MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

[Mercury53]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Changeups have become my new enemy. I just can't pick them up and by the time I do, I am way out in front. Then I get gassed by the heater. Almost snapped my controller in two against the Rockies.

[AUTiger1]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Well I tried a new approach that seemed to work last game. Just take pitches till you get 2 strikes on you and then try to fight pitches off and hope you get a lucky hit every now and then. Then once the starter gets tired in the middle innings they'll make more mistakes (especially with the off-speed stuff) and you can start hitting and getting runs. Won my last game 7-2 and scored 2 runs in the 6th and 4 in the 7th.

[davis420]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Well I tried a new approach that seemed to work last game. Just take pitches till you get 2 strikes on you and then try to fight pitches off and hope you get a lucky hit every now and then. Then once the starter gets tired in the middle innings they'll make more mistakes (especially with the off-speed stuff) and you can start hitting and getting runs. Won my last game 7-2 and scored 2 runs in the 6th and 4 in the 7th.

What I don't like is you shouldn't have to do that every game. Some games the starter just doesn't have it and you score 5 runs in the 1st inning. I rarely see that when I play. I use PB sliders and I can make the pitcher throw a lot of pitches but when I make good contact, it's always right at a fielder.

[AUTiger1]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

What I don't like is you shouldn't have to do that every game. Some games the starter just doesn't have it and you score 5 runs in the 1st inning. I rarely see that when I play. I use PB sliders and I can make the pitcher throw a lot of pitches but when I make good contact, it's always right at a fielder.

I agree!

[wrenny]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

I play very casually right now so I'm just using button timing for hitting. Can anyone help me out...if you do guess pitch and pick the wrong location, does it screw up the AI in picking location when you swing?

Sometimes perfect strikes I get perfect timing but the contact is way off or something where I have no control over it. I was wondering if it was because I use guess pitch or if it just factors in player skills and sometimes they miss it.

[Mercury53]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Having issues getting hits with runners on. Does anybody have any tips for hitting with RISP.

[curly fries]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Having issues getting hits with runners on. Does anybody have any tips for hitting with RISP.

Me too! My overall BA is .270 as a team but my team BA with runners in scoring position is .220! I'm going to do training with hitting coaches to see if that will help.

[Chappy]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Having the same issue

[Mercury53]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Wow, I don't feel so bad now knowing I'm not alone. I do become more aggressive with runners on. I don't know why because it's not something I say to myself I should do, it just happens. I chase more sliders in the dirt and so on. That being said, when I do make contact, it's never that good.

[DirkDiggler12]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

When batting with RISP I try to wait for a specific pitch in a zone, if I get to 0-2 I'll fight some stuff off, I find that once the pitcher is ahead 0-2 the next couple balls are usually off speed in the dirt or running away.

[drsonoma]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

After years of frustration I think I may finally be on to something...

Historically, I have done okay forcing the pitcher to throw a minimum of 15 plus pitches per inning. However, this "skill" had not really translated into more hits, runs, walks or fewer strikeouts. But with the start of the new season, I started watching games extra close and paying attention to pitch counts. I now realize that I wasn't being anywhere close to being as patient as necessary.

Watch an MLB game and notice how often the battle between batter/pitcher gets to two strikes. It happens WAY more than I originally realized. In fact, it now appears to me that more often than not the at-bat doesn't even really begin until there is a 3-2 count. Even when a pitcher starts out 0-2 or a batter 2-0, the majority of the time the count still get 3-2 (after an 0-2 start) or to 2 strikes (after a 2-0 start).

My frustration has been that when it gets to 2-0 I want that fastball down the middle. At the same time I also want the pitcher to throw the 4-5 pitch walk. Well, you can't have both and more often than not you will end up with neither. Yes, it happens. But not nearly as often as I was wanting/hoping/expecting.

So, my committment over the past several games has been to relax when I get to two strikes (even 0-2) and recognize that THIS IS BASEBALL. Once I get to 2 strikes I then convert over to contact swing almost exclusively. I MIGHT use the standard swing on 3-2 but that is a very situational decision.

Before using the above approach, I averaged 9 strikeouts per game and 1-2 walks per game MAX. My teams have always been last in walks, last in on base percentage and near the bottom (if not THE bottom) in striking out . Over the past several games, however, I am averaging 6 strikeouts per game AND am averaging 4 plus walks PER GAME. In fact, I just had 8 walks in my most recent game (Tigers vs. White Sox). Trust me, that is a record for me. In addition, I have managed to run pitch counts WAY up.

Yes, my power is down a bit. But I think that is more a result of suddenly becoming too patient and not attacking when the moment is right. Nonetheless, it is so encouraging to know that the walks are really there and that hitting in this game, even with all of its frustrations, really does model the actual sport.

So my "tip" is to watch games, pay attention to pitch counts and see what you learn. Relax when you get to two strikes...you aren't alone. It happens. Use your contact swing more often than not (yes, you can still get hits and some power) and be okay with fouling off a TON of pitches.

Also, I now realize that most of my strikeouts come from swinging too early on 2 strike counts. So, being patient also means on waiting on pitches through the zone so you can foul them off as necessary. You might be too late on the occasional fastball but that is a trade off I'm willing to make.

Hope this helps.

[AUTiger1]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Wow, I don't feel so bad now knowing I'm not alone. I do become more aggressive with runners on. I don't know why because it's not something I say to myself I should do, it just happens. I chase more sliders in the dirt and so on. That being said, when I do make contact, it's never that good.

I have to just sit the controller down that way I don't swing when I don't want to. Then once I get in a good count then I start playing again.

[N51_rob]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

I would also suggest that you guys fool around with a custom batting camera. I have used one where I used catcher classic. I lowered it and zoomed it in, so that now the middle of my TV is basically the strike zone and I can read pitches out side of that both high and low. The corners are still tough to tell, but through 12 games of my O's franchise my team BA is .291, highest starter is hitting .377 and the lowest is .211. When its not 3 am I will do a capture and show it here.

Edit: Here are two screens of it, it looks much better on my TV but basically any ball in the middle of my screen is a strike. Not that I swing at them all.

[AUTiger1]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

Will I definitely don't use the default camera. I use the classic camera. I don't have a problem judging pitches. I just can't swing soon enough to hit the fastball.

[Tyrant8RDFL]

Re: MLB 12 The Show - All Hitting Tips

I would also suggest that you guys fool around with a custom batting camera. I have used one where I used catcher classic. I lowered it and zoomed it in, so that now the middle of my TV is basically the strike zone and I can read pitches out side of that both high and low. The corners are still tough to tell, but through 12 games of my O's franchise my team BA is .291, highest starter is hitting .377 and the lowest is .211. When its not 3 am I will do a capture and show it here.

Edit: Here are two screens of it, it looks much better on my TV but basically any ball in the middle of my screen is a strike. Not that I swing at them all.

I did the same. I took a camera and then edited it to my liking. I took the catcher high camera then tilted it down so I can judge the lower pitches better, and this setup has done wonders for me.

Camera can make a huge difference.