#@$% Baserunning...

[Captain Mallow]

Just venting here, so here it goes:

I like this game. Have been playing it since March. Really. There are problems, but overall it's a fun experience.

But baserunning is starting to drive me NUTS. Typical example: two outs, I've got a runner at third, and I hit a line drive single to centerfield. For some reason, at the crack of the bat my runner goes back to third base and hangs out there. While I hurriedly take manual control and send him home. Of course now it's a close play at home plate because he went all the way back to third before I can get him to head home. This problem is more acute with more than one man on base.

With two outs, baserunners run on contact. Not so here.

When I'm in full manual control of the runners I still have problems: often times the controller/game ignores my input (like when I'm trying to send a runner from 1st to third on a bloop single to right). I frantically pull the left trigger to change his destination base from '2' to '3' but it won't change...won't change...he's on second now and--voila, it changes! But by now the right fielder is up and throwing so I want to send him BACK to second...pull the right trigger...pull....PULL...GET BACK YOU IDIOT--

Runner out at 2nd.

So last night I'm plannning to steal second. I time it perfectly, sending my runner EXACTLY as the pitcher starts his motion. What happened was rather weird: the screen pulls back to that overhead shot you get when a runner is picked off. But the pitcher completes his motion to throw to the plate. BUT the ball doesn't go to the plate...it seemingly comes out of the pitcher's butt and goes to the first baseman who then flips to second and starts a run down.

Hello?? Balk much?? Animations getting a little confused???

Okay, end of vent. I'm done. Really, I feel better already...

[Trevytrev11]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

I've noticed a few things too.

1) Often times I find I can't reduce my runners base. Usually on plays where I retreat because I think the ball will be caught and then go after I realize it won't.

Example: I have a runner on 1st and a flay ball to the gap. It looks like the fielder will track it down so i start to go back. Then he drops it. Initially I think I can get to third. So I click the trigger twice to send the runner to 3rd. The fielder quickly recovers and I realize I have no shot, so I click the R trigger to subtract a base and go to second. Nothing happens. He's still locked into third. As he rounds second and I frantically press the button to get him to stop, he finally realizes he needs to go to second...ball gets cut off, the defense throws behind me at second and I am out.

Another example is trying to score from second on a single to the OF. Initially I hit the trigger twice to send him. A few times after realizing I have no change, I tell him to go back, but again there is a huge delay and he ends up rounding third and it's either a close play at third or i am out.

2) Another quirky thing. When you have a runner on 1st and get a 4 step lead, they ALWAYS throw over. They will do it 1,000 times in a row. If you get runners on 1st and third and control your runner on 1st to get a 4 step lead, they will always pick to third, even if that runner isn't going anywhere. About 10 times in a row I was able to have my runner on 1st to go second when they picked to third and every time, the computer could have easily nailed me at second, but refused to throw....last night for the first time ever, they finally threw the ball and nailed me.

[tril]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

IMO, Running the base pads in baseball games have always been difficult and quirky.

[cubsfan203]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

They should have some kind of option to make baserunning automatic. I don't want to have to make my guys lead off after every pitch, I don't want to have to set my guys to stealing to get them to run on a 3-2 count, and I certainly don't want to have to worry about making all of them advance every time the ball is hit.

[tril]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

^^
there is an auto base running feature in this game, I never tried using it. but it is there.

[DaveMN]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

But baserunning is starting to drive me NUTS. Typical example: two outs, I've got a runner at third, and I hit a line drive single to centerfield. For some reason, at the crack of the bat my runner goes back to third base and hangs out there. While I hurriedly take manual control and send him home. Of course now it's a close play at home plate because he went all the way back to third before I can get him to head home. This problem is more acute with more than one man on base.

This is really my only major gripe with the game, but it's a big one. I'm surprised more folks aren't posting about this. That leads me to believe either we're doing it incorrectly, or that others have found workarounds. Often I'll get a runner on 1st thrown out at 2nd on a routine base hit because his initial movement is back to first base.

[jkra0512]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

Anyone ever have this happen, where you have a guy on the corners and you hit LB to have both runners lead off and all of the sudden the guy from third darts toward home?

It's killed me so many times and I'm not holding the button down for him to steal either...He just goes for no reason other than to make an out.

[bulls23]

Re: #@$% Baserunning...

I have baserunning issues also, but not every game. The runner automatically goes back to a base on its own or advances on its own. Anyone know what to do about this?