2019 Player Review Thread

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Awhile back I switched to the 'strike zone' camera view. It takes the view of the batter pretty much out of the equation. I had the same issues you did with specific stances etc, this really helps with that.

JD is an absolute beast, I think he'll probably end up going back up to diamond at somepoint throughout this year. His defense has recovered and hopefully will get an upgrade (his hitting stats are already there). I'm anticipating getting the Miguel Cabrera (2011 Tigers card) out of the 2nd inning program, so Donaldson will likely move to first base for me.

Posey isn't going to set the world on fire for you. I'm hitting around 260 with him, he's chipped in a few homeruns. He does hit lefties quite well. For me, he's a solid option at a position that doesn't have a lot of them. I've run into tons of teams that are using Santiago, but I don't think I've given up a hit to him. You have to do what works for you, just don't put yourself in a situation that you're regretting in a few weeks because you wanted to sell him for 14k. He's not Trout or someone that you're going to be able to build a whole team out of with the stubs you got.

I've tried strike zone hitting but I just can't do it. I'm sure if I just kept grinding I would get used to it but I didn't feel like I was getting a good view of the ball. I faced Verlander today using it and I struck out like 15 times because I couldn't pick up his slider. My opponent just kept burying sliders and I couldn't lay off because he mixed in enough fastballs at the knees that I could not tell the difference. I know Verlander is a beast but I know I can do better than that.

Primarily I've been using The Show 15 with pretty good results. After really struggling to hit this morning I went into BP and messed with custom cameras and I think I found something I like for now. It's The Show 16 but slightly tilted to give me a better look out of the hand and I definitely feel like I was able to see the ball better. Gonna roll with this for a while and see how I like it.

The Posey situation is weird for me. Like stat wise he's not THAT much better than Santiago offensively he just has more pop. I got on base with Santiago at a decent clip but that was mostly Conquest so who knows how he would play online. I'm not gonna snap sell Posey and I didn't lock him in just in case I do want to make a change. I would swap him out for a while and see how I hit with Santiago before selling.

And I think I decided I'm gonna pony up to finish the Yankees collection. I pulled Judge early and I've been doing exchanges for Gold packs and I pulled every single Gold Yankee except Paxton and Severino. I bought Paxton in case he spikes this weekend even though I don't see that happening. Worst case I don't think I end up losing too much. Severino I have a buy-order with the rest of my stubs and if I'm able to get him at that price awesome. If not I'll end up just getting him at market value but leaves only Chapman and Stanton. Gonna wait and see what happens Friday before making any purchases though and see if I can get them cheaper.

Chapman would potentially bump Alvarado although he's done well enough. Honestly I really like my pen and not sure who I would even bump. Would seem a waste to buy Chapman and not use him. Stanton probably goes to the bench as a power bat although I would consider bumping Griffey for him.

Really I just want that Robinson Cano card. I love hitting with the LS card and the AS version is better in every way. I bumped Albies for Cano and immediately starting hitting with him again so I think this is the plan. This works for my team better than just buying Freeman to finish the Braves. I've been scared off from Spahn because of the windup and I have Bellinger already who should get a healthy bump.

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I think that's the biggest thing, being willing to grind with something until it works. I still struggle a bit with pitchers that have a good change up. But I also hunt lowball and look off speed unless I know of a pattern.

The Cano card would certainly play, a left handed power bat at second base would certainly open up a number of possibilities. The collection I'm closest to is the Rockies one.. only missing Arenado.. LOL.

Bellinger is going to go Diamond, maybe not this update (POTM card) but it will happen on the 17th at the latest!

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I think that's the biggest thing, being willing to grind with something until it works. I still struggle a bit with pitchers that have a good change up. But I also hunt lowball and look off speed unless I know of a pattern.

The Cano card would certainly play, a left handed power bat at second base would certainly open up a number of possibilities. The collection I'm closest to is the Rockies one.. only missing Arenado.. LOL.

Bellinger is going to go Diamond, maybe not this update (POTM card) but it will happen on the 17th at the latest!

I might be trying to translate my real world baseball skills too much haha. I was a really good hitter and pitcher so sequencing is something I tend to do well and pickup on. So as long as I'm picking the ball up in game I can at least stay on the ball and work walks. When I switched to strikezone I couldn't see ANYTHING and it was embarrassing haha. It takes me an inning or two to really time out the pitcher when I'm seeing the ball. This new camera feels really good so I'm hoping this will help push me forward as I keep playing.

I've never played The Show online before and this is the first I've really played in 10 years. Started 6-0 in Ranked before losing the next 2 and currently sitting at 10-4. Really just looking to keep grinding and hone my skills. I dig my team for the most part so I'm really pushing into it.

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Yeah, baseball knowledge will certainly help you. A lot of players have patterns they aren't even aware of. I played a guy last night who was literally throwing breaking ball, breaking ball, high fastball, everytime. I picked up on it in the second or third and was all over him.

Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason to anything. I throw high breaking balls every once in awhile, because its sets up a high out of the zone fastball later (they seem to think the fastball is going to drop into the zone). But that something you would never do in real baseball.

Online is a mixed bag, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is don't be afraid to walk someone. I'm going to say 75% of the people who play this game are trying to hit, which means they're swinging at borderline pitches all the time. I'll attempt to aim a little off the black, if it leaks back then it's not leaking back over the middle, if that makes sense. And most of the time I'll get them to swing. Mistakes REALLY get punished in this game, because a number of people play with directional hitting, so they're squaring up anything in the middle.

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Yeah, baseball knowledge will certainly help you. A lot of players have patterns they aren't even aware of. I played a guy last night who was literally throwing breaking ball, breaking ball, high fastball, everytime. I picked up on it in the second or third and was all over him.

