I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

[Padgoi]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

Wow, Brian's explanations answer so many questions for me. Just last night, I was rolling along with C.C. through the first 4 innings. Then in the 5th inning, everything imploded. I ended up giving up 6 runs that inning and losing 7-2. I was frustrated, but after reading that explanation, I realized I was trying to start almost every hitter off with a strike. And naturally, the second time around the order, the AI caught up with this pattern and started blasting my first pitch strikes around the park. These explanations just make the game more realistic and intricate for me. DAMN, now I can't wait to get home from work and play again!

[Pared]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

Wow, Brian's explanations answer so many questions for me. Just last night, I was rolling along with C.C. through the first 4 innings. Then in the 5th inning, everything imploded. I ended up giving up 6 runs that inning and losing 7-2. I was frustrated, but after reading that explanation, I realized I was trying to start almost every hitter off with a strike. And naturally, the second time around the order, the AI caught up with this pattern and started blasting my first pitch strikes around the park. These explanations just make the game more realistic and intricate for me. DAMN, now I can't wait to get home from work and play again!

I'm glad Brian posts things like this - this is really just good baseball strategy.

You should be using the same sort of strategy against the CPU. If there is a pitcher always coming over the play early in the count, you should start swinging early, looking to pounce on those pitches.

Those that pick up on these tendencies tend to be more successful at managing games.

Another tendency the CPU employs almost all the time - on an 0-2 count, the CPU will almost ALWAYS go out of the zone. Not sure of the %, but it's a very high chance the next pitch will always be a ball. Again - good baseball strategy. Get ahead of the hitter and then don't give them something good to hit.

[capa]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

I'm glad Brian posts things like this - this is really just good baseball strategy.

You should be using the same sort of strategy against the CPU. If there is a pitcher always coming over the play early in the count, you should start swinging early, looking to pounce on those pitches.

Those that pick up on these tendencies tend to be more successful at managing games.

Another tendency the CPU employs almost all the time - on an 0-2 count, the CPU will almost ALWAYS go out of the zone. Not sure of the %, but it's a very high chance the next pitch will always be a ball. Again - good baseball strategy. Get ahead of the hitter and then don't give them something good to hit.

...and pray your homeplate ump does not have a wide K-zone when taking on 0-2!

C

[Pared]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

Ha - yeah, that's a risk you are just going to have to take. One thing I've found, however, is the CPU this year misses a bit further out of the zone. I'm not sure if this was an intended change from '11, but the CPU isn't as pinpoint in its accuracy right outside the zone. It's a really good move for the gamer that could not layoff that borderline 0-2 pitch we saw often last year.

Brian did a phenomenal job this year with the batter-pitcher interface. There were some problems early on and they really tightened everything up. This is probably the best interface in all the year's I've played this game.

I'm hoping there can be some minor additions. Have the CPU batter call time out in a pressure situation if you are rushing your delivery to frustrate you, have the CPU attempt a fake bunt into a swing on a rare occasion, have the CPU just challenge you on an 0-2 count (again, rarely) etc. Things I'm hoping can add a tiny bit more variety. But again - phenomenal job.

[lowlander]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

Relievers
Collectively speaking, mid relief pitchers are much worse than starters. In fact, the average mid reliever is a step worse than even the average 5th starter. And considering this is based on relievers pitching 1 inning each, they're even worse than their stats say. The main saving grace is that you use the above average relievers much more than the below average ones whenever possible.

With that in mind, in an important game you want to limit relievers to 1 inning each. A reliever with full energy is comparable to a bad starter with low energy - which is also why you don't just keep a starter in forever (he'll eventually cross the point of being worse than your relievers).

Brian doesn't post often, but when he does it is the very best information available for franchise mode players and MOM players like myself.

I'm not quite sure how to interpret this part of his post. Is he simply stating the fact that middle relievers in MLB are not very good, or is he saying the game is programmed to reduce their attributes from what appears on the player card? I have relievers who have better bb/9, k/9 and h/9 than my 4th and 5th starters and certainly better, at least according to their player card, than a tiring 4th or 5th starter. Their problem is endurance.

