Question for You Zone Hitters

[indycolts727]

I've always played Classic hitting and had decent results, but lately I'm giving Zone a try because in MLB16 I've seen way too many well-timed hits turn into routine grounders and, like I've seen others comment, it almost feels random at times. I feel like with zone hitting at least I can see where I screwed up (kind of the same reason I went from classic pitching to meter pitching.)

So after a few games of zone batting I really like it. My question for you guys who use it all time: do you actually move the PCI after the ball is pitched? I saw some dude online one night who always started the PCI up-and-to-the-right but then would move it down-and-to-the-left after the pitch. I'm doing good if I can even tell if the ball is heading into the area I've targeted or not, so I dont even try to move it. I basically pick an area on the plate and stick with it based on 1) my batter's hot zones and/or 2) any pattern I may pick up from the pitcher or 3) the situation - looking for low pitches in double-play situation.

Just curious what others do: move the PCI or just pick a spot and leave it.

[ILiveForThis]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

i am a read and react hitter - meaning, i'm always moving the pci. it may cause me to have more k's but the results, in my opinion, are worth it


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[bcruise]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

On strike 2 I'm extremely read and react because I'm just trying to make contact and avoid striking out. Before that I like to sit on location a bit more often.

Sitting on a zone allows me to focus more on timing (ie pulling the ball for more power) or not grounding into double plays early in the count by swinging at something low or chasing.

I don't pay much attention to hot zones, though I do leave them on Preview just so they have an effect.

[CujoMatty]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

You really can have good results by just worrying about 3 things. Is the pitch high, down the middle, or low. You really don't need to move the pci left or right if you lay off pitches out of the strike zone. I've found through playing endless games over the years with zone that the game is far more forgiving horizontally than vertically when it comes to getting decent contact.

I respect the people that follow the ball immensely because I can't do it. I'm just not fast enough. I look for locations mostly and you can't be afraid to take a strike. Just because it's in the strike zone it doesn't mean you have to swing at it. You can figure out what the CPU is probably going to try and do and just look for it. Usually most at bats I get a pitch I'm looking for. On 2 strikes you really have to open up because the whole just because it's in the strike zone you don't have to swing obviously doesn't apply anymore and you do have to swing. In these instances reacting with the pci is necessary and I would strongly recommend reacting with a high, middle or low attitude as opposed to exact location unless you have extreme reflexes. You will have good results.

[sdatkins]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

It depends on the count for me. If it is 0-0, or I am ahead in the count I try to get something up in the zone so I start my PCI up and try not to move it very much at all, if I have to move it a lot I do not swing. If I am even in the count or with 2 strikes I am much more likely to try to read the pitch and move my PCI to where I think the pitch is going. I have had pretty good results with this (I agree classic and directional hitting seem random). I tend to move my PCI too low a lot of the time so I usually start my PCI a bit higher to offset this a little bit. I also tend to hit things middle-away a lot better so I don't swing at things inside unless I have two strikes or unless its a hanging offspeed pitch.

[NameWaveLeague]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

You really can have good results by just worrying about 3 things. Is the pitch high, down the middle, or low.

This is pretty good advice. You're very likely to hit the ball, at the very least, if you just get the PCI height correct. It's still tough to make consistently solid contact if you're off by a box or more laterally though.

[Mekias]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

I always move the PCI unless I'm ahead in the count and using a power swing. In that case I'll sit in the middle of the plate and try not to swing if it's anywhere else.

Where I set up my PCI before the pitch usually depends on the pitcher. If the guy is mostly a fastball pitcher, I'll set up high. If he's a sinker baller I set up in the lower third. If he's an offspeed pitcher, middle.

I like to set up on the inside part of the plate sometimes as well. The reason is that you need to swing earlier on inside pitches and later on outside pitches. My swing process is: pitcher throws, move PCI, swing (or don't swing). If I'm already set up on the inside, it cuts down on the "move PCI" part and I naturally swing faster. Moving the PCI outside takes time and I will swing a little later.

It's difficult to get comfortable with the PCI when you're first starting. Just go into practice mode and work on it a bit. You'll get the hang of it in no time.

[consecutive27]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

A lot of good advice on here. My first Mlb the Show game was 14 and I used pure analog only. When 15 got rid of the stride, I switched to zone, eventually loved it, and this year I have not gone back. I tried stride analog this year and was terrible with it.

One thing I do is keep an eye on the pitcher's confidence ratings for their pitches. I often have trouble with changeups, so if I see their changeup confidence is very high, I will start setting up the pci lower and sitting on that pitch, especially if the confidence on other pitches is relatively low. I find this is a great way to turn the tables on a pitcher and really demoralize them. I also set up the pci in the middle or slightly high when I am in a hitter's count.

Sometimes I notice myself trying to guess a little too much or trying to react and hit everything, and I go back to just leaving the pci near the middle. This helps me lay off junk and tough corner pitches, at least until there are two strikes.

[IgotSyphillis]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

Just curious, am I the only one who uses zone batting but plays with the PCI visibility turned off? I just get distracted by that thing in the middle of the plate going back and forth, it almost makes me dizzy. I just aim at the ball with the left stick when the pitch is coming and then look at the PCI results in that little box on the lower left hand corner after the pitch.

[strawberryshortcake]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

Just curious, am I the only one who uses zone batting but plays with the PCI visibility turned off? I just get distracted by that thing in the middle of the plate going back and forth, it almost makes me dizzy. I just aim at the ball with the left stick when the pitch is coming and then look at the PCI results in that little box on the lower left hand corner after the pitch.

Isn't that counter intuitive to what someone would do in real life? I never understand how people play with the PCI indicator off in zone hitting. You're simply guessing where your arm/hand position is when it's off, and that's not how the body works.

I play with the PCI (half circle) on because it simulates hitting better. There's two parts to hitting. One, your arm/hand position in relation to the ball. Two, keeping your eyes on the ball. The PCI simulates your hand/arm position. If you close your eyes, move your arms up and down, side to side, you can still pin point exactly where it is in relation to your body. But with the PCI cursor turned off, moving your left analog up, down, left and right, you really don't have a true sense of where it is in relation to your body and the ball. You're basically swinging blind.

With the PCI on, you mimic the technique of keeping your head down and seeing the ball make contact with the barrel of the bat.

[kac]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

Just curious, am I the only one who uses zone batting but plays with the PCI visibility turned off? I just get distracted by that thing in the middle of the plate going back and forth, it almost makes me dizzy. I just aim at the ball with the left stick when the pitch is coming and then look at the PCI results in that little box on the lower left hand corner after the pitch.

I turn it off to i just move the stick wherever i see the ball go feels more natural to me and i never have had an issue hitting.

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[sccavs64]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

Just curious, am I the only one who uses zone batting but plays with the PCI visibility turned off? I just get distracted by that thing in the middle of the plate going back and forth, it almost makes me dizzy. I just aim at the ball with the left stick when the pitch is coming and then look at the PCI results in that little box on the lower left hand corner after the pitch.

Definitely aren't the only one, I've played this way for years

[ManiacMatt1782]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

You really can have good results by just worrying about 3 things. Is the pitch high, down the middle, or low. You really don't need to move the pci left or right if you lay off pitches out of the strike zone. I've found through playing endless games over the years with zone that the game is far more forgiving horizontally than vertically when it comes to getting decent contact.

I respect the people that follow the ball immensely because I can't do it. I'm just not fast enough. I look for locations mostly and you can't be afraid to take a strike. Just because it's in the strike zone it doesn't mean you have to swing at it. You can figure out what the CPU is probably going to try and do and just look for it. Usually most at bats I get a pitch I'm looking for. On 2 strikes you really have to open up because the whole just because it's in the strike zone you don't have to swing obviously doesn't apply anymore and you do have to swing. In these instances reacting with the pci is necessary and I would strongly recommend reacting with a high, middle or low attitude as opposed to exact location unless you have extreme reflexes. You will have good results.

To piggy back off of this. It will be more forgiving if you properly time it which does not mean perfect timing. Fot pitches on the inner half of the PCI you want to be slightly early. On the outer half, slightly late. If you level vertically with this, you will see a ton of solid contact.

[Bobhead]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

Sometimes I "guess" by putting the PCI in a particular location before I've actually read the pitch. Like in my last game I hit a high inside fastball on the first pitch of the at-bat because I just kinda put my PCI there ahead of time on a gut feeling. I usually only do this early in the count, or when I'm having trouble reacting against a pitcher (so against flamethrower closers and stuff I'll just guess).

Most times though, I am reacting to the pitch 100%. It takes a little getting used to but it's definitely doable. I also have to experiment with my camera angle a lot. Certain angles just leave me flailing at everything. It might take a few games before you get that camera right.

[Neil33]

Re: Question for You Zone Hitters

You really can have good results by just worrying about 3 things. Is the pitch high, down the middle, or low. You really don't need to move the pci left or right if you lay off pitches out of the strike zone. I've found through playing endless games over the years with zone that the game is far more forgiving horizontally than vertically when it comes to getting decent contact.

I respect the people that follow the ball immensely because I can't do it. I'm just not fast enough. I look for locations mostly and you can't be afraid to take a strike. Just because it's in the strike zone it doesn't mean you have to swing at it. You can figure out what the CPU is probably going to try and do and just look for it. Usually most at bats I get a pitch I'm looking for. On 2 strikes you really have to open up because the whole just because it's in the strike zone you don't have to swing obviously doesn't apply anymore and you do have to swing. In these instances reacting with the pci is necessary and I would strongly recommend reacting with a high, middle or low attitude as opposed to exact location unless you have extreme reflexes. You will have good results.

Exactly how I play it. Once I learned it was "okay" to take a strike I learned to work the count and then swing at the pitch I want to. I rarely move the PCI anymore and I have very good results.