How To Throw a Slider and More in Morgan Hill, CA

Perfect Your Slider Grip and Pitch With Our Experts

At Kinetic Performance Institute, our mission is to provide comprehensive baseball and softball training resources for athletes at every level. Our team includes coaches, trainers, nutritionists, and valuable resources that help players excel.

Our team of experts provides quality programs for athletes in high school and college that give them the opportunity to improve and grow their skills. KPI offers comprehensive services that allow our athletes to excel, including training programs, skills assessments, arm care, and nutrition programs. Contact Kinetic Performance Institute today to learn more.

What Is a Slider Pitch?

A slider pitch is a pitch that moves in many directions and shapes. This makes it one of the most versatile pitches in the game. An average slider results in glove side action and anywhere from 10 to 15 inches of drop from the fly ball rate. Comparatively, sliders are actually thrown faster than curveballs.

There are many categories of sliders, all of which can be a useful tool to pull out when you’re in a tight spot on the bump. The first step to obtain this arsenal of tools is to study and understand the different categories of sliders and what they are best used for. If you’re passionate about improving your slider pitch, this is the perfect place to start.

Understanding the Slider Grip

While there are several grips that can be used when throwing a slider, the most popular grip among athletes is referred to as “SL 2”. This grip is standard and will help to deliver a beautiful slider pitch. The “SL 2” grip is held with your index and middle finger in-between the inner seams. They should be slightly off-center so that the middle finger runs along the seam. Your thumb should be positioned on the underside of the ball, also slightly off-center. Your ring finger is then bent and placed on the side of the ball for support. Your pinky shouldn’t be touching the ball. This grip requires a good amount of pressure between your thumb, index finger, and middle finger.

Once practiced and mastered, this slider pitch grip allows athletes to deliver incredible slider pitches. While it may take some time to nail the grip, it is essential to nail the pitch.

How To Throw a Slider

Throwing a slider is actually quite similar to throwing a curveball, so if you’re experienced with the curveball, the slider will be easier to pick up. If not, that’s perfectly fine. This blog will teach you the basics.

When throwing a slider, the pitcher’s hand holds the ball slightly off to the side. Between the ball placement and the finger grip placement, this allows the fingers to perfectly graze off the ball and pull down on the side to produce the spin that a slider requires. When a slider has been successfully thrown, you’ll notice that the last few feet of the pitch will appear to drop.

If you’re not getting it or if the grip feels tricky, no worries! This can be a difficult pitch to pick up. Practice is the best way to master the pitch. If you want additional coaching and training, you can contact us about our programs designed for learning how to pitch.

Additional Variations and Cues

When learning how to throw a slider in baseball, there are a couple of cues we recommend using to solidify and master the slider. Those include “throw it like a football” or “slash the zone.” A cue that you are doing the pitch correctly is when you feel like the ball smoothly glides out of your hand.

As mentioned earlier, there are many categories and variations of slider pitch. Each one can prove a valuable tool on the field. As you master these slider pitches, such as the “frisbee slider,” the “gyro slider,” the “slutter,” and the “slurve” you can send the ball virtually wherever you want on the field.

Contact Us Today in Morgan Hill, California

If you want to learn from some of the best coaches in California, come learn at Kinetic Performance Institute in Morgan Hill. We can provide you with additional slider learning techniques and provide specific pitching programs to help you become the best athlete you can be. Contact us today for more information.