Cannot Hit for my life

[boblight24]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

I just started a RTTS after finally buying a PS3 and MLB10 last week and I am loving it! However, like many of you, I am having a very difficult time learning to pick up certain pitches and when I do making good contact. I come from the MVP 'Batter's Eye' camp where you can see what the pitcher is going to throw by the different colors of the ball during his windup. Now I'm like all the rest of the baseball world I have to 'think like a pitcher' when I'm at the plate. My philiosophy, ever since Tony LaRussa 2, is to take until he gets strike 1 early in the game. For some reason though, now I get into this 2-strike panic mode where if he throws the ball straight up in the air I feel like I have to swing at it. But that's another story. Anyway, I'm playing my 3rd or 4th game in RTTS last night and I am struggling. I'm striking out on 3 pitches and basically begging to be benched. I take a moment and start to think like a pitcher. In my 1st AB he starts me off with a 2 seam FB inside, I take, strike 1. Eventually I struck out. 2nd AB, starts me off with a 2 seam FB inside, swing, late, popped up to third. Now I'm starting to get it. I come up again with a runner on and we're down by 1. I say to myself, "he's done it twice and I've either taken the pitch or screwed myself blue so I'm looking for it again." 3rd AB, 1st pitch, 2 seamer inside....2-run Homer! Still a struggle, but one worth dealing with when you have a smart AB.

[Zumi]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

I just started a RTTS after finally buying a PS3 and MLB10 last week and I am loving it! However, like many of you, I am having a very difficult time learning to pick up certain pitches and when I do making good contact. I come from the MVP 'Batter's Eye' camp where you can see what the pitcher is going to throw by the different colors of the ball during his windup. Now I'm like all the rest of the baseball world I have to 'think like a pitcher' when I'm at the plate. My philiosophy, ever since Tony LaRussa 2, is to take until he gets strike 1 early in the game. For some reason though, now I get into this 2-strike panic mode where if he throws the ball straight up in the air I feel like I have to swing at it. But that's another story. Anyway, I'm playing my 3rd or 4th game in RTTS last night and I am struggling. I'm striking out on 3 pitches and basically begging to be benched. I take a moment and start to think like a pitcher. In my 1st AB he starts me off with a 2 seam FB inside, I take, strike 1. Eventually I struck out. 2nd AB, starts me off with a 2 seam FB inside, swing, late, popped up to third. Now I'm starting to get it. I come up again with a runner on and we're down by 1. I say to myself, "he's done it twice and I've either taken the pitch or screwed myself blue so I'm looking for it again." 3rd AB, 1st pitch, 2 seamer inside....2-run Homer! Still a struggle, but one worth dealing with when you have a smart AB.

You will find the cpu pitchers will definitely have consistancy like that. Once you start crushing the ball, you will move on to Legend hitting eventually and beg for mercy, lol.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

What I did was go into practice, and did nothing but watch pitches.

Id select what pitch I wanted to see thrown, and I would then watch it, to guage its speed, break, etc.

Also..only swing at the strike you want to swing it, for as long as you can, inthe count.

Im not going into a Ls vs no Ls debate..but just stay patient and only swing at your pitch, for as long as you are in control of the count.

with 2 strikes, you have to protect, and fight off those borderline pitches.

You'll start driving pitch counts up, and geting more 'meatball' chances.

[fig1918]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

I think the bigger problem with hitting is the camera angle! This is such a great game but it is almost impossible to judge low balls in this game. I really hope they add some custom cameras for next year.

Ya man, I have the same issue and haven't figured out a solution to it. I am a pretty good hitter, but I just consistantly have trouble picking up those low balls.

[boblight24]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

Ya man, I have the same issue and haven't figured out a solution to it. I am a pretty good hitter, but I just consistantly have trouble picking up those low balls.

Some people on the board talk about using the off-set camera or the outfield camera and that works for them, but for me I just can't do it. What's helped me with the low ball are the batting sessions where the CPU throws splitters or sinkers or curveballs. It allows me to see the release point and I know if it starts that high and stays straight it will be a FB or CH up high for a ball, but if it starts high and starts to drop then it's going to be over the plate and hittable and all you have to worry about is the timing. The hardest is trying to protect with 2 strikes because the CPU will throw a 59 foot CB and it looks good and you're think that you HAVE to swing and next thing you know you look dumb and Rex has some smart comment about it. Keep practicing!

