Video:How to Throw a Change-Up

Transcript:How to Throw a Change-Up

Hi my name is Tom Rohlffs, pitching instructor for About.com, I'm going to show you today the proper way to throw a changeup.

About Change-Ups in Baseball

Most young players and pitchers that throw a changeup think that you slow your arm down. A changeup is an offspeed pitch that confuses the batter. You want the batter to think it's a fastball but it is actually 10-15 miles slower. This is what throws their hitting off. All good pitchers have some off speed pitch. If you ever watch Greg Maddux pitch or any braves pitchers in the 90s. They all had mastered the changeup.

What Is a Change-Up in Baseball?

The changeup is simply a ball thrown as a fastball, but it comes out of your hand differently. You want to use the rosin bag for all your pitches but it is advantageous because it gives you some resistance. You want to take the baseball and put it against your palm. By doing that you're going to get a slower pitch and a resistance to the air that the ball will travel through.

Finger Placement for a Change-Up

Now the fingers are the same as the 4-seam fastball, except you move them over one. So you move this finger over your middle finger is in the middle and now your 4th finger is on that seam placing the ball back into your palm. The thumb forms a circle, that's what we call a circle change. Most young players don't have long enough fingers so it looks like a c.

So once again you have your index finger in the middle, you have your 4th finger on the side of the ball, 1st finger right here and spread out against the palm of your hand. This will slow down the pitch. The key to throwing a good changeup is to throw it the same way as a fastball. That's what keeps the batters off balance and that's what a good pitcher does. To become a better pitcher you need to know how to throw a changeup.

Throwing the Change-Up

Now im going to throw this circle, its actually a C, I'm going to use the same motion as a fastball. Once again lets review how to approach the rubber, I have both heels on the rubber, ball in my glove to conceal the pitch, I simply rock back put the ball in the air rotate my right foot on the rubber, come to the stork and follow through and come back to a defensive position. By throwing a changeup you will become very effective. And your coach will use you in the lineup. If you don't practice this pitch it can be devastating for you. You have to practice this pitch all the time. As you get older this will be the pitch to get you out of jams.

Thanks for watching if you'd like to learn more please visit us on the web at About.com