Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batter.

[Jr.]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

I feel like we already have a mini scouting report available with hot/cold zones, player ratings, and the spray charts, but I think being able to view a season long version of the analysis screen outside of a game would be huge.

Sorry to go off-topic a little, but do the spray charts actually signify a tendency? I've seen plenty of players who are listed as dead pull, kill me with ground balls to the opposite field for easy hits.

Pull hitters are typically pull hitters because of the swing, and The Show doesn't reflect that because everyone swings the same way with a slight exception with the "slap" style swing.

Back on topic, I love the idea of scouting reports and the option to see them in game or not. I go with a very minimal screen while I'm playing, so I wouldn't want it a permanent fixture, but the ability to check them before I play a game would be fantastic.

[RandyBass]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

Turns out fangraphs has pitch types by percentage, I was just looking in the wrong place (on each player's individual page). In the pitching leaderboards it shows PITCHf/x pitches by percentage, and you can even view multiple years. Here is the last three years:

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.asp...ter=&players=0

As you can see the range is pretty dramatic. Even just the top 30 four seam fastball percentages range from 43%-68%.

This would be huge in my opinion. What pitchers throw makes a big difference, and gives them their own unique character and feel. It would really make the game come alive.

[nomo17k]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

It can potentially be nice to have this sort of thing in the game eventually, but then the issue will be whether the numbers actually reflects the pitch usage of in-game pitchers.

I don't think the current game actually has the mechanism to make a pitcher use certain pitches more than others. The pitcher does uses higher-order pitches more (X, O, ..., etc., in that order), but it is not detailed enough for the % pitch usage to be meaningful at the current state.

(So what I mean is that before this type of scouting report becomes of real value, I think the pitcher A.I. needs to reproduce more variety in how it approaches pitching.)

And even then the scouting report will be useless when you play against another human player, since he will almost surely pitch very differently to what the real-life pitcher would do.

... and we are talking about a game which has not implemented sufficient (year-to-year) stats tracking to this point. So the idea presented in this thread might be a stretch at the moment.

[RandyBass]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

It can potentially be nice to have this sort of thing in the game eventually, but then the issue will be whether the numbers actually reflects the pitch usage of in-game pitchers.

I don't think the current game actually has the mechanism to make a pitcher use certain pitches more than others. The pitcher does uses higher-order pitches more (X, O, ..., etc., in that order), but it is not detailed enough for the % pitch usage to be meaningful at the current state.

(So what I mean is that before this type of scouting report becomes of real value, I think the pitcher A.I. needs to reproduce more variety in how it approaches pitching.)

And even then the scouting report will be useless when you play against another human player, since he will almost surely pitch very differently to what the real-life pitcher would do.

... and we are talking about a game which has not implemented sufficient (year-to-year) stats tracking to this point. So the idea presented in this thread might be a stretch at the moment.

A pitch percentage and scouting report could essentially be the same thing. As part of the interface, simply show the percentages.

For the AI, yeah it seems pretty clear it doesn't follow real life percentages, so therefore it would have to go beyond just being an addition to the interface. I don't think it would be all that difficult to program pitcher tendencies though.

As for user vs user, pitches with higher percentages of usage would also be that pitcher's better pitches, so a user would risk pitching poorly if they didn't use them.

I don't know, I'd put this high up on the list if I were in charge. Seems like the amount of work required compared to the reward for adding it would make it well worth it. Having guys actually pitch like their real life counterparts would be a huge addition.

[The Big O Face]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

When pitching, each batters scouting information can be integrated into a virtual report that can be toggled on and off in the form of a overlay like the pitchers pitch type in 15 (R2 if I remember right). And a more complete scouting report in a side menu for a deeper dive would be a plus.


Here is a quick and simple use-case: Your are playing and pitching, late innings - game is still in question. 1st batter up is hitting .250 but has been on fire the last 12 games. he has been hitting everything inside. You can see this in the scouting report that he is hitting .450 in the last 12 games and is hitting .650 on the inside stuff. But even more is he hit .800 on inside fastballs. The scouting says that the slider away has been at a .125 avg all season and the last 12 games its about the same .130. Now that you-the-player know this you can attack his weakness with a authentic approach and feel. The way it is currently each pitch strategy is generic for each batter.

Another offshoot of this could be based into the game-calling rating of the catcher. If the catcher knows how to call a good game, then the reports would be presented in full; as if the catcher studied scouting reports before the game. Conversely, if a catcher has a low game calling rating, perhaps only certain areas would show up as being hot/cold, with the remainder being grayed out.

