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[[Image:Sliderillustration.png|thumb|150px|A common grip used to throw a slider]]
[[Image:Sliderillustration.png|thumb|150px|A common grip used to throw a slider]]
In [[baseball]], a '''slider''' is a [[fastball]] [[pitch (baseball)|pitch]] that tails laterally and down through the batter's hitting zone. It is thrown at a speed that is lower than a [[fastball]], but higher than the pitcher's [[curveball]].
In [[baseball]], a '''slider''' is a type of [[breaking ball]], a pitch that moves or "breaks" as it approaches the batter. Due to the grip and wrist motion, the slider typically exhibits more lateral movement when compared to other breaking balls, such as the [[curveball]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Slider (SL) {{!}} Glossary |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/slider |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>


The slider is generally among the fastest breaking balls, commonly ranging between 80-90 mph<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baseball pitches illustrated {{!}} Lokesh Dhakar |url=https://lokeshdhakar.com/baseball-pitches-illustrated/ |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=lokeshdhakar.com}}</ref>. A variation of the slider, known as the '''sweeper''', is characterized as being slightly slower, but having more lateral movement<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sweeper (ST) {{!}} Glossary |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/sweeper |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>. Pitches that exhibit qualities similar to that of both a slider and a curveball are referred to as a [[slurve]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Slurve (SV) {{!}} Glossary |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/pitch-types/slurve |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>.
The break on the pitch is shorter than that of the curveball, and the release technique is between those of a curveball and a fastball. The slider is similar to the [[cutter (baseball)|cutter]], a fastball pitch, but is more of a [[breaking ball]] than the cutter. The slider is also known as a '''heater''', a '''fastball''', or a '''sweeping fastball'''.


== Grip and action ==
==Slider continuum==
The grip for a slider is characterized as being similar to that of a fastball<ref>{{Cite web |title=Slider 101: Everything You Need to Know to Master the Pitch |url=https://pitchlogic.com/blogs/slider-101-everything-you-need-to-know-to-master-the-pitch |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=pitchlogic.com |language=en}}</ref>. Like all pitches, the grip can take many different forms, with slight variations between pitchers suiting their individual preferences. A common feature in most slider grips is the index and middle finger being in close proximity to each other.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://help.drivelinebaseball.com/portal/en/kb/articles/pitch-grips-sliders |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=help.drivelinebaseball.com}}</ref>
{{more citations needed section|date=July 2013}}Depending on velocity, a pitch can fall anywhere on the continuum from "fastball" to "slider":
* [[fastball]] » [[Cutter (baseball)|cut fastball]] » hard slider » slider » [[slurve]]
** cut fastball: {{convert|3|–|5|mph}} slower than fastball
** hard slider: {{convert|5|–|7|mph}} slower than fastball
** slider: {{convert|7|–|9|mph}} slower than fastball


The associated wrist motion often contributes a large amount to the pitch's movement, and is characterized by a more [[Supinator muscle|supine]] positioning upon release. Like many other breaking balls, this motion can cause significant strain on the arm, and thus is not recommended for players under the age of 13<ref>{{Cite web |title=MLB {{!}} Pitch Smart {{!}} Pitching Guidelines {{!}} Ages 9-12 |url=https://www.mlb.com/pitch-smart/pitching-guidelines/ages-9-12 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>.
The difference between a slider and curveball is that the curveball delivery includes a downward yank on the ball as it is released in addition to the lateral spin applied by the slider grip. The slider is released off the index finger, while the curveball is released off the middle finger. If the pitcher is snapping his wrist as he throws, and the movement is more downward than sideways, then he is probably throwing a curveball or slurve, and not a true "slider".


== Effects ==
It is important when throwing a slider, or any breaking pitch in baseball, not to come "around" the baseball. When the pitcher "comes around" the ball, the pitcher puts extra tension on his pitching arm to throw that pitch. A slider is thrown with a regular arm motion, just like a [[fastball]], and, ideally, the slider's velocity is only slightly lower than the pitcher's fastball. Thus, an effective slider can initially look like a fastball to the hitter. Slider movement is a direct result of the fingertip pressure and grip. The pitcher may visualize throwing his fingers at the catcher in order to improve follow through and finish the pitching motion.
The slider will typically move laterally towards the pitcher's glove-side. For example, when thrown by a right-handed pitcher, from the pitcher's perspective, the pitch will "slide" from the right (the ''arm-side'') to the left (the ''glove-side''). When thrown by a left-handed pitcher, the pitch breaks in the opposite direction, moving from the left to the right.

