Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

[Trevytrev11]

Have there ever been balks in a baseball video game?

I never played much at all of the High Heat or All Star Baseball franchises and not sure if they were included. For some reason, I recall it in the Front Page Baseball games on the pc, but I may be wrong.

1-I'd like to, as a lefty, be able to read the runner and be able to switch to a pick during my windup (this is where balks would come in as if you decide to pick to late and cross over the "45 line" you could be called for a balk) instead of being forced to commit to the pitch.

2-I'd also like to have the option to have 2-3 different moves. Most lefties have an A and a B (and maybe even a C and a D) move. Sometimes they're just trying to keep a guy honest, sometimes their trying to set him up and sometimes they may cheat a bit to further make the runner think their going to the plate. Pettite usually doesn't use his best move unless he thinks a guy is leaning or going to go. Often he'll set him up by showing him his weaker move.

2B-It'd also be nice for lefty's to have a snap throw to first, where they quickly step off with the left and fire to first.

3-Righties also may have different moves. Sometimes they'll go long to first just to gauge the runner and then if they think they have a chance, they'll use their quickest/best move. Like a lefty, a righty with a good move can cheat a bit by moving that front leg just a tad before spinning over to pick

4-Like lefties at first, with both righties and lefties going to second, I'd like to be able to decide if I want to use an inside move or a spin move.

5-I think all pitchers should have the ability to pitch from a slide step if they do so in real life. Not all pitchers use this, but many do and it would be another initiative to use to combat a speedy runner.

6-They also need to get rid of the AI auto throw on the 4th step from first. A pitcher is not going to throw over 10 times in a row if a runner has a big lead, but he is no where close to getting him out. He'll try something else (a pitch out, etc.). Guys who are fast and know how to steal should be able to stretch out leads compared to the other guys.

*I'm not really worried about them including balks when a pitcher drops the ball while in the stretch or catches his cleat on the rubber and has to stop mid-delivery. I want there to be a risk/reward for trying to fool a runner.

I think there are several ways these could be done, but I think it's just another step towards a more realistic experience.

[Blzer]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

Have there ever been balks in a baseball video game?

Interplay Sports Baseball 2000 (PSX)

2B-It'd also be nice for lefty's to have a snap throw to first, where they quickly step off with the left and fire to first

5-I think all pitchers should have the ability to pitch from a slide step if they do so in real life. Not all pitchers use this, but many do and it would be another initiative to use to combat a speedy runner.

I've been craving these two features for a long time.

[VDusen04]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

I actually think these are all great ideas. You should certainly add them to a 2K11 wishlist (if one has been made) so all of this does not get lost in space.

[roadman]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

HH had balks in it.

[Alai]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

HH had balks in it.

Yep. You could also tell if pitcher was balking, they looked kinda funny before throwing the ball.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

I think it'd be kind of cool if as a lefty, you could control at what point in your delivery you wanted to cut it off and go to first.

So at any time during your delivery, you could pull a trigger/press a button and your pitcher would then throw over to first.

The key then becomes understanding where the line is of what becomes too late and leads to a balk and mastering it.

I don't think the triggers are used and could kind of be incorporated into the whole total control pitching thing they have going on.

The L button could be used as a default pick to first. The way I see it, 90% of your picks are going to be to 1st.

Ideas for picks at first:

Pre-pitch: Any time before you begin to execute the pitch (before or after you choose your pitch), you can hit the L Button to perform a snap throw from a lefty (or a regular pick from a righty). Maybe a quick tap is a quick throw and a long hold is a longer, drawn out move.

During the pitch:

For Lefties - At any time during the actual pitch motion, you can press the L button to go stop your motion to the plate and turn it to first. Timing would be imperative to what you are trying to accomplish. Too early and you make it obvious to the runner, too late and you balk and every where in the middle is going to be closer and closer to your best move. At some point when it's obvious no pitcher would throw to first, I think you cut off the ability to pick (basically as the land foot comes down and the arm comes forward).

For Righty's - I don't think you make this an option. I could argue that some righty's will intentionally lift their front leg a split second
before they pick, but I think MLB umps are much more keen to this than college and high school umps and I don't think they get away with it very often.

Slide Step: Pull and hold the L trigger while you go through your gesture to execute a pitch using a slide step. Because it's a quicker motion to the plate and most pitchers lose a little bit on the pitch, the meter would be a bit faster to make executing a higher quality pitch a bit harder.

[Blzer]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

I think it'd be kind of cool if as a lefty, you could control at what point in your delivery you wanted to cut it off and go to first.

So at any time during your delivery, you could pull a trigger/press a button and your pitcher would then throw over to first.

As Interplay does it, you start your pitch, and to pick over to first you press Circle (O for Xbox guys I guess). Depending on how far into your pitch you do this, you will either successfully pick over or you will balk.

This game also had fake throws that could actually affect the CPU's baserunning decisions in a rundown or after cutting off the ball, etc. It was way ahead of its time.

Slide Step: Pull and hold the L trigger while you go through your gesture to execute a pitch using a slide step. Because it's a quicker motion to the plate and most pitchers lose a little bit on the pitch, the meter would be a bit faster to make executing a higher quality pitch a bit harder.

I can't think of this any other way, and this is exactly how I was thinking it would be done.

[Trevytrev11]

Re: Balks, Pickoffs and Controlling the Running Game

As Interplay does it, you start your pitch, and to pick over to first you press Circle (O for Xbox guys I guess). Depending on how far into your pitch you do this, you will either successfully pick over or you will balk.

Actually that probably works better because then you could use the same mechanic for inside moves at second and picks at third with righties with the different face buttons.