In five consecutive 1969 starts between June 27 and July 16, Carlton yielded a total of five runs, getting wins in all five games. Duh! Standing at 6'8", J.R. Richard could regularly throw the ball at 100 miles per hour and above. He consistently led the league in strikeouts (a then record 382 in 1965), He did have a devastating curve but I think he also threw at least as fast as anyone else in the 1960's. He started well and strong but left in the fourth inning due to complaints of blurry vision and numbness in his fingers. A later method determined Feller threw 104 miles per hour. I saw Verlander hitting 99 mph last season. . Gone are the days of staff ERAs below 3.50 and complete games. Koufax was obviously one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history, but his breaking balls were what was so devastating. He also would lead the league in strikeouts (310), ERA (1.97), starts. The 10-time All-Star would go on to win a total of four Cy Young Awards and a Gold Glove Award in 1981. I think Vin Scully invented a term for the batters who face a Koufax fastball or slider: the " jelly leg"! Before the 1972 season, the Phillies traded Rick Wise to the Cardinals for Steve Carlton, the greatest pitcher in Phillies history. senior maintenance supervisor job description; Richard was seriously ill, but team trainers and physicians hadn't noticed the problema growing blood clot in his neck. Steve Carlton was the first pitcher to win four Cy Young Awards. He wasn't feeling as strong and powerful as he was used to and his complaints and requests for examination were either ignored entirely, brushed off with derision, or just given a perfunctory look. As a result, he hasn't located well when reaching back for max velocity. February 27th, 1990: Phillies' pitching legend Steve Carlton enters Veteran's Stadium for the first time since the last season ended in October 1989. Tim Lincecum, 97mph Fastball and 84mph Changeup (home plate . By Steve Sypa @SteveSypa Jul 11, 2021, 11:26pm EDT Share this story. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 26, 2019: Thanks wpcooper! 6' 4" / 210. Hits over .300 great obp and has broken stolen base records everywhere. "It looked like a Steve Carlton slider." Question: What do you think about Ryne Duren from the Yankees? Posted in. Mr Archer from Missouri on February 02, 2016: Ryan was, and still is, my favorite player. The season starts in the spring and brings with it all the joy of the new year with new heroes, GOATs, and loads of terrific stories. Hernandez is in a good tilt position except for his head being angled to the point to where his eyes are pointing skyward instead of at his target, I also have pictures of Bard and Jim Morris , the rookie of which neither have tilt but have their heads centered nicely between their shoulders, hips and feet, I am not immune to good tilt but not to the point to where the body is unbalanced and way off center to the target line and where the fore arm and ball in hand are in line with or behind the head and shoulder instead of in front of them on its way to the intended target. what percent of texas is christian; Blog Details Title ; By | June 29, 2022. The Yankees have won 13 of their past 15 games, taking two of three in the series against Texas despite scoring just five runs. Despite being selected as starting pitcher for that year's All-star game, he'd soon complain of having a dead arm. Was too young to have seen Koufax (sure wish I could have) Did see Gibson, Ryan, Palmer, Johnson, Carlton and many others. There was a game once where Nolan Ryan threw nearly three hundred pitchesbut probably that isn't the most in a game - I doubt they always kept track of how many pitches a pitcher threw. Go Rangers!! He debuted in the major leagues at age 17, and he dominated the competition. 10-12-2004, 04:04 PM. And then something went past me that made me flinch. Steve Carlton. torrilynn - Thanks very much! A possibly even more impressive accolade was when he became the first left-handed pitcher to ever strike out Wade Boggs three times in one game. There were 19 lead changes among the three for the record, and Carlton held the lead after the 1983 season. August 12, 1986: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago White Sox. Terrible they didn't find out what was going on with him. He relied on that fastball in the eighth inning. Question: Could Babe Ruth hit 100 mph pitches? The TiIt, The graph below shows average fastball velocity and FIP- (lower is better) this season. Waddell struck out 349 players in 1903(?) but a cricket ball, at five and a half ounces, and hard as a stone (give or take the leather skin), is not something to stop with your body! "Augie Busch traded me to the last-place Phillies over a salary dispute, Carlton said. Just ask Rich Hill (41 years old), who makes up for his lack of velocity with his sky-touching breaking ball. The art of pitching, if not lost, surely is in hiding. James Rodney Richard (born March 7, 1950) played his entire career with the Houston Astros. Go baseball (except the Cardinals, fuck them :-) Good hub, I've gotten to see some of those guys pitch. #Progress #Way #Progress In Life. The right-hander came out of the gate with the best fastball velocity of his career early on, sitting in the mid-to-high . 