Zone vs directional vs analog?

[TonyDanzaFan]

This thread has been a God send. I've been using directional for most of the year. I experimented with zone and analog when it came out but found directional to be the easiest. Well, I did alright for a while. I was decent offensively, I'd go through hot steaks and slumps which were incredibly frustrating. I've been in a prolonged slump for about two weeks now. I can get hits but for some reason I can't score. Maybe 2 or three a game whereas when I'm hot it's around ten.
Anyway, I saw this and because I've been awful lately I decided to see what others were doing. I switched to zone and I've kept the words timing timing timing in my head just like the other poster said and it's been insane the results I've seen. I place the pci a little below the middle and just follow the arm. It's actually made taking pitches easier and I'm not swinging out of the zone as much because im following the ball. First game I'm only in the fifth inning but I'm leading 13-0. I've hit like five homers. I have had a complete power outage recently but it feels good to hit homers again. In five innings I've batted around twice in an inning. It feels amazing that I'm actually able to hit again and I can jump up in difficulty now because I felt ridiculous getting murdered on veteran.

[jackbquick]

For those using zone, what camera are you using and what is your strategy for utilizing the PCI?

I'm using the wide camera, which is the best non-zoomed camera for providing depth perception. The weakness of this camera is that it is difficult to discern balls/strikes on pitches low in the zone.

I place the PCI in the upper corner corresponding to the pitcher being right/left handed, so I just have to worry about moving the PCI down and/or across. I've found this approach to be very effective for consistently putting the PCI on the ball. I make a lot of good contact and get my share of hits.

My biggest issue is that my power numbers are too low. From batting practice mode, I've noticed that home runs tend to often occur with Early timing. In actual games, I have a lot of good timing, but not much early timing. I find when trying to work early I'm incredibly vulnerable to change-ups and sliders, which tend to be the most commonly used pitches by the CPU and online-users.

[Chetballard]

I also have asked which camera is the best, and for the most part Default is best for me. I kept switching cameras because I wanted to find the best one. Wide is not bad, and I used it for a bit and its good for timing but not so much zone. I also just switched to zone and have won 9-0 and then the next game with same camera, zone placement usage lost 2-0. Its going to take a bit of time to get use to and also finding a good camera takes a while

Just find one u like and get use to it, u want a camera where the pitchers release is close to your eye level. People have TV's in all different positions so that matters as well.

I find the best way to practice is play a exhibition game, and adjust from there. I find that mode is better than the actual hitting practice mode

[ph33]

I use zone hitting, and I use E. Catcher Zoom.

It was really weird at first, everything seems too big and some people might have a harder time distinguishing strikes from balls at first, but with enough practice I feel like I understand my timing more. Feels like I'm actually in the box, and it's helped my plate discipline a ton.

[Dag_BoomStick]

I find myself in an odd position. Prior to making this topic I had been hitting on directional but directing like I was in zone. I used zone for a little and had some success the first night. The next night not so much and last night I was going back and forth between zone and directional bc of my struggles at the plate to find my spot. Knowing how directional and zone works now I find myself focusing more on that then watching the pitch and went 1-4 last night (1 of the losses was a blue screen to a lag switcher when I was up 6-3 in the 7th so let's just call that 2-3). I feel like in the long run zone will be my best bet but I need to commit to it fully and practice with it more. I have hit more hr with zone over the last few days compared to directional 7-4 in about an even number of at bats but when I use zone I find myself popping sky high on the infield more due to me coming from a strictly fps background and being very twitchy naturally in my stick moving. Anything from middle to 1/3 down in the zone I will pop up bc I'm diving my bat to far low. I do have a set of kontrole freaks I don't use purely for the fact I didn't like how slow it made me aim in fps games but I think if I use zone coupled with my controle freaks I might just start destroying some pitches that I'm popping up. I tried using the thumb technique explained in the how to hit zone video that was posted here but that just made my reactions to slow and felt to unatural and forced on my end. Anyone else use kontrol freaks or any other kind of stick extensions for batting with zone? I truelly think if I used them for this my problems of popping out might be fixed.

