Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

[Jr.]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

The CPU has sac bunted twice vs me so far and both were fielded by the second baseman on the grass/dirt cut. One went for a bit, the other was an out at first.

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[Unlucky 13]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

I guess having 3 separate game modes still doesn't allow them to tune the bunts on simulation to actually behave like real bunts. It's ridiculous they've destroyed bunting in the game because they had no idea how to fix it from being exploited online.

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I totally agree that its incredibly stupid and frustrating. The further we go, the more the offline franchise gamers suffer for the other aspects in the game.

I'm still playing 20, and won't be upgrading unless I get a PS5. But along with the bunts being far, far too powerful, straight back to the pitcher or a popup, the game has also screwed up baserunning when you bunt.

I play NL ball, and traditionally if I get my #8 hitter to second back with no outs, then I'm going to have my pitcher bunt down the first base line and have the guy on second move to third, and then hopefully he can at least score with a deep fly or a slow grounder by the leadoff hitter.

But the dummies refuse to run to the next bag now, no matter how good of a bunt it is, unless I have them try to steal. And of course, that's a huge gamble given how often the bunts go poorly. So I watch a perfect bunt go down the line and they just stand there and do nothing while I waste an out. And my attempt to score a strategic run with my 8-9-1 hitters goes kaput.

[Jr.]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

I totally agree that its incredibly stupid and frustrating. The further we go, the more the offline franchise gamers suffer for the other aspects in the game.

I'm still playing 20, and won't be upgrading unless I get a PS5. But along with the bunts being far, far too powerful, straight back to the pitcher or a popup, the game has also screwed up baserunning when you bunt.

I play NL ball, and traditionally if I get my #8 hitter to second back with no outs, then I'm going to have my pitcher bunt down the first base line and have the guy on second move to third, and then hopefully he can at least score with a deep fly or a slow grounder by the leadoff hitter.

But the dummies refuse to run to the next bag now, no matter how good of a bunt it is, unless I have them try to steal. And of course, that's a huge gamble given how often the bunts go poorly. So I watch a perfect bunt go down the line and they just stand there and do nothing while I waste an out. And my attempt to score a strategic run with my 8-9-1 hitters goes kaput.

Try bunting down the 3rd baseline so the 3rd baseman fields the ball and has to vacate the base. That should get the runners to advance on their own. Bunting it down the first baseline is what the defense wants you to do because the first baseman is charging and can field and make a throw to 3rd.

[canes21]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

I went into practice mode and first played out a scenario with a man on 1st and was trying to bunt him over using Christian Pache. I didn't keep the tally permanently, but there was what I would consider too high of an amount of bunts that were too hard and allowed the defense to get the lead runner thrown out. Pache was too quick to turn 2 on, but they tried plenty of times.

I then went into the batting only mode, made the pitcher throw only strikes and about one quarter of all bunts were hard enough they reached the outfield grass or were going to before it cut to the next pitch on it's own. Well over 50% of fair bunts made it to the dirt.

They need to 1) make it harder to bunt. You're basically guaranteed contact on every bunt attempt on any ball near the zone, and 2) at least on simulation make the bunts more realistic and just sit around the plate. In real life a hard bunt is one that gets halfway up the baseline. In this game the average bunt reaches the dirt on one or two bounces. It's insane how hard they come off of the bat.

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[Unlucky 13]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

Try bunting down the 3rd baseline so the 3rd baseman fields the ball and has to vacate the base. That should get the runners to advance on their own. Bunting it down the first baseline is what the defense wants you to do because the first baseman is charging and can field and make a throw to 3rd.

I've tried that too, and the baserunner on second still seems too afraid to move. Since assisted base runner became broken a few years ago, I've switched to Auto, and no matter if the bag is completely open, they still won't run to it.

The changes to bunting have also taken away my ability to bunt down the 3rd base line if they use a defensive shift against a lefthanded power hitter. In the past, when they did that, I'd sometimes just take the offer and get an easy single out of it. Heck, sometimes it would keep rolling and I'd get a comical double. But now that's basically impossible.

[Therebelyell626]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

I was lucky to have a friend let me use his copy since I refuse to buy this year. He is in law enforcement and does two 12 hour shifts followed by two days off, so with the family and everything not a whole lot of time to play.

My observations is that bunting is worse this year than any year I can remember. Rocket bunts are still there, and even with using hit influence (directional) the bunt Amish never goes where you try and put it. I have tried 11 sacrifice bunts with a runner on second and have had these results.

1 successfull sacrifice bunt
8 double plays due to rocket bunt
2 strike outs due to the ball shooting way foul due to rocket bunt.

I have had more success with sacrifice bunts with a runner on second however and no one on first. Out of 6 tries.

2 successful sacrifice bunts
2 times man thrown out at third
1 double play
1 strike out. My guy just completely missed the bunt even though it was in the zone

[Jr.]

Re: Why is every bunt a rocket this year?

I've tried that too, and the baserunner on second still seems too afraid to move. Since assisted base runner became broken a few years ago, I've switched to Auto, and no matter if the bag is completely open, they still won't run to it.

The changes to bunting have also taken away my ability to bunt down the 3rd base line if they use a defensive shift against a lefthanded power hitter. In the past, when they did that, I'd sometimes just take the offer and get an easy single out of it. Heck, sometimes it would keep rolling and I'd get a comical double. But now that's basically impossible.

Assisted running is broken? I haven't noticed that in all the years I've played.

I never bunt so I didn't even know you could influence it to first. Weird you can't influence it to third

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