Slider----

General Pitching Topics
#1

How do you throw your slider???

My coach is pissing me off, bcuz he keeps telling me i am throwing mine wrong, even though i have been throwing it (with extreme effectiveness) for…well, longer than i should have been, but it has been looked over bby 3 or 4 different professional pitching coaches, and all have said it is perfect. Meaning the grip, release, and movement were all perfect.

My slider breaks close to 2 feet (not kidding) and 8-10 inches down, depending on how hard i throw it. And if the professional pitching coaches have all looked it over, both from firsthand views and slow motion video, and said it looks really solid, why should i change it???

#2

Here is how Clemens throws his slider.

Here is the video with audio.

#3

Sounds like you have a nice slider…what does your coach recommend?
I would say that you better get used to pitching and regular coaches saying your stuff this and that…
They generally shut up at game time when you are effective. If you can throw it anywhere in the count with confidence, then perhaps you may need to learn the art of acting like you are paying attention while thinking about something else.
Don’t get yourself benched…just see how he wants you to do it, act interested, participate…then let it roll off your back…omg how many times I’ve seen this…you can do it too. And ya know what you may accidentally learn something anyway…my son had always thrown his slide piece a particular way, it was effective and worked I’d say really well, he was shown another grip by a coach and now he likes it even more…Them coaches aren’t all dumb and you players certainly haven’t seen it all yet…so give him a minute of your attention, be open minded and if it isn’t right just keep moving.
Just don’t be upset…getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to adjust and learn :wink:

#4

[quote=“jdfromfla”]Sounds like you have a nice slider…what does your coach recommend?
I would say that you better get used to pitching and regular coaches saying your stuff this and that…
They generally shut up at game time when you are effective. If you can throw it anywhere in the count with confidence, then perhaps you may need to learn the art of acting like you are paying attention while thinking about something else.
Don’t get yourself benched…just see how he wants you to do it, act interested, participate…then let it roll off your back…omg how many times I’ve seen this…you can do it too. And ya know what you may accidentally learn something anyway…my son had always thrown his slide piece a particular way, it was effective and worked I’d say really well, he was shown another grip by a coach and now he likes it even more…Them coaches aren’t all dumb and you players certainly haven’t seen it all yet…so give him a minute of your attention, be open minded and if it isn’t right just keep moving.
Just don’t be upset…getting out of your comfort zone is the best way to adjust and learn :wink:[/quote]

My coach recommends changing my grip and release completly. I tried for 2 weeks to do things his way, and it did nothing but make me sore, and have me give uup 4 bombs in my live Bullpen/BP session. That really pissed me off because my slider is my strikeout/swing and miss pitch. I can throw in it any and all counts for strikes, and now i cant even get the ball to move.

#5

[quote=“pitchking807”]

My slider breaks close to 2 feet (not kidding) and 8-10 inches down, depending on how hard i throw it. And if the professional pitching coaches have all looked it over, both from firsthand views and slow motion video, and said it looks really solid, why should i change it???[/quote]

i agree that you sound to have a very good slider…kind of reminds me of Jeremy Bonderman’s slider he is a really good 2 strike slider thrower. Im gonna try and find a video of him throwing a slider for you so tht you can see what he looks like on the grip

#6

Yup, a slider is supposed to be short and tight and late. 2 feet? That’s not a slider.

#7

[quote=“RHP…”]According the video, Clemens’ slider breaks about 4 inches to the side. Yours breaks 2 feet?

…Something seems to be a bit off.[/quote]

Way to hard to be a slurve. Its in the low 80’s, and since my fastball is in the upper 80’s (87-89, somtimes touching 90) i can pretty much tell u for sure that its not a slurve.
Other than that, i can tell u its not a slurve because it is sharp breaking, no gradual, and a slurve is not sharp.
I dont care if it sounds off. I have been throwing it for a long time, have massive and freakishly strong hands and forearms, so getting some serious movement is seriously easy for me. An example would be the hook i throw, it starts at your eyes, and lands in the dirt, and again, it is rly sharp.

