Re: Strike zone tips

[Kodii Rockets]

Re: Strike zone tips

Overly sensitive.

Oooh. Well played indeed.

I check constantly, but I use analog hitting, so I guess I can't see what you guys are seeing. It feel a lot more organic than pressing a button to me.

[zpq12]

Re: Strike zone tips

So does everyone actually use the left stick to aim their swings? That seems like too many things to handle at once. I just hit the x button.

I think one of my problems is that I put too many junk pitches into play. Is this how it is for everyone? The cpu gets loads of foul balls that cannot be played, where I seem to hit a lot of harmless garbage balls that are easy outs(weak flies, rolling over pitches for soft grounders, playable fouls).

I've improved some, just through repitition, but the last few games I must be averaging three hits and three strikeouts. Endless harmless at bats. Honestly I wish my players would miss more junk pitches rather than putting them into play - at east I'd get another chance and run up the pitch count.

[strawberryshortcake]

Re: Strike zone tips

So does everyone actually use the left stick to aim their swings? That seems like too many things to handle at once. I just hit the x button.

I think one of my problems is that I put too many junk pitches into play. Is this how it is for everyone? The cpu gets loads of foul balls that cannot be played, where I seem to hit a lot of harmless garbage balls that are easy outs(weak flies, rolling over pitches for soft grounders, playable fouls).

I've improved some, just through repitition, but the last few games I must be averaging three hits and three strikeouts. Endless harmless at bats. Honestly I wish my players would miss more junk pitches rather than putting them into play - at east I'd get another chance and run up the pitch count.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes, and yes some more.

If you're using zone hitting with the yellow circular plate coverage indicator (PCI), then yes, users do need to use the left analog stick to move the PCI to meet the pitch.

How would the user hit high pitches or low pitches if the user couldn't control their PCI placement? Junk pitches in play happen often for grounders and weak popups because of where your PCI meets the ball just as it should. Even though there is a lot of rating built into the PCI system, where the bat meets the ball does play a part in the swing outcome. The PCI system is not perfect because you can sometimes completely miss the ball (swing low while the pitch was high) and contact will still be made. It's an odd result.

Often times, I would hit the sweet spot (green, good timing, ball smack dab in the center of the PCI) and it's a line out or a fly out.

[JakeReaves]

Re: Strike zone tips

So does everyone actually use the left stick to aim their swings? That seems like too many things to handle at once. I just hit the x button.

I think one of my problems is that I put too many junk pitches into play. Is this how it is for everyone? The cpu gets loads of foul balls that cannot be played, where I seem to hit a lot of harmless garbage balls that are easy outs(weak flies, rolling over pitches for soft grounders, playable fouls).

I've improved some, just through repitition, but the last few games I must be averaging three hits and three strikeouts. Endless harmless at bats. Honestly I wish my players would miss more junk pitches rather than putting them into play - at east I'd get another chance and run up the pitch count.

I only use the x button as well. I have it on zone hitting but I have the PCI turned off. I've gradually gotten better at hitting by using this method.

[spitoon]

Re: Strike zone tips

I will echo a bit of what was said above. I have become much better at taking pitches, but it takes time and patience.

I normally take pitches until there is a strike. That means you are NEVER swinging at the first pitch.

There are also some sliders that will help. Turn down the strike frequency slider and maybe even the pitch speed slider.

It might also be encouraging to know, that as you progress up through the difficulty levels, the pitchers do throw more balls...I always used to set it to Veteran hitting, but this year I'm using Dynamic and I'm up to HoF...I've walked 4 and 6 times in my last couple games.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Strike zone tips

I do not like the "NEVER swing at the first pitch" approach...it is not realistic. Some situations call for you jumping all over the first pitch.

If you are looking for realistic, sim results...then "NEVER swinging at the first pitch" will not produce that, because players DO swing at first pitch...sometimes...

Now with that being said.....There is some logic to that but a bit more modified, and that is....not always swinging at strikes, which means laying off the first pitch sometimes, and sometimes pitches later in the count, even if they are strikes.

In the past (and by past I mean games back in SNES, Genesis, PS1 days) the games were more arcade-style in the sense that anything in the zone that was timed properly could be hit with authority.

