Directional Hitting Guide

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Contact vs Vision Expanded, and why Vision is the most important Attribute

Contact is easy to describe in Directional. It combines with the opposing pitchers H/9 in order to determine the size of a players sweet spot.

Keep in mind that in directional, the PCI that shows up in the swing analysis popup is not your sweet spot. It's meant to give you a general idea of your batters total plate coverage. Their sweet spot is smaller and invisible to you in this mode.

Meanwhile, vision accomplishes two things in Directional.

First of all, it determines how accurately your batter moves that sweet spot around. Imagine if you are zone hitting, moving the PCI around yourself to follow the pitch and put your bat on the ball. When you choose the directional interface, you are basically handing off this task to your batters vision attribute.

Secondly, vision determines how likely it is for your batter to get any contact at all on balls the sweet spot misses. Think of it as a sort of grey area surrounding your batters sweet spot, where contact will still occur, it will just be weak, resulting in fouls, popups, choppers, etc. Obviously having a better chance to put the bat on the ball has massive advantages, especially when trying to work the count back in your favour, but it has a few disadvantages too. Sometimes it's actually better to swing and miss then get contact.

So, because vision is responsible for moving that sweet spot around, it not only plays a major factor in achieving solid contact, but is the ONLY stat helping you get any form of contact. Obviously a higher contact stat will help, as it makes the sweet spot bigger and therefore more forgiving to your vision attribute's mistakes, but vision is the undisputed king of directional hitting.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

The Fallacy of following the Pitch

I've noticed quite a few people in this thread convinced that they need to follow the pitch and adjust as the ball is coming in. This is a fallacy and a trap in Directional hitting.

There have been a lot of debates over what the most realistic batting interface in the show is. Directional? Zone? Analog? They all have their merits and drawbacks.

I would argue that the most realistic hitting interface would be one that combines all three. Analog allows for more accurate swing speed and check swings. Zone makes following the pitch and ensuring good contact manual. And directional allows granular control over the approach and type of swing the batter is going to take. Need to shorten up and focus on contact? Then a push/down hybrid swing might be in order.

Ideally, this control method would be played with a custom controller that had a third control stick taking up half of where the touchpad is. The stick would shift and click into place like a gear shifter, allowing you to set your approach. Then you would use the left stick to follow the pitch and the right stick to control bat speed (heck a trackball might be in order).

Your left stick, the element that is zone hitting, is what's responsible for following the pitch and ensuring solid contact.

Would it be possible to change your approach at the plate as you saw the pitch coming in? Absolutely, but bloody difficult, just like asking a batter to shift their body weight and approach mid pitch would be in real life.

Directional is about having granular control over your approach at the plate, and their is good reason why shifting the approach mid-pitch is a bad idea. You're not following the pitch in, you've handed that duty off to the vision attribute and your timing. Remember timing now has an impact on vision thanks to the precision engine, and THAT'S how you adjust to a pitch in directional.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Unexpected Hits and How Directional Interacts with the new Ball Physics

I've talked about ideal pitch locations at great length, and I've done so to try and maximize your success (and maybe win you a few deeper counts :wink, but you may have noticed that you can still get hits outside of your ideal pitch locations. Being slightly late on a ball towards the outside when pulling can still smack you a solid opposite field homerun. Being slightly early on a ball inside when pushing can still earn you a solid pull field hit. Timing is by far the most important factor in terms of where the ball goes.

It's important to choose a pull swing when you want to pull because of that earlier opening of the timing window. Here's the thing though: When pushing, the timing window opens up just as early as if you chose no influence at all.
When pulling, it closes at the same time as if you had chosen no influence. The only consequence to choosing a push or pull swing are the debuffs, but like I said in the OP the buffs are usually larger that the debuffs. When pushing, you're not eliminating the pull swing, you're just making it slightly more difficult to time, though just as easy as if you had no influence. You're also taking away a little power, but that doesn't eliminate the possibility of a homerun, especially if you got a real slugger at the plate.

