2022 FLAFA Winter Pitching Clinic
Lesson 6

Lesson 6 introduces the change up for the early session and the curve ball for the later session.


************************

Change Up

The change up is a pitch that goes slower than the fast ball, ideally 20% - 25% slower (or 10 mph). The key to throwing an effective change up is making it look like a fastball. If the grip is different a base coach may relay to a batter that a change up is coming. If the release is different than any other pitch, an advanced batter will see that. If the arm goes slower around the circle everyone watching the game can see that.

There are many, many change ups that are very effective. This clinic will teach the backhand change. Pitchers can often throw it well after only a few minutes of practice so it a great way for beginning and intermediate pitchers to start. Since the back of the hand faces the batter at release some hitters will see that, generally at HS and later. It is fairly easy to learn other, more deceptive change ups after the backhand is mastered and the hitters start recognizing it.

There is a similar change up that is often taught called the flip change. This is a very difficult pitch to throw accurately and consistently. The main difference is that in the flip change the wrist snaps forward at release. The pitchers should learn the backhand change first and not flip the wrist, simply open the hand to let go of the ball.

One characteristic of most types of change is that there is no elbow lead, just a straight arm. For pitchers with good elbow whip simply straightening the arm on the back side of the circle will lead to a much slower pitch.

Backhand Change

************************

Curve Ball

A ball will curve as air pressure builds on one side of the ball and once there is enough it will push the ball way from the high pressure area. Generally the air pressure is built by spinning the ball. The laces that are rotating towards the target will create friction and air pressure on that side of the ball and the ball will break away from the air pressure zone. This is true for every breaking pitch such as a drop, rise, screw and curve and others as well.

Once a ball leaves the hand the forces of nature and laws of physics will determine how much and in which direction the ball will move. It doesn't matter how the torque was applied, what grip was used or if the spin results from twisting the forearm, snapping the fingers or passing the finger tips along one side of the ball (or all of the above). Those are certainly important in generating the fastest and most accurate spin but there are many ways to actually put spin on the ball.

The correct spin on a curve will be counter clock wise (for a right handed pitcher looking at the ball from above) with the axis of rotation perpendicular to the line of flight (which determines how much the ball will break) and parallel to the ground (which determines the direction the ball will break).

There are two widely accepted ways to throw a curve. One is the "Palm Up" where the palm of the hand is underneath the ball and the other is the "Rollover" (or turnover also sometimes called a slider) where the palm of the hand is above and to the outside of the ball. The Palm Up is more commonly used by pitchers who also throw a rise ball while the rollover is often used by drop ball pitchers but each pitcher has to decide which works better for her.

In the clinic both will be demonstrated but the rollover will be practiced. The reason for that choice is that the Rollover motion is more similar to the fastball than the Palm Up and as such getting the ball to actually curve can take far less time (weeks as opposed to months) for many students.

Palm Up Curve
Rollover Curve