2152-03-25: Mike Schoonmaker has been reverted to his original name. 60. Would love your thoughts, please comment. I suppose it's fair to include relievers, but I think the starters who had to pace themselves for a whole game deserve the lion's share of credit. A fair curve and decent control of it. as Active Spin. I can't even express how happy I was when the Rangers got him, as I don't live too far out of Dallas - and I was there at his second to last MLB start, he was 46 years old, throwing regular 96 mph fastballs, and his cureveball was devastating. A few of these I've never heard of - although I am not as much as a baseball fan as I used to be when I collected cards when I was younger. I knew he was something special. . Duren surely fits the bill and belongs in the 100 mph club. Some much fascinating history. And I only lived 2 blocks from there so I saw him pitch there before the majors. Crick's fastball currently plays in the 94-97 range and touches near triple digits, and scouts frequently project that he could sit at 97-99 mph in short bursts. The average for all these men includes their first seasons and their last seasons, which are always lower on numbers as a player is just getting started and. The first Phillies World Series win in franchise history came in the fall of 1980 on the back of MVP-winner Mike Schmidt and Cy Young winner Steve Carlton, the 8 th tandem winners in MLB history. He allowed fewer hits per nine innings of pitching over his career than anyone, an average of 6.56. Not every pitch that left their fingertips traveled at 110 mph. We all know how poorly this trade worked out for the Cardinals. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, and play . "You've gotta find a way to get out of your own way, so you can progress in life.". 1.53. Required fields are marked *. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on May 31, 2014: He was an amazing sample of a human in regards to the physical, that's for sure. I'm sure the sidearm delivery, mixed with the three-quarter fast ball, disturbs the batter, too." . Great read here, and I enjoyed it immensely. "The slider puts more strain on . 6. Steve Dalkowski, hard-throwing pitcher and baseball's greatest what-if story, dies at 80 of coronavirus. fivem weapon spawn names. SUMMARY Career WAR 90.2 W 329 L 244 The pitcher was Steve Carlton, a career 300-game winner. Answer (1 of 25): There should be no question about this: there certainly has been many superb pitchers with very difficult-to-hit pitches. It's a feat to throw the ball over 103 mph. . on your web site I talk to several people about getting on it. He averaged a solid 170 over his career. In his 27-year career, there is no doubt he threw more pitches over that speed than anyone else. Steve Carlton. "Billy said he wanted to think about it," Carlton said. : 2167-09-13 Nowadaysteams are terrified of their high dollar starting arms throwing many more than a hundred pitches. For example, Oliver Prez averaged 89.7 mph on his fastball in 2020. With a terrifying arm and a terrible drinking problem, Dalkowski never even played in the major leagues. The tall left-hander was a master of disguise: he trained himself to throw his fastball and signature slider from the same arm slot so they would look the same. What Ryan suggested was that Randy focus where he'd land on his feet when throwing a ball, and soon Johnson would become a dominating pitcher. He would then launch 100-mph pitches. ''It looked like a Steve Carlton slider.'' : 2172-05-03: The Toronto Thunder have waived Steve Carlton. Feller demanded to see the front line. I try to watch as many games as I can, despite the fact my Texas Rangers aren't really expected to do much this year. "That wasn't Steve Carlton," Gene Mauch concurred from the Expos' dugout. P. Birthdate: 12/22/1944 (78 y, 2 m, 7 d) . Best Year: 1972 (1.97 ERA, 27 wins, 10 losses, 30 complete games, 346.1 innings, 310 strikeouts, .207 batting average against) You never knew what you were going to get out of Lefty, either on the field or off it. shauna froydenlund instagram. Papelbon's best pitch is a fastball that sits at 94 to 96 mph (he's hit 100 mph. I really do gotta' stop :-P. Hi Wesman - I guess you're not a cricket man, but for a long time the fastest ever cricket bowler was a Wes- Wes Hall (Wesley) of the West Indies, credited with 105 mph deliveries. As a 12-year-old boy, Nolan Ryan was someone I'd already heard of, and he went on to become the biggest legend in all of baseball. That's pretty good company! Yeah, I'd have loved to have been able to find some video of Dalkowski, but I don't guess there is any out there anywhere. He signed with the San Francisco Giants in 1986 and finished out his career with the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins. In 15 seasons with the Phillies, Carlton led the league in wins four times, winning 20-or-more games five times. 