How to throw a sub marine slider

Are you ready for an extremely difficult pitch? If you think your arm can handle it, learning how to throw a sub marine slider can be very beneficial in a game, especially in tough situations. Batters won't know what to do when they see the baseball come to the plate from a different angle. It may be what you need to strikeout your next opponent.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Get the grip. When throwing a sub marine slider it's not the grip that you have to worry about so much as it is the pitching motion. When gripping a baseball, use the two-seam fastball grip as your starting point. Now simply turn the ball so that your middle and index fingers are running across the top and bottom seams. Slide your fingers down to the left if you are left handed and to the right if you're right handed. They should now be across the horseshoe and positioned like a four-seam fastball to throw a sub marine slider.

2. Understand the motion. Taking advantage of the sub marine slider means you have a sidearm throwing style. Instead of throwing over your shoulder or with a three-quarter release, you will be coming from the side or even at times from underneath when you release the sub marine slider. If you find a professional baseball player with this motion they sometimes drag their knuckles against the dirt as they throw.

3. Know what to expect from a sub marine slider. Don't plan on having a lot of break with the sub marine slider. The pitchers that do use this pitch will see a common whip action that lets the baseball move across the plate at an angle. A left handed pitcher will see the ball move inside a right handed batter quite frequently with a natural throw. Although there isn't any action, the sub marine slider allows the ball to come in as a rising fastball. If you throw it off-speed the law of gravity will allow it to drop at the end, slightly.

4. Practice control. Once you've figured out how throwing a sub marine slider works just start out trying to get it over the plate. Sounds easy right? Don't take it for granted that you will master this overnight because its extremely difficult. Practicing the sub marine slider doesn't mean just by throwing it, but also learning to come off the mound after releasing the pitch. It's very different then what you may be normally used to doing.

5. Throw the sub marine slider on the outside corner. When you have complete control with the sub marine slider start throwing it on the outside corner of the plate. It's a great third strike pitch and will leave many hitters standing there with the bat still on their shoulder. Even for umpires its hard to determine where the ball will cross the plate with a sidearm pitcher. When a hitter sees the sub marine slider going to the outside it will look like a ball but will hit the corners at an angle for strike three. However, only work on this after you have a substantial amount of control over the pitch.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk to your coach about exercises to perform to make this motion easier on your arm.
• If he/she is not familiar with any, speak with your family physician.
• Don't force yourself to throw a sub marine slider. If its uncomfortable there are several other pitches you can learn that don't have to be thrown sidearm.
• You won't find many people throwing sidearm because of the extreme wear and tear it has on your pitching arm. Even at the professional level if you see a sidearm pitcher throwing a sub marine slider they are most likely coming from the bullpen with a lower pitch count to work with in a game.
• If you ever experience any discomfort, stop throwing this pitch immediately.
• Younger pitchers should not even try to perform the sub marine slider or throwing sidearm, period.

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