Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

[HighCmpPct]

Edit: Title was supposed to say without "Nerfing" user offense.


Wanna to get a little discussion on ways to get a slight uptick in user K's without killing user offense.

Contact is obviously something you think of, but with directional hitting that's a slippery slope if you still want consistent PCI placement.

Timing is another obvious suspect, but with timing being the biggest factor in directional hitting this is an even bigger slope.

There's also foul frequency, this I would say is probably the least effective in getting more K's. Maybe in cutting them down.

Finally you got pitch speed, probably the best option, but then again you're still kinda messing with the timing window which is so ever important with directional hitting.

So what do some of my other fellow long time slider manipulators think on this situation? I've finally gotten a consistent feel at the plate with directional hitting, especially with doubles and scoring on rallys. Just would like a slight uptick in the amount of times I'm striking out.

[Daonlyjmo7]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

I would suggest contact, but if you are on directional like me, that is not a good idea.

The best advice I can give you is messing with the timing and the pitch speeds. I don't really know what you mean by timing window: that's what we want in order to get swing and misses, right.

So yeah, just try with timing and pitch speeds. What are you're current sliders? Remember, it varies per person. Every person hits in a different way; there is no one size fits all.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

I don't really know what you mean by timing window

The timing window is the give and take the game allows on swings. So a bigger timing window will allow you to be a little late or early and still allow for good, just late, and just early timing.

Meanwhile a smaller window means that the same swing with the same timing is more likely to result in worst timing such as too early, very late etc..

Another words you can put the same timed swing on a ball but a bigger or smaller timing window will affect what timing you get on the ball. And with directional hitting this can really nerf user offense as timing is the most essential part.

[Daonlyjmo7]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

The timing window is the give and take the game allows on swings. So a bigger timing window will allow you to be a little late or early and still allow for good, just late, and just early timing.

Meanwhile a smaller window means that the same swing with the same timing is more likely to result in worst timing such as too early, very late etc..

Another words you can put the same timed swing on a ball but a bigger or smaller timing window will affect what timing you get on the ball. And with directional hitting this can really nerf user offense as timing is the most essential part.

Ohhhhhh I see lol. That makes sense.

[KBLover]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

What is your approach at the plate? Are you aggressive early in the count? (early contact lowers the chances you eventually K because of balls in play instead). Do you chase a lot (or not a lot)? Do you use contact swing (circle button) a lot? Not a lot?

Average chase rate in MLB is about 30%. Anything nearing 20% (or less) and you don't chase a lot, imo. That's fine of course - not going to advocate people start flailing at the plate! But it will impact K rates - as it should. Pitches out of the zone have a far lower contact rate (63% this season) than in the zone (86% this season) in MLB.

I would probably raise pitch speeds as high as you feel comfortable, then add one or two notches to both (unless you're already maxed, of course). That has no effect at all on any other part of the game except perhaps SB success (impacts the total time from delivery to throw to second it seems).

That will challenge your eye to decipher speed and movement. Higher offspeed pitch speed in particular seems to add more realistic break behavior on pitches. Curves look like they have snap and not like lolipops, etc., especially depending on your camera view. This might fool you into getting a fastball or slider, for example.

Contact, for Directional players (of which I am one), is definitely a sensitive thing. I can tell you that if you want more swings and misses, lower Contact will probably give you that, especially on the edges and definitely out of the zone in my experience.

Keep in mind realism is reflecting your approach and getting realistic results as much as it is hitting rates. The rates and data are just objective guides/benchmarks. Use a player's data instead if you feel you play like a certain MLB hitter or have that type of hitter in your franchise/team.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

What is your approach at the plate? Are you aggressive early in the count? (early contact lowers the chances you eventually K because of balls in play instead). Do you chase a lot (or not a lot)? Do you use contact swing (circle button) a lot? Not a lot?