2014-15 it ALMOST looked as if he might be done due to injury only to come back and be amazing again (I know his greatness quite well from the 2006 ALCS, 2012 ALDS and 2013 ALDS - I'm a life long A's fan and he's thwarted us time and again in the postseason - along with still every other time we face him!). House misses in front of the bat," in reference to their perches on opposite ends of the pitch-velocity spectrum. carltonhotel.hu. In fact, Hill is throwing his curveball (43.7%) nearly as much as his fastball (47% . Great Hub! Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on February 02, 2016: Thanks very much, Mr. Archer! He was a four-time National League Cy Young Award winner, ten-time All-Star, and the last man to pitch over 300 innings in a season (304 in 1980).He won 329 games en route to the Hall of Fame, the #2 all-time . I remember Bob Feller as a young kid when he was in the twilight of his career with the Indians. Answer: You need to be more specific. 1. Nolan Ryan was a bit before my time, but I agree that Clemens was special as well with his velocity, but i haven't seen anyone like Verlander or Champan (or Zumaya for that matter). Dwight Gooden. Enthralling! 40. Check out old games on MLB Network: Look at Bob Gibson, at Tom Seaver, at Steve Carlton. Carlton figured he had nothing to lose and he started to do a form of meditation on days he pitched. The Big Unit's devastating slider is what made him so lethal. They fell one short of the major league record held by Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan. play. Last year he made only five starts with a ghastly 6.64 ERA and saw his average fastball velocity drop from 95.5 mph in '19 to 92.1 mph. The third player selected in the June 1966 amateur draft, Wayne Twitchell pitched for five big-league clubs, mainly with Philadelphia. Longest tail on a fastball I ever saw. 27 - Steve Carlton won a career high 27 games in 1972, a remarkable feat in and of itself, but his team - the last place finishing Phillies - had won a total of 59 games for the entire season (giving Lefty 46% of his team's victories that year). But it . When he first arrived in the big leagues he was so skinny that his teammates called him Ichabod. Stung by that joke, Carlton was one of the first baseball players to use a Nautilus machine in the clubhouse. I know because I was there along with over 60,000 other fans. That's Justin Verlander -94.1 mph with the bases. I never knew his story before now. "I had seen him pitch in the minor leagues and seen him use another type of breaking pitch that I hadn't seen him use when I saw him pitch against us in 1971," said Rippelmeyer. MLB Advanced Media, LP. He lives in Michigan where he writes, runs, and enjoys a good orange soda now and again. A fan wrote Carlton suggesting the tall lefty consider positive thinking and visualization. The letter might have given him the confidence to channel his talent on the mound, but if it hadnt been that, Carlton probably would have figured it out. Free shipping for many products! Everyone's got their own velocity, and there's no real time frame with comedy. A Harley Davidson motorcycle was used as a speedometer; it was given a 10-foot head start and sped at 86 mph. I've never got to meet a solitary player; but I sure enjoy the game! Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on May 30, 2014: jbennett3112 - same with Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, they seemed to often have more velocity at the end of games than the start. How in God's name can a human arm throw so hard for so long and not just fall off? There is just too much to say and mention, so please accept my apologies for the players you feel were unfairly omitted. But I have to mention one that you didn't include: Satchel Paige. Out of all the men gifted with the talent of pitching at 100 miles per hour, Nolan Ryan was the man who kept it the longest and used it the most. He's already among the all-time leaders with 215 saves and has nearly 500 strikeouts in just seven short seasons. In the chart below you will learn the ranges of pitching velocity for ages 8-22+. Ken. Career Stats Game