Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

[loso_34]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

I always use an influence and it's mostly based on what I want to do in a given situation and the batter. I genuinely have no idea if it works, but from experience it seems much more effective offline. I think they kind of nerfed directional hitting online to please all the players who think of themselves as PCI snipers.

doubt they nerfed it zone hitting he always led to unrealistic results if the user is skilled.

you wont be hitting .600 with john a mcdonald over a long stretch on directional you can with zone

[Gambo]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

From what I understand what I think most of you are missing is what is meant by influencing the PCI.

In directional the game selects the PCI location, however, you can influence it by directional.

For simplicity the strike zone is this

123
456
789

For example, take a high fastball pitched into Zone2. If you just hit X the PCI will try to center on Zone2.

Now with directional influence..when you zoom in Zone 2 actually looks like this

2U/I--2UP--2U/O
2IN---2---2OUT
2I/D--2DN--2D/O

If you influence to hit a ball in the air (up on the stick) instead of just moving the PCI to 2, it actually moves it more to 2DN to try to get under the ball while staying within zone 2.

I do think the influence is more extreme this year, and I think power and contact swings accentuate this extremity. (HR derby plays alot differently, you almost have more sucess using balanced swings and influencing pulls in the air instead of doing it with power)

I think the key to directional this year is to only use for specific situations and be more careful such as avoiding hitting into doubleplays, against the shift, sacrifice flies.

Now I do want an answer as to what point influencing makes a difference, before the swing or after.

[Gambo]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

Kind of elaborating on the zone 2 situation.

That high fastball in zone 2....we'll assume that the AI PCI moving from center is having going to have trouble reaching that high heat so if you are influencing to hit in the air, the AI PCI is going to already likely going to be under the pitch AND you are focusing on being under...soooo...it is more likely its going to be popped up.

Secondarily, i would't be suprised if the engine ends up making you ahead of the pitch because of your the PCI wants to reach a spot but you are influencing that end spot to be closer to center.

This would explain why trying to pull high and hit in the air ends up with you constantly crushing pitches foul into the stands. You're influencing getting outside of the ball and the engine has sped up your swing.

Now that same pitch...if your trying to hit it down...you likely won't get over the high pitch to knock it down but you may get a line drive out of it. However, because you are trying to get the PCI to get further out from center than the engine wants to it 'slows" your swing. You may not get the ball very high in the air but your bat speed is slower and your exit velocity tanks.

So the better theory to directional hitting may be tailor your swings to counter the pitch...try to get under sinkers, try to get outside of sliders and cutters...

[Fiddy]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

A couple of thoughts here, first, great work on the directional hitting guide and even if it can't all be confirmed, it has given us a reference point to think about.

I actually think of aiming with the left stick as the pitch comes in as zone-hitting lite. In my experience, I have had stretches of scorching the ball when I'm on using this method, but it's definitely not 100% (especially when I start thinking too much about it and it messes with my timing). I'm thinking that aligning with Brian's comments, moving the LS will influence the PCI in that direction so it can be successful when right as it's maybe a higher percentage of better contact (but way off then when wrong). This is obviously similar to zone, but without needing to be as exact and letting the cpu still place the PCI closer to the direction you choose (prevents me from over-shooting like I always do with zone, but more destined by the ratings, a trade-off I'm happy with).

Where I think the guide is right is the timing windows. It seems to me that when I notice I have a game where I'm swinging early on everything, I aim the LS to pull the ball more, and have noticed I start to have more success; same if always late, I start looking to go the other way. If I do this though, I also look for middle-in when pulling and middle-away when looking at the opposite field and will hold the LS from pre-pitch instead of trying to adjust on the fly.

I'll also hold an influence from pre-pitch when my timing gets screwed up from tracking the pitch, but more from a hot zone point of view (Judge likes the ball up, so I hold up and wait for something up high).

