CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

[sabastiane]

Hello, I'm curious if anyone else has run into this? I'm using blazzen's sliders and I'm playing as the Florida Marlins. I'm 22 games into spring training.
I've notice when I get to the 9th inning and the CPU bats, they can hit anything I throw them and score a ton of runs. 11 out of the 22 games the CPU has scored in the 9th. For example here are the runs I've allowed in spring training.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
5 3 11 10 5 7 10 6 24

Now, granted the Marlins bullpen isn't the best. But, when the computer is getting hit after hit on the first pitch thrown it gets frustrating. It has gotten to the point where I expect this in a close game going into the 9th. Any suggestions on what I can do?

[IndianBird]

Sorry bud, you just gotta get better at the game. There is no superhuman element for the CPU in this game.

You gotta mix up your pitches and locations. Throw some pitches outside the zone. They'll chase more than you'd think.

[kpkpkp]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

YES!!

(That is of course; if you believe in fairy-tales.)

[Graphik]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Sorry bud, you just gotta get better at the game. There is no superhuman element for the CPU in this game.

You gotta mix up your pitches and locations. Throw some pitches outside the zone. They'll chase more than you'd think.

I agree. First time in a long time where I dont feel cheated by the AI in any way if I lose.

If I do lose or give up some runs late in the game, 9 times out of 10 I can pinpoint where I messed up.

Either a bad bitch(bad gesture or overthrow leading to a ball over the plate)

Weak Pitcher (tired reliever, weak rated reliever/closer)

CPU Substitution (first time in a long time where I feel the cpu AI plays smart in late game situations. For instance, I walked my first batter in the 9th. He got bunted over and the cpu pinch hit and actually drove the runner in. Plus the cpu will sub runners for speed on the bags)

Composure (I've learned the hard way to get your manager up to the mound at the slightest discomfort from a pitcher. When you miss pitches with bad composure, you're basically throwing with your eyes closed. Good luck)

Last but not least, play smart baseball. (Dont be afraid to shift your infield or outfield around. Make defensive subs if you have a liability on the field and study your IE tendencies if you're feeling scared. Didn't buy the reports...oh well. Cant be mad if you give up 3 striaght hits because you may have thrown a players money pitch, hot zone, etc.)

From what I've learned in my short stint with the game, the control is definitely in your hands and not in the games programming. There may be some little nagging cheats (ie: errors at the most appropriate moment, forced bad gestures) but for the most part, I haven't seen flat out comeback logic.

[RogueHominid]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

There's absolutely, positively, no comeback AI in this game. What there is is a lot of real-life baseball factos at play that will kill you if not managed right.

The end of the game is all about game management--when are you gonna pull your starter? Which relievers are you gonna put in? How are those matchups? When are you gonna hook a reliever? How are you choosing to pitch a given hitter?

All of those decisions have to be made thoughtfully in this game. If you leave your starter in after you begin to see the velocity come down on the fastball, you're begging to get hammered on a hanging curve late in the game. If your reliever comes out and can't hit the zone in his first at-bat, you're playing with fire by not yanking him. If you get lazy and don't really think about pitching around big bats, they'll get you. Heck, if you even groove a FB to the pitcher out of laziness, he'll get you.

So my advice would just be to slow down and consider all those factors. Some teams have the talent in the bullpen to make closing games out easier. Some teams aren't so good there and so will require more managerial genius and luck.

[jack1535]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

I have not experienced this at all.

[SpeedyMikeWallace]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Pay attention to your fatigue and pitch count. If the pitcher is near his PC at the end of the 8th, it's probably not the best idea to trot him out there for the 9th. Use your closer or someone else.

How are your pitches; are you getting a lot of bad gestures? Where are you locating pitches? Are you using the catcher suggestions?

[JeriousNorwood]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Pay attention to your fatigue and pitch count. If the pitcher is near his PC at the end of the 8th, it's probably not the best idea to trot him out there for the 9th. Use your closer or someone else.

How are your pitches; are you getting a lot of bad gestures? Where are you locating pitches? Are you using the catcher suggestions?

Does using catcher suggestions actually help? I've always ignored them and done my own thing.

[SpeedyMikeWallace]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

I use them probably 90% of the time and they seem to work really well. Sometimes it does goofy things like, wanting you to start out throwing 3 balls. That is when I usually ignore it. There are other times when I really don't like the suggestion (why do I want to throw a fastball anywhere near the middle?) and do something different, but that may be less than 10 pitches in a game.

[stcardinal]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Never had this problem. But I have notice that it's harder to strike people out in the later innings.

[RogueHominid]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Never had this problem. But I have notice that it's harder to strike people out in the later innings.

This is pattern-based. You gotta make sure you take different approaches to getting hitters out over the course of the entire game. The CPU picks up on patterns and will start raking you if you're not conscious of that.

I had to learn the hard way, lol. don't be afraid to pitch up in the zone (thanks, Mkharsh!), and don't be afraid to throw intentional balls to set up certain pitches.

[stcardinal]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

This is pattern-based. You gotta make sure you take different approaches to getting hitters out over the course of the entire game. The CPU picks up on patterns and will start raking you if you're not conscious of that.

I had to learn the hard way, lol. don't be afraid to pitch up in the zone (thanks, Mkharsh!), and don't be afraid to throw intentional balls to set up certain pitches.

Well I can still get them out, I was just saying, the CPU does get smarter to the OP. But, yeah, it is much harder to strike them out after the 5th inning. I can pile up like 6K from 1-5innings and then just 2ks from 6-9 even if I pitch a CG. They just swing at everything and never at anything outside the zone.

[Sabo's corked Bat]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Ive played hundreds of franchise games and the only thing I've noticed is sometimes you'll enter an inning, usually up until that point your no hitting them and they'll just start hitting everything in the zone. thats when I pitch outside of the zone, since they are still swinging and I get pop ups and fouls until I retire the side. That the only thing Ive seen like that.

[franko3219]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Ive played hundreds of franchise games and the only thing I've noticed is sometimes you'll enter an inning, usually up until that point your no hitting them and they'll just start hitting everything in the zone. thats when I pitch outside of the zone, since they are still swinging and I get pop ups and fouls until I retire the side. That the only thing Ive seen like that.

Agreed, there always seems to be that one inning where, even if it is off the plate but reachable, the CPU will make good contact for a hit. I have also noticed that the CPU seems a little overly accurate in their hitting, i.e. if I swing my infielders outfields to one side or the other, the CPU the vast majority of the time will hit it right where the hole in my defense is even if I am pitching him to where I am shading him, which obviously gets a little frustrating.

[sabastiane]

Re: CPU becomes superhuman during the 9th?

Thanks for the feedback. I did notice that I was throwing a lot of pitches in the strike zone. Trying to hard to get quick outs. I've started working the strike zone and I am having better success.
A little off the subject. But, does the roster expand to 40 in September?