2019 Player Review Thread

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

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

It's funny because I do the opposite. I sit offspeed and low (because that is where everyone throws them) and adjust for the fastball. I've gotten pretty good at fouling off fastballs.

[DanH35]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

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.

I have both, and Kershaw is a lot better than Ryan. Like mentioned before, if the guy you’re playing has any plate discipline, pitching with Ryan is going to be tough. Kershaw has so many pitches, it’s a lot easier to fool batters with him.

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I also almost intentionally don't do much in the first inning or two, unless I get a cookie. I'll let the other player pick up a strike or two, just so I can see what they go to as a put away pitch. This will REALLY help you in the 5-6 inning when the opponents pitcher isn't as sharp and the stamina drops etc.

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

It's funny because I do the opposite. I sit offspeed and low (because that is where everyone throws them) and adjust for the fastball. I've gotten pretty good at fouling off fastballs.

I have both, and Kershaw is a lot better than Ryan. Like mentioned before, if the guy you’re playing has any plate discipline, pitching with Ryan is going to be tough. Kershaw has so many pitches, it’s a lot easier to fool batters with him.

Kershaw is the one guy I cringe when I have to face. I've probably faced him close to 10x now and I've felt good in 3 of those games. I also can't hit Cy Young for the life of me, which sucks because before I sold him everyone was plastering him when I used him..

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

It's funny because I do the opposite. I sit offspeed and low (because that is where everyone throws them) and adjust for the fastball. I've gotten pretty good at fouling off fastballs.

I think it can definitely go either way depending on the pitcher's arsenal. If it's someone with a blazing fastball I'll do what you do sometimes and sit offspeed and look for the break. If it's someone with less of a velocity discrepancy I usually sit fastball and adjust.

And sitting low in the zone has resulted in so many HRs for me. You can almost lure people into throwing low and then ambush them sometimes.

[truth72]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

100%

I do it alot with fastballs as well. I'll miss them early in games, or intentionally not swing at them. Then suddenly when I've got two runners, I know exactly where he's going to throw it. Kinda pick my spots if you will.

I agree as well, sitting lowball works wonderfully for me. I seem to just miss hit less, often even when I time up a high fastball I fly out to center. If I miss hit the lowball, it's usually still a hard grounder or a nice little liner over the infield.

I feel like some hitters hit better in certain zones. For example if anyone throws a low slider to Donaldson, it's going to get hammered. But I can't square up a high fastball with him. Story is the opposite, can't hit the low ball well, but he destroys fastballs.... It's weird.

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

My bad tendency is to sit low too often. It makes it hard to adjust on the high fastball at times and I find myself flicking down in the zone out of habit even though I track the ball with my eyes to wherever it ends up.

[Mercury112491]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Yeah as soon as I see someone get two or three “good” contacts on balls below the zone, you’re getting 90% of your stuff up. You can’t beat dudes who sit low, but it’s way harder for guys who sit high to adjust in and out.

And my issues isn’t getting good pitches. I can take pitches just fine. But I’m just so damn slow that even when I guess 100% on location and FB I still don’t catch up. I have to literally sell out lol


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[ph33]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

Interesting discussion on where you guys sit in the zone. I tend to watch for the middle first and base everything off that --- maybe that's what is causing my problems.

I tell myself not to go after things low in the zone because it can cause trouble for me (Like going after a slider or change or curve that falls just outside)

But then I think I'm in between where nothing works quite as well. It definitely depends on who you play though. Majority of people will adjust to you so you have to counter, but it seems like with some guys, anything I throw high and inside gets demolished. For others, it's a lower part of the zone.

I know what you mean by catching up, Mercury. I've had the same issues from time to time, although sometimes I can hit it. Probably just my body clock being different.

