Directional Hitting Guide

[KBLover]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I don't think there's any secret to hitting the gaps except good timing and good trajectory. Don't even need a ton of power because good placement and they can't cut it off.

I mostly go down or down away with most of my hitters to try keeping the trajectories down (minimize the floaty flies as much as possible, assuming they get good PCI placement and my timing is decent - JL/G/JE).

Other than that, it's a lot like the real game, a matter of "chance". Hitters can't really control where the ball gets hit to that degree.

I do use the power swing, with pretty much anyone with good contact/vision and medium-ish power (50-70+), especially in advantage counts (2-0, 2-1, 3-1) though I know many around here think it's from the devil.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I don't think there's any secret to hitting the gaps except good timing and good trajectory. Don't even need a ton of power because good placement and they can't cut it off.

I mostly go down or down away with most of my hitters to try keeping the trajectories down (minimize the floaty flies as much as possible, assuming they get good PCI placement and my timing is decent - JL/G/JE).

Other than that, it's a lot like the real game, a matter of "chance". Hitters can't really control where the ball gets hit to that degree.

I do use the power swing, with pretty much anyone with good contact/vision and medium-ish power (50-70+), especially in advantage counts (2-0, 2-1, 3-1) though I know many around here think it's from the devil.

Yeah, I rarely use power swing. My problem is not my power guys its Zobrist, Russell, Baez (who should be a power guy), and a few others. They never hit. I might go 1-for-4 on a good day. Never, every seem to have that 3-for-4 or 4-for-4 game with them very often.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Do any of you guys ever just swing with no direction? I noticed on the original post it said to always choose a direction, “even if you choose no direction.” Which doesn’t make sense to me. Isn’t no direction not choosing a direction? I’m confused on that one.

But anyway, I’ve often wondered, does the direction in which we swing sometimes cause a negative influence? For example, if we are trying to go the other way with the ball (pressing right on the analog stick with a right handed batter) and the pitch is inside, could this result in weak contact? Or is it more dependent on our timing (which I agree is the most important factor).


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[tonyfire2001]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Do any of you guys ever just swing with no direction? I noticed on the original post it said to always choose a direction, “even if you choose no direction.” Which doesn’t make sense to me. Isn’t no direction not choosing a direction? I’m confused on that one.

But anyway, I’ve often wondered, does the direction in which we swing sometimes cause a negative influence? For example, if we are trying to go the other way with the ball (pressing right on the analog stick with a right handed batter) and the pitch is inside, could this result in weak contact? Or is it more dependent on our timing (which I agree is the most important factor).


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The only time I do is when I’m hitting with a Balance hitter and it’s a 1-1 or 3-2 count...then I just hit X....other than that I either look to pull on hitter counts and push on two strike counts...but that is just basic no one on stuff...when you get runners on and who’s batter everything changes...

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Do any of you guys ever just swing with no direction? I noticed on the original post it said to always choose a direction, “even if you choose no direction.” Which doesn’t make sense to me. Isn’t no direction not choosing a direction? I’m confused on that one.

But anyway, I’ve often wondered, does the direction in which we swing sometimes cause a negative influence? For example, if we are trying to go the other way with the ball (pressing right on the analog stick with a right handed batter) and the pitch is inside, could this result in weak contact? Or is it more dependent on our timing (which I agree is the most important factor).


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The point I was trying to make in the OP was that you should always actively choose your influence. No influence has it's benefits and costs just like every other influence, so by refusing to actively choose what influence you use in the current count/situation, you are forcing non-ideal swings into those situations.

You should use a no influence swing because you chose to use it based on the count and batter at the plate, not because you can't think of anything else to do. That's the point I was trying to get across.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

The point I was trying to make in the OP was that you should always actively choose your influence. No influence has it's benefits and costs just like every other influence, so by refusing to actively choose what influence you use in the current count/situation, you are forcing non-ideal swings into those situations.



You should use a no influence swing because you chose to use it based on the count and batter at the plate, not because you can't think of anything else to do. That's the point I was trying to get across.

When would be an example of a time you would choose a, “no influence,” swing? When I’m 3-2 I’m almost always swinging down and away or just away, trying to give myself a little bigger window to catch the ball late.


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[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

When would be an example of a time you would choose a, “no influence,” swing? When I’m 3-2 I’m almost always swinging down and away or just away, trying to give myself a little bigger window to catch the ball late.


