Suddenly, Kyle Hendricks is a three-pitch guy, with an elite change, a good slider, and good command of a good sinker. The ivy league educated. We tilt the axis of rotation of the ball to a diagonal axis, which will result in angled downward movement a mix of both arm-side lateral movement (run) and sink. Not technically. Hes looked really good, Ross said of Steele. The means by which Hendricks has found success is well documented. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. With a phone full of pictures of pitchers' fingers, strange beers, and his two toddler sons, Eno Sarris can be found at the ballpark or a brewery most days. Lets sum up those two pitches by movement and results so we can get a better sense of them. A changeup should be slower than a fastball by 10-12%, which means if you throw 70mph, a changeup should be 7-8 miles per hour slower (62-63mph). We go by spin, how it comes out of their hand, their arm action and speed, etc. This allows the ball to roll farther off the fingers as its released, increasing spin. So, its less visually fun to throw for young players and gives less feedback as well. We also create a reliable movement pattern for the hand, creating relatively equal parts sink and lateral movement. Hendricks has a conventional change that gets unconventional whiffs, perhaps because he shows identical arm speed or has some deception in his delivery. Kyle Hendricks and Greg Maddux also share the same nickname: "The Professor". Ive lost count of how many Ive read a report that says a pitcher throws a straight change and that he uses the pitch for the same effect. This offer is only valid on select items, but theres a ton of great gear youll save 20% on that will help you become a better player, so shop now! Mine would sink so much that from the dugout (side view) it was often mistaken for a slider or curveball by teammates (atta boy, nice curveball!). Vulcan change? Aside from slowing the arm or hand down, or not finishing the pitch, theres no reliable way to reduce the speed of a changeup when force is applied through the center. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. The Fade Change is on the left, the Cut Change is on the right. Hendricks doesn't throw his fastball 90 mph, and yet deGrom can run his changeup up to 93 mph. 15% will throw get the same speed reduction with predominantly lateral movement, and another 15% will get the same speed reduction, but only sinking movement. 07/16/2013. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. He also ranks second in the. He had been between about 195 and 205 pounds, generally, and feeling good. In my years as a baseball academy owner and professional pitcher, Ive taught this pitch with equally great effect to 11-year olds and 25-year old pros. Even many major league pitchers are successful with three basic pitches. Having the thumb underneath also allows pitchers to throw the ball as hard as they can without constantly spiking it. Depending on the pitcher and his unique way of executing the pitch, the output will vary slightly. Kyle Hendricks and Dallas Keuchel have made careers out of their prolific sinkers, and based on 2020 data, it appears as though those pitches have gained additional movement through a SSW. Put your thumb on the bottom of the ball and your middle and ring fingers together. In his first 13 major league starts, Hendricks went 7-2, 2.46 in 80 innings, with 72 hits allowed and a 47/15 . The changeup used to be a significant part of Verlander's arsenal, but he began relying on it less and less as his slider became more of a weapon. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. For all other changeups, as movement decreases, speed change must proportionally increase. Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2023 3:30 AM ET, Park Factors Love the video. Hendricks' grip is one of the factors that allows him to kill as much spin as possible and achieve this above-average sink. He throws strikes and has a sense on how to pitch, and looks like a sleeper prospect to me. And, dont forget to sign up for my free newsletter, using the form below. Chosen by RHP David Robertson, LHP Justin Steele, LHP Wade Miley, RHP Adrian Sampson and LHP Brandon Hughes. "Hendricks sits at 86.7 mph with his two-seamer (slower than some of the other changeups picked here). Heard Hendricks is thinking of changing his name. Yankees Mailbag: Managing the infield and Domnguez hype. The slider doesnt really fit the Cut Change by either velocity or movement, but it is closer on velocity at least. Although Kyle Hendricks is not a pitcher in need of change given his prolonged success with below-average velocity, comparing him to other pitchers with the footage from Edgertronic cameras provides insight into how he succeeds. There should be no difference in the way a little leaguer or other youth pitcher throws a changeup, as compared to a high-level or Big Leaguer. Practice is key, but to throw a changeup really well, we want to employ some strategies. [] part one of this series on the changeup, we discussed the modern changeup, a version of the changeup that is typified by [], Your email address will not be published. Its a small blue box, a little bit bigger than a wallet that captures images at extremely high frame rates. Watch the short video below to see what I believe is the modern changeup: If all other parameters are equal, a pitch that has movement is harder to hit than a pitch that is straight. Another quick question, then Ill let you go. I taught myself how