In recent years, pitches known as '''sweepers''' have arisen that are comparable to sliders, only with more horizontal movement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-25 |title=What is a sweeper? A look at the pitch taking over MLB |url=https://apnews.com/article/sweeper-pitch-baseball-4a18c6f077c7cc3c062dc9e13519174f |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref>

== Spin rate ==
Rapsodo, the company that has developed a device called a Rapsodo to track and measure spin rate, velocity, movement and more metrics, the spin rate of a slider is much higher than a fastball. Spin rate varies from pitcher to pitcher. Spin rate or raw spin is then the measure of the overall revolutions per minute (rpm) of a pitched ball by adding together the amount of backspin, topspin, sidespin, and gyroscopic spin. Spin rate also affects the movement of these pitchers. The higher the spin rate at which a pitch is thrown at, the higher the potential movement of the pitch. The average slider in [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] has a spin rate ranging from 2430 RPMs to 2530 RPMs.

=== Spin Efficiencies ===
Spin efficiency is how efficiently the baseball spins out of the pitcher's hand. The pitcher with the highest spin efficiency is usually [[Fastball|fastballs]] and [[changeup]] at around 100% spin efficiency. Sliders on the other hand have one of the lower spin efficiency if not the lowest spin efficiency of the all of the pitcher's pitches at around 35% Rapsodo

== Increase Spin Rate ==
driveline baseball measures how spin rate can be increased as velocity increases. This means as a pitcher gains velocity their spin rate will grow with the velocity. With that said there currently is not a clear path way for someone to gain spin rate. There are ways such as finger strength that are ways of potentially increasing spin rate

=== Sticky Substance ===
Some of the most common sticky substances are spider tack and [[Pine tar|pine tar.]] These substances are considered illegal to us by the [[Major League Baseball|MLB]]. Pine tar and other sticky substances can be used to increase grip. The better a pitcher can grip a ball the more force they can put on the ball which then leads to the more pain they can produce on the ball. This causes the ball's spin rate to increase. [[Trevor Bauer]], a former major league pitcher for the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]], [[Cleveland Guardians]], [[Cincinnati Reds]] and the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] made a  youtube video on a legal sticky substance. In the video the ball is sticking very well to his hand. The sticky substance used by Trevor Bauer is made from just [[water]] and [[rosin]]. Rosin is a league substance that the MLB lets pitchers use to dry their hands and get a better grip of the ball. With Trevor Bauer using just water and rosin, that makes this sticky substance he made legal to use.


==Notable slider pitchers==
==Notable slider pitchers==
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2023}}
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2023}}
Many famous pitchers have been known for their slider. Hall of Fame pitcher [[Randy Johnson]] was well-known for his unusually fast slider, which he nicknamed "Mr. Snappy"<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-06-03 |title=Crasnick: Starting 9 -- Memorable moments in Big Unit's career |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&page=starting9/090603 |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>. Other Hall of Fame pitchers renowned for their excellent slider include [[Steve Carlton|Steve Carlton,]] [[Bob Gibson]], and [[Sparky Lyle]].
A Hall of Fame pitcher famous for his slider was lefty [[Steve Carlton]]. Right-handed pitcher [[David Cone]] was famous for his slider, which he was able to use many different ways, as was [[Bob Gibson]] of the Cardinals. To right-handed batters, Cone would throw it to hook sharply outside the strike zone, getting hitters to chase and miss it. He threw the pitch from various arm angles to further confuse the hitter. Cone's slider was also a strikeout pitch to left-handed hitters, throwing it to curve back over the outside corner and catch the hitter looking. Hall of Fame reliever [[Dennis Eckersley]] had an effective slider, but when he tried to strike out [[Kirk Gibson]] with a backdoor slider in the first game of the 1988 World Series, Gibson was [[List of baseball jargon (S)#sitting on a pitch|sitting]] on that exact pitch and hit a game-winning home run.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/playoffs/2008-10-06-gibson-88homer_N.htm| title=Kirk Gibson's 1988 home run still a World Series highlight| last=Lopresti| first=Mike| date=October 8, 2008| work=USA Today}}</ref> [[Joe Carter]] ended the [[1993 World Series]] with a home run on a slider thrown by [[Mitch Williams]]. [[John Smoltz]] rode his remarkable slider to a Hall of Fame career; it would come in looking like a fastball over the plate, then break sharply out of the strike zone. [[Brad Lidge]] featured a slider in his perfect season as a closer in 2008, and used the pitch to strike out the final batter of the 2008 World Series for the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. Other top pitchers to throw a slider included [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]]r [[Rollie Fingers]], who used the pitch to win a [[Cy Young Award]] in 1981,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/fingers-rollie |title=Hall of Famers: Fingers, Rollie |publisher=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]]}}</ref> and [[Seattle Mariners]] and [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] starter [[Randy Johnson]], who nicknamed his slider "Mr. Snappy".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/exclusives/20050504/617694.html |title=El Meteoro? Not quite the same ring as Twinkletoes |first=Josh |last=Lewin |date=May 4, 2005 |work=Sporting News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012184303/http://www.sportingnews.com/exclusives/20050504/617694.html |archive-date=October 12, 2007}}</ref> At times, Johnson's slider was faster than most pitchers' fastballs. [[Mike Jackson (right-handed pitcher)|Mike Jackson]], who tied [[Paul Assenmacher]] with the most [[games pitched]] in the 1990s (644), also threw a slider. [[Ron Guidry]] threw a slider, having learned the pitch from teammate and fellow lefty [[Sparky Lyle]]. Shohei Ohtani throws a frisbee slider. He threw it to strike out [[Mike Trout]] and win the [[2023 World Baseball Classic championship]] for Japan.<ref>{{cite web| title=Shohei Ohtani fans Mike Trout for final out as Japan wins WBC| url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/35914856/shohei-ohtani-fans-mike-trout-final-japan-wins-wbc| publisher=ESPN}}</ref>


