an unauthentic move. And this is how we came to know about changeups. You might be thinking about the primary difference between a changeup and a breaking ball if their target is to mislead the opponent.
The difference between these two is that the changeup never concentrates on the ball’s movement’s direction but instead on its speed. In short, a changeup is one of the slowest baseball pitches. Initially, it may seem like a fastball but without the logo increased velocity.
If appropriately applied, the changeup would lead hitters to swing their bats faster than needed, thinking they will be experiencing a fastball’s direct and fast movements. This baseball pitch may appear like other suitable moves, and it is, based on your technique. However, like different baseball pitches, the changeup also has some downsides.
The single con of this pitch is when and whether hitters have recognized the changeups coming their way. It will not take much effort to hit as it is the slowest among different baseball pitches.
What Is The Most Popular Changeup In Baseball?
The circle-change is the most popular changeup in baseball. Young pitchers frequently use this grip. They grip it with their index fingers tucked against their thumbs. The middle and ring fingers are with the seams. The baseball moves seamlessly off those fingers, with the pressure directed along the ball. And it takes something off the move. When you gather more confidence and feel with the changeup, you can put force using your fingers to bring more speed off the movement, doing more tricks.
In terms of a four-seam circle-change, the ring and middle fingers are throughout the four seams. The index and thumb fingers touch to create a circle on the ball’s side. The move produces more backspins than others. Although it appears like a four-seam fastball, it is slower. Hence, you must use the grip if you mainly throw this fastball. After all, you require the changeup to appear like your fastball.
Bottom Lines
You have to throw a changeup pitch regularly in your daily catch routine. Enhancing the comfort and feel of your move will grow your self-esteem on the pitch.
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