Fastballs in the K Zone are very effective ahead in the count. A fastball in the K Zone could be a two or four-seam chase fastball away from a hitter or a two-seam fastball inside to the hitter. Practice using the 2 seam fastball on both sides of the plate.
In a double-play situation, a two-seam fastball could be thrown at the arm side third of the Go Zone and break to the K Zone after the hitter has already decided to swing. When throwing a two-seam fastball opposite arm-side, backspin is crucial to promote downward movement. If the catcher's glove is set up in the K Zone and you hit the mitt, you have a great chance to get the strike call even if the hitter doesn't swing
Hitters sometimes hit inside sinking fastballs at the K on the top of their foot or the inside of their ankle. If this happens the last thing a hitter wants to see on the next pitch is the same pitch in the same spot. Keep this in mind when a facing a hitter who fouls one off their lower body.
While ahead in the count, throwing a shorter, tighter, breaking ball, the pitch should generally start in the Danger Zone above the 2 Zone and break towards the K Zone. Where to aim always depends on the size of the break on the off speed pitch.
The K Zone is a great “backdoor curveball” Lokation. This is typically a slower type breaking pitch that is thrown from a RHP to a LHB or vice versa. This breaking ball is designed to end up on the outer part of the plate to the hitter and seemingly break around the strike-zone. It's typically a slower breaking pitch has more break and has a better chance to start high and far enough outside of the strike-zone for the hitter to make the decision not to swing (give up) early in the flight of the ball. Then it breaks over the outer Go or Chase Zone late in flight.
A change up in the K Zone should generally start in the outer-third of the Go Zone through the first half of the ball’s flight, and when the hitter has to make the decision to swing, the movement of the pitch will take it to the K Zone. Backspin, gravity, and natural movement will help the pitch break to the K Zone.
The K Zone can also be used opposite arm-side with the change-up although it is a much harder pitch to execute. Backspin is very important because a change-up with sidespin opposite arm-side can end up flat and in the middle of the plate just as the fastball will.
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