Johan Santana’s changeup

The New York Times dissects New York Mets’ star Johan Santana and his vicious changeup:

 For Santana, clutching the ball was his way of making it feel like an extension of his left hand. To develop his changeup and have the confidence to throw a pitch that depends so much on touch, he realized that he first needed to strengthen his relationship with the baseball.

So when Santana was not pitching off a mound or long-tossing across the outfield, he marched around with one, all the while pursuing a grip that would make the changeup his lifelong friend. Santana speaks about a baseball as if he were discussing a person.

The article even goes into deeper detail with a hit chart of his changeup in 2007 and how successful it is against right-handed batters.