Since the EA MVP Baseball days that has changed. Pitch location, speed, batter contact, discipline, plate coverage, etc...all play a factor.

So the biggest thing is to understand that like in real life, just because a pitch is a strike it does not mean you swing at it. I think sometimes players tend to get a bit swing happy and swing at every pitch whether its a strike or a ball. But that comes from swinging at every strike to begin with.

Early in the count you should be looking for pitches up in the zone. These pitches can be away, in, middle, but the idea is that they are at least belt high and up. Pitches down in the zone will be grounded and chopped more often than not, and swinging at that pitch despite it being a strike will result in more outs...but if you let it go, even if it is a strike, you will live to see another pitch that may now be up in the zone.

Laying off of pitches that are not belt up and higher will also get you better hitters counts. As some of the pitches down will be balls, causing the pitcher to now have to get balls a little higher in order to get a strike. This is what you want.

Now you are locked-in on balls up in the zone, if you can now focus on laying off the real high pitches outside the zone you now have a good balance of laying off low pitches, and high pitches and swinging at everything belt high and above in the strike zone. This will produce more hits, less chasing, and overall better ABs.

Once you are comfortable doing all this, you can lock in now on not just pitches belt high and up, but on pitches belt high and up on either the outside corner, or inside corner. This will now help you determine if you want to pull or push a ball based on the situation and batter's strengths, but this is now transitioning into becoming a great hitter vs. just a plain old good hitter.

Now all of the above only applies to counts with less than 2 strikes. Once you have 2 strikes, you have to be less selective and protect plate, even if the pitch is a strike, a borderline pitch , and sometimes even a ball. But with the new gained discipline (everything I mentioned takes practice), you will be a more well rounded hitter and be able to read pitches better and tell which pitches you can do damage to.

.....this is what works for me...


Overall, I take a lot of pitches including strikes. I am not afraid to go down looking especially in double play situations (rather K than ground into a DP) and as a result I walk on a lot of borderline pitches (umpires sometimes calls balls as strikes, and strikes as balls when variable umpire is enabled), and swing at a lot of pitches up in zone that I can drive.

[zpq12]

Re: Strike zone tips

Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes, and yes some more.

If you're using zone hitting with the yellow circular plate coverage indicator (PCI), then yes, users do need to use the left analog stick to move the PCI to meet the pitch.

How would the user hit high pitches or low pitches if the user couldn't control their PCI placement? Junk pitches in play happen often for grounders and weak popups because of where your PCI meets the ball just as it should. Even though there is a lot of rating built into the PCI system, where the bat meets the ball does play a part in the swing outcome. The PCI system is not perfect because you can sometimes completely miss the ball (swing low while the pitch was high) and contact will still be made. It's an odd result.

Often times, I would hit the sweet spot (green, good timing, ball smack dab in the center of the PCI) and it's a line out or a fly out.

Then what hitting settings should I use??!

I only use the x button as well. I have it on zone hitting but I have the PCI turned off. I've gradually gotten better at hitting by using this method.

Does turning off the PCI eliminate the need to aim swings?

[BENVCR]

Re: Strike zone tips

The best way to be disciplined at the plate is to use guess pitch. For the first strike, you should usually just focus on 1 part of the plate and 1 pitch; I'll still swing on the first pitch if it looks like I can hit it, but if I'm aiming up and in I'm not going to swing for a slider trying to catch the corner middle in. One 1 strike il still look for a pitch but if it's not in the zone I will just centre my PCI and chase anything middle ish, because esp with some pitchers on a 1-1, 2-1 they will try to sneak that cheeky ball in the middle area. 2 strikes I will guess either high heat or breaking ball depending on the pitcher.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Strike zone tips

Then what hitting settings should I use??!



Does turning off the PCI eliminate the need to aim swings?

You are looking for Directional Hitting. Moving left stick influences where you want to hit the ball, not where your bat is aimed.

[strawberryshortcake]

Re: Strike zone tips

Then what hitting settings should I use??!

Does turning off the PCI eliminate the need to aim swings?

