trouble with throwing a slider

Work on a curveball.  It's a better pitch, and easier on your arm.

Most hitters don't have a problem hitting a slider

Kman9,

I’m sorry but I’ve never heard of a 4/4 arm slot. Would you please describe it more clearly? FI, I picture a ¾ arm slot for a RHP has the arms traveling approximately the 10 o’clock position to the 4 o’clock position when he’s facing you.

Why did he change you, and what did he use as an argument to convince you to do it?

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when I say 4/4 I mean over the top arm slot and the reason for the change is because I always cross my body when I pitch. So instead of fighting something I always done he decided to work around it.

Kman9,

That’s interesting. I’ve never seen any pitcher who had any slot that wasn’t directly over-the-top who didn’t throw across his body to some degree. Nothing against your pitching coach, but something doesn’t pass the smell test. I suspect there’s something more to the change that perhaps he hasn’t told you.

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how old are you?  changing a natural arm slot is almost never a good idea.  Especially if you are in HS.  That said your arm slot should not dictate hand position if you are only going to a 3/4 slot you should still be on top of the ball.  If you tilt your wrist to the right rather than staying on top your slider will stay on plane and be easy to hit.  

Interesting subject. My son LHP just finished fall ball freshman year. His PC said he wants to teach my son a slider, he says CB is to easy for DI hitters to recognize. My sons personal PC(16 years in pro ball, 11 MLB & 2world series rings)is furiest. He said the same thing Bum said and is concerned that PO jr will lose his plus curve.

What's a kid suppose to do?

Picked, prior to your son stepping on foot onto a college campus you have every right to protect his arm and nixing the slider.  Once he goes to college, you will note many colleges actually favor the slider--so you need to have an honest conversation with the PC of his prospective school as to their philosophy. 

I made that mistake.  Bum, Jr. had a great curve in h.s. but it was never discussed with his first college PC.  The first year, they made him drop the curve and throw a slider which never worked.  Thank God!  He sat on their bench on then threw the curveball in the summer leagues where he was an all-star three years running. 

He transferred to another D1 where he used his curve.  I can't tell you how many of his teammates at his former college underwent surgery due to this college-slider nonsense.  Just a cheap way to get outs and is a useless pitch at the next level.  Don't get me wrong--there is such a thing as a pro slider, but in college most sliders are arm surgery waiting to happen.

At the pro level, a plus curve ESPECIALLY from a LHP is coveted!  Don't give in, Picked.  Not when he's in h.s.  Protect your son no matter what.

Thanks Bum.Problem is this, he's a freshman in college. I'going to send you a private message in dialogs shortly.

OMG, sorry Picked. 

Some guy by the name of Clayton can attest to this. 

im 15 and a freshman.The reason why he wanted to change was because I would throw my slider from 3/4 and throw my fb from 4/4 which good hitters would pick that out.

Sorry Kman but your coach doesn't know pitching and that makes him dangerous to you and your team mates.

If your arm slot is 3/4, then that's your arm slot. Don't let him change you.

What I don't get is if you are throwing a good breaker from 3/4 why on earth would a coach change this, especially to a pitch that routinely gets hammered.

Good luck to ya.

Turn,

Kman said he was using different arm slots for different pitches and this would tip hitters to know what pitch was coming.  That's why coach was making the change and that's not a bad thing or an indication the coach doesn't know what he is doing.  Generally, most coaches will rightfully teach a P to use the same arm slot for all of his pitches. 

I do agree he should go with whatever his natural arm slot is.