We DONT want pressure to be on the fingertips, but rather at the very bottom of the fingers. Thats always a plus. Switching grips could save Michael Pinedaschangeup, Yankees 3, Tigers 5: Michael King is back, baby. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Where he separates himself is with the Cut Change, which has a combination of movement and velocity that makes it hard to classify. Phillies Spring training is, after all, a time to work through timing issues. 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. But for the second time in three seasons, Hendricks helped the Cubs start off on the right foot with a good performance against the Brewers at Wrigley Field in the season opener.. Not to mention both starts followed a strange set of circumstances: the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020 and an . There. If you can just mix that in there, its gonna make his stuff even better.. This allows the ball to roll farther off the fingers as its released, increasing spin. That equals 4.5mph off a 90mph much too hard to be effective. And it was very little! No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. 10? Lawmakers and others should not seek to undo laws meant to protect people from gun violence. The changup I teach has heavy sink and armside run. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Because any slower than this and the arm has to begin slowing downits very rare to see pitchers throw a pitcher much slower than 10-12% with their normal delivery and full arm speed. Kyle Hendricks, Cubs Hendricks leaned on his changeup heavily and threw it 932 times, nearly double Scherzer's 548. You should be tinkering with this grip and any other you try and see what works best for you to produce the best possible result. This week, MLB.com had a team of writers pen a piece on the games nastiest changeups and you can be sure Hendricks name showed up on said list. For a RHP looking at the back of his hand, and the ball as a clock, place the thumb at 7 oclock, the little finger at 5 oclock and the first 3 fingers on top of the ball at 11, 12, 1 oclock. And, in part three, well discuss the difference in how you pitch with the modern changeup. When and if the 2020 season gets underway, the Cubs will be asking a lot of Hendricks who is irrefutably the go-to guy in the rotation. Or, if all else fails, we can just say screw it and just throw a splitter; thatll work as a poor-mans changeup. Essentially, its no different than a slider or cutter Think about Noah Syndergaards extra-hard slider, and how hard it is to hit. But it's not like Hendricks abandoned the contact game, either. Be sure to make smart choices regarding your career and your development as a ballplayer! and play-by-play data provided by Sports Info Solutions. If so, then stick with me! The Fade Change is on the left, the Cut Change is on the right. The dawn of the tech era has increased what we can take away from spring training. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Learn more. Examples of fastball counts are 0-0, 1-0, 2-0, 3-0, 2-1, 3-1, and 3-2. Cubs Spring Training Notebook: Hayden Wesneski states his case for Opening Day rotation, why Lesters loss Sunday comes with multiple positives, Marquee Sports Network - Television Home of the Chicago Cubs and Sky. So the answer here is kind of, but the changeup really isnt technically a breaking ball. x-mov is in inches, with negative denoting movement towards the rightys arm-side. The change up is supposed to be. 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. Pinedas offspeed pitch is thrown with a two-seam grip (the main photo in this post shows his changeup grip). "The way I throw it, I basically throw a one-seam for my. MESA, Ariz. Cubs lefty Justin Steele came into camp 20 pounds heavier and with a new changeup in his arsenal. Where you place your middle and ring fingers is VERY important they work together to apply the proper spin, to get the pitch to rotate much like a discoball does. But, most pitchers will develop a changeup that consistently fits the aforementioned mold. We maximize lateral spin application by forcing the ball to roll up the fingers before finally releasing off the fingertip. His arm slot and the speed at which he releases each pitch are indistinguishable. But, then again, does it matter? Same scenario but different pitch. Pull the string! I hear a lot about wrist pronation and Im concerned about risks of that motion for a 12 yr old. Youth pitchers 14 and under should concentrate on developing the fastball and learning to throw it to spots, plus learning to change speeds on the pitch. 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. When Hendricks broke out in 2016, it was keyed by catching coach Mike Borzello and advanced scouting and run prevention coordinator Tommy Hottovy showing him data that he was becoming. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. This pitch, in comparison to the deGrom one above, exhibits how a changeup's effectiveness isn't about how fast or slow one is thrown, but rather how well it plays off a pitcher's fastball. A typical two-seam fastball is thrown with the index and middle finger between the tracks or where the two seams are narrowest on a baseball. Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted 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. The Changeup should be 10-12% slower than a fastball. Spring training is more important than you think. But, this is just another iteration of his changeup, a different way for a him to manipulate hitters. The arm action is just like the fast ball until the pitcher comes into the acceleration phase, then: Bring the hand in closer to the head which causes the elbow to lead longer. 