I Cannot Stop Watching Blake Treinen's Unhittable Slider
By Kyle Koster
Blake Treinen only worked 2.2 playoff innings during the last postseason but remains a reliable bullpen option for Dave Roberts if he's more necessary this year. The righthander is putting together his best year since the breakout 2019 campaign, maintaining a 1.50 ERA and increasing his K9 to 10.8 from 7.7 in 2020.
Part of the reason for the success is a slider that's certifiably filthy. Here, via the irreplaceable Pitching Ninja, is the breaking ball in action.
Blake Treinen, Stupid 86mph Slider. ? pic.twitter.com/aWA7P0lZXK
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 28, 2021
The old Treinen slider was one of my favorites: 88 with maybe 3" of horizontal but just lethal when located.
— Codify, Inc. (@CodifyBaseball) May 28, 2021
The new slider invests a bit of velo (<2 MPH) into more horizontal. It's AVERAGING almost 15" now.?
81 of them & just an IF single.
Stupid's probably the right word. https://t.co/cCZONNSVc7
I mean ... come on. Even if a hitter has advance warning, it seems like a tall task to put this wizardry into play.
On one hand, it's incredible to watch what pitchers can do with the ball. On the other, it's really worth considering if we've made our athletes too good. We have human beings out there making a spherical ball do unholy things. We're mocking physics.
Part of me doesn't want to be around for the comeuppance.