Okay, so I was messing around with this “changeup pitch” thing. It’s all about throwing a baseball slower, but making it look like you’re throwing it fast, you know? Tricky stuff. First thing I did was watch a bunch of videos online, just to see how the pros do it. They make it look so easy, but let me tell you, it’s not.
Then I grabbed my old glove and a baseball, and headed out to the backyard. Started by just tossing the ball lightly, trying to get a feel for the grip. You gotta hold it different than a fastball, more in your palm than your fingers. Felt weird at first, like I was gonna drop it or something.
After a while, I started trying to throw it to an imaginary batter, focusing on my arm speed. The trick is to make your arm move just like you’re throwing a heater, but then slow it down right at the end. I tried all sorts of things, changing my grip, my stance, my arm angle, you name it. My neighbor was probably wondering what the heck I was doing out there.
Progress was slow. Most of my pitches were all over the place. Some were too slow, some were too fast, and a bunch just bounced in the dirt. It was frustrating, to say the least. But I kept at it, throwing pitch after pitch, trying to find that sweet spot.
- Hold the ball deep in my palm
- Make my arm move fast
- Slow it down right before the release
Finally, after what felt like a million throws, I started to get the hang of it. I could feel the difference when I got it right. The ball would come out slower, but with the same kind of spin as a fastball. It’s like magic when it works. I still got a long way to go before I can use this thing in a real game, but it feels good to be making some progress. I just tried to keep it and practiced for a long while today. I think I can make it! It’s all about practice. That’s how everything is improved.
