The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

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  • VonD
    Banned
    • Jun 2011
    • 231

    #91
    Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

    Decided to enter game 2 of my series against the Rays taking a lot of pitches. Fortunately Hellickson was not throwing strikes.

    His line for the day:

    3.2 IP 3 H 4 ER 7 BB 91 NP

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    • Juiceman612
      Rookie
      • Sep 2008
      • 89

      #92
      Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

      I just read about 95% of the 10 pages here. Great thread. The only thing I can add has been said many times on these forums, but not sure I read it in this particular thread - don't be afraid to strike out looking. I've become a much better hitter after losing fear of the backwards K. I don't chase as much anymore because of this.

      And love the bullpen stories here - it's amazing how realistic this game is when you read all these responses about managing your bullpen properly - and starters as well; pitch counts, etc. Threads like this remind me of how awesome this game is...not that I really need reminding.
      NHL, Madden, The Show, and a big Minnesota sports fan.

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      • wisdom less13
        Pro
        • Jun 2005
        • 992

        #93
        Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

        Just had a classic with the Braves with my METSies. Young went 7 strong giving up one due to a Reyes error on a double play ball which caused a run and the inning to continue. I brought in Byrdak who pitches 2 innings out of the pen to keep in in extras, and Frankie gave up a leadoff double, and a walk-off single to Uggla in the 11th. Had Jair work, but couldn't cash in. Botched squeeze attempt in the 9th really killed me. I'm gla the pen moves really paid off. Took several backwards Ks as I was seeing the black painted...game 2 now.
        METS. NY FOOTBALL GIANTS. PENGUINS. HURRICANE FOOTBALL. LEBRON.

        Franchise Mode Enthusiast.
        Watch Me Suck at video games...

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        • Geronimo22
          Pro
          • Apr 2011
          • 893

          #94
          Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

          Originally posted by Juiceman612
          I just read about 95% of the 10 pages here. Great thread. The only thing I can add has been said many times on these forums, but not sure I read it in this particular thread - don't be afraid to strike out looking. I've become a much better hitter after losing fear of the backwards K. I don't chase as much anymore because of this.
          I understand where you're coming from and I used to believe the same thing of "not being affarid to strike out looking", but I think that's a formula that is wildly inconsistent and will get you beat! Really what's going to help you win games is the concept of not chasing early in the count and not chasing pitches way of the strike zone at any point in the count.

          Now when it comes to 2 strike counts, if you can win those battles, it will help you win games. The trick is you have to change your mindset.

          In general if you're in a 2 strike count, you can't take a pitch close to the strike zone. Don't let the ump decide for you (especially the erratic umps in this game). You should be using contact with all your hitters, and be trying to fight off those anything in the zone to 1 ball to 1 1/2 balls outside the strike zone. That's not considered chasing, that's being a smart hitter.

          Think about it...Nothing makes a pitcher more confident, faster, than getting a backwards K. Plus he probably only used 3-4 pitches on you, so he hasn't used a lot of energy. And if you can battle long enough, you will get the pitcher to make a mistake and throw a hanger and/or you can raise his pitch count.

          The only time I only don't mind being called out on a strike 3 if he throws a pitch I never seen before to that batter.
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          • Armor and Sword
            The Lama
            • Sep 2010
            • 21798

            #95
            Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

            Absolutely.

            Battling back from an 0-2 or 1-2 count to make it a full count and going further making it a 7,8 pitch battle is a huge key to wearing down a pitcher, or better yet getting him to cave in and throw a meatball fastball or hanging curve or slider and you make him pay.

            Even when I battle back from a deep pitchers count and if it results in an out...the fact is the more easy outs you limit your team to the quicker you can chase a pitcher out of the game or at the least limit an aces confidence.
            Now Playing on PS5:
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            • Geronimo22
              Pro
              • Apr 2011
              • 893

              #96
              Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

              I have a tip that's been helping me...

              Before a franchise game find out who is pitching for the opposing team, back out and go into batting practice mode. Just watch that pitcher throw his arsenal at you both the timing drill and discipline drill (you can swing if you want). It's like a MLB player watching film on a pitcher so you know his pitches and how they react. I also choose which camera views I'm going to use vs that guy. It's helped me get off to better offensive starts.
              Last edited by Geronimo22; 06-25-2011, 11:21 AM. Reason: spelling
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              • Armor and Sword
                The Lama
                • Sep 2010
                • 21798

                #97
                Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                Originally posted by Geronimo22
                I have a tip that's been helping me...

                Before a franchise game find out who is pitching for the opposing team, back out and go into batting practice mode. Just watch that pitcher throw his arsenal at you both the timing drill and discipline drill (you can swing if you want). It's like a MLB player watching film on a pitcher so you know his pitches and how they react. I also choose which camera views I'm going to use vs that guy. It's helped me get off to better offensive starts.
                I have never thought of that.

                I will try that out....very nice suggestion.
                Now Playing on PS5:
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                • Geronimo22
                  Pro
                  • Apr 2011
                  • 893

                  #98
                  Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                  Originally posted by Armor & Sword
                  I have never thought of that.

                  I will try that out....very nice suggestion.
                  Wait I have something to add to that!!! LOL

                  I want to add that the recognition actually serves a good purpose too (I always thought it was a waste of drill).

                  Learn what his hangers look like! Don't even worry about the drill goals, just sit back and watch what his offspeed pitches look like high in the zone. In that drill the pitcher throws all his pitches for strikes high in the zone. You can practice swinging at hangers and leave the fastballs alone too!
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                  • HustlinOwl
                    All Star
                    • Mar 2004
                    • 9713

                    #99
                    Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                    Originally posted by Armor & Sword
                    I have never thought of that.

