S & B's MLB 2025 Simulation Sliders

[PhlliesPhan6]

I actually always just tap the button to pitch. I can usually get them to chase with sliders low and away. Or try to get a fastball in on them and then follow with a slider away.

Are you using contact at 10?

Yes I updated everything to match the first post.

[bryanm1982]

I try to pitch outside the zone but I'm still seeing when I have 2 strikes on the CPU the ball either magically finds it's way back to the strike zone and the CPU makes contact, or it's waaaay outside and they take it for a ball. Still having trouble getting more than 5 Ks per game no matter who my starting pitcher is. Can people maybe post some of the strategies they use to put away the CPU when they get them down in the count? (Pitch Selection, Location, how long they press the button etc). I'm getting spoiled because IRL the Phillies have Wheeler and Luzardo striking out everyone under the sun and I can't get even close to their K rate in the game.

I actually always just tap the button to pitch. I can usually get them to chase with sliders low and away. Or try to get a fastball in on them and then follow with a slider away.

Are you using contact at 10?

[PhlliesPhan6]

I played a bunch of games on legend with CPU contact at 10 and one thing I really liked was it forced me to pitch outside of the strike zone more often, which meant more walks against the CPU. Eventually it just got too hard and so I dropped back to HOF with contact at 10. But the key for me is actually avoiding pitching in the strike zone 95% percent of the time with no consequences. That's really what I'm going for.

I try to pitch outside the zone but I'm still seeing when I have 2 strikes on the CPU the ball either magically finds it's way back to the strike zone and the CPU makes contact, or it's waaaay outside and they take it for a ball. Still having trouble getting more than 5 Ks per game no matter who my starting pitcher is. Can people maybe post some of the strategies they use to put away the CPU when they get them down in the count? (Pitch Selection, Location, how long they press the button etc). I'm getting spoiled because IRL the Phillies have Wheeler and Luzardo striking out everyone under the sun and I can't get even close to their K rate in the game.

[pipermaru]

The CPU is deadly with anything pitched in the zone. It is very difficult, as you try to pitch on the edges and if just outside the zone, they take the pitch. If just inside the zone, the crush it. At times, it is very, very frustrating. And if you starter starts to lose confidence, hitting their spots is even more troubling. :-(

[jcar0725]

thanks man ... i'll give it a go. i tried it on legend level, but damn it was hard with contact on 10... lol 22 hits later. 😅

I played a bunch of games on legend with CPU contact at 10 and one thing I really liked was it forced me to pitch outside of the strike zone more often, which meant more walks against the CPU. Eventually it just got too hard and so I dropped back to HOF with contact at 10. But the key for me is actually avoiding pitching in the strike zone 95% percent of the time with no consequences. That's really what I'm going for.

[BrewCrew16]

The only thing I would be concerned about reaction at 6 is losing out on singles and doubles being too high due to the fielders not getting to the ball. You don’t see that?

At 6/2 you get more gappers and better animations. Yes, infielders will still make more plays, but with CPU hitting where it is now...it's not a huge issue to me. Poor fielders still get poor reactions, I just can't deal with the little league reaction times in the IF. It's just poor imo

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[FluffyTonka]

I would try 10/4/5/5/4. I think 10/4/5/5/5 is a good spot for most.

I could use a little less control to throw more strikes. I could try lowering control but if you lower it too much, the CPU hitters start to chase more.

thanks man ... i'll give it a go. i tried it on legend level, but damn it was hard with contact on 10... lol 22 hits later. 😅

[jcar0725]

I'd be shocked if they didn't still chase. I feel like that's some weird quirk in the game. I'm pretty happy with where I'm at currently but if someone wants to test it.......

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[bryanm1982]

It's odd that lowering human pitcher control negatively affects the cpu hitters, but it seems like it does.

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But I have not tested lower pitch control with the contact at 10. Maybe they won’t chase as much?

[jcar0725]

I would try 10/4/5/5/4. I think 10/4/5/5/5 is a good spot for most.

I could use a little less control to throw more strikes. I could try lowering control but if you lower it too much, the CPU hitters start to chase more.

It's odd that lowering human pitcher control negatively affects the cpu hitters, but it seems like it does.

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[bryanm1982]

ahh right-o ... thats the exact info i was looking for before i jumped down a rabbit hole. i was hoping CPU strikouts and chase rates would be altered by human pitch control. looks like i need a happy medium of contact and maybe timing, along with power/ solid hits

thanks man.

I would try 10/4/5/5/4. I think 10/4/5/5/5 is a good spot for most.

I could use a little less control to throw more strikes. I could try lowering control but if you lower it too much, the CPU hitters start to chase more.

[bryanm1982]

So I did something yesterday that I couldn’t believe that I did. I turned the pitch speeds down to four. In 2020 I had them at eight. I remember Armor having them at nine and JoshC having them at eight. It seems like everyone has turned them down the last few years. You rarely see guys have them posted above six. What’s wrong with me turning them down to four? Nothing lol. There is something wrong with me struggling to hit or find anything remotely close to enjoyment in this game the last two years after not being able to put it down for 18 years. I’ve played five games with them at four and it’s been a blast. I still lost two games but it feels like it used to again.

Exactly. No sense of not having fun and struggling. Life is way too short lol.

[bryanm1982]

I'll add one thing I'm pretty adamant about. Ive tried fielder reaction at 5 with these and immediately reverted back to 6 and 3 fielder Run speed. I understand most don't play like this but I'm tired of guys not reacting to line drives until the ball is passed them. It's such a gimmick for rtts imo

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The only thing I would be concerned about reaction at 6 is losing out on singles and doubles being too high due to the fielders not getting to the ball. You don’t see that?

[FluffyTonka]

I've noticed that the higher the cpu contact, the harder it is to strike them out. You still get K's but the amount should drop. It seems to be the only thing that works for me. Human control and consistency sliders don't help with cpu production. The harder it is to strike out the cpu, the more pitches are thrown and it makes the human pitcher control drop a bit.

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ahh right-o ... thats the exact info i was looking for before i jumped down a rabbit hole. i was hoping CPU strikouts and chase rates would be altered by human pitch control. looks like i need a happy medium of contact and maybe timing, along with power/ solid hits

thanks man.

[jcar0725]

has anyone tinkered with human pitch control and consistency?

i love the way my franchise is going, but i am leading the league in strikeouts, and i'm top 5 for era, walks allowed. that's all good and all. but not when i'm chicago white sox and tanner houck is my ace lol

i've raised CPU contact by 1 click, dropped solid hits and power, and it didn't play too much different. i raised contact 2 clicks, and started giving up 15+ hits a game and 8-10 runs. i dropped pitcher control a click ... and balls went up, i couldn't locate unless it was with the couple of good set up guys in my bullpen. it felt pretty good, but it was only one game

i feel like pitch control, but you'd have to globally edit every pitcher in the game and give them a +5 or so boost to BB and pitch control to find the sweet spot?

I've noticed that the higher the cpu contact, the harder it is to strike them out. You still get K's but the amount should drop. It seems to be the only thing that works for me. Human control and consistency sliders don't help with cpu production. The harder it is to strike out the cpu, the more pitches are thrown and it makes the human pitcher control drop a bit.

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