I hardly ever swing early in the count anymore, actually most of the time I'm taking till I get a strike as I've found I am highly likely to make an out putting the first pitch in play. I chase an OK amount really not as sure on my % as I should be, however my eye has gotten quite good over the years. And I never use the contact swing, power swing occasionally but never contact because I feel its to OP.

Average chase rate in MLB is about 30%. Anything nearing 20% (or less) and you don't chase a lot, imo. That's fine of course - not going to advocate people start flailing at the plate! But it will impact K rates - as it should. Pitches out of the zone have a far lower contact rate (63% this season) than in the zone (86% this season) in MLB.

I would probably raise pitch speeds as high as you feel comfortable, then add one or two notches to both (unless you're already maxed, of course). That has no effect at all on any other part of the game except perhaps SB success (impacts the total time from delivery to throw to second it seems).

That will challenge your eye to decipher speed and movement. Higher offspeed pitch speed in particular seems to add more realistic break behavior on pitches. Curves look like they have snap and not like lolipops, etc., especially depending on your camera view. This might fool you into getting a fastball or slider, for example.

This is what I was thinking about to, actually just lowered my contact down a notch as I just started my fantasy chise with the Dodgers so figured I'd get fresh stats the first few series with that change first to see if my offense can sustain that change.

Contact, for Directional players (of which I am one), is definitely a sensitive thing. I can tell you that if you want more swings and misses, lower Contact will probably give you that, especially on the edges and definitely out of the zone in my experience.

Keep in mind realism is reflecting your approach and getting realistic results as much as it is hitting rates. The rates and data are just objective guides/benchmarks. Use a player's data instead if you feel you play like a certain MLB hitter or have that type of hitter in your franchise/team.

Yeah it wasn't really that I was trying to match up with any actual team rate, just that it was maintaining itself around 4 per game. Which for one is just low and it was allowing for a few too many hits per game from too few swings and misses.

[KBLover]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

Yeah it wasn't really that I was trying to match up with any actual team rate, just that it was maintaining itself around 4 per game. Which for one is just low and it was allowing for a few too many hits per game from too few swings and misses.

That's the thing - maybe 4 is just right.

Take a team of Daniel Murphies or Jose Inglesiases - how many times will they strike out? Probably won't be 6 or 7, or if it is, it probably won't be from swinging and missing.

So you hardly go out of the zone, you work the count and are selective/patient. That sounds like the recipe for a "too low" K rate.

How much contact are you getting (in terms of %) in the zone. If it's around 86, that's MLB average. If that's working out to 4 K/9, so be it. You're swinging and missing at a realistic rate, especially for your approach.

Too many hits? What's your BABIP? If it's too high, perhaps defense, not K's, needs a boost in your set.

[Daonlyjmo7]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

That's the thing - maybe 4 is just right.

Take a team of Daniel Murphies or Jose Inglesiases - how many times will they strike out? Probably won't be 6 or 7, or if it is, it probably won't be from swinging and missing.

So you hardly go out of the zone, you work the count and are selective/patient. That sounds like the recipe for a "too low" K rate.

How much contact are you getting (in terms of %) in the zone. If it's around 86, that's MLB average. If that's working out to 4 K/9, so be it. You're swinging and missing at a realistic rate, especially for your approach.

Too many hits? What's your BABIP? If it's too high, perhaps defense, not K's, needs a boost in your set.

Couldn't agree more. That's why when I am slider testing, I test for swing and misses and balls vs strikes, not strikeouts and walks.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: Getting more user strikeouts without needing user offense

After once again rereading Bobhead's slider thread for the umpteenth time. And going in with a great look to perception. I've actually moved to a fairly default slider set with my fantasy Dodgers.

Keeping detailed notes on my stats as well for every game. Here's a quick glance at what I'm tracking.

Hits
1B
2B
3B
HR

Runs
1B
2B
3B
HR
Other

K
BB

Pitches Seen
Fouls
Misses
Chased
Popup
Fly ball
Line Drive
Grounder
Chopper

Keeping track of those per game for both User and CPU.