Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

[JWDixon120]

So the title pretty much explains all. I’m looking for some community input on what to do to increase strikeouts from my staff.

I’m using Atlanta and Mike Lowe’s sliders but with quick pitch enabled.

I finished last year bottom of the league in strikeouts, and averaged 5-6 K/9 as a team. Which is almost 2 full K’s less per 9 then last years 2019 averages.

I’m had the 2nd best team ERA so runs allowed isn’t a problem, also gave up league avg Homeruns.

Right now I’m thinking a solution might be bumping difficulty down from legendary to All Star? And upping CPU contact/Power sliders while keeping their timing and foul frequency at 0.

Otherwise the only other solution I could think of is an entire reworking of Vision and K/9 attributes within the entire roster.

[Ace2734]

Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

I know people can be averse to sliders but the reality is, as amazing as The Show is, it is not a realistic sim. This is where sliders do the heavy lifting.

I’m not sure what Lowe’s CPU contact slider is, but I have mine at 3. It was even at 2 at one point. I also lowered foul frequency to 3, though that may currently be 4.

For some additional info, I raised CPU power and solid hits. I’ve done this same approach with my own user hitting sliders. Contact and foul frequency down, power and solid hits up.


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[Caulfield]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

So the title pretty much explains all. I’m looking for some community input on what to do to increase strikeouts from my staff.

I’m using Atlanta and Mike Lowe’s sliders but with quick pitch enabled.


I finished last year bottom of the league in strikeouts, and averaged 5-6 K/9 as a team. Which is almost 2 full K’s less per 9 then last years 2019 averages.


I’m had the 2nd best team ERA so runs allowed isn’t a problem, also gave up league avg Homeruns.


Right now I’m thinking a solution might be bumping difficulty down from legendary to All Star? And upping CPU contact/Power sliders while keeping their timing and foul frequency at 0.


Otherwise the only other solution I could think of is an entire reworking of Vision and K/9 attributes within the entire roster.

probably where I'd start would play on dynamic difficulty so you'd probably hover between legend and all-star. might not wind up having to get into the 'slideritis' game.

[Ace2734]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

probably where I'd start would play on dynamic difficulty so you'd probably hover between legend and all-star. might not wind up having to get into the 'slideritis' game.

I have a PHD in “Slideritis.” (I don’t want it but sometimes you gotta be a hero.)


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[Caulfield]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

I have a PHD in “Slideritis.” (I don’t want it but sometimes you gotta be a hero.)



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yeah, I know a lot of people would rather just play on default and that's fine if it fits your skill level but I'm thankful to have those sliders and wish there were a few more. what I actually started doing a while back was use 3 very different slider sets and rotate through them where I use all 3 54 games a season.

[Roscosuper]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

I don't know, according to countryboy, he has no problem striking the cpu out on Legendary difficulty with default sliders. I can't comment as I haven't started my franchise yet, but maybe it's an approach thing or an understanding and/or implementation of the pitching interface? Maybe he's mastered something or understands something y'all do not.

[TNKNGM]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

I'm not saying my sldiers are better than anyone else.....but in my sldier thread I have the box score from every single game of my season so people can see exactly how things play out

I have plenty of games where my starter records 8+ Ks and my season high was 14 Ks with Chris Sale.

Here is the link to my sliders if you want to try them

https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/mlb-show-sliders/966012-tnk-mlb-20-sliders.html

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[countryboy]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

I don't know, according to countryboy, he has no problem striking the cpu out on Legendary difficulty with default sliders. I can't comment as I haven't started my franchise yet, but maybe it's an approach thing or an understanding and/or implementation of the pitching interface? Maybe he's mastered something or understands something y'all do not.

And I still don’t have any issues.

I use meter pitching for full disclosure.

For me it’s all about trying to keep the hitter off balance, not pitch in a pattern, utilizing the pitcher/batter analysis tool, and understanding what pitches are working for that pitcher on a given day.

It’s hard for me to offer advice to someone that uses quick counts because I don’t use it and therefore can’t share my experiences with it.

