Put your thumb on the bottom of the ball and your middle and ring fingers together. . The table below shows the qualified pitchers with the 10 highest pitch values for changeups, in terms of FanGraphs Pitch Values metric. As a pitching coach,one of my biggest tasks is overhauling a pitchers off-speed pitches. In this development stage, he wants to get ahead of hitters before mixing it in. Making adjustments is crucial to your longterm success. With his pitch count climbing in the second inning, the Cubs took advantage of spring-training rules, pulling him with two outs and then putting him back in for the third inning. Kyle Hendricks had an April surprise ready for fans who braved the frigid conditions at Wrigley Field. Why 10%, give or take? By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. His changeup? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This LHP throws a straight change, he turns it over and it sinks away from RH batters. Whats up with this?! 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. #cubs #mlb #pitching2022 MLB Strikeout Reels playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYkCwy6ah6d_xXaI7mM8OIIIr7AeW0zuA2022 College Baseball Strikeout Re. Effective circle changeups can reduce the platoon split a pitcher will experience. 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. He throws strikes and has a sense on how to pitch, and looks like a sleeper prospect to me. Six miles per hour? After that, its up to the pitcher to put in the time and dedication honing the pitch and learning how to pitch with it. This is a key part of the changeup grip. But, this is just another iteration of his changeup, a different way for a him to manipulate hitters. youve got little chance of doing damage off him. A slider has defined spin, a mixture of bullet-spin, forward and side spin that creates a visible red dot. Though this works quite well for him, it's not the standard version for most pitchers, for one main reason: pitchers need a pitch that breaks away from opposite-handed hitters. But over the course of 162 games, you lose weight, he said. Hook em horns grip? I dont want my son to end up straining. Cubs lefty Justin made his third start of spring training against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. kyle hendricks changeup grip - bayaninstitute.net Steele has yet to fully highlight the changeup in three spring starts. . 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. The incredible thing about Hendricks is that in his Game 1 quality start in Mondays doubleheader, neither his sinker or changeup were his best pitch. Controlling the Running Game: Should Young Pitchers Slide Step? The frustrating righty could definitely use a third pitch. Cubs manager Ross says Hendricks' stuff is better than ever - Daily Herald Suddenly, Kyle Hendricks is a three-pitch guy, with an elite change, a good slider, and good command of a good sinker. Cubs facing a bleak situation with the luxury tax in 2020. dark. Hendricks achieved a season high in curveball usage (25%) and whiffs (5), finishing off two hitters with the pitch. This allows them to work together, as a unit, to turn inward on the ball, to make it sink and run. Sign up below to receive my beloved weekly emails updates on new videos, articles and content. Sink is good, right? Hendricks has a conventional change that gets unconventional whiffs, perhaps because he shows identical arm speed or has some deception in his delivery. A sleeper who woke up: Kyle Hendricks, RHP, Chicago Cubs The changeup, for no good reason, is confused. The lesson was to concentrate on deception, command, and movement and accept whatever velo differential comes with it, and not to worry about it. Lets sum up those two pitches by movement and results so we can get a better sense of them. Gambling problem? Same scenario but different pitch. Straight changeups are sooooo old-school. CSP Elite Baseball Development Podcast: Kyle Hendricks - Eric Cressey I did it earlier today, when I called him a two-pitch pitcher. You bet. Id say Stephen Strasburgit has such crazy sink and armside run, Im not sure how anyone ever hits it. All Win Expectancy, Leverage Index, Run Expectancy, and Fans Scouting Report data licenced from TangoTiger.com. So, its less visually fun to throw for young players and gives less feedback as well. Depending on the pitcher and his unique way of executing the pitch, the output will vary slightly. Kyle Hendricks entered his Sunday Night Baseball start on June 19 against the Pirates never having registered a double-digit strikeout game in his 57 starts. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Kyle Hendricks, left, and Alexi Pappas as Dartmouth freshmen, in a photo from Pappas. 10,000+ people already dosign up now! Circle change? 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 . Three-finger? kyle hendricks changeup grip - businessgrowthbox.com 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. How To Throw a Changeup with Cubs Pitcher Kyle Hendricks Ross has not yet announced the order. There are tons of contradictions and conflicting details in scouting reports. 1 - Kyle Hendricks (Cubs) - 19.7% Whiff rate, 62 Adjusted Contact Score For my money, Hendricks throws the best changeup in the game. Hendricks, in a way, sacrifices that extra killed spin on his changeup for a nearly identical arm slot and release point to his sinker, creating a superb amount of deception. 