Things You'll Need:
- A Mound
- A Baseball
- A Catcher
- Determination
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Step 1
Position yourself on the mound in a spot where you are comfortable and make sure that your pitching mechanics are correct. If your pitching mechanics aren't very good, the slider will not break the way it should.
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Step 2
Hold the ball so that the part of the ball where the laces run parallel to each other is facing upwards. Place your second and third fingers on the right lace so that your fingertips have a good traction on the ball.
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Step 3
Place your thumb directly underneath your second and third fingers so that the your hand is grasping only the right half of the ball when throwing the pitch.
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Step 4
Move into your wind-up and remember your mechanics. Remember to take a long stride and avoid releasing the ball with a completely vertical arm slot when throwing the slider. Instead, you want to throw from a three-fourths arm slot so that the ball will be able to slide across the plate.
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Step 5
Move your arm forward through the zone while applying pressure to your second and third fingers. The ball should naturally roll out of your fingers, but you will need to continually push down on the seam with your second and third fingers until the pitch is released. Make sure not to release the ball later than you would release your fastball so that it will get that extra little bit of movement.
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Step 6
Follow through after the pitch with your body square to the plate ready to field the ball.
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Step 7
The pitch should "slide" 4-6 inches across the plate (towards a left-handed batter for a right-handed pitcher or towards a right-handed batter for a left-handed pitcher). However, the pitch should still maintain a speed only 5-10 mph slower than your fastball
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Step 8
If the pitch doesn't move correctly the first time, keep practicing and adjusting the grip to fit your hands. If you practice the slider enough, it will eventually break the 4-6 inches that you want and add another level to your pitching arsenal.