to throw a changeup in my junior year in college, and it became my best pitch in pro baseball. Lets call the zone between -3 and -4 x-movement the no-fly zone. If they want to learn to throw a changeup well, they need feedback. That way, even throwing it to their Mom or Dad, a pitcher can feel for good and bad changeups and consistently reinforce his good habits. Whats the best way to start throwing this critically important pitch? The version I threw in college and pro ball moved as much as both of these accomplished MLB pitchers. Because he's both upped his usage and . More and more pitchers in the Major Leagues are throwing changeups with hard sink and run. We prefer the 3 finger grip because we find it easier to control. FanGraphs had Michael Pineda throwing a two-seam fastball 3.7% of the time, which is more than zero. The end goal, rather, is a mis-hit or swing and miss. And it was very little! So, you see more MLB pitchers throwing changeups that are harder (8-12% slower than their fastball) but with lots of downward movement. If we compromise on a goal of 10% speed reduction, which will be ideal for the majority of pitchers, we need to understand how we obtain that reduction. Learn how your comment data is processed. If the pitcher can develop a good change up, his fastball will appear faster and the hitters will be less aggressive. Steele has yet to fully highlight the changeup in three spring starts. We may request cookies to be set on your device. Instead, their two-seam fastball velocities are given. Throwing a changeup when a hitter expects fastball is a great way to get a quick rollover ground ball for an out. So you could call him a two-pitch guy. I dont want my son to end up straining. Design by DAYO, *I hate spam too, only the best for my subscribers, CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Kyle Hendricks, I will never spam you or share your email, Why different athletes need different approaches to power development, Why its essential that you learn to train outside the sagittal plane, Which medicine ball and plyometric variations I use with baseball players, Why not all throwers have identical deceleration patterns or training needs, How your arm care programs can be improved to reduce the risk of injury and improve throwing velocity, Why Kyle chose to move across the country out of high school and attend Dartmouth College, How Kyle has developed his ability to manipulate the baseball to create movement, How Kyle worked diligently to develop his changeup and how players can better develop this feel pitch, How throwing a quality changeup actually helped Kyle learn to throw a two seam fastball, How grip, specifically pinky position on the baseball, impacted the effectiveness of his changeup, What Kyles thought process is when throwing his changeup and how late hand speed out front trumps early, forced pronation with the pitch, How Kyle developed a cut changeup, which is differentiated from his regular changeup, How Kyle approaches attacking hitters and why he emphasizes throwing first pitch strikes and controlling counts against hitters, Why Kyles four seam fastball usage increased in 2016 and why this change allowed him to have more margin for error and improve the effectiveness with his fastball, How Kyle learned to read swings and bat paths in pro ball and how this has influenced how he competes against hitters, How Kyle prepares by utilizing coaches scouting reports along with video to develop a plan for success against the opposition, Why Kyle has always been intrigued by the mental side of baseball and how he has used it to develop an edge in the game, How simplification has revolutionized Kyles ability to master his mentality, control the game, and play to his highest ability, Why Kyle works to find a balance between using analytics and relying on his intuition, What pitch clicks in the bullpen when Kyle is set to have a great game and how Kyle knows when he is locked in, How Kyle attacks throwing his various pitches in his daily throwing progression, How individuals who lack elite velocity can identify their strengths and learn to separate themselves from the competition, Avoid the most common deadlifting mistakes. A combination of arm-side movement, known as run, and sinking movement. He. Pingback: How to Throw a Curveball - The Definitive Guide, Pingback: Here are The Best Pitching Drills for Young Players in 2021. The hand pronates inward, slightly, before release. To follow proper form, a pitcher releases the ball while keeping his wrist straight, then follows through fully. Sign up below to receive my beloved weekly emails updates on new videos, articles and content. The harder a changeup is thrown, the more it matches fastball arm speed, and initially fools the hitter into thinking that 90mph arm speed = 90mph output. 