Log Splits. He showed signs of being a star in 1967, winning 14 with an ERA of 2.98. Justin Verlander might be one of the greatest pitchers ever and to think in what? #8. At 6-feet-6, he possessed velocity, but he lacked control and couldn't develop an out pitch to become a dominant hurler. I find it hard to believe that Koufax in his prime (1962-66) only threw 93 mph. All but two of the 85 MLB starters threw a higher percentage of fastballs than any other pitch. It earned him his first Cy Young Award. He would have easily won 100 more games and have 1000 more strikeouts had he not sacrificed years of his career for the war effort. Yesterday marked the 49th anniversary of the most infamous trade in Cardinals history. How good is Verlander? Moyer's fastball might have trouble breaking a pane of glass, but the guy fashioned a 25-year career. Steve Carlton, with 314 victories. On June 25, he was sent to Methodist Hospital in Houston, and despite obstructions in his arteries, it was determined that no surgery was needed. Ryan scheduled a visit with Randy to show him some things that would change his career. Tweet. I'll have to check a Wiki for Herb Score. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 30, 2014: Not sure I agree entirely, Mark. Hahaha!! Discover one-of-a-kind artifacts and get lost in sweeping exhibitions that explore pivotal moments in the game and its impact far beyond the field. The competition in Major League Baseball is much tougher today because we've included not just African Americans, but virtually anyone in the world who can make it. I was more a Dodgers fan but lived closer to the Big A and went there more often. The results speak for themselves. velocity and launch angle. . The other, Rollie Fingers, was one of the better relievers in the game throughout his 16-year career. Voted up and sharing with followers and on Facebook. Ted had retired fairly young and was still likely able to compete at the major league level. Torque. Just behind Chapman would be the very large Detroit right-handed closer, Joel Zumaya, who once threw a ball 104.8 miles per hour. xERA is a simple 1:1 translation of xwOBA, converted to In 1965 he made the Cardinals roster out of spring training and o, https://sabr.org/sites/default/files/CarltonSteve-3704-84_Act_NBL.jpg, /wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sabr_logo.png, went eight innings and got victory number 300, thestacks.deadspin.com/thin-air-in-the-mountains-with-steve-carlton-armed-co-478492324. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on March 03, 2013: Hey Paraglider! Otherwise, Carlton was dominant. Shared etc, loved it! Over the years various ways of measuring velocity have been used. Sure, they have pitch count limits now, but those kids are also playing in showcases on top of practices and other throwing activities. 2152-03-25: The Toronto Thunder have renamed Mike Schoonmaker to Nolan Ryan. Stats. in the second inning, 93.7 in the third, 92.2 in the fourth, and 91.9 in the fifth. The intent is to fool the hitter as long as you can, so he has to commit to a fastball, so he has to come out and try to get it, because he cant sit back on a fastball and hit it. That was in 1986, the year Carlton completely fell apart and the Phils released him 8 days after that Moyer game. He served as a gunner on the USS Alabama, participating in major military battles between the Allied forces and Imperial Japan. 63, Steve Carlton By Joe Posnanski Jan 24, 2020 Starting in December and ending on Opening Day, Joe Posnanski will count down the 100 greatest baseball players by publishing. ONLY HURLER TO WIN 4 CY YOUNG AWARDS. My Blog steve carlton fastball velocity . "In 1955, Score came up to the Major Leagues (with Colavito) as a rookie with the Cleveland Indians at the age of 21. Steve Carlton was a big, imposing left-hander with a good fastball and an astonishing slider ("like drinking coffee with a fork," Willie Stargell supposedly said of trying to hit it). Play-by-play data prior to 2002 was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. Johnson ended his career as the all-time strikeout king, a record he'd hold until Nolan Ryan broke it more than 55 years later. I LOVE NEW YORK is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development; used with permission. Statcast defines a 'hard-hit ball' as one hit with an Your email address will not be published. His final start of his career was on the 22nd at Seattle when he blew out his arm in the 1st inning. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on April 09, 2020: @Tim Cromble - are those on YouTube? A trip to Cooperstown has something for baseball fans and everyone else. He's got a nearly flawless delivery. How high/low, in degrees, a ball was hit by a batter. A printed and typed copy of Rickey's report on Steve Carlton are presented below. As reported in a 1994 article by Pat Jordan, Steve Carlton believed, among other things, that world events were heavily influenced by "12 Jewish bankers meeting in Switzerland" and that the AIDS virus was created "to get rid of gays and blacks." It also talks about the advent of the radar gun and how they measured speed before that. Very sad what happened to him, He was on his way to a Sandy Koufax - like run for sure. I saw Ryan start many times and witnessed him pitching at age 46. Thanks. While his skill and attributes remind most fans of Nolan Ryan, his pitching motion (along with the outstanding fastball and curve-ball) is more reminiscent of another right-handed pitcher who once threw 100 miles per hour, Dwight Gooden. See there I go again. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, and play . Thing isback in the days heck, even in the early 70's there just weren't many relievers, as everyone tended to just count on the starter going deep into the game, or pitching a complete game. 1.97. It doesn't matter if he's only throwing one inning or nine. (Updated May 13, 2018) Steve Carlton posted a 1.65 ERA in 142 innings before the all-star break for the 1969 Cardinals. 48 of the 85 MLB starters threw fastballs more than 60% of their pitches, even Maddux and Livan Hernandez who averaged velocity of 86 mph or less. He's lost velocity in his fastball and his curve doesn't . window.". At 90.4 mph, Cortes' fastball velocity ranks just 134th among 158 pitchers who had thrown 250 or more pitches entering the week. I'm hoping that our Feliz comes back from surgery okayyou knowafter Tommy John Surgeryoften times guys actually GAIN velocity on their fastball! It was during his high school years that he broke out as a star pitcher, but it wasn't until 1965 when he was pitching at Miami Dade College when he was signed . We got rid of some dead weight in the off season and picked up a good lead off hitter and Chapman might be starting this year which has been the plan all along. Nolan Ryan, in his prime with the Angels, got clocked at roughly 101 MPH measured only 10 feet in front of home plate. Any way you measure it, Lefty's season was one of the ages. Frank Slovenec from San Francisco, CA on May 28, 2013: Well done I love the game, have been a fan since 1954 at age 5 in Cleveland. I am also looking forward to the season getting underway. Depending on velocity, a pitch can fall anywhere on the continuum from "fastball" to "slider": fastball cut fastball hard slider slider . Bats/Throws: L/L. How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from How far, in feet, a runner is ranging off the bag at the FSlovenec , Thanks very very much! "It looked like a Steve Carlton slider." Randall David "Randy" Johnson (born September 10, 1963), nicknamed "The Big Unit," stood at 6'10". At times during his career he was actually the leader in career strikeouts. There has never been a more intimidating pitcher than Nolan Ryan. All major league baseball data including pitch type, velocity, batted ball location, Dave McClure from Worcester, UK on August 18, 2017: Hi Wesman - just revisiting this oldie over a beer. produces a result. Josh Bennett from Illinois on May 31, 2014: He is special for sure. He followed that . This tip will help support good hip to shoulder separation. "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second A Bolt is any run where the Sprint Speed (defined as " Steve Carlton was an extremely focused competitor with complete dedication to excellence. The Rocky theme should be his walk-up music, but perhaps that song has been retired in Philly like Steve Carlton's number. Bats/Throws: L/L. New York Mets. Nolan was always my fave too - even though I never watched or liked baseball until 1986, when I was 12 years old. . Phoenix, AZ 85004 By 1986, the 41-year-old Carlton was clearly near the end of a legendary run. . It's completely understandable, but sometimes I wonder if there isn't too high a priority on velocity. a batted-ball event with a launch angle between eight Ted took one pitch and stepped awayhe said he never saw the ball, he'd only heard it. Wayne Twitchell. Greatest pro athlete ever? Nolan Ryan's next to last start was not at home in Arlington Stadium. Philadelphia Phillies player Steve Carlton pitching against the New York Mets on April 5, 1983 with the crowd behind him. In fact the Phillies - Carlton's ball club since 1972 - believed Lefty's pitching days were over after he missed most of 1985 to injury and then began 1986 a frightfully cruddy 4-9, 6.18. . Depending on velocity, a pitch can fall anywhere on the continuum from "fastball" to "slider": fastball cut fastball hard slider slider slurve cut fastball: 3-5 MPH slower than