These are just a few of the methods I've found success with using directional, and will switch based on how I'm performing with one (I like to think I bring a different game to each, and I have to find what's working for me that day, so to speak). All this of course is all anecdotal (and I'm an average at best player so take it for what it's worth), and I can't confirm if my experiences work as the engine intends it to. It's my way of adjusting with directional, though, and seems to be in line with both what is in the guide and what Brian has said.

I was in a funk yesterday after roping the ball for an entire MTO season and getting to Legend Plus batting with Zone and a PCI set up that is awesome for me on Hall of Fame and Legend (not so much on All Star because its too big and takes up too much screen).

My funk lead me back to this thread that I bookmarked along with TheWarmWind's thread as well and this quote stood out to me. Directional basically being Zone Lite.

Im treating it as such, moving Left Stick as if I'm using Zone and my god am I hammering the ball. I'm seeing hits I never have before on Directional because of how I'm using the Left Stick. Maybe this is placebo, maybe not..

This just cleared my mind and my screen and for now I'm out of the funk.

As for being at a disadvantage on higher levels I can see that, but if I swing at crap because of the PCI moving with Zone and I don't with Directional is that really a disadvantage for me? I think not! LOL

[markor]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

After reading through the whole thread I’ve made a couple of assumptions about directional feel free to correct me if I’ve made the wrong assumptions:

1. LS influences PCI placement in the strike zone(pitch location) and is NOT related to the type of hitter ie. pull, balanced or push.

2. If you choose a PCI influence and the ball is pitched far from that “quadrant” in the strike zone there will be a big contact penalty even with good timing, with batter vision as the biggest factor as to how well the batter adjusts the misplaced PCI. Of course the contact rating playing a big role as well (larger PCI)

3. So if using the LS does not affect swing types or batter types just PCI influence on ball location. For example if I’m trying to stay out of a DP and influence UP and IN but swing at a ball at the knees my batter will NOT lift the ball up but rather hit a grounder with weak contact since I influenced the PCI UP and IN yet the ball came in DOWN AND AWAY?

[Coachwf]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

"There is no mechanic that specifically does this. However, since you have 1 1/2 inputs (timing + '1/2' PCI) instead of 2 (timing + PCI), in a sense this makes timing worth more (it is now worth 2/3 of your success rather than 1/2). In the same way, you could argue that paying attention to hot and cold zones matters more. However, I would guess that there are more important things that come first. There is some general truth to the idea that 'less input means the inputs remaining matter more' but it is not dramatic."

This, along with his other comments, makes me think that ratings factor in more with directional, Vs stick skills mattering more with zone. Obviously, ratings factor somewhat in both, but as an offline franchise player I don't want my skills to make each player's ratings matter less just because I get good with the stick.

From what I'm seeing as I progress with my hitting using directional...1st year player...timing is #1, hot zones #2, and my guiding of the L stick to the ball #3. This seems to align with what he is saying. I haven't tried zone at all though so I'm curious what I'll find when I do. Just don't want all of my players to be closer to the same because of my stick skills. I'm not competing online at all though.

Does this sound right?

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

so it seems i been playing directional all wrong. now it seems from what im gathering if u know for sure where the ball is move the left analog stick. if not just leave it alone and hit the x button

[chuckm1961]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

so it seems i been playing directional all wrong. now it seems from what im gathering if u know for sure where the ball is move the left analog stick. if not just leave it alone and hit the x button

If you are describing something akin to PCI hitting, wherein you try to move the stick to where the ball will cross the plate, I could not disagree more.

My hitting life changed when I went back and read ... (edit: I thought it was a post in this thread, apparently not; I don't have time right now to find it, but maybe someone can link the post I am talking about; a multi-page detailed 'article' about directional hitting).

In which the writer says that for directional hitting, the stick must be placed in a certain direction BEFORE THE PITCH AND THEN HELD IN THAT DIRECTION THROUGHOUT THE SWING.

Once I started doing this, directional hitting came to life for me.

To say direction hitting placement is "unrelated" to type of hit (push, pull, etc.) is completely antithetical to what I have experienced for the past month and one-half.

