Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

[cts50]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

Ok, I just saw a video that kinda goes right along with what we have been talking about in this discussion.

It really isn't about the Classic Pitching style, but I hope it isn't too far OT.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/insta...n-bat-waggles/

I don't know how to embed videos on here, but if you have the time I highly recommend taking a look at that fangraphs article and the video with Pedro in it.

It talks about hitters and their bat waggles, and how it relates to where they want the ball pitched....and it easily relates to hot zones and cold zones....which is where I think it ties into Classic Pitching.



Anyway, Pedro says that where a batter waggles the bat tells the pitcher where they want the ball thrown, and then they show examples and charts with hot/cold zones and they are dead-on.

I thought it was really cool. I am probably doing a terrible job explaining all this, but like I said, go take a look yourself.

We have found a way to view API without turning on the overlays, and this might be a way of viewing hot/cold zones without using the overlay.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

Ok, I just saw a video that kinda goes right along with what we have been talking about in this discussion.

It really isn't about the Classic Pitching style, but I hope it isn't too far OT.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/insta...n-bat-waggles/

I don't know how to embed videos on here, but if you have the time I highly recommend taking a look at that fangraphs article and the video with Pedro in it.

It talks about hitters and their bat waggles, and how it relates to where they want the ball pitched....and it easily relates to hot zones and cold zones....which is where I think it ties into Classic Pitching.



Anyway, Pedro says that where a batter waggles the bat tells the pitcher where they want the ball thrown, and then they show examples and charts with hot/cold zones and they are dead-on.

I thought it was really cool. I am probably doing a terrible job explaining all this, but like I said, go take a look yourself.

We have found a way to view API without turning on the overlays, and this might be a way of viewing hot/cold zones without using the overlay.

Haha! That video is awesome. This is why I love this thread every year!

I'm not sure it would be effective against all hitters in The Show, but considering how they capture signature animations, I'm sure it would work against some.

Thanks for the video. That is so cool!

[SpritePuck]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

Agreed that video is awesome! Totally cool to see regardless of the game. I like heroes think it would work as long as the hitter has a waggle. Guys like Justin Morneau one is on there own. But I will start using the tip. Heck Pedro is well... Pedro and who can argue with that? Not me...

[steelcityjames]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

humorous thought: does this mean when hitting we could put the view on broadcast and steal the CPU's signs? not planning on trying it, but..........Haha!

[cts50]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

humorous thought: does this mean when hitting we could put the view on broadcast and steal the CPU's signs? not planning on trying it, but..........Haha!

That is probably why you arent allowed to use API while playing on-line.

[steelcityjames]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

good point....i don't play online, so i didn't even think about that

[LiterallyRyan]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

thought this for a long while... but you get it with no runners on base.
I really do not know but my honest opinion is it is a glitch. Typically I get it first batter when we switch sides in a later inning.

In the instance you saw it it could have been a glitch (e.g. I've had a catcher call for a 4th pitch when my pitcher didn't have a 4th pitch) but it does mean the catcher is calling for a pitchout (just as it does in real life). It doesn't have to be a man on first either, I've had catchers try to snap throw a pick-off of a man on third.

Don't know if these were mentioned yet:
Catcher drawing a circle with his finger is him telling you to step off.
I've seen my catcher not even give a call, just lays his glove right down the middle when I have thrown 3 balls/about to walk the hitter.
1-2 pats down = location up/location up and in respectively
glove on ground = low

[LiterallyRyan]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

thought this for a long while... but you get it with no runners on base.
I really do not know but my honest opinion is it is a glitch. Typically I get it first batter when we switch sides in a later inning.

It's definitely possible that in that one specific case where you saw a fist with no man on base that it was a glitch, possibly because there was a man on base at some point during that inning and he got caught stealing, picked off or double play. With that being said, the fist is calling for a pitchout (just as it is in real life). If you turn the calls on and play the game on rookie or veteran to see the catcher signals you will see that when he puts a fist down the "L1 + X Pitch Out" icon under the list of pitches will flash yellow. It's not only applicable with a man on first either, the catcher can call for a pitch-out to try and snap throw/back pick a man on 3rd base, for example.