[jackbquick]

I just lost 3-2 despite having 16 hits. One of the runs was the result of a wild pitch. Only had one extra base hit.

The complete lack of power is killing any possibility of enjoying this game. I'm squaring up a decent amount of balls, but everything is dying at the warning track or hanging up just long enough to be run down in the gap. With each passing game I get closer to putting the controller through the TV.

[BentleyA]

Okay I will try and respond to everyone just based off of what I remember reading.

To whoever mentioned that it helped them to just remember that timing is the first thing to think of and your thumb will follow, I am happy I could help you there. It really has done me wonders.
One little bit to add to that timing thing. Make sure you understand the spray chart of the hitter you are using. If you are trying to power pull pitches with a guy that is not a pull hitter, it won't work as well. If your using a pull hitter, well you won't get much power out of them going the other way (although you can still take advantage of shifts). I was trying to pull/go opposite field a lot with Joc and I struggled mightily with him. Last two games, I have focused on crushing pitches to the allys or to center and have hit two homers with him.
Just keep that stuff in mind. If you read the strategy guide in the pause menu, it does mention that the hitters spray tendencies DO matter.

As to the people that are struggling because they move the PCI too much and pop stuff up a lot, well I am right there with you and recently struggled with the same thing.
I recently got through it though by understanding what I was doing wrong and working to correct it. I do hit more grounders now on low pitches, but that means I am now crushing pitches in the middle of the plate. Also keep in mind that, ground balls have higher BABIPs than fly balls, so grounders are not necessarily a bad thing.

Also, don't try and cover the entire plate at once, ESPECIALLY in a hitters count! That is really key. Look for the pitch you want. This can be done by noticing your opposing pitchers tendencies (this could also include someone online starting each at bat by throwing at the "cold" zones for each batter. I noticed a lot of people do this). Where they throw, the pitch they throw, and it what count. If its 1-0, 1-1, 0-1, 2-1, 3-1, 3-0 just look for a pitch in a certain zone and lay off anything else. There is no need to swing at a pitch you don't want. You might look like an idiot swinging at something offspeed looking for a fastball, but when you do get the fastball, then its boomstick time. For an example of this, watch Nelson Cruz for a couple of games. He looks silly sometimes swinging at a million miles an hour at a breaking ball in the dirt early in the count. Then he protects and uses the whole field to get a base hit with two strikes. There is a reason he's batting like .330 while still also hitting 19 bombs so far.
With that said, USE contact swing with 2 strikes! This is especially useful on inside pitches. I can not even count how many times guys try to throw inside on me with two strikes and since I am trying to protect, I am not necessarily looking only for that pitch. With a contact swing, you most likely won't shatter your bat and will either foul it off, or will get a bloop single. I probably get 1-2 bloop singles per game by doing this. I am by no means a great hitter, but this is one reason I am hitting nearly .330 in 250+ ABs with 77 overall Justin Turner (if your looking for a lead off guy or just a guy to get you lots of hits easily, he's only a bronze and easy to use).

Lastly, keep in mind that in the 2014 MLB season, the Tigers lead the league in team batting average by hitting .277 (The median was .253), so do not get discouraged .

As for Jack, try playing with your lineup. I actually have struggled with the same problem. I average between 8 and 12 hits per game but I think my runs per game is around 3... that is on the rise though as I have adjusted my lineup and added one more power bat (Flava Fraz!).

[Twinkie12]

I actually use zone hitting with the PCI turned off. Played that way for years. It's less distracted but Im still in total control.

My strategy varies depending on the hitter, count, who I'm facing, and everything else. Hitter's count, I'll look for my pitch up or down in the zone and sit on it, and if it doesnt come, lay off. Two strikes with a good hitter up, resort to timing and don't touch the left stick.

I find it much easier to use the left stick and go with the pitch rather than place it somewhere before the pitch. Sometimes you go with the pitch and zone ends up a little off, but when you hit it perfect it feels soooo good.