Slider
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A slider (also known as a "nickel curve") is a pitch in baseball, sort of halfway between a curveball and a fastball, with less break but more speed than the curve. It will tend to drop less and move toward or away from the batter more than a curve. The extra speed can fool the hitter into thinking it is a fastball, until too late. Some pitchers also use a cut fastball (or cutter) which is one step closer than the slider to the fastball on the spectrum between fastballs and curves. A pitch that has movement similar to both a slider and a curveball is sometimes called a slurve.
A slider is generally used either after a fastball or a changeup to fool the hitter.
The slider is also sometimes called "the great equalizer", as its development caused pitchers to regain some dominance over hitters. The slider also causes great stress and wear on a pitcher's arm: for this reason the Dodgers organization forbade its pitchers to throw sliders for many years after the pitch became popular.
Slider is the name of the Cleveland Indians' mascot, named for the pitch.
See also
Not to be confused with slyder, a hamburger from White Castle.