[tdarko]

let's just assume the pitcher is telling the hitter what is coming (like for some reason i was thinking [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]).

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This is not right. If the hitter knew Lidge was throwing a slider and it started on the plate, there would be NO reason for the hitter to swing at it because he "knows" it will break down and out of the strikezone.

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you didn't understand what i was talking about. when the hitter didn't know what was coming the slider that moves out of the zone is harder to lay off of b/c of the 97 mph fastball (once again a pitch that works of the fastball, all offspeed does). now assume he knows the slider is coming. lidge knows the hitter knows this, he knows he will lay off of the slider that starts on the corner and breaks off the plate so he isn't going to throw that pitch, he will put that in his back pocket. i am saying that his slider has so much tilt to it that it is almost impossible to center if he gets on top of it and throws it right which he does almost everytime. the only one a hitter is going to crush (you may hit the good one but not CRUSH) is the one he gets underneath and spins.

the only reason he throws that pitch that breaks off the plate is b/c he will throw to fastballs on the black and then throw that slider that starts on the black and runs way off and they can't lay off, its unhittable (why throw something they can touch?).

this is of course assuming that both lidge and the hitter are on the same page.