Does it bother anyone else that the pitchers start from the set position (in the stretch with their hands already together) with runners on base?
The one (and only that I see) benefit is it makes for a quicker game.
But it kind of screws things up in a few ways.
1a) For baserunners, when a pitcher comes set, they usually extend their leadoff. With the exception of a pitcher quick picking the runner, this is usually their safe time to extend their lead. With a pitcher already set, he is in a much better position to see the runner extending and make a throw. In real life this is a disadvantage to the runner, in video games, it's probably not important at all.
1b) This also takes away the fact that a pitcher can quick pitch or hold his set to try and throw of a base stealers rythm. Because you currently start off in the set, as a base stealer, your kind of already in a holding pattern.
1c) this also brings balks into the game. If you begin the pitch before coming set, you could be called for a balk.
2) The catcher should be calling (suggesting( the pitch not the pitcher (he has final say). It seemed last year (and also in 2K7) that the game sort of penalized you for not being on the same page as the catcher. But without being able to shake off a pitch, your basically at the mercy of the game.
3) It made the meatball a much bigger issue than it could have been. There were two horrible parts to the meatball. A) It was always down the middle and B) it was always about the same fastball speed. If it was set up so that you had to agree on a pitch prior to executing that pitch, the game could have eliminated "B" and a screwed up curveball could have at least been a 65MPH hanger. If they go with a R-stick pitching method, I think they have to change this. The pitch should be determined prior to starting the pitch so that missed pitches still resemble the pitch that you were attempting and not something unrealistic.
4) It just screws up baseball. It'd maybe be similar to calling an audible in football, but the QB never says anything and the other offensive players telepathically just know what to do. As a hitter, when a pitcher shakes of a pitch, there is a mental aspect to it, a bit of a chess match. If you watch MLB games, often times you will se a catcher just telling the pitcher to shake his head because he thinks it will maybe change what the hitter is thinking and throw him off. That could still hold true via a video game.
Like real life, the pitcher should start with his toe to the rubber and his hands apart. Once a pitch is agreed upon (see below), he should come set. He can then hold his set as long as short or long as he wanted to before then executing the pitch.
Selecting a pitch:
I see it as three different choices (excludes the current method).
1) The catcher calls a pitch, you agree (press a button to accept) or you disagree (press a different button to get the next sign) until he calls the pitch you want. This is the most realistic variation as a catcher typically will have to cycle through all the pitches until you get one you like. There would no longer be a button that corresponds to a pitch, you would just either accept or decline. (There would have to be some visual to verify the pitch type) maybe the pitches would be listed and the one you chose would flash.
2) The catcher calls an original pitch. Each pitch is still mapped to a different button. To accept that pitch, you select that pitch. To decline, you just suggest the pitch you want to throw. Selecting another pitch would result in the pitcher shaking his head before coming set.
3) The pitcher just suggests the pitch prior to coming set. There is no shaking off, but you guarantee that you and the catcher (and the game) are all on the same page.
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To choose location and not make the system overly time consuming, when suggesting a pitch (or agreeing or disagreeing), you could just hold the L-Stick in ond other 9 directions and that is where the catcher would call for the pitch and set up.
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Example:
The catcher calls a curveball down and away to a righty, but you want a fastball in.
Your pitcher is in the stretch with hands apart and the catcher suggests the curveball. You would then press right with the L-stick and then depending on the system go through the process to select your pitch. Once you agree, the catcher would move to that location and once your pitcher came set, you could execute the pitch.
The one (and only that I see) benefit is it makes for a quicker game.
But it kind of screws things up in a few ways.
1a) For baserunners, when a pitcher comes set, they usually extend their leadoff. With the exception of a pitcher quick picking the runner, this is usually their safe time to extend their lead. With a pitcher already set, he is in a much better position to see the runner extending and make a throw. In real life this is a disadvantage to the runner, in video games, it's probably not important at all.
1b) This also takes away the fact that a pitcher can quick pitch or hold his set to try and throw of a base stealers rythm. Because you currently start off in the set, as a base stealer, your kind of already in a holding pattern.
1c) this also brings balks into the game. If you begin the pitch before coming set, you could be called for a balk.
2) The catcher should be calling (suggesting( the pitch not the pitcher (he has final say). It seemed last year (and also in 2K7) that the game sort of penalized you for not being on the same page as the catcher. But without being able to shake off a pitch, your basically at the mercy of the game.
3) It made the meatball a much bigger issue than it could have been. There were two horrible parts to the meatball. A) It was always down the middle and B) it was always about the same fastball speed. If it was set up so that you had to agree on a pitch prior to executing that pitch, the game could have eliminated "B" and a screwed up curveball could have at least been a 65MPH hanger. If they go with a R-stick pitching method, I think they have to change this. The pitch should be determined prior to starting the pitch so that missed pitches still resemble the pitch that you were attempting and not something unrealistic.
4) It just screws up baseball. It'd maybe be similar to calling an audible in football, but the QB never says anything and the other offensive players telepathically just know what to do. As a hitter, when a pitcher shakes of a pitch, there is a mental aspect to it, a bit of a chess match. If you watch MLB games, often times you will se a catcher just telling the pitcher to shake his head because he thinks it will maybe change what the hitter is thinking and throw him off. That could still hold true via a video game.
Like real life, the pitcher should start with his toe to the rubber and his hands apart. Once a pitch is agreed upon (see below), he should come set. He can then hold his set as long as short or long as he wanted to before then executing the pitch.
Selecting a pitch:
I see it as three different choices (excludes the current method).
1) The catcher calls a pitch, you agree (press a button to accept) or you disagree (press a different button to get the next sign) until he calls the pitch you want. This is the most realistic variation as a catcher typically will have to cycle through all the pitches until you get one you like. There would no longer be a button that corresponds to a pitch, you would just either accept or decline. (There would have to be some visual to verify the pitch type) maybe the pitches would be listed and the one you chose would flash.
2) The catcher calls an original pitch. Each pitch is still mapped to a different button. To accept that pitch, you select that pitch. To decline, you just suggest the pitch you want to throw. Selecting another pitch would result in the pitcher shaking his head before coming set.
3) The pitcher just suggests the pitch prior to coming set. There is no shaking off, but you guarantee that you and the catcher (and the game) are all on the same page.
-----------------------------------------------------------
To choose location and not make the system overly time consuming, when suggesting a pitch (or agreeing or disagreeing), you could just hold the L-Stick in ond other 9 directions and that is where the catcher would call for the pitch and set up.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Example:
The catcher calls a curveball down and away to a righty, but you want a fastball in.
Your pitcher is in the stretch with hands apart and the catcher suggests the curveball. You would then press right with the L-stick and then depending on the system go through the process to select your pitch. Once you agree, the catcher would move to that location and once your pitcher came set, you could execute the pitch.
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