by now with technology that teams would be testing each player on which is faster? I mean i bet some players are faster one way than the other, its not that far-fetched. But seriously, what would it take for a team to set up a timer like the 40 yard dash, but have a player to 4 runs for 90 feet. do two of them running through, then two of them sliding head first…

There was no data on comparing sliding to running through the bag at first which is what we all got on Cedeno for. That issue is a no-brainer enough that even the mythbusting journalist didn’t bother to study it. As soon as you leave your feet (headfirst or feet first) gravity and friction take over and you start slowing down. The only way you’re moving toward first base is from your legs propelling you there. Once you stop running you start slowing down. Race horses and track stars push out their neck or chest right at the wire but they don’t slide or do a college football player leap into the endzone.

It would be interesting to know for each individual player which version of a slide they are faster at so he could always optimize that. If they are statistically indifferent, then I don’t know why anyone would go head first. I always preferred to have my own spikes making first contact with stationary objects like bases, infielders and armored catchers rather than my hands and head. Plus I never learned how to do a head first hook slide around someone who is already at the bag/plate. Because of the CG thing mentioned in the article I don’t think you can hook sliding head first.

you’re going to be out on principle alone if you slide headfirst into first base unless you’re doing it to avoid a tag.

And you risk injury.

I think it is worth noting that the one time Cedeno probably should have slid into first, he didn’t. That was the game where he hit a ball into the hole and the SS had a long throw that pulled Fielder off of the bag. Fielder tried to get Cedeno with a swipe tag and just missed him. However, if Cedeno had dived into the bag, it wouldn’t have been close.

The only time it is worth it to slide into first is if you need to avoid a tag. Period. Otherwise, it is a waste and increases your chances of getting hurt.

a while back. They did a baseball themed episode where they measured corked bat distance, the reason for curve balls and sliding into 2B instead of just running to a stop.

They didn’t cover the sliding into 1B instead of running through, but I thought they should have so I suggested it. Haven’t seen it in an episode yet, but who knows, it could show up any time.