Other pitchers with notable sliders include:
[[Armando Galarraga]] threw sliders 38.9% of the time in 2008, more than any other starting pitcher in the majors, and [[Ryan Dempster]] threw them 32.9% of the time, more than any other NL starting pitcher.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=4&season=2009&month=0 |title=Major League Leaderboards » 2009 » Pitchers » Pitch Type Statistics &#124; FanGraphs Baseball |publisher=Fangraphs.com |access-date=2012-05-27}}</ref> In 2008 [[CC Sabathia]] had the most effective slider, among major league starting pitchers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&lg=all&qual=y&type=7&season=2008&month=0 |title=Major League Leaderboards » 2008 » Pitchers » Pitch Value Statistics &#124; FanGraphs Baseball |publisher=Fangraphs.com |access-date=2012-05-27}}</ref> [[Zack Greinke]] won the AL Cy Young award in 2009 in large part because of his slider, one of the better pitches in all of baseball.<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith |first=Cameron |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/baseball-insider/2009/08/the_best_pitch_in_baseball_gre.html |title=Baseball Insider – The Best Pitch in Baseball: Greinke's Slider? |publisher=Voices.washingtonpost.com |date=August 26, 2009 |access-date=2012-05-27}}</ref> In 2011, [[Clayton Kershaw]] won the [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Pitching Triple Crown]] by allowing only a .117 average against his slider.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseballanalytics.org/baseball-analytics-blog/2011/9/20/kershaw-and-his-evolving-slider.html |title=Kershaw and his evolving slider |first=Bill |last=Chuck |work=Baseball Analytics Blog |date=2011-09-20 |access-date=2012-05-27}}</ref> Lefty [[Chris Sale]] became known for a hard-breaking slider that consistently results in swings-and-misses by right-handed batters despite the pitch often finishing near the hitter's back foot.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nesn.com/2021/09/chris-sales-slider-as-filthy-as-ever-after-ace-returns-to-red-sox/ |title=Chris Sale's Slider As Filthy As Ever After Ace Returns To Red Sox |first=Omard |last=Marcus Kwesi |website=nese.com |date=2021-09-17 |access-date=2022-07-22}}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=15 em|content=* [[CC Sabathia]]
* [[Zack Greinke]]
* [[Dennis Eckersley]]
* [[John Smoltz]]
* [[Matt Brash (baseball)|Matt Brash]]
* [[Clayton Kershaw]]
* [[Gerrit Cole]]
* [[Justin Verlander]]
* [[Max Scherzer]]
* [[Jacob deGrom]]
* [[Chris Sale]]
* [[Shohei Ohtani]]
* [[Spencer Strider]]}}