I just have a hard time balancing patience and attacking. I'll go into a game thinking "gotta keep working the count and be patient" but then I'll work the count and pass up on things I could have hit, and get stuck in a lousy two strike situation. On the other hand, I've been aggressive but maybe I had some well hit balls that go for outs, but then I look up and the opposing pitcher has 20 pitches through four innings and that ain't great either.


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[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I think you should definitely look middle-middle early in the count. If they drop a hook below the zone it should keep you from hacking. If they paint in the bottom of the zone then good on them.

I've been learning that I give opposing players, CPU included, way too much credit and offer at pitches I shouldn't. It doesn't feel like you can really let the ball travel and go to the opposite field reliably which is what I was trying to do. Now for the most part I look middle-middle early and then once the count progresses I'll sit where I feel they're going.

I've even done this moving my last hand off the controller so I can't knock my PCI somewhere it doesn't belong. It keeps me focused on the middle of the zone.

[ph33]

2019 Player Review Thread

I don't have my PCI on, but do you actually sit in a particular spot before you swing?

I had noticed some streamers would always start out in one spot, but it's different for everyone. I tried it but it messed me up so badly. I found myself chasing more. Maybe I just need to get good at it or to sit in a different spot.

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I don't have my PCI on, but do you actually sit in a particular spot before you swing?

I had noticed some streamers would always start out in one spot, but it's different for everyone. I tried it but it messed me up so badly. I found myself chasing more. Maybe I just need to get good at it or to sit in a different spot.

I do at times. Honestly it depends on how I'm feeling and my reaction time that day. Something I tend to do to get my timing down is I bop the PCI down and then back to the middle in time with the pitcher's windup. This helps me time the release point as well as baseline the velocities.

Then of course if they're repeatedly pitching in one spot I will sit there. I know a lot of people will start with the PCI in the bottom of the zone. I've also started with it at the pitcher's release point and tried to do that to track the pitches.

Really I've tried all types of approaches and I'm not afraid to change what I'm doing if it isn't working. It just refreshes the mindset and keeps you from honing in on negative thoughts. Since it isn't mechanical or technical like my real swing I don't have to worry about moving parts. I just have to worry about my eyes and my mind.

[ph33]

2019 Player Review Thread

Then of course if they're repeatedly pitching in one spot I will sit there. I know a lot of people will start with the PCI in the bottom of the zone. I've also started with it at the pitcher's release point and tried to do that to track the pitches.

This is a really good point that I need to keep reminding myself about.

I need to get good at hitting low though. In my experience, I've been crushed when I tried to throw a pitch going out the zone but sometimes it drifts back in and gets smashed. That'll happen to others too and I gotta remember that.

It's helped me sometimes to worry about timing first and placement secondary, but I could also be full of bad advice there lol

[papadell]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

This is a really good point that I need to keep reminding myself about.

I need to get good at hitting low though. In my experience, I've been crushed when I tried to throw a pitch going out the zone but sometimes it drifts back in and gets smashed. That'll happen to others too and I gotta remember that.

It's helped me sometimes to worry about timing first and placement secondary, but I could also be full of bad advice there lol

That's where the card stats come into play. Like I have 83 Gold Jackie Robinson leading off for me because his PCI is huge and has great contact rates. I can keep at-bats alive and get the ball in play even if my timing or placement is off. Obviously hard-hit results will be less reliable without those two factors but we all know how the fielding can be so much like real baseball; get the ball in play and make them get you out.

I think it's really easy to get frustrated in this game because you visually see something happening and then have swing results put in front of you. I think this conflict can really rock us at times and have us focus on things we shouldn't be when we should just focus on the ball.

[Mercury112491]

Re: 2019 Player Review Thread

I’ve tried a lot of things over the years but I always end up coming back to starting with the PCI 3/4 of the way up the zone in the middle. I find that I can drop the PCI faster than I can raise it. Also if I sit low I will literally swing at anything low. I can not lay off anything if i start it low. Sometimes I’ll with the PCI all the way up if I notice the high fastball is his strikeout pitch.


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