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I talk about this in greater detail in the guide, but when ahead with a low vision player with lots of hot zones is the ideal time to use the no influence swing. It also can make for a good first pitch swing.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Just for the record, I hit a homerun with a down swing. Pressing straight down on the analog stick, so it can be done.

There are times when I think to myself that somehow downward swings have better results for line drives, shots in the gap and even home runs.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Just for the record, I hit a homerun with a down swing. Pressing straight down on the analog stick, so it can be done.

There are times when I think to myself that somehow downward swings have better results for line drives, shots in the gap and even home runs.

Yeah I use the down influence a ton now, especially paired with a direction. There are a few errors and inconsistencies in the guide, it's just that properly editing it has become a nightmare because it's so huge. It's why I added the Errors and Omissions section at the end.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Yeah I use the down influence a ton now, especially paired with a direction. There are a few errors and inconsistencies in the guide, it's just that properly editing it has become a nightmare because it's so huge. It's why I added the Errors and Omissions section at the end.

As much as I appreciate your guide and your insight, I really, really wish we had some kind of developer stream or description of how it all works. I don’t doubt that you’re into a lot of things in your guide, but at the same time we have to keep in mind that everything we know from the game is simply from playing it and experiencing it, not from actual knowledge of how the game is designed.


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[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

As much as I appreciate your guide and your insight, I really, really wish we had some kind of developer stream or description of how it all works. I don’t doubt that you’re into a lot of things in your guide, but at the same time we have to keep in mind that everything we know from the game is simply from playing it and experiencing it, not from actual knowledge of how the game is designed.


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I have managed to find bits and pieces of info from some of the streams (in particular, the stream about zone hitting) that has confirmed some of the theories in this thread, and others that aren't a 100% confirmation but are further evidence, but yeah, I do wish a dev would pop in and confirm/deny some of this stuff.

Example: The devs confirmed that power ONLY effects bat exit velocity averages, which prior to the stream was something I had already theorized.

With that confirmation, we can infer that the fact that we see higher average bat exit velocities with a pull swing as opposed to a push swing means that the pull swing adds power.

I realize I'm working with scraps when it comes to source information as opposed to guesswork from experience, but at the very least there is SOME confirmation.

[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I have managed to find bits and pieces of info from some of the streams (in particular, the stream about zone hitting) that has confirmed some of the theories in this thread, and others that aren't a 100% confirmation but are further evidence, but yeah, I do wish a dev would pop in and confirm/deny some of this stuff.



Example: The devs confirmed that power ONLY effects bat exit velocity averages, which prior to the stream was something I had already theorized.



With that confirmation, we can infer that the fact that we see higher average bat exit velocities with a pull swing as opposed to a push swing means that the pull swing adds power.



I realize I'm working with scraps when it comes to source information as opposed to guesswork from experience, but at the very least there is SOME confirmation.

Yeah, for sure, and I commend you on your extensive write-up. It’s shows your dedication and love for this game, like so many (myself included) of us have. I make a lot of posts that probably come across and me being nit picky or negative but that’s never my intent. I love this game. It’s so, so close to a perfect sim, which is why I’m always trying to make just a minor tweak here or there. I’m never looking f for huge, wholesale changes.

My only issues are these:

I still don’t walk quite enough batters, and I hit slightly too many home runs and my averages are a little low.

If I could correct these things it would be perfect. The batting averages are the thing I’ve really been focusing on the last month or so. I’ve done a lot of research, reading and testing. But I’m always a little worried to make spider adjustments when everything else works so well.

Right now I am playing with default (5) for human contact, power, timing and solid hits. The only thing I have down one click at 4 is foul balls.

I never want to feel like I’m cheating the CPU.

I’ve been keeping up with how many times I get a hit, a foul ball, a swing and miss, or an out on balls that are perfectly timed, “good.” My skill level on directions has all but peaked, as I’ve played, like many of us, this game for years and years. I’ve played pretty much every baseball game ever all the way back to the old black and green screen PC games in the late 80’s. So I don’t think it will ever be an issue of me just needing to improve user skill. Although I suppose as I’m getting older I could perhaps get worse, but I don’t feel like I’m there yet.

Point of that being, I’m getting, “good,” swings on balls in the zone probably around 80% of the time yet my team average is in the mid-low .250’s. Again, that’s definitely in my, “realm of believability,” but Baez currently sits at .209, Russell at .227, and Zobrist at .229. Almora’s average is sinking like a rock and sits at .255. He was in the .280’s.