                    I will try that out....very nice suggestion.
                    Da_Czar had some good videos suggesting this back in 09

                    http://www.operationsports.com/forum...ting-tips.html

                    Comment

                    • HechticSooner
                      Pro
                      • Jul 2008
                      • 569

                      #100
                      Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                      This is a great thread with a lot of great suggestions in it. Something that I would add and I know that it sounds like a duh thing but I never did it till last year. Towards the end of the game try to throw pitches that look the same but aren't. That fb first pitch is good but follow that with a slider that starts in the exact same spot or a change both of which should end up anywhere other than the zone. These types of setups seem to really get the ai late when they get more aggressive. Then on the third strike reverse that start with something that falls out the zone and follow it with something that looks the exact same but ends in the zone on the paint. This of course is something that won't work every time so I tend to save it for those must have situations.
                      Originally posted by theengine
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                      • Heroesandvillains
                        MVP
                        • May 2009
                        • 5974

                        #101
                        Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                        Originally posted by HechticSooner
                        This is a great thread with a lot of great suggestions in it. Something that I would add and I know that it sounds like a duh thing but I never did it till last year. Towards the end of the game try to throw pitches that look the same but aren't. That fb first pitch is good but follow that with a slider that starts in the exact same spot or a change both of which should end up anywhere other than the zone. These types of setups seem to really get the ai late when they get more aggressive. Then on the third strike reverse that start with something that falls out the zone and follow it with something that looks the exact same but ends in the zone on the paint. This of course is something that won't work every time so I tend to save it for those must have situations.
                        This is very good advice and a strategy I use often.

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                        • Bobhead
                          Pro
                          • Mar 2011
                          • 4926

                          #102
                          Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                          Originally posted by HechticSooner
                          This is a great thread with a lot of great suggestions in it. Something that I would add and I know that it sounds like a duh thing but I never did it till last year. Towards the end of the game try to throw pitches that look the same but aren't. That fb first pitch is good but follow that with a slider that starts in the exact same spot or a change both of which should end up anywhere other than the zone. These types of setups seem to really get the ai late when they get more aggressive. Then on the third strike reverse that start with something that falls out the zone and follow it with something that looks the exact same but ends in the zone on the paint. This of course is something that won't work every time so I tend to save it for those must have situations.
                          It's funny because before I saw this post, I thought about this same thing last night, and decided I'd try it. I finished with a 5-hit complete-game shutout, with 9 strikeouts.

                          I'm sure some of my success came from the fact that both of the pitches are fastballs - the most effective type of pitch by far against the CPU - but still, it's not like I've never tried to live off of fastballs before, but this was definitely one of my more successful nights.

                          I was pitching with James Shields, in the 2nd inning, and I had just thrown a Cutter low and inside, and it broke towards the batter just inside the strike zone, and was taken for a ball. 3-2 count. Then I looked at my pitches, and I had an epiphany. The 2-Seam Fastball looks just like the cutter, and travels at the same speed, but it breaks in the opposite direction. I bet if I threw it in the same spot he'd take it again. Sure enough I tried the 2-seamer, stuffed it inside, and it broke back towards the plate for a called strike 3.

                          I kept doing it all night long, on both sides of the plate. Backdoor cutter for a called strike 2 on the low-and-outside corner. 2-Seamer on the same corner that breaks out of the zone, for a swing-and-miss strike 3. 2-Seamer up and in for a called strike 2, Cutter up and in, swing-and-miss, strike 3.

                          I throw plenty of shutouts, but most of the time I'm pitching to contact, because strikeouts always seem like a distant fantasy. I also checked the CPU's missed-swing totals after the game. I don't remember them now, but they were definitely higher than I usually see them.

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                          • HouseKeepinItReal
                            Banned
                            • Apr 2012
                            • 238

                            #103
                            Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                            A tip for Franchise: If you are using a National League team it will help your offense tremendously to have your pitchers do batting practise(batting cages) in training assignments. (Starting Pitchers)

                            Pitchers getting Rbi's and runs has been the difference for me.

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                            • C_Bailey24
                              Pro
                              • Oct 2002
                              • 691

                              #104
                              Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                              Ok my problem isn't giving up runs late in the game because i rarely have the lead. It's just the opposite for me which is the ability to score runs from the 6th inning on. The main reason for this, i'm discovering, is that it seems every reliever i face has a arms-flailing, ball shooting out of the shoulder, very distracting type of release which makes it difficult to pick up the release point. The fastballs are livelier. The breaking balls are sharper so I find myself basically guessing instead of hitting if that makes any sense. Am i the only one experiencing this? (probably)

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                              • DJ
                                Hall Of Fame
                                • Apr 2003
                                • 17756

                                #105
                                Re: The Difference Between Wins & Losses (Tips)

                                Originally posted by C_Bailey24
                                Ok my problem isn't giving up runs late in the game because i rarely have the lead. It's just the opposite for me which is the ability to score runs from the 6th inning on. The main reason for this, i'm discovering, is that it seems every reliever i face has a arms-flailing, ball shooting out of the shoulder, very distracting type of release which makes it difficult to pick up the release point. The fastballs are livelier. The breaking balls are sharper so I find myself basically guessing instead of hitting if that makes any sense. Am i the only one experiencing this? (probably)
                                Yeah, I've run into my fair share of relievers with funky side-arm deliveries and the guys with the ultra-slow windups.
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