Sometimes there's no rhyme or reason to anything. I throw high breaking balls every once in awhile, because its sets up a high out of the zone fastball later (they seem to think the fastball is going to drop into the zone). But that something you would never do in real baseball.

Online is a mixed bag, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is don't be afraid to walk someone. I'm going to say 75% of the people who play this game are trying to hit, which means they're swinging at borderline pitches all the time. I'll attempt to aim a little off the black, if it leaks back then it's not leaking back over the middle, if that makes sense. And most of the time I'll get them to swing. Mistakes REALLY get punished in this game, because a number of people play with directional hitting, so they're squaring up anything in the middle.

I've definitely learned to feel comfortable walking. Part of the fear was teams stacking guys like Henderson at the top and just running wild but then I learned about the snap move to first. Picked off a Henderson today and caught him on a pitchout then he quit after I doubled in a run the next inning.

But I love pitching. When I'm really in a groove and hitting my spots and executing my gameplan it's so rewarding. That's why the lag and framerate stuff is so disappointing when it happens. Just doing stuff like dancing cutters off the plate to try and induce weak contact and watch them take it. Then come right back with a fastball on the black to freeze them. That's what I live for haha

[ph33]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I started slow with Frank, but I’ve been crushing the ball with him lately. I learned for some reason, he doesn’t hit high pitches all that well, so I try to lay off those pitches as much as I can. I hold the stick slightly down and wait for the pitch low-middle in the zone. As long as I don’t get fooled on the speed of the pitch, it’s usually a solid hit. I’ve raised his average almost 70 points since I began this approach.

You were indeed correct. Frank been finally beasting for me

[ph33]

2019 Player Review Thread

Anyone have a good grip on how AS Kemp is? I haven't faced him much


My outfield is Ichiro, lofton, trout. Trout stays for sure. Not sure who, or if I should even replace either Ichiro/Lofton with kemp. Lofton hits a little better for me and is slightly faster than ichiro, but he has a noodle arm. Ichiro is a great defender and gets on base a good amount for me too but Lofton has a better obp for me.

Kemp will have better power than both but worse speed and D, but he's still decent there. Pretty tough to figure who to take out when it seems like Ichiro and/or Lofton are always getting on base and playing good D. But if i can turn some of their singles and stuff into doubles/homers, then maybe it's worth it

Might also just take kiner to be an elite bench bat

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I've got Kemp leading off for me and so far I like him there. I've played against Lofton and Ichiro a million times and I never really worry about either of them getting me for more than a single, or a walk. Kemp makes good contact. I've only played about 3 games with him, but he's hit for extra bases in each game (no homers yet all doubles). His defense is solid, good arm. It's really a wash he's going to have more power and less speed than both. Worse D then Ichiro. I think it comes down to if you want the right handed power bat, or the left handed speed?

[Mercury112491]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

How’s that Mad Bum card? Haven’t faced him at all? Thinking I’ll just sell this season’s boss to go towards getting Pudge unless he’s as good as that Kershaw card


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[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Kemp continues to play quite well for me, I'm actually happy with the choice right now. I don't think I've ever seen Ichiro hit anything more than a single and Kemp seems to offer significantly more pop. Hit my first dinger with him yesterday. I'm going to take Gwynn with my Signature card, so I felt like Ichiro was the poor mans Gwynn.

Everyone has Kershaw or Ichiro and I find that the more times I see Kershaw, the less of an issue I'm having against him. I played against him 3x yesterday, got schooled in game 1, game 2 was close and I won by a blow out in game 3. In a few weeks, his repertoire is going to be easy to spot just given how often we'll have all faced him.

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

That's part of the reason I considered taking Ryan. But I was stubborn and took Kershaw for the control and figured I just need to pitch well and not be predictable.

Ichiro took me deep the first time I faced him [emoji23]

[ph33]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

How’s that Mad Bum card? Haven’t faced him at all? Thinking I’ll just sell this season’s boss to go towards getting Pudge unless he’s as good as that Kershaw card


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Eh, I never feel "**** I gotta deal with this guy" when I see MadBum. I'd go after Pudge.

I've been trash with Nolan lately, but he's still someone I hate facing...although playing him late in the night when you're tired probably doesn't help. I couldn't catch up to his fastballs but my opponent has no problem smashing mine when they're in the zone. If you play someone with really good plate discipline, Nolan becomes a lot tougher to use, he's just really hard to hit edges with (They tend to veer out while Kershaw's will stay in the zone)

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Eh, I never feel "**** I gotta deal with this guy" when I see MadBum. I'd go after Pudge.

I've been trash with Nolan lately, but he's still someone I hate facing...although playing him late in the night when you're tired probably doesn't help. I couldn't catch up to his fastballs but my opponent has no problem smashing mine when they're in the zone. If you play someone with really good plate discipline, Nolan becomes a lot tougher to use, he's just really hard to hit edges with (They tend to veer out while Kershaw's will stay in the zone)

I'd agree with this assessment of Nolan. I played against him a couple of days ago I singled with my leadoff batter, followed by two walks on about 9 pitches. Knew he was going to have to throw a strike, sat 0-0 heater, grand slam on the first pitch. The guy promptly rage quit.

I've never had a single issue facing Nolan, but you're right, I just key hole low or high fastball. He has no control and is going to leak some over the plate almost every inning. Kershaw is very much the opposite unless the opponent has trouble locating or something.

[Mercury112491]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Ugh if I could hit a fastball at all I’d be a WS player


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[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Ugh if I could hit a fastball at all I’d be a WS player


Sent from my iPhone using Operation Sports

Take pitches and gauge the speed and then hunt fastballs in the zone. You can adjust to the offspeed