Why Young Pitchers Should Learn A Changeup
Okay, I know it is not as entertaining as a nasty curveball. Batters won’t bail, duck and swing like a corkscrew out of the box. Most fans in the stands won’t ooh and aah when they see it. It is not widely used especially in youth baseball. It takes time to learn a grip that works and most of all, trust it. But, done right…it is awesomely nasty! It is the changeup.
Lefty has been working on his changeup for more than a year now. It is a process that takes time. But I can say, it is starting to pay off. As his velocity increases and hitters get better timing, the changeup is the destroyer of a hitter’s timing. He is beginning to use his changeup earlier in the count to more aggressive hitters to setup a sneaky fastball which may not have been so sneaky as the first pitch to the batter.
A must read informative article; How the changeup has changed the game by Joe Lemire at SI.com. Your future pitcher will thank you later. Enjoy the journey!