A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball and fastpitch softball that is thrown to look like a fastball but arrives much more slowly to the plate. The goal of a changeup is to make the hitter think a fastball is coming, so their timing will be thrown off by the slower pitch. A good changeup will cause a hitter to start their swing well before the pitch arrives, resulting in either a swing and miss or very weak contact. The changeup is a common off-speed pitch, and almost every starting pitcher owns a changeup as part of their arsenal. There are several variations of changeups, which are generated by using different grips on the ball during the release of the pitch. Some of the most common grips include the circle changeup, the straight changeup, the three-finger changeup, and the C-change. The circle changeup is one well-known grip, where the pitcher forms a circle with the index finger and thumb and lays the middle and ring fingers across the seams of the ball. The straight changeup is the most common type, where the ball is held with three fingers (instead of the usual two) and closer to the palm, to kill some of the speed generated by the wrist and fingers. The changeup can also possess a significant amount of movement, which can bewilder the batter even further. The very best changeups utilize both deception and movement.