Some other stuff concerning pitch calling:

The catcher drawing a circle with 1 finger is telling you to step off.
I've had a catcher not give a sign at all and just put his glove right down the middle when I had thrown 3 balls and was in danger of walking the hitter (*** **** condescending CPU catcher).
On HOF difficulty or higher the catcher seems to use a lot more signs. Here is a video of a catcher calling multiple signs in The Show 15 (I don't have enough posts to post a link so just goto youtube and search "MLB® 15 The Show™ - Catcher giving multiple signs."
Anyone have an idea as to what that double punch/jab he does means? I've read a few people think it is tied to velocity but I'm not quite sure about that.
1 glove slap - high in zone
2 glove slap - mid
3 glove slap/holds glove on ground - low
as mentioned by someone else thigh's for inside/outside location

[SpritePuck]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

The fist glitches a lot! I get it at inning switch more than any other time. Obviously when we just took the field to pitch there is no one on and has not been anyone on so far that half of the inning. I will take your word that pickoff flashes when he calls for it. The last ten times I have recieved it no runners have been on base when it was given.... But if in real life baseball it is for pitch outs then that makes sense and it is just glitching in game. Wonder if no one is on if it is asking for intentional walk?

In softball we simply slap our mitt and exit crouch for intentional walk but since in The Show you have to accept the sign it would need an acctual sign. In real life a pitcher can not shake off a call for intentional walk. Same with pitch out, in softball anyhow there is no need for sign as it is fastball and then locate glove way out of zone when setting up. (have no clue why baseball, if they actually do, has a sign for pitching out, it is just a fastball away) Again the game is different as pitcher actually has to accept (select pitch and location). So, it all makes sense why The Show would have a sign for pitching out.

Now onto the one that is completely not needed in game and bogus and would never ever be called by a catcher!
Not doubting it but why is a catcher signing in asking for a step off? He should not be doing that and it is a pretty big mess up if The Show has catchers calling for pitchers to step off the rubber. The rest of the signs seem so realistic it is silly they have a step off sign. Catchers just do not ask for that.
Two reasons..
1) he can ask the ump for time just like a hitter (though better have a darn good reason in doing so... better visit the mound...)
2) no manager on earth would allow a catcher to mess with a pitchers timing... (messing with a pitchers timing is like spitting in his gatorade)
It literally makes no sense why a catcher would ask a pitcher to step off. The pitcher steps off when unsure of a sign or holding a runner on. Or various other pitcher issues. If a catcher thinks a pitcher is rushing thingshe needs visit the mound. If a catcher is unsure of what pitch he needs to call time and visit the mound. There is simply no reason for him to ask a pitcher to step off. No need to sign anything, if any of the before mentioned is the case. If he wants a pitcher to check runners back he needs call time and visit the mound. Again, there is simply just no reason for a catcher to want a pitcher to step off. If he wants to delay the pitch he can delay the sign... idk it is just a mistake by the producers but coming from a catcher's perspective a crazy bad one..

Double punch jab in game seems tied to the location it is in my experience for high in the zone pitches as you only get it for fastballs. It could be velocity related but I do not believe it is.

Multiple signs it is last place touched for location. Unless a knee then it is side of last thigh touched.

The glove slaps thing makes sense as in real life a catcher does not sign location height but place his glove for it. Of course in the game you pick location and he sets up according to where you aim. It makes sense they would add a sign for location height as you select it verses in real life where it is according to catcher set up with mitt after signs.

[cts50]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

I really like the feel of using the API to call my game for me. I use pulse pitching, and throw my own pitch sometimes, but the catcher calls a pretty good game usually.

[SpritePuck]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

I really like the feel of using the API to call my game for me. I use pulse pitching, and throw my own pitch sometimes, but the catcher calls a pretty good game usually.

