My annual head first slide thread

[Yossarian]

There are several advantages to a head first slide.   

With a head first slide, the mass of your body (torso) is lunging forward, not pulling backward - you get to the bag quicker.

When you tuck a leg to slide, your foot tends to raise up and not hit the front of the bag, whereas, with your hand you can hit the front of the bag and maintain contact with it.

You can adjust the direction of your slide going head first and even switch which arm you extend to touch the bag (swim move) to avoid a tag. 

Both can have their place.  I was taught to slide with the right leg tucked going into second base.  That way, your face/chest/crotch are not exposed to the throw from the catcher if the fielder misses the throw, and you're facing the outfield and can find the ball easier if there is an errant throw so you can decide quicker if you can take another base. 

[Jim'sKid26]

What's the data say? It seems like we have data for almost everything in baseball these days. If the question is as stated, "what analytics driven organization will be the first to ban head first slides for all of their players(?)" then the data should be analyzed to determine if the risk of injury is worth the benefit of sliding head-first. I've never seen any data that supports one sliding technique over another. 

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

You know life is good when there are threads like these. Burnes + our lineup tonight. Wow

You're trying to fan jinx us hard here, aren't you?

[.500_OR_BETTER]

I thought we fixed this problem already.... that's why the guys wear those absurd over mitts when they get on base.

 

[Sports Guy]

[Aristotelian]

30 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

What's the data say? It seems like we have data for almost everything in baseball these days. If the question is as stated, "what analytics driven organization will be the first to ban head first slides for all of their players(?)" then the data should be analyzed to determine if the risk of injury is worth the benefit of sliding head-first. I've never seen any data that supports one sliding technique over another. 

This article cites research showing head first is twice as likely to cause injury. I don't know how you could prove one is generically better than the other since one technique may be better than the other for any specific play depending on the timing and location of the defender etc. It's not like a force play at first where the only variable is time to the bag.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/02/sports/baseball/headfirst-slides-increase-risk-of-injury.html

[.500_OR_BETTER]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

100% safe.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, .500_OR_BETTER said:

100% safe.

So it was effective?

[jabba72]

Nothing like a nice, comfortable slide into what looks like astro-turf

[jabba72]

The Roberto Alomar 1B slide always thought was pretty cool. I'm indifferent to headfirst slides now that they have the mitt gloves. 

[DrungoHazewood]

3 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

By the way, something they absolutely need to legislate is the size of the oven mitt. I forget who it was, one of these guys had one that was basically giving him 18 inch fingers.

The question I'd pose is do we want more base stealing or less? I think I'd like to see more, so I'd generally be against most rules that cut back on that. Even with the recent rules changes and the mitts that have bumped up steals by roughly 50%, we're only back to the level steals were in the 90s. And not even close to deadball era baserunning. I don't see what the oven mitts are hurting.

If anything, I'd be more in favor of limiting fielding glove sizes to help offenses a bit.

[DrungoHazewood]

Actually, all I know is Rickey Henderson slid head-first, and Rickey stole 1406 bases in the majors and 251 more in the minors and played 30 years and as Rickey will tell you Rickey was right.

[btdart20]

1 hour ago, .500_OR_BETTER said:

100% safe.

By a nose...

[btdart20]

Just now, DrungoHazewood said:

Actually, all I know is Rickey Henderson slid head-first, and Rickey stole 1406 bases in the majors and 251 more in the minors and played 30 years and as Rickey will tell you Rickey was right.

https://images.app.goo.gl/bYeUrZvCYF6sxxVQ8

Rickey knows Rickey was right!

[Billy F-Face3]

My first year in little league we were taught that the proper way to slide was using the mechanics of what is now essential known as a "pop up slide". Basically feet first with one leg bent underneath your strait leg to cushion the transition to the dirt smoothly, and you can pop up if you need to once your momentum carries you to the bag. 

We went undefeated that 1st year of baseball and won the Championship. Our coaches taught us excellently all about baseball.

We also had a name for head first slides. We called it "doing a Pete Rose".  It became a dare for some of the kids.

Personally I never understood Pere Rose slides or head first slides. I see how easy it is to do a big ole belly flop by accident and knock the wind out of yourself, or worse, get injured. Getting hit in the head by a throw or an attempted tag or getting your hand stepped on by a basemen is a good example of the risk.

I'd rather do a hook slide.