Here's how I now think and play: "Hmm, I think he will pit me inside. I move the stick (rightie hitter) to the left and up, hoping to pull and elevate the ball. I swing a tiny bit earlier. .... next pitch.... Hmm, I suspect a slider away, that I might be able to take to right. I move the stick up and to the right, and swing just a little bit later."

I have been playing The Show for 15 years, I'm age 58, and I'm quite sane (anticipating being told I am somehow "wrong" for what I am describing). My hitting life has turned around now that I fully understand directional hitting.

[JoshC1977]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

If you are describing something akin to PCI hitting, wherein you try to move the stick to where the ball will cross the plate, I could not disagree more.

My hitting life changed when I went back and read ... (edit: I thought it was a post in this thread, apparently not; I don't have time right now to find it, but maybe someone can link the post I am talking about; a multi-page detailed 'article' about directional hitting).

In which the writer says that for directional hitting, the stick must be placed in a certain direction BEFORE THE PITCH AND THEN HELD IN THAT DIRECTION THROUGHOUT THE SWING.

Once I started doing this, directional hitting came to life for me.

To say direction hitting placement is "unrelated" to type of hit (push, pull, etc.) is completely antithetical to what I have experienced for the past month and one-half.

Here's how I now think and play: "Hmm, I think he will pit me inside. I move the stick (rightie hitter) to the left and up, hoping to pull and elevate the ball. I swing a tiny bit earlier. .... next pitch.... Hmm, I suspect a slider away, that I might be able to take to right. I move the stick up and to the right, and swing just a little bit later."

I have been playing The Show for 15 years, I'm age 58, and I'm quite sane (anticipating being told I am somehow "wrong" for what I am describing). My hitting life has turned around now that I fully understand directional hitting.

Yeah, this is pretty much spot-on from my experiences as well. I see the stick influence a bit like where the barrel of the bat is most likely to go through. This is why you can be influencing inside (a pull swing) and mash a pitch on the outside IF you are out in front of it.

To add a little wrinkle....

I still use no-influence swings a lot as well (no influence IS an influence) and particularly with low vision hitters. I also pay very close attention to my hitters' tendencies. I'll very rarely try to pull a ball with an extreme push hitter and vice versa.

Now upward/downward swings....let's just say that I rarely use upward swings....I have a bad tendency to pop up pitches. BUT, if I am swinging for the fences...yeah, it can work. Downward depends on the hitter. I have hit bombs with downward influence (with guys who have a natural uppercut) but I mainly use it when I HAVE to get a ball in play but want to do it with more gusto than a contact swing.

It's a brutally fascinating interface when you dive into it.

[chuckm1961]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

Yeah, this is pretty much spot-on from my experiences as well. I see the stick influence a bit like where the barrel of the bat is most likely to go through. This is why you can be influencing inside (a pull swing) and mash a pitch on the outside IF you are out in front of it.

To add a little wrinkle....

I still use no-influence swings a lot as well (no influence IS an influence) and particularly with low vision hitters. I also pay very close attention to my hitters' tendencies. I'll very rarely try to pull a ball with an extreme push hitter and vice versa.

Now upward/downward swings....let's just say that I rarely use upward swings....I have a bad tendency to pop up pitches. BUT, if I am swinging for the fences...yeah, it can work. Downward depends on the hitter. I have hit bombs with downward influence (with guys who have a natural uppercut) but I mainly use it when I HAVE to get a ball in play but want to do it with more gusto than a contact swing.

It's a brutally fascinating interface when you dive into it.

Yep, agree with all the above.

I was not writing a full explanation. I just wanted to get across that you have to pick the stick direction before the pitch, and you have to HOLD THE STICK THERE THROUGHOUT THE SWING.

I, too, am extremely situational. Depends on whether hitter is balanced or power. Depends on game situation. Depends on the pitcher repertoire.

[JoshC1977]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

Yep, agree with all the above.

I was not writing a full explanation. I just wanted to get across that you have to pick the stick direction before the pitch, and you have to HOLD THE STICK THERE THROUGHOUT THE SWING.