[canes1519]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

Ok question, I'm new to the show, finally bit the bullet and gave up on mlb 2k and bought a ps3 mlb the show bundle...love it by the way! Does the left analog stick act as the batter's "eye"? Like do you have to move it to where the pitch is located to make contact? Or is it a swing influence like in other series, i.e down is a groundball and up is a fly ball

[nemesis04]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

Ok question, I'm new to the show, finally bit the bullet and gave up on mlb 2k and bought a ps3 mlb the show bundle...love it by the way! Does the left analog stick act as the batter's "eye"? Like do you have to move it to where the pitch is located to make contact? Or is it a swing influence like in other series, i.e down is a groundball and up is a fly ball

You move the left analog stick to where the pitch is coming into the zone. There is a swing influence option with the right stick where you flick the stick up for a fly ball, down for a grounder, left/right etc. To influence you just flick the stick in the desired direction before the pitcher deals, then you just concentrate with your left stick aiming to hit.

Also to note, the right stick influence option is not a necessary part in the hitting process and should be used as more of a situational tool for sac flys, bunts and pushing grounders to one side of the field, etc.

[boblight24]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

You move the left analog stick to where the pitch is coming into the zone. There is a swing influence option with the right stick where you flick the stick up for a fly ball, down for a grounder, left/right etc. To influence you just flick the stick in the desired direction before the pitcher deals, then you just concentrate with your left stick aiming to hit.

Also to note, the right stick influence option is not a necessary part in the hitting process and should be used as more of a situational tool for sac flys, bunts and pushing grounders to one side of the field, etc.

You say that the right stick isn't a necessry part of the process, is the left stick? Can that option be turned off? That might explain A LOT about why I'm not hitting the ball at all because I've never used the left stick so basically my coverage is the middle of the plate.

[nemesis04]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

You say that the right stick isn't a necessry part of the process, is the left stick? Can that option be turned off? That might explain A LOT about why I'm not hitting the ball at all because I've never used the left stick so basically my coverage is the middle of the plate.

There is a lot of debate on this. Rookie level is purely timing only and veteran for the most part is the same. Technically from all-star up, you are supposed to use the left stick for hitting. There are many who do not use the left stick on the higher difficulty levels and say they have success hitting. I am a proponent of left stick hitting and feel you are awarded better when you make contact with the ball. Also, I only use the contact swing and do not have any problems with extra base hits or home runs. There are many opinions on this!

[daniel80111]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

The problem with hitting in this game is reading pitches. No one on this board can read pitches when it comes out of the pitcher's hand. You can't pick up spin or anything of the sort which really hurts since in real life you can pick up which pitch is being thrown watching the spin of the ball. MVP baseball had it right where I could begin to read pitches. The depth is so hard to read in the show that you have to be sitting on pitches and not reacting to pitches.

[abcabc]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

The problem with hitting in this game is reading pitches. No one on this board can read pitches when it comes out of the pitcher's hand. You can't pick up spin or anything of the sort which really hurts since in real life you can pick up which pitch is being thrown watching the spin of the ball. MVP baseball had it right where I could begin to read pitches. The depth is so hard to read in the show that you have to be sitting on pitches and not reacting to pitches.

yes, that's true... scea should fiddle w/ the foreground/background depth of field focus in/ focus out thing implemented on Madden 2009.

[Shakedowncapo]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

Playing friends on HOF(online) I've never used "batters eye"

I came to the conclusion that nobody is going to paint corners all game and to take advantage of getting myself into "get it over" counts. Nobody has ever picked up on me doing this but if I ever came across a person, I'd adjust accordingly and sit on the pitch they keep putting over in the corner.

[boblight24]

Re: Cannot Hit for my life

Playing friends on HOF(online) I've never used "batters eye"

I came to the conclusion that nobody is going to paint corners all game and to take advantage of getting myself into "get it over" counts. Nobody has ever picked up on me doing this but if I ever came across a person, I'd adjust accordingly and sit on the pitch they keep putting over in the corner.

I hate to admit it, but I had to go back to Veteran in my RTTS dynasty. I was hitting a pathetic .212 and I basically was used as a pinch-hitter for 75% of the season so I couldn't get points to improve my skills.

After switching back to Veteran I adopted a new approach using, most importantly, patience and guess pitch. I don't swing unless I guess both the pitch type and location or unless I have 2 strikes. I have noticed a dramatic turnaround in my approach to hitting and the outcome of my at-bats. I have also noticed a drop in the tension on the controller when I step up to the plate. I've hit several doubles, including a game winner, some triples, some timely singles, and even some productive groundouts. My strikeouts have dropped exponentially because I'm not flailing at a change-up in the dirt on an 0-2 count, it's just a nice groove to be in.