MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

[TheProfessional]

MLB The Show 20 is my first time ever playing this game. So before getting the game, i watched a ton of videos about zone hitting. I figured i saw different tips and tricks i could just pick up the game and start hitting right away. I WAS WRONG.

I was terrible at zone hitting. Trying to identify the pitch, locate it in 1 of 9 different zones, and then time my swing was almost impossible for me. I don't have that kind of reaction time and thumb-eye coordination. I was thinking about just switching to directional to make my life WAY easier.

When i tried directional hitting, i just wasn't getting the hit variety i was getting with zone hitting. Also, directional hitting wasn't as satisfying as zone hitting. So i stuck with zone hitting and experimented with different approaches until i found one that worked for me.

I wanted to share my approach with you. I hope it helps people struggling with zone hitting and i also hope people using directional hitting with give it a try. I think most people use directional hitting because zone hitting was too difficult for them. So if you are one of those people, i hope you give my method a try.


TLDR: New to Show. Could not hit the ball using zone hitting because i have zero thumb-eye coordination. Did not want to switch to directional. Found a way that works for me. I hope it helps you too.


MY APPROACH:

(HOF Difficulty)

To me the hardest part about zone hitting was trying to figure out which part of the strike zone the ball was going to. I was trying to cover the whole plate and swing at any ball that was a strike. I would leave the Plate Coverage Indicator (PCI) cursor in the middle and trying to move it to the ball.

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I was trying to cover 9 zones. So, I basically had a 1 in 9 chance (about 10%) to get that right and then also time my swing. 9 zones felt like way to much to area to cover. I decided i would only try to cover half the plate. Either the inner half or outer half of the plate. Now i only have to worry about 6 zones. In reality, its really only 3 zones because the PCI covers the entire half of the plate (see attached picture). Now i have a 1 in 3 chance to get it right (if the ball is thrown over the half of the plate im covering)

In order to accomplish this i move the PCI slightly to the left or right. So now I'm ready for anything down the middle and whichever half of the plate i decided to cover.

When the pitcher throws the ball, the first thing i usually pick up is whether its going to be high or low. So now i've made it really easy for myself. If see the ball is going to be high, i move the PCI slightly up. If i see the ball is going to be low, i move the PCI slightly down. If i see the ball is neither high or low, i just leave the PCI alone. (see attached picture) Then i try see if the ball going left or right. If the pitch is traveling toward the half of the plate im covering, I time my swing and hit the ball. If the pitch is traveling toward the half of the plate i'm NOT covering, i just let it go by. Sometimes its a ball and sometimes its a strike. The only exception is when its two strikes and i try to stay alive by getting a piece of it.

I apologize if my explanation was a bit confusing. If you need me to clear something i will try my best to do so.

[Cajungodfather]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

I struggled with zone hitting too when I first started playing the show. It's very similar to playing a FPS game, which I'm terrible at. It really just takes practice, imo. I watched countless videos for tips, read what guys were saying, and in the end, it just took patience and practice. I used to do the "start the pci high" thing, but have eventually just started leaving it in the center of the plate, just reacting to what I see out of the pitchers hand. I'm still not great at the game, maybe not even good, but good enough to enjoy playing.

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[TheProfessional]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

I used to do the "start the pci high" thing, but have eventually just started leaving it in the center of the plate, just reacting to what I see out of the pitchers hand.

Not sure if you read what i posted, but i basically offered a different strategy to just leaving the PCI in the center and just reacting to everything.

[canes21]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

My issue with zone is that both online and offline I cannot hit well at all on veteran. However, on All-Star to Legend I can hit pretty consistently with zone.

What has helped me the most is turning my PCI off. I found myself aiming it before and my timing would be all over the place. Now with it off I just react to the pitch. I see low i push low to get the barrel down. I see high, I go high with the barrel.

Also, recently I've started to started to push up and in and that allows me to get to those pitches there and turn on them. It also allows me to adjust to anything else like low or outside which you typically get the barrel to later anyways.

Turning the PCI off has been the biggest help as well as playing with quicker pitch speeds. I just can't hit on veteran.

[callmetaternuts]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

My issue with zone is that both online and offline I cannot hit well at all on veteran. However, on All-Star to Legend I can hit pretty consistently with zone.

What has helped me the most is turning my PCI off. I found myself aiming it before and my timing would be all over the place. Now with it off I just react to the pitch. I see low i push low to get the barrel down. I see high, I go high with the barrel.

Also, recently I've started to started to push up and in and that allows me to get to those pitches there and turn on them. It also allows me to adjust to anything else like low or outside which you typically get the barrel to later anyways.

Turning the PCI off has been the biggest help as well as playing with quicker pitch speeds. I just can't hit on veteran.

Good info. Ive seen something similar, but it’s a good reminder that you can’t and shouldn’t cover the whole plate. Pick a pitch and location and sit.


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[amastop02]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

I've ALWAYS used zone hitting since I started playing the show.

My strategy is to sit on a zone before the ball is thrown. Depending on the player you're batting with (you play enough with one team, you start to learn your batter's zone), their PCI is bigger or smaller depending on their stats. I turn PCI off though. It's really annoying for me to look at in the middle of my strike zone.

I wait for the zone I want (doesn't always pan out) and usually swing with a normal swing (X) at all times. If the count is 3-0 or 3-1, I'll switch to a power swing with my power hitters. When I get to a two strike count, I switch to a contact swing and leave the PCI in the middle. I maybe strikeout 2/10 times and aim for 5 strikeouts or less per game.

This doesn't always work, however, and I find myself saying "why did I swing at that" often, but this is the strategy that has worked for me since I began playing The Show.

For context: I only play franchise. No DD. No MTO. No RTTS. I also play all of my games (pitching and batting with the Angels) and use all Spring Training games to get used to not only the game, but my batters. Gives me the chance to try to fix my team before I start marching to the postseason.

I SUCK WITH LEFTY BATTERS.

[Devildog Frank]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

I also hit much better with the PCI off, as I believe I now concentrate more on the pitch itself than watching a moving PCI.

[hockeyyt988]

MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

Great advice. I’ve always been a zone hitter. HOF, PCI and guess pitch off, pitch speed at 7 (may go to 8 not sure) and strike zone camera.

I also play clean screen so I relied on d pad right to see how comfortable the pitcher is with his pitches. Playing strike zone allows me to see the ball out of pitchers hand, every other camera looks too far away now lol. The show does such an incredible job of mimicking what a slider, fastball or curve looks like, strike zone highlights that.

If no tendency have been developed, I always keep the PCI high inside cause that’s the hardest pitch to get too, especially when it’s a same hand matchup.

If it ends up being a slider down and away, I’ll still have time to adjust.

I don’t really have a set system until I’ve identified tendency. If I’m getting pumped I’ll be aggressive or sit back but I gotta see things before doing so.

I know a lot of guys used directional cause it’s the most stat driven way to play but zone feels the more rewarding and immersive to me.

There’s nothing better then crushing that 3-0 middle in fastball or getting a jam sandwich oppo hot that you barely got to.


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[TnT1tan]

Re: MLB The Show 20 Zone Hitting Guide

Good stuff! I think this approach would greatly help most players who are struggling with PCI. In years past, I always moved the PCI to a certain zone pre pitch and leaving it there. This would allow me to "sit on" something but this year I've been using something very similar to your strategy.

What I've found pretty effective is to put the PCI either high, low, or middle and adjust accordingly. I don't really move it much side to side but just try to adjust vertically and have been pretty successful so far.

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