October Baseball is Here! After Spring Training, an Exciting WBC, 2,430 Regular season games, the annual Mid-Summer Classic, and a season filled with astronomical Home run and Strikeout totals, we finally have post season baseball! With this being Slider Domination’s 1st season on Twitter, I have realized that there are tremendous visual resources to aid pitchers in less than a blink of an eye. It’s easier now than ever to emulate the best in the game, especially, when the Best Playoff Sliders on are FULL display.
A Big Shoutout to @PitchingNinja and @The PitcherList among others for doing a great service to the craft of Pitching. Scratchreels, GIFS, and whatever is the next advancement in short play video technology all help the current pitchers and coaches. At Slider Domination, we are firm believers that Seeing is Believing, and Implementing what you see into your own game is Pure GOLD.
So in this notion, let’s have a look at some of the Best Playoff Sliders from Pitchers who made it to the big stage this year. Watch for the release, the late break, the embarrassing Little League Swings and the hitters’ emotional reactions of OH $#**^! Needless to say, they are also from some of the best pitchers in the game. There is a very good chance, that all the Cy Young Award Finalists for this year are still pitching in October. This is not a coincidence. Above all, allow these videos to revalidate why pitching wins Championships. The obvious results speak for themselves…
Best Playoff Sliders National League
Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw
Emulate the BEST – Clayton Kershaw #Slider Path pic.twitter.com/m3B9rlXvh3
— Slider Domination (@SliderDominate) September 2, 2017
Clayton Kershaw, Filthy 88mph Slider (home plate view). pic.twitter.com/3xvgZoiqAc
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 13, 2017
Get the Full Slider Breakdown of the Best in the Game here
Yu Darvish
Yu Darvish, Filthy 80mph Slider Movement. 😷 pic.twitter.com/d7ThRAgJZ8
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 17, 2017
This Yu Darvish Slider is absolutely disgusting pic.twitter.com/oGNxk6u9rg
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) September 26, 2017
Ranger or Dodger, Yu Darvish’s Slider is still really really good pic.twitter.com/chkmhHWlP9
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) August 11, 2017
Washington Nationals
Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer, 86mph Slider Movement. pic.twitter.com/tViZ2tzcK9
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 29, 2017
Max Scherzer, Disgusting 87mph Slider. 🤢😳 Looks Like a Strike…and Ends Up Behind You. pic.twitter.com/3M6RT9sifI
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 20, 2017
Max Scherzer, Slider (drop/spin axis/release) pic.twitter.com/FARLE7sZXM
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 8, 2017
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg, Filthy knockdown 88mph Slider Movement. pic.twitter.com/vgirgoFooA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 24, 2017
Stephen Strasburg, 92mph Slider/91mph Change (movement). pic.twitter.com/cG1hl0KoYQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 8, 2017
Stephen Strasburg, 89mph Slider Release/Movement pic.twitter.com/WXoYkMicIG
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 30, 2017
Chicago Cubs
John Lackey
John Lackey got some excellent depth on this Slider to Brandon Crawford last night pic.twitter.com/oEpxzxx6ne
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) October 12, 2016
Jake Arrieta
Jake Arrieta’s slider is nasty. pic.twitter.com/WGv9mbxVOx
— Cubs Live (@Cubs_Live) July 27, 2017
Jake Arrieta, 88mph Slider movement. 🤢⚔️ @MBSPitch pic.twitter.com/HuhJiJLtn6
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 13, 2017
Arizona Diamondbacks
Robbie Ray
Robbie Ray, Filthy 85mph Back Foot Slider. 😷 pic.twitter.com/lVyhkhm9XH
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 11, 2017
Robbie Ray, 87mph Slider Release/Grip. pic.twitter.com/B5Y0VudsYW
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 27, 2017
Colorado Rockies
John Gray
Backdoor slider to get Yelich looking… Jon Gray pic.twitter.com/jKDJKBh8Vv
— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) September 27, 2017
Greg Holland