3. If youbelieve adding velocity could be critical to your success,check out my proven programsfor pitchers of all ages. Kyle Hendricks purposefully cuts his changeup sometimes. This was awesome insight thanks so much for sharing! This is likely the only thing changeup throwers all agree on. Well, we have some good news for you. The more speed we remove, the more the pitch must deviate from a fastballs initial trajectory, thus making it look less like a fastball out of the hand. From my years pitching professionally, my experience has been that the more movement a changeup has, the harder it can be thrown. How to Throw a Curveball - The Definitive Guide, Here are The Best Pitching Drills for Young Players in 2021, The grip doesnt work well for them (tinker and try others), Without the thumb on the bottom, theyre forced to tense their hands up to keep the ball secure, Theyre guiding it and not throwing it like a normal fastball. To add to the positive changes in his life, Steele is expected to break camp in the Cubs rotation or, as manager David Ross put it Tuesday morning, Steele has a strong chance of doing so. But over the course of 162 games, you lose weight, he said. This usually happens for a few reason: Watch the video below for some more great troubleshooting tips related to bouncing it. His arsenal has included a fastball around 88 mph, a changeup at 80, a sinker to deceive between his heater and off-speed and. Next. The wrist and hand are pronated a little early which stops the wrist from popping forward. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. What type should a young pitcher aim to develop? Category Baseball Content, Podcasts | Tags: Baseball Training, Chicago Cubs, Cressey Sports Performance, Elite Baseball Development, elite baseball development podcast, Kyle Hendricks, Pitching Coach, Pitching Mechanics, 2023 Cressey Training Systems, LLC Privacy Policy | Terms of use But I really wanted to find that fastball command and hone it in.. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. Alternatively, switching to a four-seam grip might save his offspeed pitch if he can find a way to take some velocity off of it as well. Not to mention he has a baby on the way. Pitchers who use four-seam grips need a large velocity gap between their fastball and changeup, looking at the table shown above. This counteracts the idea that killing more spin automatically means more downward movement (multiple factors go into the movement of every pitch). Learn more. For his career, Verlander's changeup has posted a 16% SwStr% and 46% GB%. When force is applied to the center of the baseball, the baseball will come out hard, because all of the available arm speed is going into propelling the ball forward and applying backspin. He is 15-7, the third hardest-to-hit pitcher in the National League, and he ranks 2, 2 and 2 in on-base percentage-against, slugging percentage-against and OPS-against. Kyle Hendricks did it again. Dropping the hand and elbow and short arming across the body. Ive only encountered this a few times and Matt Clement was one pitcher I recall reading about that could run his sinker away from RH batters if he kept it down in the zone. Either way, it is hard not to feel like Pineda is one small adjustment away from something special. But, the output is fine for him its different, but still exceptionally effective. Entering his second season, Steele is lined up to pitch third in the order to start the year while veteran Wade Miley continues to ramp up. When you have a successful changeupyoure not trying to slow down your body at all.. For a pitcher who throws 90mph, this is about 7mph off, or 83mph. My pitchers dont spike changeups very much. When they do, the brain apparently defaults to the average changeup. I wonder why? Focus on leading your release with your index finger. To do this, the thumb must be on the bottom. Even with consistency in teach methods, there will be an inconsistency in output. Though a straight change perhaps looks exactly like a straight fastball (thus making it very deceptive), pure deception isnt the end goal. Gloveside changeups for called strikes? And he replaces it with his ring finger you let the changeup grip do the work.. Despite slight differences in grip, most other pitches are thrown in the same way across pitchers. strength and conditioning for baseball and softball. Faster changeups were more effective; slower were much more effective. Circle change? I wrote an article on Elitebaseballperformance.com on the same topic, so check that out as well. This allows coaches like Tommy Hottovy or Craig Breslow to examine the minutia of how a pitcher releases a pitch. Odds & lines subject to change. Even change ups out of the strike zone can be effective because it effects a hitter's confidence that he can sit on the fastball. You can check these in your browser security settings. But, this starts with education on what a changeup is and why it does what it does. As a right-handed pitcher myself, I threw more changeups to lefties, because I didnt want my curveball breaking down and in, into their happy zone. His slider wasnt the archetypal slider, but it still had deadly effect as shown by his season of 41 saves without a single blown opportunity. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted When these harder breaking pitches finally do move off the fastballs path, it makes them appear to break more suddenly, sharper, which in turn makes them more difficult to square up. Phillies And, straight? Your goal as a catch partner for someone learning a changeup should be to give feedback over and over, so that they can connect how it feels and looks as they throw it. But with a changeup, the feedback I give while playing catch with a pitcher is different. The hand action provides the second 4.5mph, and that action is the same as a sinker, and somewhat opposite of a slider: pronating the hand on the inside of the ball just before release. The problem is that he doesnt throw a two-seam fastball to go along with his two-seam changeup. The changeup is the most historically misunderstood baseball pitch. Just email elitebaseballpodcast@gmail.com. With his 70-72 mph changeup, he creates an even larger speed differential..