Taking first pitch

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

is it good to always take the first pitch?

[dingleberryfinn]

Re: Taking first pitch

Not always .
I suggest roughly half & half, never good to be predictable.

[kmoser]

Re: Taking first pitch

is it good to always take the first pitch?

It depends on you. Personally, I take the first pitch to get the feel for the at bat. I will swing on the first pitch sometimes but only if its right down the middle.

[El_MaYiMbE]

Re: Taking first pitch

is it good to always take the first pitch?

I usually wing it. To start the game its like 50/50. As the game goes on it depends how I have been feeling at the dish.

If I been struggling, taking a pitch, working the count might be a good approach.

If I been killing the pitcher, you want to jump all over him any chance you get.

[kmoser]

Re: Taking first pitch

I usually wing it. To start the game its like 50/50. As the game goes on it depends how I have been feeling at the dish.

If I been struggling, taking a pitch, working the count might be a good approach.

If I been killing the pitcher, you want to jump all over him any chance you get.

Ya that's a good strategy. I usually am more aggresive if I have been killing the pitcher.

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

Re: Taking first pitch

thx guys for the responses.

[flufie213]

Re: Taking first pitch

I recommend doing so, especially if it is an ace pitching. The more pitches in the a-bat will take him out earlier. Unless of course its a 4seam right down the pipe.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: Taking first pitch

I usually wing it. To start the game its like 50/50. As the game goes on it depends how I have been feeling at the dish.

If I been struggling, taking a pitch, working the count might be a good approach.

If I been killing the pitcher, you want to jump all over him any chance you get.

I'm with him here, I take it pitch by pitch unless after about the mid-way point I find their pitcher getting away with a way too low of a pitch count then I'll start making him work.


Edit: meant to say in response to the OP, in baseball it is never good to always do anything.

[Bobhead]

Re: Taking first pitch

It's not good to always do anything. That's a good way to always lose.

Switch it up. Adjust your strategy to the situation, your current performance, etc...

If you have been swinging at the first pitch for a few innings and nothing's come out of it, try working the count more and see if you can get a few gifts.

[timmuh1515]

Re: Taking first pitch

This may we weird...but it often depends on the batter for me. If i have a guy like Mauer or Dunn...i'll take the first pitch nearly every time. If i have more of a free swinger...i'll look to make contact right away.

More often then not I take the 1st pitch however

[jmik58]

Re: Taking first pitch

Good question.

I have four go-to rules for when I take the first pitch in The Show.

1. I take the very first pitch of an inning regardless of who the hitter is. Lead-off walks are extremely valuable. If the first pitch is a ball, I take until I get a strike.

2. I take the first pitch of an at-bat with a pitcher. Same as #1, I take in this situation until I get a strike.

3. When I am losing, I will take the first pitch of almost EVERY at-bat. A walk is an easy way to start a manufactured run, especially with no outs.

4. If the previous batter walked, I take the first pitch -- and will take until I get a strike.


I find that these rules force me to be more patient and have helped me be better at looking for hittable pitches. By coming up with a rule (or four, in my case) you can take a lot of pressure off yourself. When I know I'm not swinging no matter what, I just use the left stick and practice on tracking the ball but it's a nice stress-free moment because I don't have to decide whether to swing or not.

I work plenty of walks this way and I am usually able to force pitch counts to climb so I can get to the bullpen of the CPU.

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

Re: Taking first pitch

i like this set jim.i am going to follow this.

Good question.

I have four go-to rules for when I take the first pitch in The Show.

1. I take the very first pitch of an inning regardless of who the hitter is. Lead-off walks are extremely valuable. If the first pitch is a ball, I take until I get a strike.

2. I take the first pitch of an at-bat with a pitcher. Same as #1, I take in this situation until I get a strike.

3. When I am losing, I will take the first pitch of almost EVERY at-bat. A walk is an easy way to start a manufactured run, especially with no outs.

4. If the previous batter walked, I take the first pitch -- and will take until I get a strike.


I find that these rules force me to be more patient and have helped me be better at looking for hittable pitches. By coming up with a rule (or four, in my case) you can take a lot of pressure off yourself. When I know I'm not swinging no matter what, I just use the left stick and practice on tracking the ball but it's a nice stress-free moment because I don't have to decide whether to swing or not.

I work plenty of walks this way and I am usually able to force pitch counts to climb so I can get to the bullpen of the CPU.

[Chairman7w]

Re: Taking first pitch

Hahahaha - you could have just said, "Yes, I take the first pitch."

Good question.

I have four go-to rules for when I take the first pitch in The Show.

1. I take the very first pitch of an inning regardless of who the hitter is. Lead-off walks are extremely valuable. If the first pitch is a ball, I take until I get a strike.

2. I take the first pitch of an at-bat with a pitcher. Same as #1, I take in this situation until I get a strike.

3. When I am losing, I will take the first pitch of almost EVERY at-bat. A walk is an easy way to start a manufactured run, especially with no outs.

4. If the previous batter walked, I take the first pitch -- and will take until I get a strike.


I find that these rules force me to be more patient and have helped me be better at looking for hittable pitches. By coming up with a rule (or four, in my case) you can take a lot of pressure off yourself. When I know I'm not swinging no matter what, I just use the left stick and practice on tracking the ball but it's a nice stress-free moment because I don't have to decide whether to swing or not.

I work plenty of walks this way and I am usually able to force pitch counts to climb so I can get to the bullpen of the CPU.

[wozamil]

Re: Taking first pitch

I almost always swing at the first pitch. I've noticed that in an average at-bat (All-Star difficulty), that the first pitch is often the best pitch I'll see.