Good timing can do a lot to adjust for pitches outside the ideal pitch location for your chosen swing. Your still looking for pitches in your ideal location, because that's where you have the most leeway, the most bonuses, and therefore the most likely success. But it is still possible to adjust to pitches, and that is where perfect timing pays off.

The new ball physics engine has added an interesting wrinkle into directional hitting, and to be honest I'm still in the process of figuring it out. I'll tell you what I know so far though, and that is that high torque swings, like a pull or scoop swing, have a tendency to put more spin on the ball. Balls that would have gone straight as an arrow when pushing are interesting looping liners to the opposite field when pulling. Downward influence can create some interesting spin as well, especially when combined with a push, making it harder for infielders to read where it is going to hop. Not sure how it can be utilized yet but interesting stuff.

[guinness22]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Holy crap how did I not see this thread sooner? Lol. This is awesome. Thank you. Just read the whole thread, and wow great info. I have some work to do!

g22


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[Juve]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

These tips have greatly improved my batting and taking time to identify each pitch and which swing to take

One question though, when it comes to a pitcher pitching very frequently in one direction, is it the best bet to then hold the direction the opposite way to achieve a better outcome?

Ex. If I'm a right handed batter and they keep throwing outside balls, would that then dictate me to use a pull swing? Same for if they kept throwing high balls, would I counter that holding the L3 stick down? Or do other things also come into account?

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[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

These tips have greatly improved my batting and taking time to identify each pitch and which swing to take

One question though, when it comes to a pitcher pitching very frequently in one direction, is it the best bet to then hold the direction the opposite way to achieve a better outcome?

Ex. If I'm a right handed batter and they keep throwing outside balls, would that then dictate me to use a pull swing? Same for if they kept throwing high balls, would I counter that holding the L3 stick down? Or do other things also come into account?

If they keep throwing to the outside, I'd suggest a push swing, as an outside pitch is ideal to take the opposite direction.

If they keep throwing high, then a downward swing will prevent popouts and lazy flyballs (as high pitches are prone to) but also greatly impacts power. High balls can also produce great homeruns.

I highly suggest you check out The Fallacy of following the Pitch section that I just wrote up. While adjusting your approach can lead to more success, it's far better to pick a swing based on the situation and then use your timing to adjust to the pitch.

However, if the situation is that you recognize a pattern in the pitcher (like your example of only throwing outside) then you should definitely load up a swing type that is the most likely to have success.

In general, you want to push balls on the outside and pull balls on the inside.

[Juve]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

If they keep throwing to the outside, I'd suggest a push swing, as an outside pitch is ideal to take the opposite direction.

If they keep throwing high, then a downward swing will prevent popouts and lazy flyballs (as high pitches are prone to) but also greatly impacts power. High balls can also produce great homeruns.

I highly suggest you check out The Fallacy of following the Pitch section that I just wrote up. While adjusting your approach can lead to more success, it's far better to pick a swing based on the situation and then use your timing to adjust to the pitch.

However, if the situation is that you recognize a pattern in the pitcher (like your example of only throwing outside) then you should definitely load up a swing type that is the most likely to have success.

In general, you want to push balls on the outside and pull balls on the inside.

Ok cool. Appreciate it

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[No.27]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I got to admit, I'm not going to tire of hearing these success stories. Glad I could help!

I'd given up on directional this year and switched to zone. I was getting lots of clean hits on zone but missed the variety of miss hits you get with directional. This thread got me interested in directional again. I have combined your tips with Armors sliders and am in baseball heaven. The push down/contact swing late in counts got me at least 4 blooped singles over the infield last night which I enjoyed seeing more than a no doubter. Thanks for one of the most well thought out and interesting threads we have had on OS in ages.

[TrybeTyme]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

So am I the only one who thinks you don't have to hold the left stick the entire time...

In practice mode when I did that it never worked....

I have the indicator off and the camera shift off

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

So am I the only one who thinks you don't have to hold the left stick the entire time...

In practice mode when I did that it never worked....

I have the indicator off and the camera shift off

I think there was a stream back in 15 or 14, when Ramone was coaching a non-SDS guy (I think it was gamespot) and he told him he had to hold it all the way through.