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. Youd be forgiven for calling the Cut Change a slider. When a pitch is thrown harder, it flies longer along the same trajectory as a fastball. All of which is a lengthy preamble to guide you to the point of this whole piece, which was Hendricks' changeup usage and results from Wednesday. Fold your other two fingers down the sides, and turn the ball inside as you release like youre pouring out a can of Coke. Ive read hundreds of scouting reports on pitchers and I had never heard of that pitch. Your email address will not be published. We go by spin, how it comes out of their hand, their arm action and speed, etc. In part two of this changeup article series, Ill cover a step-by-step method of teaching and throwing the modern changeup. Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks throwing a sinker and a changeup 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. 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. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, Switching grips could save Michael Pineda's changeup We prefer the 3 finger grip because we find it easier to control. Kyle Hendricks joined the Chicago Cubs in a franchise-altering trade 10 Lets call the zone between -3 and -4 x-movement the no-fly zone. The changeup is especially hard to learn because it doesnt have an easily-observed break like other pitches. But, the output is fine for him its different, but still exceptionally effective. Thegrip, shown below, is really a hybrid between the circle change and other grips. Kyle Hendricks - Baseball-Reference.com MESA, Ariz. Cubs lefty Justin Steele came into camp 20 pounds heavier and with a new changeup in his arsenal. Just head to www.Rawlings.com and enter coupon code CRESSEY20 and youll receive 20% off on your order. 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. 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. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Be sure to make smart choices regarding your career and your development as a ballplayer! If the thumb is not beneath the ball, as in the circle change grip, the fingertips will tense up to prevent the ball from simply falling out of the hand. Hey, thanks for the article! Kyle Hendricks' changeup. Justin Steele's 4-seam fastball - MSN Dan, I was a Baseball Ops consultant for the Red Sox and did an analysis of changeup effectiveness. But today, well bust some changeup myths and give you all the tools to throw a great one. The Professor Returns: 'Vintage' Kyle Hendricks on Opening Day Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks talks about when in his career he developed what he calls his most important pitch: the changeup. Prospect Retrospective: Kyle Hendricks, RHP, Chicago Cubs He had been between about 195 and 205 pounds, generally, and feeling good. If the thumb cradles the ball from the bottom, the rest of the hand can be almost completely relaxed. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. The test is, the ball is still held in place with all four fingers straightened. Last year, he used the breaking ball 9.5 percent of the time. Kyle Hendricks and Greg Maddux also share the same nickname: "The Professor". Casey Sutherland may have just 12 games of experience with the Red Sox, but he has already shown dominance while fulfilling a childhood dream. Kyle Hendricks assigned to Daytona Cubs from Tennessee Smokies. I wonder why? "Hendricks sits at 86.7 mph with his two-seamer (slower than some of the other changeups picked here). Its time we all start learning this same type of pitch. Hendricks' focus on the mound is utilizing his below-average velocity in conjunction with the excellent movement on his pitches, specifically his elite changeup. Heres what David Adler had to say about the right-handers elite offspeed stuff. 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. Old dogs can't learn new tricks? Cubs' Kyle Hendricks could do just 13.1 inches. Yankees Mailbag: Managing the infield and Domnguez hype. Pineda's poor changeup shouldn't come as a surprise. Kyle Hendricks is a solid and consistent pitcher. 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. You try to tell the difference when he tunnels those two pitches.". Dont set the grip until the ball is hidden in the glove just before the hand break. It just wont get hitters out on their front foot enoughthe speed change wont be enough to really throw off their timing. strength and conditioning for baseball and softball. 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. 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. Edgertronic cameras can capture images at over 2,000 fps. And, dont forget to sign up for my free newsletter, using the form below. 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. That equals 4.5mph off a 90mph much too hard to be effective. Cubs Spring Training Notebook: Swanson's winning mentality, Lester's mark on Steele, Cubs make some spring history. And he replaces it with his ring finger you let the changeup grip do the work.. Hendrick's curveball elevates 'foundation' of Cubs rotation - RSN Hendricks predicts the slower changeup will throw off hitters timing even more. You can do so HERE. Excellent explanations Dan. The odd thing about Hendricks is that his changeup actually spins more than his fastball, roughly 300 rpm more on average in 2020. On the follow through, collapse the body slightly. Though this works quite well for him, its not the standard version for most pitchers, for one main reason: pitchers need a pitch that breaks away from opposite-handed hitters. From my years pitching professionally, my experience has been that the more movement a changeup has, the harder it can be thrown. 