My guess is that it’s more difficult to strikeout batters using quick counts because it’s harder to set them up, especially on higher difficulties.




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[Roscosuper]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

And I still don’t have any issues.

I use meter pitching for full disclosure.

For me it’s all about trying to keep the hitter off balance, not pitch in a pattern, utilizing the pitcher/batter analysis tool, and understanding what pitches are working for that pitcher on a given day.

It’s hard for me to offer advice to someone that uses quick counts because I don’t use it and therefore can’t share my experiences with it.

My guess is that it’s more difficult to strikeout batters using quick counts because it’s harder to set them up, especially on higher difficulties.




Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Where would you say you average the "power" or "effect" portion of the meter? I interpret it as the middle being the "norm" and either extremes being the "challenge him" and "pull the string" options respectively.

My philosophy has been to stay in the middle with starters and pick spots to surprise the hitter by going to the extremes. With closers and setup guys (especially hard throwers) who will only throw one inning, I constantly blast away and pull the string as the "surprise". Also, if I double up on pitches, I'll alter the efficacy, I notice the cpu does this.

I also find, especially on Legend Dif, that different levels or types of pitchers have different "norms" and "extremes". For example, with a bronze level pitcher, I reduce his "range" and I'm able to use him a little more effectively. Where as if I use him like I would a "Cole", he gets destroyed. But also, I find with guys like Chapman, I also keep his range low or I'll have the opposing bench yelling at me, even though he's a diamond.

Yes, I think there's a whole other world that isn't explored too often by the "wing it and sling it/grip it and rip it" crowd for the pitcher/batter analysis tool. I mean that's why it's given for a cpu batter, no? They're trying to give you data to interpret so you can make a decision. I don't blame anyone for going to sliders but I think they're missing out on some of the fun that is baseball. Who knows though? But, countryboy you've given me hope that I might find the true dynamics of professional baseball as best you can in a video game simulation.

[Roscosuper]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

It's hard to explain so I thought it might be easier to stream a game. Sorry the first part is missing, as I'm not sure what happened with my internet and it dropped the stream. Kind of a bummer because I struck out two in the first.

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Uh oh, I found a chink in the armor.

If you go to the 14:20 mark of the video when Heidi is highlighting that the Cardinals (your team) are the best in baseball you wind up having the same scenario as the OP of this thread.

As a team - You're both at the top in ERA. At the bottom in Ks and around the middle in HRs allowed. He uses sliders. You use default. It could be a thing.

[countryboy]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

Uh oh, I found a chink in the armor.

If you go to the 14:20 mark of the video when Heidi is highlighting that the Cardinals (your team) are the best in baseball you wind up having the same scenario as the OP of this thread.

As a team - You're both at the top in ERA. At the bottom in Ks and around the middle in HRs allowed. He uses sliders. You use default. It could be a thing.

But its all relevant to what it is noting.

First, the OP stated he is getting 5/6 strikeouts per game with his staff. I have 640 strikeouts thru 84 games which equates to 7.6 per game, which is about 1 strikeout off from real life baseball last year (8.81 per game). The best team in strikeouts in my franchise has 721 thru 85 games I believe, maybe 84, which at 84 games equates to 8.6 strikeouts per game. So its not like my strikeouts are that far off from the best in the league.

Second, I have two starters in my rotation that aren't strikeout guys, Junior Fernandez and Michael Wacha. Fernandez struck out 6 in the game that I just streamed but that is high for him. Fernandez is a pitch to contact guy that averages about 3 strikeouts per outing. Wacha, same type of pitcher these days, averages about 4. My bullpen is also composed of non-strikeout guys in the likes of Corey Littrell and Adam Cimber.

And finally, last year in my franchise I was in the middle of the pack when the season ended in terms of strikeouts (I want to say I was 16th in the majors and 6th in the National League??), somewhere around those numbers. So again, its all relative to what the stats are noting in comparison to the league.