Greg Holland is pitching more off his slider this season, and it’s paying off big time for the #Rockies. https://t.co/n2KuV1O2zypic.twitter.com/l3Imt1MxY6
— Matt Kelly (@mattkellyMLB) July 17, 2017
Best Playoff Sliders American League
Cleveland Indians
Corey Kluber
Corey Kluber, Slider movement (13th K). pic.twitter.com/DK7SBoZFSb
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 24, 2017
This might be my favorite Slider Corey Kluber has ever thrown. pic.twitter.com/Uunpb9wTH7
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) June 20, 2017
Corey Kluber, 86mph Slider (front view/spin axis/movement) pic.twitter.com/iOOIq7MYqS
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 10, 2017
Andrew Miller
Andrew Miller with the Seldom Seen Filthy Back Thigh Slider. 😳🤢 pic.twitter.com/e03BbLyL6D
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 30, 2017
Andrew Miller, Slider (front view). [His hand is out of the frame on both sides of the Gif. 😂] pic.twitter.com/d5oV9w4aIA
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 28, 2017
Pretty Sure Andrew Miller’s Slider Can Start in Indiana and end up in Pennsylvania. pic.twitter.com/6VUHA7DRYs
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 28, 2017
Watch the Full Breakdown of Andrew Miller’s Slider from his Epic 2016 ALCS MVP Performance
Houston Astros
Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander, Filthy 86mph Slider Movement. 😷 pic.twitter.com/iXPrqxP7NX
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 23, 2017
Justin Verlander, nasty 87mph Slider that Upton just missed, by a couple feet. pic.twitter.com/6DZWoVgMF0
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 13, 2017
Ken Giles
Also Monday: Ken Giles, who struck out the side vs. WAS last night.
2.84 ERA, 37% K% since June 1, 2016. Upper-90s heat + this slider… pic.twitter.com/ljE9Fob3f7 — Ryan Bloomfield (@RyanBHQ) August 25, 2017
Boston Red Sox
Chris Sale
Chris Sale’s 300th strikeout of 2017. Of course it was on a slider.pic.twitter.com/LZvWl3jXJb
— Ballplayer™ (@BaIIplayer) September 21, 2017
Chris Sale’s Slider induces the worst swings pic.twitter.com/M8FliNM3BN
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) September 27, 2017
Chris Sale, Filthy 83mph Slider. Castillo with a Solid Effort Tho. ⚔️😂 pic.twitter.com/WotnETcZM6
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 21, 2017
Joe Kelly
How Can You be Late on a #Slider at 92mph, when Joe Kelly can dial it up to 102? pic.twitter.com/pAgWxIZGWg
— Slider Domination (@SliderDominate) September 4, 2017
Joe Kelly vs. Aaron Judge
101.9
100.7
94.0
101.1
103.5
92.6 slider for the strikeoutWow pic.twitter.com/gSTcTnYhuv
— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) June 7, 2017
New York Yankees
Luis Severino
Luis Severino, Disgusting 90mph Slider (movement). 🤢 pic.twitter.com/qxbskAio0E
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 24, 2017
Luis Severino Slider Slow Motion…. it’s Perfect & Sexy pic.twitter.com/UrdIx0ZM0Q
— Slider Domination (@SliderDominate) September 16, 2017
Luis Severino’s slider has created a swing rate higher than 50% during every month except April this season. He was on last night. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/eiC6mi38s2
— Ryan Cook (@RyanCook13) September 28, 2017
Chad Green
Chad Green: 1.75 ERA/2.50 FIP in 36 IP with 49 K/10 BB.
Also this nasty slider spin! #Yankeespic.twitter.com/e6M6jXd9oL — Sung Min Kim (@sung_minkim) July 16, 2017
Chad Green struck Manny Machado with this beautiful Slider for his first out of today’s game pic.twitter.com/9naBPny4Re
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) August 27, 2016
Minnesota Twins
Ervin Santana
The look on Yasiel Puig’s face after missing this Ervin Santana Slider says it all. pic.twitter.com/Q343nUPBZ2
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) July 27, 2017
Jose Berrios
Slider monster. Cya later. Jose Berrios 😳pic.twitter.com/HmUdPtZSwt
— MLB Roundup (@MLB_Roundup) May 24, 2017
Keep Dominating!!!
About the Author
Brad Kirsch is the Owner/Creator of Slider Domination. He is a former professional pitcher who blogs about all things Pitching. Brad has also authored the AudioBook, 7 Reasons Why YOU Should Throw a Slider. If you haven’t done so already, you can Download the AudioBook Here