You could instead build this into the pitcher as well, but I'm not aware of a stat that it could build off of as there is no intelligence or game prep rating. I just think it would be interesting. Most pitchers read scouting reports, but some of them remember the reports better. Just an interesting thought

[gustavus]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

It's weird coming from the 2K game to see that this game never embraced Inside Edge type information. When you combine pitch type and location strengths and weaknesses for each hitter with pitch strengths and accuracy for each pitcher, you get such a great feel for the game within the game in the most important aspect of any baseball video game. Throw in situational needs, and it makes each at bat so much more compelling.



They seem to have finally gotten 2K's directional hitting in, maybe this can get in next year, along with the Hitter's Eye.

[MetsFan16]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

I don't know about all of you, but I don't really need an advanced scouting report to get hitters out. If you execute your pitch you'll get out. Of course, some pitch sequence strategy is needed but if you have a general understanding about how to get hitters out it can be applied to all hitters and simple execution of this strategy will result in outs. No need to have detailed pitch sequence scouting reports for every hitter in the game.

[sink4ever]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

I don't know about all of you, but I don't really need an advanced scouting report to get hitters out. If you execute your pitch you'll get out. Of course, some pitch sequence strategy is needed but if you have a general understanding about how to get hitters out it can be applied to all hitters and simple execution of this strategy will result in outs. No need to have detailed pitch sequence scouting reports for every hitter in the game.

I don't know if it's about "need" as much as the added depth. Sure, I can get most guys out, but there's not much need on my end to change my approach much batter to batter. I think the idea (and this is what is attractive to me) is that each batter has certain strengths/weaknesses/tendencies and therefore I have an added incentive to vary my approach.

[MetsFan16]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

I don't know if it's about "need" as much as the added depth. Sure, I can get most guys out, but there's not much need on my end to change my approach much batter to batter. I think the idea (and this is what is attractive to me) is that each batter has certain strengths/weaknesses/tendencies and therefore I have an added incentive to vary my approach.

Yes you're right in that every player has a strength and a weakness. That is why there are hot/cold areas available to view. Not very in depth but it definitely shows off their strengths and weaknesses. Also, you're pitcher can have strengths and weaknesses. Some may not be able to throw a curveball for a strike or some fastballs slip and run up and in often.

Also, you can vary your approaches based on batter type. Obviously you're not going to pitch to Miguel Cabrera, a big time power hitter the same as you would pitch to a weak shortstop who struggles to reach .250.

[ruskoz]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

I don't know about all of you, but I don't really need an advanced scouting report to get hitters out. If you execute your pitch you'll get out. Of course, some pitch sequence strategy is needed but if you have a general understanding about how to get hitters out it can be applied to all hitters and simple execution of this strategy will result in outs. No need to have detailed pitch sequence scouting reports for every hitter in the game.

Yes I also agree that generally a good pitch strategy will result in a higher probability to get outs. That is general and there lies the main point. It is in fact a generic pitch approach to each batter. You can pitch these sets of pitch combinations to all batters and have fairly good success. However, if batters/pitcher had uniqueness/strength a batter with some real strengths, let say more then one that the scouting report identified. The generic pitch combinations would be penalized inadvertently. i.e. fastball hitter, in a obvious fastball count the batter has a bonus on any fastball thrown...off-speed stuff would not get a bonus since its not a strength and then the pitcher sequence is a game with in the game. Its simulation baseball.

[ruskoz]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

Another offshoot of this could be based into the game-calling rating of the catcher. If the catcher knows how to call a good game, then the reports would be presented in full; as if the catcher studied scouting reports before the game. Conversely, if a catcher has a low game calling rating, perhaps only certain areas would show up as being hot/cold, with the remainder being grayed out.

You could instead build this into the pitcher as well, but I'm not aware of a stat that it could build off of as there is no intelligence or game prep rating. I just think it would be interesting. Most pitchers read scouting reports, but some of them remember the reports better. Just an interesting thought

That is interesting. Would really change the catcher value modifier. A good catcher would become a must have for any real contender...true to real life.

[RandyBass]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

Here is the last three years:

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.asp...ter=&players=0

Some interesting numbers:

Bartolo Colon
Fastball 34%
Two Seam 51%
Slider 10%
Change 5%

Mostly fastballs from Bartolo, a whopping 85%.

Felix Hernandez
Sinker 25%
Change 23%
Fastball 22%
Curve 15%
Slider 11%
Cutter 5%

Six pitches from King Felix. He came up a flame thrower, and while he still throws hard, he throws a wide variety of pitches with a lot of movement. No one pitch more than a quarter of the time.

Shelby Miller
Fastball 68%
Curve 19%
Two Seam 5%
Change 4%
Cutter 4%

Miller is mostly a fastball and curve pitcher, who mixes in three other pitches on occasion.

Would be great to see this reflected in the game.

[RandyBass]

Re: Scouting Reports in MLBTS are Needed to Stop Generic Pitch Strategy For Each Batt

Pitch percentages could also lead to some new lines of commentary, with mention of a pitcher's approach.