Does turning off the PCI eliminate the need to aim swings?
If using Zone hitting, turning off the PCI simply makes things more difficult because you can't see the PCI cursor. You still have to aim with your left stick towards the ball if using zone hitting.


Then what hitting settings should I use??!
Either Pure Analog or Directional Hitting works if you simply want to "press one button" to hit, and never worrying about aim for the ball. You will be able to hit high and low pitches without ever needed to move the left stick.

Please do note that with both of these methods, you will still get "good" timing resulting in pop flys, infield grounders, foul ball popups, and sometimes you'll completely missed the ball as well even with green "good" timing.

(A) Pure Analog - simply push the right stick up (normal hit); pull down and push up (power swing). No need to touch the left analog stick.

(B) Directional Hitting - simply push the X button (normal) or Square button (power). Honestly, there doesn't seem to be a need to touch the left analog stick at all. Sure, you can influence where you hit the ball by pushing the left stick, but timing your swing (early, late, etc.) will still result in various hits to your pull side and opposite field.


As someone who always used Zone Hitting. I wanted to test out Pure Analog and Directional hitting right now before I gave you a possible answer. From my limited experience, they are essentially the same. Even though the instructions says to use the left stick when using Directional Hitting, both "pure analog" and "directional hitting" seems to rely simply on timing your swings without ever needing to touch the left analog stick.

I managed to get seven consecutive hits using Pure analog in one inning (hall of fame).

1. Homerun
2. Base Hit
3. Base Hit
4. Base Hit
5. Grand Slam
6. Base Hit.
7. Homerun.

[JakeReaves]

Re: Strike zone tips

Does turning off the PCI eliminate the need to aim swings?

It must. I don't use the left stick at all, I only use the x button, and I hit the ball solid from everywhere in the zone. It's all about timing and pitch location with the X button, I like it a lot. Balls up in the zone are easier to blast, and balls low result in a lot of ground balls. It feels good without the PCI in my opinion.

[Stolm]

Re: Strike zone tips

It must. I don't use the left stick at all, I only use the x button, and I hit the ball solid from everywhere in the zone. It's all about timing and pitch location with the X button, I like it a lot. Balls up in the zone are easier to blast, and balls low result in a lot of ground balls. It feels good without the PCI in my opinion.

You're not using Zone Hitting then.

[JakeReaves]

Re: Strike zone tips

Does turning off the PCI eliminate the need to aim swings?
If using Zone hitting, turning off the PCI simply makes things more difficult because you can't see the PCI cursor. You still have to aim with your left stick towards the ball if using zone hitting.

I don't see this result at all. I'm on zone hitting with the PCI turned off and I can make great contact on balls up and away as well as low and in as long as I see the ball and time it correctly. I don't touch the left analog, only use the X button to swing.

[JakeReaves]

Re: Strike zone tips

You're not using Zone Hitting then.

Yes, I am.

[Panopticism]

Re: Strike zone tips

Like they say, you might get one pitch to hit in an at-bat. You have to earn that pitch most of the time. Sometimes the guy will miss his spot and leave it hanging, but most of the time you have to force the pitcher to give you something worth swinging at.

Don't swing at a strike just because it's a strike. Don't protect the plate on 0 or 1 strike(s).

Don't be afraid to strike out looking at a pitch that you decide to lay off because it looks like you won't be able to do much with it. This sport is a pitcher's game now, and if a guy can actually hit his spots all night long, you should be having serious difficulties getting anything going. Sometimes a guy can paint the corner up at the hands and even if you got ahold of it, you'd be popping/flying out/breaking bats all night. Or they might be living on the corner down and away, and you'll be grounding out and grounding into DP all game long.

I'm not a fan of the idea of laying off every first pitch either, because this makes it really easy to get stuck trying to match a pitcher who notices that you're doing it and starts filling up the strikezone and getting through innings very quickly.

Once I get down to 2-strike counts, I switch to the contact swing most of the time. It allows you to foul off the close pitches, and it makes checking the swing a lot easier when the pitch breaks more than you expected. You can recover from a horrible 0-2 appearance and work a walk, force a decent pitch, etc. all while driving up the pitches/AB.