Ineffective curveballs

[Rmiok222]

I feel like curveballs are almost unusable this year. Anybody else feel like this? If so any tips for me to get better at them? I use classic. I can throw any other breaking balls just fine. Most of my curveballs hang high or miss completely. I find myself completely eliminating the pitch because of how bad it’s been for me so far this year.


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[puckhogg11]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Use the fastball to set up your curveball. Try to aim lower in the zone when you throw them as well.

[bcruise]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Use the fastball to set up your curveball. Try to aim lower in the zone when you throw them as well.

Or don't throw (well, aim), them in the zone period. Once you're ahead in the count, try aiming low and outside and try to get the CPU to chase. Pitches that start in the zone but end up out of it can be pretty effective on 2 strikes.

If there are no runners on, you don't even need to worry about it being in the dirt - the catchers this year are really good at finding the ball and throwing to 1st on dropped third strikes.

The closer you aim a pitch towards the middle of the strikezone, the more chance it has of ending up there. As a pitcher, you really don't want that when you're ahead in the count. So aiming outside the zone makes sense in situations where the pitcher is ahead.

Also: Even if you're aiming the more inaccurate pitches like curveballs out of the zone, you'll still end up throwing them for strikes sometimes (especially on classic pitching). But they're more likely to end up on corners and not in the middle of the plate.

[Godgers12]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Aim the curveballs in the dirt. If you hang one or they catch too much of the plate, the pitcher will be getting a new ball from the ump. If you try to bounce them, it gives you way more margin of error so if it does hang or you mistimed the meter it will still be low in the zone. It also helps to know who your catcher is as well. If you have a good defensive catcher who is great at blocking pitches you can do it more often, but be weary if he is a Piazza type.

Conversely I find that sliders are probably the best pitch in the game. For me anyway sliders away are the toughest pitch in the game to hit.

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[bb9]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

I tend to hang changeups way more than curveballs

[Rmiok222]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

I tend to hang changeups way more than curveballs

Yeah if I hang a change up it typically gets completely crushed lol


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[jcar0725]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

You gotta know how to use em properly.

[bb9]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

You gotta know how to use em properly.

Obviously...

[jcar0725]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Obviously...

Not to everyone, apparently.

[Rmiok222]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Not to everyone, apparently.

I know how to use them “properly” played baseball most of my life.

I was simply stating the curveball seems way more ineffective compared to a slider or slurve. It’s way easier to get a chase or swing and miss with a slider on this game. The curveball is just way less effective in the game. I was asking if anybody had success with it. Obviously I use it properly. It’s not like I’m aiming to throw curveballs chest high in this game on a 2-0 count lol


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[countryboy]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Not to everyone, apparently.

Why not offer tips like others have instead of just saying "gotta know how to use them properly"?

Your post does nothing to help the OP out, and serves no purpose in this thread if you're not willing to expand upon it.

The OP said he's having trouble, asked if others were, and even asked for tips on how to get better at throwing curveballs.

He's asking how to, in your terms, use them properly. Why not offer up suggestions instead of a shallow response?

[Rmiok222]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Or don't throw (well, aim), them in the zone period. Once you're ahead in the count, try aiming low and outside and try to get the CPU to chase. Pitches that start in the zone but end up out of it can be pretty effective on 2 strikes.

If there are no runners on, you don't even need to worry about it being in the dirt - the catchers this year are really good at finding the ball and throwing to 1st on dropped third strikes.

The closer you aim a pitch towards the middle of the strikezone, the more chance it has of ending up there. As a pitcher, you really don't want that when you're ahead in the count. So aiming outside the zone makes sense in situations where the pitcher is ahead.

Also: Even if you're aiming the more inaccurate pitches like curveballs out of the zone, you'll still end up throwing them for strikes sometimes (especially on classic pitching). But they're more likely to end up on corners and not in the middle of the plate.

I appreciate this legitimate response instead of telling me to learn how to use them properly lol. Kudos. Curveball seems tough to aim this year.


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[jcar0725]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

I know how to use them “properly” played baseball most of my life.

I was simply stating the curveball seems way more ineffective compared to a slider or slurve. It’s way easier to get a chase or swing and miss with a slider on this game. The curveball is just way less effective in the game. I was asking if anybody had success with it. Obviously I use it properly. It’s not like I’m aiming to throw curveballs chest high in this game on a 2-0 count lol


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My snarky comment that you quoted wasn't towards you.

But yes I have success with it, but there are so many factors that go into it based on each pitcher and each hitter and each at-bat. I can't just say, this guy has a curveball so it should work. One of the guys on my staff has a curveball but its his 5th best pitch so I rarely use it, but if I use it say, I've thrown 6-8 pitches in the at-bat fastballs and change ups and he keeps fouling everything off, then all of a sudden I throw him the curveball in the middle of the zone, and boom he's done.

[jcar0725]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

Why not offer tips like others have instead of just saying "gotta know how to use them properly"?

Your post does nothing to help the OP out, and serves no purpose in this thread if you're not willing to expand upon it.

The OP said he's having trouble, asked if others were, and even asked for tips on how to get better at throwing curveballs.

He's asking how to, in your terms, use them properly. Why not offer up suggestions instead of a shallow response?

True, I should have elaborated. I did eventually.

[mrsaito]

Re: Ineffective curveballs

I tend to throw many more curves that break away from hitters, i.e. with a right handed pitcher aim inside to a right hand hitter and try and hit the inner half of the strike zone. IRL this is always tough on hitters.

I'd say 70% of the curves I throw are as such and they work okay.