Agreed the catchers or API call a good game. It adds a more life like feel to pitching.

Pulse pitching is so hard for me. I like it and wish I could get it down but my timing is awful! I am truely the worst ever at it hahaha. Okay not kidding, if the goal was biggest circle possible I would be aces!

[RoyceDa59]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

I really like the feel of using the API to call my game for me. I use pulse pitching, and throw my own pitch sometimes, but the catcher calls a pretty good game usually.

I agree it also gives me someone to blame when the CPU hits a homer on me. "It was you who told me to go up and in on Teixeira damn it!".

[cts50]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

Ok, I really want to make the move to classic pitching, but I just can't consistently throw the ball where I want to.

Can anyone offer some advice for someone who has used pulse pitching in the past?

[SpritePuck]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

Ok, I really want to make the move to classic pitching, but I just can't consistently throw the ball where I want to.

Can anyone offer some advice for someone who has used pulse pitching in the past?

Biggest thing for me is hold x a little (more than a tap) but not until max velocity vibration. At max velocity you lose some accuracy. Some pitchers tend to miss certain ways so once used to them you learn kinda where to aim vs where it will end up. Guys with very low control in my opinion are really hard to pitch with in classic pitching. One thing you can do at first is bump up human pitch control slider one click until used to the pitching style. It is not a huge difference but can help at first.

What difficulty level do you pitch on?
Cause to me anything much above all-star seems to not work on classic pitching. Just my opinion but the miss location rate becomes really high. Some are maybe better than me of course so this is maybe just my skill level.

[LiterallyRyan]

Re: Classic Pitching Questions and Discussion Thread 2015

Now onto the one that is completely not needed in game and bogus and would never ever be called by a catcher!
Not doubting it but why is a catcher signing in asking for a step off? He should not be doing that and it is a pretty big mess up if The Show has catchers calling for pitchers to step off the rubber. The rest of the signs seem so realistic it is silly they have a step off sign. Catchers just do not ask for that.
Two reasons..
1) he can ask the ump for time just like a hitter (though better have a darn good reason in doing so... better visit the mound...)
2) no manager on earth would allow a catcher to mess with a pitchers timing... (messing with a pitchers timing is like spitting in his gatorade)
It literally makes no sense why a catcher would ask a pitcher to step off. The pitcher steps off when unsure of a sign or holding a runner on.

In college my catchers would relay 2 types of step offs, these were always given from the bench and not the catchers idea. Most of the time it was a hold, though it is not a "step off" signal per-sea we all knew where it was going as it's basically saying "I want you to hold the ball until the batter steps out of the box, if he doesn't then step off yourself". This was generally done to slow the game down for multiple but obvious reasons. The second step off call was the blind pick-off to 2B since "daylight" plays don't work with all pitchers some catchers will orchestrate the entirety of the play from their crouch. The signal would commence the chain of stepping off with my push off foot, pivot and throw (for me this was one of the scariest calls as I was never adept at pick-offs and I began to throw low sidearm the last 2 years of college due to bone spurs breaking loose and avulsing my bracioradialis, and pick-offs from "sidewinders" are the ugliest things you'll ever see).

With that being said, the step off signal in the Show isn't any of those things. It's a "step off so we can go through the signs again" signal. Leave your pitcher on the mound for 20 minutes without pausing the game and you'll see it.

The glove slaps thing makes sense as in real life a catcher does not sign location height but place his glove for it.

Yea, they are only signaling glove side-arm side/east-to-west. The 9-qaundrants as seen in the game isn't a realistic way to call locations as we're taught as early as little league to just split the plate in half and work towards the black during later pitches of the at bat, or if you have a mat like the one below than red to yellow then green and then come back in is a very common practice all the way through high school.



There are 2 good threads from past games on this forum that dig more into the catcher signals:
http://www.operationsports.com/forum...gnals-hof.html
http://www.operationsports.com/forum...s-signals.html