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. Just remember: even the nastiest pitch still needs to be thrown at the right time in an at-bat to maximize its effectiveness. By looking at a combination of Google Images and the disparity in horizontal movement between their four seam fastballs and changeups, I tried to guess what grip each pitcher was using: *Cubs ace Kyle Hendricks has two changeups. Another quick question, then Ill let you go. Dont try to get too much backside drive and hip rotation into the pitch. In short, Hendricks changed the grip of his curveball back during his Cy Young-caliber 2016 season, from a four-seam grip to a two-seam grip, in an effort to build up some increased confidence in a pitch he wasn't using as often as he probably should've been. The thumb is the pressure point, and its location on the bottom of the ball is crucial. Deep Dive: How Kyle Hendricks has mastered his repertoire and keeps Here are Kyle's career wRC+ allowed for his four main pitches (in order of use . He strikes out right-handers regularly with that thing. There. Required fields are marked *, I agree to the terms and conditions laid out in the Privacy Policy. How do I throw a changeup? Tension and fingertip pressure will result in the pitcher hooking the pitch into the ground more often. It sounds like a cutter to me but thats not a pitch that is associated with sinking. This second 5% is important not only in reducing the pitchs speed, but in also making the the changeup sink and run to the armside. He also ranks second in the. When you learn to throw a changeup, the grip is about half the equation. When learning a breaking ball, we get feedback by watching it break before our eyes, and our throwing partner gives us feedback from his point of view (that one was sharp!). Click on the different category headings to find out more. Not so much. And technology like Edgertronic cameras can help us appreciate his success more than ever. 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. Its just gonna be a game-changer for him, Hendricks said. Hendricks' changeup became more productive alongside it. But, most pitchers will develop a changeup that consistently fits the aforementioned mold. As for the changeup, Steele wanted a bigger drop in velocity from his fastball. 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. He rarely walks anyone, strikes out enough to get by, and will induce weak contact. 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. The hand pronates inward, slightly, before release. You can check these in your browser security settings. Sign-up Today for our FREE Baseball Newsletter and Receive Instant Access to a 47-minute Presentation from Eric Cressey on Individualizing the Management of Overhead Athletes! Kyle Hendricks assigned to Tennessee Smokies from Daytona Cubs. Learn how your comment data is processed. Where he separates himself is with the Cut Change, which has a combination of movement and velocity that makes it hard to classify. How can you get the same movement/action using two different grips? These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. youtube.com/watch?time_con 0:09 1.3K views The ball is gripped deep in the hand, balanced and held loosely. You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. With a new grip on his curve, even Kyle Hendricks can't contain his Pingback: "Going JUCO" - Is Playing NJCAA Baseball a Risky Move? Or, if all else fails, we can just say screw it and just throw a splitter; thatll work as a poor-mans changeup. Provided the speed reduction is there, anomalies in movement are okay, and to be expected no two pitchers are alike. Unsurprisingly, Hendricks' changeup was the runaway . The average velocity differential was 11.1 mph. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses cookies. From there, they can decide to alter the movement profile of the pitch by tweaking its release. 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. Its an effective pitch pretty much anytime its thrown, but throwing a changeup in fastball counts is the most effective. The dawn of the tech era has increased what we can take away from spring training. Circle changeup - Wikipedia Simply head to www.Rawlings.com and use the code, CRESSEY20, at checkout and youll save 20% off your order! Were excited to welcome Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks to this weeks podcast. 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. But, then again, does it matter? The #1 baseball brand in the world, Rawlings, has partnered with Cressey Sports Performance to make getting the best training gear for you more affordable. Kyle Hendricks, Cubs Hendricks leaned on his changeup heavily and threw it 932 times, nearly double Scherzer's 548. A fastball count is a count when its a little more high-risk to throw an offspeed pitch (which are harder to control). **According to Pitch F/X, Chris Sale and Zach Davies didnt throw any four-seam fastballs in 2016. Forcing the fingers down the sides of the baseball are one of a few culprits that cause undue hand tension. If we were to name the two, we might name one the Cut Change, and the other the Fade Change. We need to think of paintbrushing the hand over the changeup. Not working on and using the pitch enough to master it. But Scherzer dominated, limiting opponents to a .126 average in at-bats ending against the pitch - 12 points lower than deGrom's average.