Ted Lilly - baseball's most courageous pitcher?

by Wreckard on Jul 28, 2008 5:02 PM CDT Comment 13 comments

John Walsh at The Hardball Times has a fascinating article up about the change-up, how it's used, and how one - and only one - pitcher in the big leagues uses it differently from anyone else: our very own Ted Lilly.

It seems Ted Lilly not only challenges but flaunts conventional wisdom by throwing his change-up inside more often than he does outside.

Highly recommended reading.

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Really interesting article

It surprising that he’s been so successful with it. Great read, thanks for the link.

--www.AddictedToQuack.com

by jtlight on Jul 28, 2008 5:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Interesting reading...

...and really reiterates the main purpose of what a changeup is supposed to do, and that is keep a hitter off stride, no matter where it is thrown.

I think the main reason Lilly has had success with his inside change, is because he also throws his fastball inside to RH hitters. Once you see a 90 mph fastball come in tight, your mental approach is to dial up your bat. If the hitter sees the next pitch coming in the same spot (and it’s a change with good arm motion), he knows he has to dial up his bat speed if it looks like a fastball. When a hitter recognizes an outside pitch, you know you don’t have to be as quick to get the head of the bat on the ball, and you can wait a tad moment longer. The whole key here is to set up the inside change with an inside fastball, otherwise, it could spell trouble if the arm motion is not perfect.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 28, 2008 5:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The key of course is the arm motion...

Regardless of where you throw it, if you can make your changeup look exactly like your fastball, it has the chance of being successful. So much of pitching is about deception.

by SouthernCub on Jul 28, 2008 6:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right one...

...which is why the Kyle Farnworth’s of the world get lit up eventually, because the hitters can lock in to his heat.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 28, 2008 6:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And the Bob Howry's...

... who don’t even throw as hard as Farnsworth.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jul 29, 2008 4:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great suff Wreckard...thanks

...it would be interesting to know how often he is using the inside change up this year if he was that successful with in 2007?

It would be nice to see him execute a couple of nice ones to Braun tonight

"When I got to Chicago, fans came to Wrigley Field just to have fun, now they come to see us win. The expectations have changed, for the players and for the fans. It’s about winning." Kerry Wood, 7/14/08

by JB 23 on Jul 28, 2008 5:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Really interesting article...

I never played baseball, having been a cricket player, so one of the things I’ve always wanted to know more about is the lefty-lefty, righty-righty match ups and why they work that way….I can understand it in principle of course (cricket has many of the same dynamics) but having never stood in a batters box I’d like to learn more….
Does anyone know of a good place that provides a really good explanation of the physics of the matter?

by kiwibob on Jul 28, 2008 6:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It's really about timing...

...and making the hitter think that inside change is really a fastball (which requires a hitter to get the bat around quickly) which gets him out in front even more.

A real good changeup is devastating no matter where it is thrown, because the hitter has already committed himself and has nothing left to create any bat speed. Also, those inside changes probably get pulled way foul often, which is like a swing and a miss if a hitter has less than 2 strikes.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jul 28, 2008 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

somebody..

somebody say Greg Maddux, here, please !

ernie81

by ernie81 on Jul 29, 2008 3:43 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's not speak of greatness in the shadow of its burnout ..

Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!

by cubnational on Jul 29, 2008 6:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Whaddya mean?

Nanika Ga Okoru!

by dat cubfan daver on Jul 29, 2008 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh?

What does Maddux have to do with this article? I’m confused.

by Wreckard on Jul 29, 2008 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

be interesting

to see how he’s throwing that changeup this year. Anyone recall from last night?

’’If somebody had told me we were going to lose Soriano for eight weeks, lose [Carlos] Zambrano and Kerry Wood for a couple of weeks apiece, and then at the same time lose [Reed] Johnson, and then when we played the American League not have a DH [then-injured Daryle Ward], and be in first place by two games, I’d tell you we were pretty fortunate.’’ Lou Piniella (7/23/08)

by drewishdrewid on Jul 29, 2008 1:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs