Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

[Armor and Sword]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

My current hitting sliders: 8/3/5/10/7

All-Star Directional.

I count "pop-ups" as IFFB (some of what the game calls popups make it out to medium CF...I think those would be designated as "lazy fly balls").

I define pop outs as infield fly balls and foul outs to either corner or catcher.

The amount of foul pops behind the plate have been excessive now for a few years. Drives me crazy.

[KBLover]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

I define pop outs as infield fly balls and foul outs to either corner or catcher.

The amount of foul pops behind the plate have been excessive now for a few years. Drives me crazy.

Yes, especially the kind that weave and curve and stay just in play.

On average, I get about 1 or 2 of those, 1 of the "pop ups to routine OF" and 0-2 IFFB.

So around 4 total pop ups in 30 balls in play (averaging BIP results of recent games). That would be a 12% pop-up rate. IFFB is around 10% irl, so if I use that as the "pop up rate" then it's still a bit high, even if the actual IFFB are actually too low for me right now.

Looking back at my games, it seems consistent, about 3-4 per 30-40 BIP (average results again).

[The Chef]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

My current hitting sliders: 8/3/5/10/7

All-Star Directional.

I count "pop-ups" as IFFB (some of what the game calls popups make it out to medium CF...I think those would be designated as "lazy fly balls").

With the contact at 8 and solid hits at 7 youre not seeing too many base hits then I assume? Would you say that this setup is necessary for some of us that are having trouble and playing with directional hitting then?

[KBLover]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

With the contact at 8 and solid hits at 7 youre not seeing too many base hits then I assume? Would you say that this setup is necessary for some of us that are having trouble and playing with directional hitting then?

It might help with some of the issues, yes. I won't go so far as to say those two numbers are where it "must" be, but basically, raise contact and raise solid hits to help trajectories and attack them from the two non-user input fronts...PCI placement and the RNG of trajectory (even with PCI influence, RNG determines the trajectory as well). The other inputs, swing timing and swing influence are in our own hands. Timing is a "to your taste and skill" slider, imo. Same for foul frequency. Adjust them to give them the results you want with the way you play.

Then, adjust power as needed if you're getting a ton of HR, especially from the mid-range/fringe power types. They should still get some on occasion (got one from Ichiro with this) and the power types can still hit them 400+ feet and 100+ MPH velocity if they really connect on one. If you're still getting that and not too many HR, I think you're fine with Power.

As for too many hits - I just lost 5-3 on 8 hits against the Dodgers in my fantasy franchise. Kuechel struck me out 10 times, and went down like 13 times or something (Carter was 4 of them). BABIP was .304 for the game.

Game before, I lost 5-2 on 9 hits. K'd 7 times. BABIP .294.

Recently, I've been around 5-8 hits per game with BABIPs between .217 and .304 (twice) in the last 7 games. Based on the numbers from Nomo's spreadsheet (what he used to track his CPUvCPU games) my rates in the last 7 games have been solid. I'm (relatively) happy with my BIP profile...too many flies still, but...guess that's just the thing this year.

It comes and goes, and we'll see now that my guys had a day off (finally) so maybe it will perk up some, but the total outburst doesn't seem to happen very often, especially once I put power at 3.

As always, JMO and observations from the data I'm tracking (and still tracking) of my games. It may not suit (general) your tastes or how (general) you feel the game does/should work.

[Bobhead]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

I have the same problem, and I've had that same problem for several years. The batting mechanics in this game are deeply flawed. While this year was an improvement, there's still changes that need to be made.

[obie]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

I just want to add another piece to this general conversation.

Using zone hitting, I can swing on top of the ball, such that the ball is in the lower half of the PCI, and still get pop flys and fly balls. That to me is absurd because it means I, as the player, have almost zero influence over the outcome. Zone hitting essentially becomes timing hitting with extra difficulty for no extra benefit.

I'm exaggerating obviously but it annoys me greatly when in one game I can kill the ball, and get hits when I don't even manage to hit the ball with the PCI, and then get shutout going 3-20 on well timed, PCI centered at-bats. Its one thing to lose a game, its another entirely when I feel as if I could set the controller down and have better odds on the off chance I draw a walk for a run.

I'm having this same problem. I just can't seem to score runs because when runs are on base it is always a pop fly. No matter where the ball is in the zone.

Bases loaded and I square up a fastball high in the zone with good timing and get a routine pop up. Horrible feeling.

[NYR LundqvistSTEPANu]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

If you don't swing with analog then why do you even play this game

[SuicideSqueeze]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

If you don't swing with analog then why do you even play this game

Not very helpful, but thanks for the effort.

[ryan36]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

If you don't swing with analog then why do you even play this game

This is completely unnecessary. It doesn't forward the discussion at all. Stop.

[dubplate]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

I'm liking your hitting sliders (I have fouls at 5, though) so far, KB in conjunction with Armor & Marino's other sliders. I need to play more games to see how they average out, but so far so good.

[SuicideSqueeze]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

What does the increase in foul balls accomplish? Less strikeouts?

[KBLover]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

What does the increase in foul balls accomplish? Less strikeouts?

To a degree, yes...I want more outright swings and misses to be foul balls, especially out of the zone.

O-Zone contact rates are just too low in this game, imo, based on Fangraphs data. I don't necessary want hits, just bat on ball. The foul frequency increase helps that.

I'm not sure where nomo17k got his fouls number from, but I trust his data and his sheet has 38% swings = fouls on average. I come closer to that (even exceeding it sometimes, which made me happier than it should have, probably) with the foul settings I have, given that I epic suck on anything lower than 5 timing, especially with slower pitch speeds (which I have set for SB% reasons, again from following nomo's testing and findings).

If you can hit on lower timing sliders, you probably get more fouls because of how small the window is. But I know for me those two work well. My O-Zone contact comes and goes (partly because of what I might happen to chase...some stuff I shouldn't ever hit with any regularity if I chase and partly because my Boston team has way lower Vision ratings than my Marlins team...and it shows in the results).

It may also help decrease how many bad contacts stay in play. I remember Bobhead describing it one year (in a post I still have saved) that foul frequency adjusts the timing window. I take that to mean higher foul frequency shrinks how much of the timing window results in fair balls - so more bad timings end up foul, which is often where a lot of poor contacts are.

"On a swing with poor contact, this slider is the difference between a foul ball and a pop up or ground out."

Granted, I think that was MLB14, but it probably still rings true now.

[NYR LundqvistSTEPANu]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

This is completely unnecessary. It doesn't forward the discussion at all. Stop.

Lmao @ "stop". Didn't even click on this again. Analog is the best interface, its the most organic & most effective by far once you can excel with it. I've made massive, insightful, encyclopedic sized posts about this on The Show Forums. I will do as I please

[shark547]

Re: Far Too Many Pop Ups on Pitches Up in the Zone

Lmao @ "stop". Didn't even click on this again. Analog is the best interface, its the most organic & most effective by far once you can excel with it. I've made massive, insightful, encyclopedic sized posts about this on The Show Forums. I will do as I please

He wasn't referring to your "massive, insightful, encyclopedic posts"........

And after the comment he was referring to...it is no surprise that you would reply with "I will do as I please".........