...that once you leave your feet, your momentum slows. You can not accelrate further by leaving your feet. Sprinters maintain their momentum by running THROUGH the tape. What happens once you leave you feet is a principle for both pole vaulting and hurdles. Once you leave your feet, you slow.

Sliding is a way to keep from OVERRUNNING a base, not to get there faster. It’s also a way to avoid the tag. Because a baserunner is allowed to run past first, and does not need to be tagged (hence, no need to avoid a tag) there is no point in sliding. You gain nothing, risk everything.

Further, baseball is a game that can’t be played without hands, which take a tremendous beating over the course of seven months. To expose your means to a living like this is stupid. You are better off not wearing a protective cup than sliding headfirst. After two significant injuries for the Twins in less than two months, it’s time to issue and edict about this.