As always I could be wrong, but I'm fairly confident in the information I wrote in this thread. If it were put to a bet, I'd wager at least 85% of it is true, and I'd be betting over 90% if I don't include the wild theories section.

A good way to test these theories (and something I did back in 16) is to muck about with the sliders while testing. When you make the timing window wider, you really notice the expansion when pushing or pulling, since it expands by a percentage amount. Pumping up solid hits all the way will eliminate a lot of the contribution that the batter's attributes commit to the equation, making it more player (you) timing and pitch location based.

When you're pumping out more positive results, it's easier to see the trends the different hitting choices make, and also the difference between when an influence is chosen and isn't. I don't recommend playing like this, but if you need to see the difference for yourself to believe, this is what I suggest you try.

[TrybeTyme]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I turned on the indicators to mess around with it in game..

I hold the direction prepitch and the indicator lights up then it goes away after a few seconds. I then let go... pitch comes in and I hit it THAT DIRECTION. I thought it was beginners luck so I did it again, and again and again... I'd say through 5 innings 65% of the hits went the direction I chose pre pitch. The rest I swung and missed at or I guess wrong at the pitch so my direction was the wrong way causing an out.

Also I noticed as the pitch is coming in with the indicators on you can still choose a direction.. If we can get some testing done on that to see if you can choose it as the pitch is coming in it really makes directional easily the most simulation like of the hitting interfaces. You can sitt on a pitch inside and then see that the pitcher threw it outside and you can change your direction to the right and try and slap in an opposite field hit etc etc.

I think there was a stream back in 15 or 14, when Ramone was coaching a non-SDS guy (I think it was gamespot) and he told him he had to hold it all the way through.

As always I could be wrong, but I'm fairly confident in the information I wrote in this thread. If it were put to a bet, I'd wager at least 85% of it is true, and I'd be betting over 90% if I don't include the wild theories section.

A good way to test these theories (and something I did back in 16) is to muck about with the sliders while testing. When you make the timing window wider, you really notice the expansion when pushing or pulling, since it expands by a percentage amount. Pumping up solid hits all the way will eliminate a lot of the contribution that the batter's attributes commit to the equation, making it more player (you) timing and pitch location based.

When you're pumping out more positive results, it's easier to see the trends the different hitting choices make, and also the difference between when an influence is chosen and isn't. I don't recommend playing like this, but if you need to see the difference for yourself to believe, this is what I suggest you try.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

I hold the direction prepitch and the indicator lights up then it goes away after a few seconds. I then let go... pitch comes in and I hit it THAT DIRECTION.

Timing is what determines the direction the ball goes. Having an influence just comes with benefits and costs. I suggest you check out the fallacy of following the pitch section I wrote a few posts ago. Might want to read the surrounding two subjects as well. Hopefully that will clear up the confusion.

Edit: Yeah you probably want to read all three posts.

[TrybeTyme]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Timing determines where the ball goes yes... but you know what determines it more? Direction. Did you ever play baseball? My guess is no since you cant comprehend basic physics of the sport

Timing is what determines the direction the ball goes. Having an influence just comes with benefits and costs. I suggest you check out the fallacy of following the pitch section I wrote a few posts ago. Might want to read the surrounding two subjects as well. Hopefully that will clear up the confusion.

Edit: Yeah you probably want to read all three posts.

[SilverBullet1929]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Timing determines where the ball goes yes... but you know what determines it more? Direction. Did you ever play baseball? My guess is no since you cant comprehend basic physics of the sport

He's talking about how to play this video game not about the real physics of the actual sport. What an ignorant post.

[TheWarmWind]

Re: Directional Hitting Guide

Timing determines where the ball goes yes... but you know what determines it more? Direction. Did you ever play baseball? My guess is no since you cant comprehend basic physics of the sport

Look man, you don't have to buy what I'm selling. I'm ok with that. I'm just volunteering my time to help people with a particular interface in MLB the Show. I'd love some constructive criticism and debating that furthers the goal of helping people utilize and enjoy the mode, but we don't need direct attacks and elitism in this thread.