Thanks to Brian for taking the time to post this information, it is appreciated.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

I understand that this isn't a Q&A thread, but if anyone knows the answer, I've had a lingering question regarding the API for some time now.

Are the API suggestions coded exactly in the same manner as how the AI would pitch to a human or AI opponent? I realize that I probably sound confusing, so I'll try to make this clearer with going into more detail.

When I'm pitching, the catcher will suggest a pitch and location that I can either (A) decide to follow, (B) alter, or (C) step off the rubber and ask for another suggestion.

If I were to (at that exact moment in time under the exact same circumstances) make the game a CPU versus CPU game rather than a Human versus CPU game, would the pitcher/catcher be programmed to pitch/call for the exact same pitch? And vice versa?

I ask for a few reasons. For one, the CPU will sometimes throw me high offspeed pitches. The API hardly ever suggests that I do this when I'm pitching. So, this makes me wonder if the CPU pitchers are accidentally missing with their offspeed pitches (leaving them up in the zone, which I as the Human opponent do often) or if the the AI pitch sequences are programmed slightly differently than the API, where high offspeed pitches are actually intentional?

Also, what about when the CPU shakes off their catcher? In the exact same situation if I were to become the CPU team, would I as the human opponent have access to the second pitch via the API if I were to step off the rubber and ask for another pitch?

Basically, can I utilize the API and pitch identically as the AI is programmed to? Obviously this is trivial, it would be impossible to know exactly when the CPU was going to shake off their catcher. But, generally speaking, I wonder if the API is identical to the AI pitching logic?

[AUTiger1]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

I'm glad Brian posts things like this - this is really just good baseball strategy.

You should be using the same sort of strategy against the CPU. If there is a pitcher always coming over the play early in the count, you should start swinging early, looking to pounce on those pitches.

Those that pick up on these tendencies tend to be more successful at managing games.

Another tendency the CPU employs almost all the time - on an 0-2 count, the CPU will almost ALWAYS go out of the zone. Not sure of the %, but it's a very high chance the next pitch will always be a ball. Again - good baseball strategy. Get ahead of the hitter and then don't give them something good to hit.

I used this approach to improve my hitting. I realized the reason I was having so much trouble hitting is that the CPU was realizing what pitches I was swinging at and making outs on. Once I realize what the CPU was doing I learned to lay off those pitches and wait for the CPU to finally throw me a pitch I could hit and bang I started getting hits and scoring runs. And it changes throughout the game.

[AUTiger1]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

Ha - yeah, that's a risk you are just going to have to take. One thing I've found, however, is the CPU this year misses a bit further out of the zone. I'm not sure if this was an intended change from '11, but the CPU isn't as pinpoint in its accuracy right outside the zone. It's a really good move for the gamer that could not layoff that borderline 0-2 pitch we saw often last year.

Brian did a phenomenal job this year with the batter-pitcher interface. There were some problems early on and they really tightened everything up. This is probably the best interface in all the year's I've played this game.

I'm hoping there can be some minor additions. Have the CPU batter call time out in a pressure situation if you are rushing your delivery to frustrate you, have the CPU attempt a fake bunt into a swing on a rare occasion, have the CPU just challenge you on an 0-2 count (again, rarely) etc. Things I'm hoping can add a tiny bit more variety. But again - phenomenal job.

I just had a great at-bat in my last game with Drew Sutton. I quickly got down 1-2. Then I took a high pitch for a ball that was real easy to lay off of. The next pitch was a fastball that just missed the outside corner. It was close but I was somehow able to lay off of it then the next pitch was low for a ball and the walk. I was so proud of myself. I don't think I ever got a walk after a 1-2 count on '11.

[DarwinB]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

I also find it amusing that people think it is okay if they get a come from behind victory over the cpu, but when the cpu gets a win in the late innings they say the game is flawed. I play as the Yankees and last year Rivera blew some saves (even with 3-run leads), and it made me want to throw my controller through the tv - but it does happen in real baseball as well.

And I have also had exciting last inning heroics against the cpu and I certainly don't complain about that or think the game is flawed. Most recently, I was down 4-0 after 7 innings. I made it 4-2 in the 8th and then tied the game off Brian Wilson in the 9th (should have won it then too). Then I hit a walkoff homer in the 11th - so I think it works both ways. I think there is very good info/advice from Brian in this thread that should certainly help with pitching strategy to help avoid "some" of those late inning meltdowns.

