How To Throw A Slider Pitch

You want to become better at pitching and want to know how to throw a slider pitch. The slider pitch is a very popular pitch that pitchers love to do. The slider, at first, seems like a fastball then slightly goes off to one side as it gets close to the plate. This pitch can confuse hitters as they don't expect for the baseball to dive out of the hitting zone at the last moment. With lots of practice, learning how to throw a slider can be done by following a few steps.

To throw a slider pitch, you need:

• baseball
• baseball glove

1. Grip the ball correctly. Place your middle finger and index finger across the widest seams on the ball. Keep your fingers off-centered towards the outside of the ball when you grip it. Place your thumb tucked underneath the ball with your ring and pinkie fingers off to the side of the baseball. Your pinkie and ring fingers should not touch the ball.
2. Prepare to release the ball. Put pressure on the ball with your thumb and middle finger and keep your wrist loose. Shift your body weight from the back foot forward to the front toward the plate as you prepare to throw your slider pitch.
3. Give the ball that slider. As you begin to release the ball snap your wrist to throw the ball like you would a fastball, but as you throw the pitch cut through the ball with your middle finger. To gives the slider pitch its spin, allow the baseball to roll off your hand and off your index finger. Do not twist your wrist.
4. Follow through the slider pitch. A complete follow through will most likely help your ball to stay low. Allow your throwing arm to come across the front of your body. At the end of your pitch your feet should be parallel to each other.