Change Up

[JMU_Birdfan]

In a year of suck, the orioles actually have two starting pitchers who are pitching very well. The reason for their success?  The gutsiest pitch in all of baseball..... the changeup.

I remember reading an article towards the beginning of the year where John Means said it was Doug Brocail who worked with him during spring training to futher develop his changeup. Now, Cashner has stepped it up and has become a dependable starter on the back of a very effective change up. 

I wonder if this will be the orioles thing for the next few years? A successful rotation built on the development of an effective change up

[OFFNY]

37 minutes ago, JMU_Birdfan said:

 

In a year of suck, the Orioles actually have two starting pitchers who are pitching very well. The reason for their success? The gutsiest pitch in all of baseball ......... the change-up.

I remember reading an article towards the beginning of the year in which John Means said it was Doug Brocail who worked with him during Spring Training to further develop his change-up ........ now, Cashner has stepped it up and has become a dependable starter on the back of a very effective change-up. 

 

I wonder if this will be the Orioles' thing for the next few years ??? A successful rotation built on the development of an effective change-up.

 

o

 

In addition to Means and Cashner, I believe that Dylan Bundy's change-up has gotten some notice this season, also.

 

o

[Moose Milligan]

I think a good changeup is the best pitch in baseball.  The fact that it doesn't put any additional stress on the elbow is a positive as well.

 

[sportsfan8703]

Just now, Cy Bundy said:

 

Pretty sure Astro-ball says it’s the curve ball. 

[Number5]

1 minute ago, Cy Bundy said:

 

Ted Williams said the slider is the reason no batter will ever hit .400 again.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, JMU_Birdfan said:

In a year of suck, the orioles actually have two starting pitchers who are pitching very well. The reason for their success?  The gutsiest pitch in all of baseball..... the changeup.

I remember reading an article towards the beginning of the year where John Means said it was Doug Brocail who worked with him during spring training to futher develop his changeup. Now, Cashner has stepped it up and has become a dependable starter on the back of a very effective change up. 

I wonder if this will be the orioles thing for the next few years? A successful rotation built on the development of an effective change up

I believe it was Chris Holt, not Doug Brocail, who was working with Means on his changeup.    

 

Quote

Means has credited Orioles minor league pitching coordinator Chris Holt for helping him improve his changeup this spring.

“I didn’t really work on it much this winter. I was more focused on gaining velocity. But I came into spring training and worked on it. Always been good at disguising it, but he just told me how to slow it down. That has been a big key as well,” Means said.

https://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2019/04/john-means-uses-strong-changeup-composure-to-get-off-to-solid-start.html

Cashner, of course, had a very successful year under Brocail while in Texas.

 

 

 

[Number5]

31 minutes ago, Cy Bundy said:

Ted Williams, needs revision.

He said that when a good change up was 73mph, flat, and changing up off of a 83mph fb. Times have changed. A good change is a tougher pitch to master, nearly everyone has a pretty good slider by the time they reach the majors & average sliders are better than average change ups...while a bad change up is the worst secondary pitch in baseball.

Good arm action and speed differentiation, even without the movement, can turn a Means into an All Star... no slider tinkering is doing that for John. The only pitch that allows 90-91mph heat to play in the bigs is a change up... without it you’re a AA guy at best... Blaine Knight, Sedlock... give them elite change ups and they become prospects, otherwise they have no shot to contribute as starters. It’s all in the change, but all change ups are not good change ups.

 

No revision necessary.  He said what he said, and has thus far been proven to be right.  When someone hits .400, you can say he was wrong.  Not until.

[Aristotelian]

4 minutes ago, Number5 said:

No revision necessary.  He said what he said, and has thus far been proven to be right.  When someone hits .400, you can say he was wrong.  Not until.

He could be wrong about the cause.

Anyway, I agree, the changeup is the key to being able to get out both lefties and righties. Very hard to get through the lineup multiple times without that third pitch. For a lefty like means, the changeup is even more important.

[Number5]

3 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

He could be wrong about the cause.

Anyway, I agree, the changeup is the key to being able to get out both lefties and righties. Very hard to get through the lineup multiple times without that third pitch. For a lefty like means, the changeup is even more important.

He knew a little bit about hitting, so I'll go with what he said.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Number5 said:

He knew a little bit about hitting, so I'll go with what he said.

So did Keeler, what does he think?

[Camden_yardbird]

By the numbers (pitch value):

The perspective.  Last years best CH by PV was K. Hendrix at 16.6.  The next closest was 12.

This years leader is Luis Castillo at 16.8.  Top 10 is 8.3+, top 25 is 1.4 to 8.3. 

This is pitchers with qualifying IP so there are no relievers on the list.  Means does not qualify yet but i have included a ranking none the less as he has 82.2 IP and you must have IP= team games played (89)

Means, 9.4 (8th)

Cashner 14.6 (2nd)

Bundy 1.6 (23rd)

Castro (1.9)

[OFFNY]

1 hour ago, Cy Bundy said:

 

The change-up is the best secondary pitch in baseball, & there is no close 2nd. 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

 

Pretty sure that Astro-Ball says it’s the curve-ball. 

 

o

 

If you get your hand caught in a feed-chopper, you might wind up riding a wicked curve-ball all the way to the Hall-of-Fame.

 

 

 

o

[sevastras]

Ask Brian Matusz what the difference in a great change up and an ok change up are.

[Number5]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

So did Keeler, what does he think?

Hit 'em where they ain't.

[Il BuonO]

“Hitting is timing, pitching is upsetting timing.”

-Warren Spahn