[Nerazzuri_BlacknBlue]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

...

In summary, the AI can have a PCI location bonus, a timing bonus, or the shared AI/Human bonus for seeing a pitch the batters are getting accustomed to.

Brian, this game is truly a gem, so thank you!!!

I do have one question though, if you see this, that I would really love to know: Doe the CPU use "Guess Pitch" as a person does? I DO NOT want to play with it (for fear he does), but right now it is the only way to see pitch history and get auto-feedback on previous pitches.

If he does get bonuses for Guess Pitch, I will have to turn it off and manually see feedback on pitches. I DO NOT use guess pitch myself, am scared having it turned on that he does use it, but I want auto-feedback and to see pitch history.

If you do see this, thanks once again for what is my favorite sports game of all time, and deservedly so!!!

[econoodle]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

I'm hoping there can be some minor additions. Have the CPU batter call time out in a pressure situation if you are rushing your delivery to frustrate you, have the CPU attempt a fake bunt into a swing on a rare occasion, have the CPU just challenge you on an 0-2 count (again, rarely) etc. Things I'm hoping can add a tiny bit more variety. But again - phenomenal job.

oooh, i like those ideas.

[Garrett67]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

I'm just curious as to what level you guys are playing on?

I ask this because in my opinion, if you're playing on a level higher than All-Star, you're just asking for trouble at any point in the game.

[My993C2]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

My problem isn't the later innings. No my problem occurs randomly throughout the game. It is getting that third strike and/or third out. My less than good Rockies pitching staff are pretty good at getting the first 2 outs in a given inning. But then the wheels fall off the bus and the opposition gets a walk, or a hit. Then they get another walk, or another hit, then a home run and before you know it the opposition have scored 3-4 runs in an inning. Sometimes my offense also has their big innings. But not as often. I always seem to be in 1-2 or 2-2 counts while my batters are at the plate while my pitchers are always struggling with 3-1 or 3-2 counts.

Then again, it serves me right for choosing to play for the Rockies in MoM mode in this game. I am a glutton for punishment what with my 6-11 Spring Training record. A couple of my losses were my fault for taking too many chances. But most of the losses are a result of not having a good pitching staff. Seems my team in "The Show" is worse than the real world team. Then again let's wait for the regular season to start before we judge how the real world team performs. LOL

[Alliball]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

how do we stop the umpires from not making bad calls in late innings? i counted 6 bad calls in 2 innings(8th and 9th) last night that all went their way. 3 of them resulted in walks instead of strikeouts.

I might just turn off the variable umpiring, seems to never go my way.

Sounds a lot like the Angel Hernandez effect.

[My993C2]

Re: I can't get through 7th 8th or 9th?

My less than good Rockies pitching staff are pretty good at getting the first 2 outs in a given inning.

I lied ... I couldn't even get a single out before my pitching staff sent the team into another train wreck. Just started a Spring Training game against the Angels. Juan Nicasio is starting. First batter ... 4 straight balls. Second batter ... 1 strike and 4 balls. Third batter ... 1 strike + 1 ball and then a single to shallow left loading up the bases with no outs. Fourth batter ... first pitch low to the outside ... grand slam home run. They're the best. Nobody is better than they are when it comes to delivering train wrecks.

I will soldier on ... I will not restart the game ... this is "The Show" payback for last year when I cheated by stacked the team with All Stars from other teams and won the World Series.

Edited to add: not that anyone really cares, but I ended up losing this game 10-8. My starter gave up a solo homer in the 2nd inning, got into some more trouble in the 3rd but ended up working his way through the inning without giving up any more runs. Oh and Cargo hit a 2 run homer in the bottom of the 1st. Trailing 5-2, I unsuccessfully pinch hit the starter in the bottom of the 3rd and another reliever got into trouble in the top of the 4th giving up his own run. It looked like he might work his way out of trouble thanks to a double play, but he got into more trouble and then surrendered a 3 run homer. At that point trailing 9-2 I told myself ... it's a zero/zero game and my team almost battled their way back. Lesson learned? Don't give up?