I, too, am extremely situational. Depends on whether hitter is balanced or power. Depends on game situation. Depends on the pitcher repertoire.

Yup agreed

....it's SO GOOD, isn't it?

[chuckm1961]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

Yup agreed

....it's SO GOOD, isn't it?

Yep, and I cannot describe in words the difference that happened when I learned you have to hold the stick in that direction throughout the swing.

I had never done that in all my years; assumed it was not necessary.

When I started looking for certain pitches in certain zones and holding the stick with certain hits in mind ..... BAM ... it became a whole new game. Even after all these years. My hitting skills jumped 50%, it feels like.

Well, one more thing helped .... 1,2,3 ... 1, pitcher takes ball out of glove, 2, pitcher's foot hits the mound, 3, ball crosses plate. Count 1,2,3, watch and count 1,2,3. My timing and my pitch recognition is fantastic now.

Note ... I am NOT saying the ball will precisely cross the plate on "3". But engaging in that process will lock your eyes where they need to be, and .... it just helps.... try it.

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

so i am confuse i thought brian said maybe i misread that with directional you dont have to aim because if u aim wrong u missing out on an right oppturnity so for directional u dont move the left stick. i thought that was what was said in the other thread.

[chuckm1961]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

so i am confuse i thought brian said maybe i misread that with directional you dont have to aim because if u aim wrong u missing out on an right oppturnity so for directional u dont move the left stick. i thought that was what was said in the other thread.

In my view, having played the game for 15 years and only recently figuring out Directional, it's a lot more subtle than that.

Yes, holding the stick up/left (for rightie) to hit for power is going to/likely to benefit you ONLY IF the ball is on the inner half of the plate and you make a bit earlier contact. Otherwise, it will probably hurt you. Which is why I will TAKE a strike on the outer half in certain situations.

It's like real baseball.

Do I always hold the stick in a direction? No. Sometimes I am just looking to make solid contact and don't want to "pre-advantage/disadvantage" any particular pitch location.

If you want to "play it safe," never use the stick.

However, if you want to see the game really come to life, use the stick.

Why do I say this? Because since I started using this approach AND HOLDING THE STICK IN THAT DIRECTION THROUGHOUT MY SWING, the quality and variety of my hits has skyrocketed.

Also, it's not "aiming." That's an oversimplification.

[JoshC1977]

Re: Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

so i am confuse i thought brian said maybe i misread that with directional you dont have to aim because if u aim wrong u missing out on an right oppturnity so for directional u dont move the left stick. i thought that was what was said in the other thread.

It's WAY more subtle than that.

A no-influence swing is basically like a hitter just trying to cover the whole plate. That's terrific in contact situations but it will rarely yield the optimal results. Using the directional influences is a bit like key-holing your swing. You focused on a ball in a quadrant.

A pull-side influence can favor pitches inside, but you will have to be out in front so the barrel of the bat can get through the zone. You can still get balls to the outside, but if your swing is on-time or not early enough, the bat head will not have time to get to the optimal contact area, which means you can wind-up getting weak contact to the opposite side.

A push-side influence is the opposite (it's a lot like choking-up on the bat). Your swing timing needs to be a bit slower so that you get flush contact with the bat head and spray the ball to the opposite side. If the pitch is outside, this increases that chance to get that solid contact whereas a pitch inside with a push influence could wind up jamming the hitter.

Upward/downward influence is a lot like changing the bat plane as the ball enters the zone. The upward influence induces more of an uppercut swing while downward is a flatter swing. Uppercut swings are more likely to get fly balls, but the optimal swing timing for ideal contact is lessened. So, you're basically selling-out for power. Downward influence will help to maximize solid bat-to-ball contact as the bat plane is more level (which also favors balls down in the zone). While this can lead to more grounders, it's a good way of getting the ball in play. Players with natural uppercut swings still have a chance to go yard with a downward influence if they are out in front.

So yes, while directional influence does correlate to the pitch location, it isn't just "push right to go right if the pitch is in the right quadrants" as the timing of your swing and the player's natural swing type also factor into it.