Curveball vs change up

[shark547]

Am I the only one that thinks that something is off about the speed of pitches for Change ups vs curveballs? I have to wait all day to hit a change up...yet I am always late on curveballs. They can be the exact same speed at 78 mph.

I didn't have this problem until last year and I am not convinced that something is up.

[oilersfan99]

Re: Curveball vs change up

I personally crush change ups though curveballs can give me gits sometimes. I don't find there is anything fishy about the speeds at all

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[underdog13]

Re: Curveball vs change up

I've had this issue for years. For me it's I spend more time tracking the ball path on a curve so when I finally have my pci ready to swing I'm usually a bit late.

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[nomo17k]

Re: Curveball vs change up

I've had this issue for years. For me it's I spend more time tracking the ball path on a curve so when I finally have my pci ready to swing I'm usually a bit late.

I have similar issues with the OP, and I think this is a major reason for myself at least.

Changeup looks like a fastball initially so you tend to commit with the timing similar to fastball, but with curveball looking as if it floats a bit initially and appear to go above the strike zone, my initial reaction tends to be in the "layoff" mode, only to realize the pitch coming down, and when I end up committing, I often tend to be late on it especially the curveballs that land high within the strike zone.

[boogeyman12]

Re: Curveball vs change up

My Achilles heel is the mid to high 90 fastball up and in. Even if it's clearly a ball, I press hit.

[Caulfield]

Re: Curveball vs change up

For me, I've found it depends on who's throwing. Some pitchers changeup I can get the rythm pretty easily. Other pitchers, not so much. Same for curves. Used to be that the 12-6 was my biggest enemy but last couple years its been more sweepers though. If there were more pitchers with a screwball in their arsenal I'd say the screwgie. Thanfully you don't really see it.

[Bunselpower32]

Re: Curveball vs change up

Nope, nothing is off, that is what the pitches are designed to do, just like nomo17k said. It's all perception. Changeup makes your mind think Fastball and then when it doesn't happen it seems very slow, and Curveball makes you think high Fastball and by the time you figure it out, decide whether it's going to be in the zone, and then actually find the spot in the zone it's going to hit based on the big vertical movement, you're late.

So a Changeup makes you make your decision too early, and a Curveball makes you make it too late. Which is exactly why pitchers throw them.

"Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing."

-Warren Spahn

[shark547]

Re: Curveball vs change up

I get the idea behind it. I am questioning whether the timing is accurate. If anything you would have slightly more time to swing on a curve because it is taking a longer path to the plate. I am seeing the opposite. Before last year I crushed curveballs. I think something changed. I am routinely behind them as if they are a fastball. That is strange.

I think we would need a way to time it showing it is the same.

[nomo17k]

Re: Curveball vs change up

I get the idea behind it. I am questioning whether the timing is accurate. If anything you would have slightly more time to swing on a curve because it is taking a longer path to the plate. I am seeing the opposite. Before last year I crushed curveballs. I think something changed. I am routinely behind them as if they are a fastball. That is strange.

I think we would need a way to time it showing it is the same.

One thing that has changed this year is that many batting cameras have been updated with wide-angle views (which I think is a questionable thing to do, for those gamers who have trained their eyes over the years to a specific camera), so the perception of how the pitch travels toward the place has changed a bit. In particular, I think it has an effect of making it harder to distinguish the pitch speed right after the release (because the apparent movement of the ball on the screen has become smaller).

I think some of what people are talking about as to how the pitch speed seem to be off this year is due to the change in cameras.

[shark547]

Re: Curveball vs change up

That could be I guess. Seems like I would have made an adjustment by now. It is the same thing over and over though. I am old too so....lol