I lead the league in home runs by just a bit, can’t remember how many, so essentially I wish I could reduce my home run numbers slightly and increase my hits/batting average. If I can find a way to do that it will be perfect.

What are your slider settings for user batting? I’m really considering lowering solid hits to 4 but bumping contact up to 6.


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[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Yeah, for sure, and I commend you on your extensive write-up. It’s shows your dedication and love for this game, like so many (myself included) of us have. I make a lot of posts that probably come across and me being nit picky or negative but that’s never my intent. I love this game. It’s so, so close to a perfect sim, which is why I’m always trying to make just a minor tweak here or there. I’m never looking f for huge, wholesale changes.

My only issues are these:

I still don’t walk quite enough batters, and I hit slightly too many home runs and my averages are a little low.

If I could correct these things it would be perfect. The batting averages are the thing I’ve really been focusing on the last month or so. I’ve done a lot of research, reading and testing. But I’m always a little worried to make spider adjustments when everything else works so well.

Right now I am playing with default (5) for human contact, power, timing and solid hits. The only thing I have down one click at 4 is foul balls.

I never want to feel like I’m cheating the CPU.

I’ve been keeping up with how many times I get a hit, a foul ball, a swing and miss, or an out on balls that are perfectly timed, “good.” My skill level on directions has all but peaked, as I’ve played, like many of us, this game for years and years. I’ve played pretty much every baseball game ever all the way back to the old black and green screen PC games in the late 80’s. So I don’t think it will ever be an issue of me just needing to improve user skill. Although I suppose as I’m getting older I could perhaps get worse, but I don’t feel like I’m there yet.

Point of that being, I’m getting, “good,” swings on balls in the zone probably around 80% of the time yet my team average is in the mid-low .250’s. Again, that’s definitely in my, “realm of believability,” but Baez currently sits at .209, Russell at .227, and Zobrist at .229. Almora’s average is sinking like a rock and sits at .255. He was in the .280’s.

I lead the league in home runs by just a bit, can’t remember how many, so essentially I wish I could reduce my home run numbers slightly and increase my hits/batting average. If I can find a way to do that it will be perfect.

What are your slider settings for user batting? I’m really considering lowering solid hits to 4 but bumping contact up to 6.


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You probably don't want to turn down solid hits if getting easy popouts or choppers on good timing is your pet peeve. I've been following your discussion on A+S's thread.

You can check out my sliders in the sliders thread, but be warned I'm not a "full sim" player. I play a hybrid simulation and arcade style where I try to keep player differentiation in game while at the same time trying to give more agency to the player with the controller (hence why I call my sliders impact sliders).

Finding parity between the player and the CPU was a big priority of mine, and was really difficult due to the fact that what changes between difficulty levels varies wildly if we are talking about hitting or pitching. It is not 1 for 1.

Anyways, the main point is I keep my averages in check by having a small timing window. I have CPU strike frequency cranked way down which accomplishes two things: it raises the general quality of pitching as pitchers will more often pitch to the corners and less often serve you meatballs, but it also allows for more walks.

I'm not sure what the right choice is for home runs (though you may find with CPU strike frequency turned down you won't get nearly as many pitches that can be home runs) but there are a lot of slider changes I've made that will increase small ball productivity.

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[Gagnon39]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I’ve been doing a ton in practice mode and collecting data on the results from, “good,” timing on pitches. I’ve collected a lot and will continue to do so but I can pretty safely say that, while I originally thought that the success rate on pitches times perfectly wasn’t high enough, it may be okay.

I’m finding, after nearly 100 swings that resulted in, “good,” timing (on balls in the zone) that they fell for hits around 32 to 34% of the time. Meaning that if you’re timing every pitch you swing at perfectly you’d be hitting .320-.340.

Now this doesn’t take into account MULTIPLE other factors but it gives us a good indication of what the success rate is on swings that are timed well. Of course we get hits on just early, just late and sometimes even just late or early swings, so all of those things would factor I to actual average. Along with the player’s ability, their clutch rating if they’re hitting with runners in scoring position, etc.

Again, my, “study,” was simply to figure out (in general) when a pitch is timed well, how often do we actually get hits.


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[Bmarcoux]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Wondering what everyone's thoughts are on directional hitting with no influence. Seems like the best way to play using just players ratings and user timing and pitch selection.