Slider or curveball

[Priceless]

I am trying to decide whether to throw a curve or a slider. I already can throw a curve and its good when I am right with it is fairly tight but I don't have overpowering stuff and its not 12-6 its more 1-7 or 2-8. I think I should throw a slider since I have more groundball stuff and most groundball pitchers in the majors(Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, Carmona) have sliders.

I have

4 seam- slight tail, 72, 73
2-seam- sharp, late sink 70
circle change- late fade 64

[kelvinp]

but brandon webb throws a nasty curve too
a curve is easier to learn

[McCovey_Cove]

Id stick with the curve if you already throw a good one.

[Bower]

a curve is easier to learn

Hmm, thats a tough one. It can really depend on the pitcher. Some pitches are natural some aren't.

[kelvinp]

i meant a curve is easier on your arm
he already throws pitches that are closely around the same speed
a curve would keep the batter guessing
instead of all fast pitches(except changeup)

[McCovey_Cove]

I meant for Priceless cuz he mentioned that he can already throw a good one. Most definently though a curve is easier on your arm.

[Hutch]

Don't worry about what it's called. Just throw a breaking ball. Use the one that you have more confidence/success with.

[Priceless]

well I don't know if its a good one. I mean ive used it in a game before but well there aren't very many good curveball hitters in high school and most curves look good in high school because hitters aren't used to the spin

[Zita_Carno]

In my playing days I threw both pitches. The curve ball came attached to my natural sidearm delivery, and five years later I learned the slider. I see no reason why you couldn't use both of them---the main difference is in the grip, and the wrist action of the slider is easier; this I learned from the guy who showed me how to throw that pitch. The slider became my strikeout pitch, and I used the curve ball along with a good assortment of snake jazz to set the hitters up for it.
When you can't overpower the hitters you have to outthink them. 8)

[RodriGueZ]

ehmm, ac tually , the catcher should outthink m, you just throw it. u shake no if u dont feel like u cant control the pitch that well t hat day

[Zita_Carno]

RodriGueZ---actually, it takes both the pitcher and the catcher. Very often a conference on the mound is in order when a really tough hitter is coming to bat, and so both the pitcher and the catcher need to put their heads together and decide what to do about the guy at the plate. 8)

[RodriGueZ]

how do you know, maybe the catcher doesnt know for sure, or wants more info, cuz the catcher cant see what the pitchers see's or how he feels on throwing fb or curve or what ever. really catcher SHOULD think most.

not the leagea where i play in i need to do all the thinking then they come rushing up the mound stop thinking just pitch( including field making errors n stuff)

[Priceless]

I decided on a slider since my arm slot is nearly sidearm, but I have to not overuse it

[xv84]

I decided on a slider since my arm slot is nearly sidearm, but I have to not overuse it

If your arm slot is sidearm, you can throw a curve as your slider. Some sidearmers throw curves that get mistaken for sliders.

[adamsmith44]

I agree with hutch