So yes, the OP and I have a similar stat ranking in terms of our ERA rank and strikeout totals, but in the overall view I don't see this as a thing or "chink in the armor". Everything is relative to what its displaying, based on the overall statistical data in which it represents.

[Caulfield]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

But its all relevant to what it is noting.

First, the OP stated he is getting 5/6 strikeouts per game with his staff. I have 640 strikeouts thru 84 games which equates to 7.6 per game, which is about 1 strikeout off from real life baseball last year (8.81 per game). The best team in strikeouts in my franchise has 721 thru 85 games I believe, maybe 84, which at 84 games equates to 8.6 strikeouts per game. So its not like my strikeouts are that far off from the best in the league.


Second, I have two starters in my rotation that aren't strikeout guys, Junior Fernandez and Michael Wacha. Fernandez struck out 6 in the game that I just streamed but that is high for him. Fernandez is a pitch to contact guy that averages about 3 strikeouts per outing. Wacha, same type of pitcher these days, averages about 4. My bullpen is also composed of non-strikeout guys in the likes of Corey Littrell and Adam Cimber.


And finally, last year in my franchise I was in the middle of the pack when the season ended in terms of strikeouts (I want to say I was 16th in the majors and 6th in the National League??), somewhere around those numbers. So again, its all relative to what the stats are noting in comparison to the league.


So yes, the OP and I have a similar stat ranking in terms of our ERA rank and strikeout totals, but in the overall view I don't see this as a thing or "chink in the armor". Everything is relative to what its displaying, based on the overall statistical data in which it represents.

exactly. if you're last with very few strikeouts there's a problem but if you're last or bottom of the league but still have as many as a normal IRL last place team, everything's zen. like if you finish the season in last place at 31-131, something ain't kosher but if you're in last place with a 62-100 record, ''that's baseball''

[Roscosuper]

Re: Still struggling to get more AI strikeouts after 162 game season + postseason.

exactly. if you're last with very few strikeouts there's a problem but if you're last or bottom of the league but still have as many as a normal IRL last place team, everything's zen. like if you finish the season in last place at 31-131, something ain't kosher but if you're in last place with a 62-100 record, ''that's baseball''

No, what I'm worried about is IF (emphasis on IF) there is going to be some sort of "thing" that winds up ruining the game. Like for instance, (I don't remember, maybe in '18), when I lead the league in Wild Pitches both for and against because they couldn't be bothered to put in the work to tune it correctly because the almighty Diamond Dynasty always comes first. So, like every game had 4 or 5 turning points on WPs. My theory for that was it was designed for online play to help losing teams come back (ya know, shrink the skill gap to increase profits philosophy, wink wink) and they didn't properly implement it for offline modes.

The thing is, every year there are "things" that ruin this game. In fact there are still things that have been ruining this game for too long. Ya know, if I do make the the playoffs, the cpu is going to put their 5th starter in game five. There's still no playoff coaching mentality. Actually, club management is about a decade behind. Oh, but there's a new mode for DD called Showdown. In this mode you hit Line Drive Outs until the CPU decides they've wasted enough of your time.

So, what I'm getting at is this: if every reasonably skilled player (one who can win on Legend) ends up with top ERAs and low Ks, then there could be a "thing". And that "thing" is that as this game increases it's levels it doesn't get more sophisticated it just buffs and nerfs because that's the easier thing to do. So, because of lazy buffering, the cpu can operate beyond the parameters of simulation, and thus the "simulation" aspect has failed. Again, there's a new mode for DD called Showdown. In this mode you hit Line Drive Outs until the CPU decides they've wasted enough of your time.

I just played a Play Now game on Legend difficulty. I won 3 to 2. I struck out 2 batters and walked 3. Is that possible? Absolutely! It could be the pitchers chosen, or I chose the wrong pitches or it's just one of those anomalies. Or the cpu's PCI is just too damn big because it was easier than developing more sophisticated algorithms for sim based interaction. Who knows though, but again, there's a new mode for DD called Showdown. In this mode you hit Line Drive Outs until the CPU decides they've wasted enough of your time.