Mythbusters

Watching the baseball episode. They're testing sliding. Is it faster to slide or run. Is it better to stay standing?

Now, here's my issue... and maybe I'm just retarded... but I played ball for... ten years and in all of my sliding experience, I've always thought that the reason for sliding isn't speed, it's to get down and try not to get tagged. It's to try and get your hand or foot on the bag before the infielder can catch the ball and get her glove down to tag you. It's to try and sneak a body part in there before you're tagged. It's not about getting their faster.

Right?

Wrong?