fastball hard slider: 5-7 MPH slower than fastball slider: 7-9 MPH slower than fastball Great info on an amazing statistic - the 100 MPH pitch. He would throw three no-hitters and created such a stir with his right arm that the league set up a commission to see if they could determine how fast his pitches really were. Feller was not just a baseball hero. He appeared in both World Series appearances for the Cardinals in 1967 and 1968, earning a ring in 1967. Lefty was a craftsman, an artist, said Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn. pitch. He would win a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Houston Astros worth a huge sum of money, but he'd wind up homeless and living under a bridge just the same. He thrived on the mound by physically and mentally challenging himself off the field. The anecdotes from other hall of fame players are maybe even more telling. Nolan Ryan, who retired with 7 no-hitters and 12 one-hitters. This past. I'm excited for the new season. I think I saw him against the Dodgers when he was with Houston early 80s. Pitching Velocity Quick Tip #2. by Brent Pourciau | Oct 3, 2010 | Pitching Tips . Instead, Carlton, nicknamed Lefty, used martial arts and weight lifting as part of his conditioning program and propelled himself to a fitness level that allowed him to throw for 24 seasons in the big leagues. Because the modern guns that came out at that time measured the speed at the release, not down toward home plate. Date: Transaction: 2172-09-02: Mike Schoonmaker has been reverted to his original name. 3X Pitching Velocity Program; 3X Velocity Online Camp; 2X Position Player Velocity Program; 2X Catchers Sub 2.0 Pop Time Program . Yet, Phillies pitching coach Ray Rippelmeyer noticed something was missing. Long, slender, strong hands. It's pretty certain Sandy Koufax could throw that hard too - I remember reading that when he came up he was known for a monster fastball, but he couldn't find the strike zoneand after a while someone convinced him to take something off of itand there you go - someone who was the equal of Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan for many a season! Efastball.com studies pitch velocity at all levels and collects data at all major-league games to reach that conclusion. Support provided by Market New York through I LOVE NY/ New York States Division of Tourism as a part of the Regional Economic Development Council awards. Carlton won 4 Cy Young Awards and was selected to play in 10 All-Star Games. Besides his legendary fastball, known as "The Ryan Express," he also had one of the best curve-balls in the history of the sport. Stiffens GS knee at the release point. When a closer is brought into a game, they are generally brought in during the 9th inning. But his average fastball velocity dipped to 94.6 m.p.h. Paul Blair, who batted against Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Vida Blue, Dick Radatz, and Goose Gossage, said of Dalkowski, He threw the hardest I ever saw.A near-identical statement came from Cal Ripken Sr., who caught for Dalkowski and whose professional career as a player, manager, and coach spanned five decades. Papelbon's best pitch is a fastball that sits at 94 to 96 mph (he's hit 100 mph. Four months later when the delayed and abbreviated regular season began, the recovered velocity was still there. He asserted, Steve Dalkowski was the hardest thrower I ever saw.. Age: 77. " . He lived and played in a time when instruments for measuring a baseball's speed didn't exist. I'm sure he could hit 100 any time he wanted to. The rise and fall of J.R. Richard is not a pretty tale. Moyer made his MLB debut against Steve Carlton in Carlton's next to last start with the Phillies. Wesman Todd Shaw (author) from Kaufman, Texas on April 28, 2013: Statistical joy in Baseball! Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "The Ryan Express," is without a doubt the single most successful and notable power pitcher in the history of major league baseball. He has averaged 95.7 mph with the bases empty and 95.6 mph with runners on base. I was their when the Angels retired his number and also just about every time he pitched against them in Anaheim. Slider (pitch) In baseball, a slider is a breaking ball pitch that tails laterally and down through the batter's hitting zone. On February 25th, 1972, the Cardinals sent their lefty wnderkind, Steve Carlton, to the Phillies in exchange for righty starting pitcher Rick Wise. It was the first time in MLB history a regular starting pitcher averaged over one strikeout per inning. Great baseball info. Answer: Good question, Jeff. Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. " On Sept. 24, 2010, Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest recorded pitch in major league history.