Slip slidering away

The slider is a great pitch.

It's the fastest breaking pitch thrown, but not as fast as a four-seam or two-seam fastball. It is faster than a curveball with a later horizontal break.

This season, batters are hitting .207/.249/.335 against the slider.

Pitchers who love the slider

Pitchers who have thrown the most sliders through 9/12/13

	P
Yu Darvish (TEX)	1169
Madison Bumgarner (SF)	1108
Ervin Santana (KC)	1143
Bud Norris (BAL)	995
Ryan Dempster (BOS)	810
Ricky Nolasco (LAD)	832
Kyle Lohse (MIL)	747
Mat Latos (CIN)	726
Kevin Correia (MIN)	715
Matt Cain (SF)	748

Created by BaseballAnalytics.org on 9/13/2013

Throwing it doesn't mean throwing it well

Half of the top 10 have a higher BAA

Pitchers who have thrown the most sliders through 9/12/13

	P	AVG	OBP	SLUG
Yu Darvish (TEX)	1169	.151	.212	.236
Madison Bumgarner (SF)	1108	.215	.282	.321
Ervin Santana (KC)	1143	.170	.204	.307
Bud Norris (BAL)	995	.259	.295	.378
Ryan Dempster (BOS)	810	.275	.357	.468
Ricky Nolasco (LAD)	832	.181	.208	.295
Kyle Lohse (MIL)	747	.263	.297	.410
Mat Latos (CIN)	726	.182	.207	.268
Kevin Correia (MIN)	715	.267	.306	.462
Matt Cain (SF)	748	.194	.234	.325

Created by BaseballAnalytics.org on 9/13/2013

I hope you notice there are some very good pitchers on this list

2013 pitchers (min 400 sliders)

	P	PA	AVG	OBP	SLUG
Hisashi Iwakuma (SEA)	505	131	.288	.313	.520
Dylan Axelrod (CWS)	515	137	.288	.350	.512
Ryan Dempster (BOS)	810	252	.275	.357	.468
Homer Bailey (CIN)	464	131	.273	.290	.414
Lance Lynn (STL)	444	134	.273	.331	.430
Dillon Gee (NYM)	495	139	.272	.288	.412
Jason Hammel (BAL)	429	121	.268	.322	.491
Kevin Correia (MIN)	715	225	.267	.306	.462
Kyle Lohse (MIL)	747	231	.263	.297	.410
Jason Marquis (SD)	578	193	.260	.344	.414

Created by BaseballAnalytics.org on 9/13/2013

Then there are slider aficionados

These pitchers are having very good seasons and you can see how the slider has helped them

2013 Most Effective Sliders Pitchers (min. 400 sliders)

	P	PA	AVG	OBP	SLUG
Justin Masterson (CLE)	792	220	.110	.183	.180
Patrick Corbin (ARI)	666	217	.121	.190	.201
Jhoulys Chacin (COL)	486	166	.123	.170	.221
Chris Sale (CWS)	865	217	.140	.207	.235
Max Scherzer (DET)	546	141	.141	.177	.200
Sergio Romo (SF)	418	123	.144	.171	.220
Francisco Liriano (PIT)	786	239	.150	.232	.215
Yu Darvish (TEX)	1169	358	.151	.212	.236
Tyson Ross (SD)	541	179	.152	.223	.177
Adam Ottavino (COL)	570	162	.158	.217	.226

Created by BaseballAnalytics.org on 9/13/2013

No report on Sliders would be complete without the Indians mascot

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