Papelbon Adds Slider To Arsenal

By KC Downey in Red Sox ⋅ March 12, 2008 at 3:51am ⋅ Post a comment

Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon has added a slider to his pitching arsenal, which should be most effective against left-handed hitters. He used the pitch as a starter, but as a closer he became a two-pitch pitcher with a sharp fastball and a falling splitter.

Papelbon, on throwing a slider:

“I used to throw it when I was starting so it’s not like a new pitch, really. It’s a natural arm slot for me to throw this pitch. It’s not like I’m going out of my delivery to execute this pitch. To me, it’s just a matter of staying one step ahead of the competition.”

The right-hander, who saved 37 games in 40 chances last year including three saves in the World Series, is trying to avoid scenarios where a left-handed hitter continues to watch or foul off his splitter, just waiting for the fastball. Bringing in a slider, which looks like a fastball, would keep certain hitters guessing.

“The slider looks like a heater and then it moves down in on the back foot (to lefties). There’s so many situations (last year) where I’m out there and I’m saying, ‘God, if I had the slider, he’d be done.’”