I know what a slider is. I know what a slurve is. Dont try to tell me it is a slurve.

#8

Randy Johnson Slider sure a hell aint “short and tight”

#9

[quote=“RHP…”]Well, you are the pitchking. I should have no reason to doubt that everything you do is absolutely perfect. You sure make it seem as though it is.

Sliders do not break 2 feet, nor do they drop 10 inches.[/quote]

Well you smartass little punk, when i have had it looked over by 3 or 4 professional pitching coaches, both live and in slow motion video, and have looked at the grip and release, and just about everything they could to make sure i wasnt going to hurt myself, or at least lower the chances, and they said it was perfectly fine, I find it hard to believe you could possibly make a good judgment on the internet.
If you want to comment on it, at least answer the question from my first post.

And tell me this, why does Randy Johnson’s slider break so far across and down? You wana tell me thats not a slider???

#10

I say let him call it watever he pleases… Does it matter what he calls it if it works, huh?

I say if your slider drops two feet that is sweet./… My curve that i just started throwing starts at the chest and ends in the dirt sometimes… Its sick as H***

but ya you should get some video of that slider of yours.

Greg

#11

hey man you gotta admit you were being cocky tho too.

lets not start any “myspace fights” on here guys please.

I wanna see it, just cause i think it would be cool to see… not because i dont believe him cause some kid threw me a slider the other day that was up above my head and end the other side of the plate in the dirt…
and i looked up the grip and its the one he was using too …

Greg

#12

wow this is digressing un-nicely… :roll:
Look if it stopped working, then go back to what you know and be effective…if you’re not effective he’ll try to change you again, as far as how far, much it breaks…First off a slide piece can certainly break big time…2 feet? Watch the famous Bob Gibson vs Gates Brown ab in the WS, you will see a slider break nearly 4 feet, Matt Clemment, Carlos Zambrano both have large breaking sliders…so what? If he ain’t got one it won’t matter to anyone one way or the other. If it breaks that far in his mind, in his dreams or in reality it’s a reasonable question to ask and was a fairly interesting one until the pissing contest started.

#13

This thread should go into the Official Pissing Contest Thread Some harsh language in here.

Is it possible to have a curveball that’s not a gravity ball with 6 feet of break?

#14

Hey Hammer! Where ya been?
Good to see you gettin in it.
6’ non-gravity curve…sure why not…don’t know how you’d decide gravity wasn’t some factor though…

#15

What’s up JD?! I’ve been doin good.

I was just kinda being sarcastic with the way this thread has gone down the toilet.

#16

[quote=“RHP…”]You need to look up the definition of cocky, because no where in my post was I being at all cocky. And your friend’s pitch was not a slider.

For some reason I am imagining his pitch as more of a “Look at how far my curveball breaks” and then he lobs the ball in the air, kind of thing.

Post a video of your so-called slider “pitchking” and then I will believe it.[/quote]

cocky
adjective
overly self-confident or self-assertive; “a very cocky young man”

ya that was totally a lob in the air kind of thing RHP… that is why it started in one batters box and ended in the other type of thing huh?

#17

These threads crack me up… Guys, awhile back I created the Official Pissing Contest Thread … It’s where people can go and settle there differences while we keep the forum healthy. It’s in the Off - Topic section…

#18

I agree…fellas go piss it out or I’ll be locking this thread. It’s not being productive unless we’re doing vocab work and that is discussable over on letstalkenglishwiennies.com…
Hammer it’s good to see you posting!

#19

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#20

[quote=“pitchking807”]
And tell me this, why does Randy Johnson’s slider break so far across and down? You wana tell me thats not a slider???[/quote]

Gravity + Arm slot. Johnson actually doesn’t throw a “slider”. His slider is actually a “power curve”. He doesn’t use a slider grip or throw it like a slider. He actually uses a curveball grip and throws it like a curveball.


Rich Hill uses a similar grip.

Check out how supinated his hand his at release. Notice that his index and middle fingers aren’t behind the ball, they’re under and to the side. A “true slider” is how Clemens throws it, more like a cut fastball than a curveball.