recipe for a strikeout

[ryan720]

just wondering if anyone had any tips or hints about pitching for K's. I'd love to be able to strike out the side a few times...
and get the Jake Peavy card

just anyhthing, maybe a certain sequence, or what pitch to throw after a taken strike, or a swinging strike... I can only get maybe 1 or 2 a game, if im lucky

[Trevytrev11]

Re: recipe for a strikeout

I've had success just pitching off the plate and using max effort. I have found success pitching slightly off both sides of the plate as well as down in the zone. I pitched with Sheet's last night and was able to pile up 8 or 9 K's over 8 innings by mostly throwing fastballs and curveballs, with the occastional change-up and slider.

A couple of times I was able to kind of back door my 2-seamer (like Maddux) by starting it off the plate and having it tail back over the corner (though I did miss one time and gave up a bomb). With two strikes, I would try to start my curve at about mid-though and have it break down and out of the zone.

I have not had much success getting hitters to chase up in the zone. I'll tried a few times to climb the ladder and throw fastballs around the shoulder to chin level, but the computer took it every time or was able to fould them off.

[sportsdude]

Re: recipe for a strikeout

I would suggest thinking ahead a pitch or two at a time. For example, if you throw a fastball high and tight for the first pitch and it's called strike, then go right back with the same pitch. Either the batter pops it up or swings and misses (assuming it's in the strike zone) and then you go with a change up low and away and the bat won't leave their shoulder.

Change speeds and show hitters different pitch sequences. For example, I was killing Jason Bay with fastball in, fastball in then breaking pitch away. His third and fourth at-bats I tried the same thing and not only did he get a hit both times, but he went deep.

Also, say there's a pitch you don't use a lot, that suddenly becomes a good strikeout pitch. I use Homer Bailey in my Reds franchise and he's got three pitches. His fastball and changeup combined make up about 90-95% of what I throw with him, so when I do throw his curveball, it really seems to catch hitters off guard.

[sportyguyfl31]

Re: recipe for a strikeout

also..dont be afraid to throw a couple of balls.The cpu is going to catch on to your VIP, so sometimes you can catch the CPU fishing. Or, if you throw a couple of balls, and then come back to pain the corner, you can catch the batter looking.

[AftershockFx]

Re: recipe for a strikeout

Mixing speed and location works really well. Generally I never throw the same pitch more than 2x in a row really. For example I may drive a fastball in for strike one that's down + away, followed by a change up that's just down and try to finish with a slider that breaks on the inside part of the plate that's up which can be risky or drive a fast ball home that's up and in. Another thing you can do is intentionally throw balls using the pay off pitch deal to increase pitch ratings which can be useful if done correctly.

[CS10029]

Re: recipe for a strikeout

Change speeds a lot, go inside outside and high and low. Also, pitch to your players strengths, when going for the K use one his better pitches.