==History==
==History==
The innovator of the slider is debated, but some credit [[Charles Albert Bender]] as the first to use the pitch. Bender used his slider to help him pitch a [[no-hitter]] and win 212 games in his career.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/bender-chief |title=Hall of Famers: Bender, Chief|publisher=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]] |access-date=2007-07-08}}</ref> Bender was the first pitcher to win six [[World Series]] games.<ref name="wismag" />
The innovator of the slider is debated, but some credit [[Charles Albert Bender]] as the first to use the pitch. Other players claimed to be the inventor include [[George Blaeholder]] and [[George Uhle]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Griffin |first=John |date=2022-08-23 |title=The New Breaking Ball on the Block: The early history of the slider |url=https://www.pinstripealley.com/2022/8/23/23316636/mlb-slider-history-charles-bender-george-blaeholder-george-uhle |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=Pinstripe Alley |language=en}}</ref>

[[George Blaeholder]] was credited with using it with the [[St. Louis Browns]] in the 1920s, when the slider was known as a "nickel curve,"<ref name="wismag">[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wmh/pdf/spring04.pdf "WISCONSIN Magazine of History"],''Wisconsin Historical Society Press'', Spring 2004 issue. Accessed July 8, 2007.</ref> and [[George Uhle]] and [[Harry O'Neill (pitcher)|Harry O'Neill]] have also been given credit for developing the pitch.<ref name="history">{{cite news|last1=Neyer|first1=Rob|title=Neyer: History of the slider|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=1786104|access-date=14 December 2017|work=[[ESPN.com]]|date=20 April 2004}}</ref>

More recently, New York Yankee pitcher [[Ron Guidry]] mastered the pitch to great effect in 1978 when he went 25–3 and won the Cy Young Award. It is also the name of the [[Cleveland Guardians]] mascot who was inducted into the [[Mascot Hall of Fame]].


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 00:56, 21 May 2024

A common grip used to throw a slider

In baseball, a slider is a type of breaking ball, a pitch that moves or "breaks" as it approaches the batter. Due to the grip and wrist motion, the slider typically exhibits more lateral movement when compared to other breaking balls, such as the curveball.[1]

The slider is generally among the fastest breaking balls, commonly ranging between 80-90 mph[2]. A variation of the slider, known as the sweeper, is characterized as being slightly slower, but having more lateral movement[3]. Pitches that exhibit qualities similar to that of both a slider and a curveball are referred to as a slurve[4].

Grip and action

The grip for a slider is characterized as being similar to that of a fastball[5]. Like all pitches, the grip can take many different forms, with slight variations between pitchers suiting their individual preferences. A common feature in most slider grips is the index and middle finger being in close proximity to each other.[6]

The associated wrist motion often contributes a large amount to the pitch's movement, and is characterized by a more supine positioning upon release. Like many other breaking balls, this motion can cause significant strain on the arm, and thus is not recommended for players under the age of 13[7].

Effects

The slider will typically move laterally towards the pitcher's glove-side. For example, when thrown by a right-handed pitcher, from the pitcher's perspective, the pitch will "slide" from the right (the arm-side) to the left (the glove-side). When thrown by a left-handed pitcher, the pitch breaks in the opposite direction, moving from the left to the right.

Notable slider pitchers

Many famous pitchers have been known for their slider. Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson was well-known for his unusually fast slider, which he nicknamed "Mr. Snappy"[8]. Other Hall of Fame pitchers renowned for their excellent slider include Steve Carlton, Bob Gibson, and Sparky Lyle.

Other pitchers with notable sliders include:

History

The innovator of the slider is debated, but some credit Charles Albert Bender as the first to use the pitch. Other players claimed to be the inventor include George Blaeholder and George Uhle.[9]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sliders (pitch).
  1. ^ "Slider (SL) | Glossary". MLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "Baseball pitches illustrated | Lokesh Dhakar". lokeshdhakar.com. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Sweeper (ST) | Glossary". MLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "Slurve (SV) | Glossary". MLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "Slider 101: Everything You Need to Know to Master the Pitch". pitchlogic.com. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  6. ^ help.drivelinebaseball.com https://help.drivelinebaseball.com/portal/en/kb/articles/pitch-grips-sliders. Retrieved May 21, 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. ^ "MLB | Pitch Smart | Pitching Guidelines | Ages 9-12". MLB.com. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  8. ^ "Crasnick: Starting 9 -- Memorable moments in Big Unit's career". ESPN.com. June 3, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Griffin, John (August 23, 2022). "The New Breaking Ball on the Block: The early history of the slider". Pinstripe Alley. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
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