How to Throw Sliders

Throwing a good slider depends largely on the position of your fingers on the ball.

Throwing a baseball is not only dependent on the movement of your arm, but also on how you place your fingers on the ball. A slider pitch is designed to cause the baseball to curve to the side opposite the pitcher's throwing hand (i.e. a left-handed pitcher's slider would curve to the right). Sliders are generally faster than curveballs or screwballs, but involve more movement than a fastball. Throwing a proper slider, as with learning any baseball pitch, involves the right technique and a lot of practice.

Things You'll Need

• Baseball
• catcher or batter

Instructions

How to Throw a "Slider" Pitch

1. Stand on the mound with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing toward home plate.

2. Grip the baseball with the one seam between the index and middle fingers and your thumb just off of the opposite side seam. It should almost feel as if you're only gripping the right 1/3 of the baseball (or left 1/3 if you're left-handed).

3. As you begin to pitch, twist the ankle of the leg closest to home plate (this will vary based on which hand you throw with) to bring it back a few inches.

4. Pull your strong arm back as you lift the leg closest to home until it is parallel to the ground. As you do this, your hips should rotate until your body faces third base (or first, if you're left-handed). Your non-throwing hand (which may or may not have a baseball glove on it) should still continue to cover your throwing hand.

5. Drop your left leg as you separate your hands and rotate your body back toward home plate. Once your left leg is firmly placed on the ground, you should push off with your right to build moment for your arm to power toward home plate.

6. Release the ball at the most powerful point of your swing (this will take practice), doing your best to allow the ball to roll off your hand on the thumb-side of your index finger, and not the middle-finger side. This will define the slider motion.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow through with your pitch to avoid injury and ensure a good throw. Allow your throwing arm to swing through even after you release the ball.

• If you are training for a major athletic team, be sure to work with a coach or physical trainer. These people will help you avoid injury, fatigue, and major flaw in your throwing form.

References

• The Complete Pitcher: Pitching Grips
• Pitching Tips: How to Pitch a Baseball

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• University of Texas: Simulations of Baseball Pitches (mathematics)