Why do baseball players slide in Baseball?

Question

Doesn't sliding make you slower than just running towards the base?

Answer 1

Sliding does make you slower, but sometimes, that's a good thing. You don't want to overrun the base! You can overrun first, and that's about it.

Sliding allows you to keep your top speed farther before slowing down, and makes you a much smaller target to tag.

You either slide head-first, or feet-first. The former is more dangerous, but gives you more control. However, a special feet-first slide is called the pop-up slide. If you can slide straight into the base, you can push yourself up off the ground a lot faster, popping up faster if you need to keep moving fast.

And, feet-first slides are popular for breaking up double plays. As you slide into second, you try to slide into the fielder so he can't throw to first. That's why you see many second basemen and shortstops jumping out of the way of the runner.

Finally, a hook slide is where you slide to either side of the base, to make yourself even harder to tag. You slide away from the base, but hook your arm around the base, both to reach it, and to stop you from moving.

But sliding is a dangerous part of the game, especially depending how aggressive you are. If it's something you want to add to your game, be careful.

Answer 2

A proper slide actually makes you faster or allows you to reach the base faster. The exception is first base where you can run through or over run the base without being tagged out. In order to slow your momentum while standing up you will start to take little choppy steps about 5 or 6 feet from the base. Worse than that is that you will actually stop accelerating before that. A proper slide allows you to accelerate for a greater distance and gives you a method for stopping quickly. But in a proper slide you actually push off or accelerate going into the slide. Think of sliding more like Power Braking - you can go faster for longer becasue you can also stop faster. If you slow down or take a small choppy step prior to sliding you are doing it wrong and you also risk injury, this is a leading cause of catching a spike and spraining an ankle.

Answer 3

In order to get to a base safely you must STAY on that base.

As a result many players slow down as they get close to the base to ensure they do not over-run it, since it is next to impossible to "stop on a dime".

With that said, it is faster to slide then to slow down, and less likely you will over run the bag.

Sliding is also used to avoid a tag and break up a double play.

Since you are allowed to over run first place, most people do not (or at least should not) slide into first.

The time where you will see someone slide a lot is when they are going to be picked off at first. The reason for this is because it is impossible to reach top speed in such a short distance, and much easier to change direction by simply pushing all your weight down and back towards first. This is also to avoid the tag, since it is no longer a force at first base.

Answer 4

Sliding serves two purposes. The first is to avoid overrunning the base. Only the batter-runner is allowed to overrun first base. Thus, you don't want to overrun second, third, or home, or you'll be in jeopardy of being tagged out. So you want to stop quickly. Sliding accomplishes this.

The second purpose is to avoid a tag. By sliding, you force the fielder to have to catch the ball and then reach down to tag you. The split-second it takes for the fielder to do that can mean the difference between your being safe or out. Of course, if you don't slide, you'll either overrun the base, resulting in an easy putout for the defense, or you'll have to slow down going into the base, in which case you will be tagged out easily.

Sliding into first as the batter-runner is not a good idea in general because the slide will slow you down. However, if the throw draws the first baseman off the bag toward home, the first baseman will try to tag you as you go by. In this case, a slide will help you avoid the tag.

Answer 5

But it can frequently allow you to reach the base UNDER the tag, and that means being safe.

As well, the ball has to get to the defensive player in just the proper place and at just the proper time for the tag to be made. A runner avoids the tag by whatever means are available, and that usually means a slide.

Answer 6

It can sometimes help you get passed the player with the ball.If the baseman is holding the ball....the runner can slide under the tag.They also slide because other than first base...if they pass up the base then they can get tagged out easily.So if they slide then they won't go past the base.

Answer 7

it does make u slower but you slide to get around the tags and also to slow u down so u don't over run the base

Answer 8

it does slow you down but it makes it hard to be tagged on a play were there is not a force out you usually shouldnt slide into first unless they try and tag you. but young players should not slide head first becuase it can be dangerous thats why little league baseball doesnt allow head first slides

Answer 9

You slide to try and avoid being tagged out and to break up a double play. There is never any reason to slide into 1st base.

Answer 10

It depends on the situation. Sliding into first is usually a bad idea, and can cause injuries because it's anchored tighter than the others.
Generally, sliding helps you avoid being tagged. It also can prevent an infielder from turning a double-play.