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. Baseball is interesting and odd, especially . A left-handed pitcher's circle change will break down and away from a right-handed batter. Were ecstatic to announce a new partnership between Rawlings and Cressey Sports Performance, and theyve set up a 20% off discount code on select products for our listeners. Watch below to see if this is the type of pitch youd like to learn. Steele went into the offseason knowing he wanted to put on at least a little weight. If the middle and ring finger are apart, they start to work against each other, causing the ball to have inconsistent spin that often cuts. In his first 13 major league starts, Hendricks went 7-2, 2.46 in 80 innings, with 72 hits allowed and a 47/15 . If youbelieve adding velocity could be critical to your success,check out my proven programsfor pitchers of all ages. You can check these in your browser security settings. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Jun 9, 2022 26 Dislike Share Chicago Cubs 206K subscribers Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks talks about when in his career he developed what he calls his most important pitch: the changeup. We all know that Hendricks has a first rate changeup, but it may surprise some to learn exactly how good it is. Palm ball? Ive read hundreds of scouting reports on pitchers and I had never heard of that pitch. 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. It was extremely helpful. With his 70-72 mph changeup, he creates an even larger speed differential.. The main criticism. Two Common Curveball Mistakes Pitchers Should Avoid, How to Throw the Modern Change Up - Elite Baseball Performance, Excellent arm speed that appears identical to the fastball, Speed reduction of 8-12% (miles per hour value varies depending on fastball velocity). personal pitching pitcher changeup changeup grip cubs chicago cubs mlb fastball kyle hendricks sinker < back to my photo gallery alvinalexander.com is owned and operated by Valley Programming, LLC Its not as cool-looking to throw with your buddies. In fact, his changeup whiff percentage this year is second only to Cole Hamels among starters that have thrown the pitch more than 150 times. RHP Kyle Hendricks assigned to Iowa Cubs from Tennessee Smokies. by Retrosheet. The change up is more effective in college and pro baseball because the hitters are stronger, more aggressive and can handle a good fastball. The ball is held deeper by the middle and ring fingers, which are less powerful as a combination than the index and middle. This is crucial, as yes, any changeup grip could work, but not all grips will help a pitcher easily spin the ball and produce excellent movement. Oct 11, 2017 Do you have a picture/video of Maddux's 2 seam grip? According to Statcast, Hendricks got 16 called strikes and 4 whiffs on his fastballs, which is just excellent and a huge reason his changeup netted an impressive 10 whiffs on just 25 offerings (40%). First, he averaged just 5.5 mph of separation between his fastball and changeup, with the latter clocking in at an average 88.5 mph. 1 Anthony Volpe, The 25 Most Surprising Seasons in Yankees History. Six miles per hour? 07/16/2013. Most people just arent on board with this yet. ""Hendricks sits at 86.7 mph with his two-seamer (slower than some of the other changeups picked here). At the 2:09 mark in the video above, this slight grip alteration between Hendricks sinker and changeup is the only thing thats noticeable. Part of the reason Hendricks achieves this much drop is due to his ability to kill spin. We prefer the 3 finger grip because we find it easier to control. **According to Pitch F/X, Chris Sale and Zach Davies didnt throw any four-seam fastballs in 2016. This counteracts the idea that killing more spin automatically means more downward movement (multiple factors go into the movement of every pitch). Hes done all this despite lacking the overpowering velocity that most teams aces boast. Not only do pitchers and pitching coaches have to work on maintaining the grip, the shape and everything else that goes into throwing a pitch, but they also have to make sure pitchers have that confidence in it before they even . A fastball count is a count when its a little more high-risk to throw an offspeed pitch (which are harder to control). Not technically. 1 ago. To do this, the thumb must be on the bottom. "That's a big step," veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks said. Its a small blue box, a little bit bigger than a wallet that captures images at extremely high frame rates. Feedback is crucial in figuring out which versions are good and which are bad, and without it, the pitch wont improve because the percentage of good vs bad changeups wont skew in the right direction. 23 for '23: What is the Cubs' plan at third base? 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. Theyll get more of the barrel to the ball than if your changeup meets that 10-12% slower than the fastball criteria that I outlined before. When you have a successful changeupyoure not trying to slow down your body at all.. Kyle Hendricks of the Chicago Cubs was a bright spot for the Wrigleyites this summer. We need 90mph arm speed with a 79-83mph output. Most pitchers cant throw an effective changeup, curveball or slider. Copyright - EliteBaseballPerformance.com, Part of The Advanced Continuing Education Institute -. Spiking a changeup is caused by the finger tips hooking it into the ground. Years from now, when we look back on this era of Chicago Cubs baseball, maybe then well realize just how reliable Kyle Hendricks has been. 04/02/2013. And, how about some arm-side run? So, you see more MLB pitchers throwing changeups that are harder (8-12% slower than their fastball) but with lots of downward movement. NYY vs. DET: Gerrit Cole vs Michael Lorenzen. Thankfully, theyve got a stalwart anchor atop the rotation in Hendricks. Instead, their two-seam fastball velocities are given. We reduce speed because less force is applied to the center of the ball; we are converting speed into spin just like a breaking pitch. Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks waves as he leaves the field following a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday, Sept . And I was able to, so it was good to end on that note.. Condition 1: Pressure must be at the junction of the palm and fingers, not on the fingertips. The hand pronates inward, slightly, before release. He was a good-though-not-great pitcher . You can also change some of your preferences. Learning how to maximize the effect of the pitch, and minimize its weaknesses is what takes a pitcher to the next level. I also loved Felix Hernandezs changeup and Kyle Hendricks as well. The odd thing about Hendricks is that his changeup actually spins more than his fastball, roughly 300 rpm more on average in 2020. If the pitcher can develop a good change up, his fastball will appear faster and the hitters will be less aggressive. By pronating the hand onto the inside of the ball just before release (think pouring out a can of soda), we accomplish two things: And with that, we have given the changeup a reliable set of characteristics just like any other pitch. Tuesday wasnt the day. But his changeup looks like the exact same pitch only it comes in even slower, at 78.6. He rarely walks anyone, strikes out enough to get by, and will induce weak contact. The test is, the ball is still held in place with all four fingers straightened. I wanted to go back out there and fix what I was doing wrong, he said. 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! After that, its up to the pitcher to put in the time and dedication honing the pitch and learning how to pitch with it. The best changeups feature the following: James Shields is one of the best examples. As you can probably tell, I love the changeup and love teaching it. His fastball command issues led to four walks in less than three innings. The ball should rest up against the top ridge of the palm or at the base of the fingers. Over the course of six innings, he generated a 55.6 percent whiff rate with the change, his highest such mark with that pitch since April 8 of last year (58.3 percent, also against the Brewers). More and more pitchers in the Major Leagues are throwing changeups with hard sink and run. So it's not a coincidence that the pitch was at the root of shutting down the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. RHP Kyle Hendricks assigned to SOU North Division All-Stars. Updated: Saturday, March 4, 2023 3:30 AM ET, Park Factors 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. When thrown the above way, we will reliably achieve a 10% (plus or minus) speed reduction that can easily be repeated at any intensity. Hold the ball at the base of your middle and ring fingers, then put your thumb on the bottom. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. "My changeup was similar, but I wasn't establishing my fastball down in the zone." Kyle Hendricks purposefully cuts his changeup sometimes. To follow proper form, a pitcher releases the ball while keeping his wrist straight, then follows through fully. check out my proven programs for pitchers of all ages, check out my proven programsfor pitchers of all ages. This is why we need a defined hand action that converts speed into spin. Like fastballs, changeups can be thrown with either a four-seam or a two-seam grip. He had been between about 195 and 205 pounds, generally, and feeling good. Hendricks' grip is one of the factors that allows him to kill as much spin as possible and achieve this above-average sink. This is the first article in a 3-part series on throwing the modern changeup. 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 Just remember: even the nastiest pitch still needs to be thrown at the right time in an at-bat to maximize its effectiveness. Instead, hes thrived on the tactics long employed by a former Cubs ace, Greg Maddux, in control and movement. Hes looked really good, Ross said of Steele. He reminds me of Brad Lidge, who threw a slider that appeared to have mostly downward movement. Cubs Spring Training Notebook: Swanson's winning mentality, Lester's mark on Steele, Cubs make some spring history. He is the owner of a 3.12 ERA, which is among the best in all of baseball. Fold your other two fingers down the sides, and turn the ball inside as you release like youre pouring out a can of Coke. I dont use a radar gun most of the time, and they wont have access to one either. If the ball is held by the thumb, it keeps it down longer, reducing the likelihood the fingers will hook it into the ground. This episode is brought to you by Rawlings. Steele has yet to fully highlight the changeup in three spring starts. In the meantime, subscribe to my Podcast, titled Dear Baseball Gods and find me on Instagram @coachdanblewett. 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. Its time we all start learning this same type of pitch. Tension and fingertip pressure will result in the pitcher hooking the pitch into the ground more often. We need to think of paintbrushing the hand over the changeup. He doesnt have much faith in them. The changeup was traditionally just a pitch that was slowerit was straight and slower, that was it. Cole was sharp, and the King has returned. It wont matter what kind of firepower the likes of Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo bring to the table if this group cant keep opponents off the board. The thumb is the pressure point, and its location on the bottom of the ball is crucial. They throw very different speeds, so its best to think of a changeup as having a scaling, percentage-based speed reduction: 10% or so. The changeup, for no good reason, is confused. Learn how your comment data is processed. Less movement begins to resembled the mythical gyroball and apparently fools MLB hitters who pick up the spin. 12? Kyle Hendricks had an April surprise ready for fans who braved the frigid conditions at Wrigley Field.