Every AI batter has barry bonds discipline

[OhioCub]

I haven't experienced too much of this, every now and again I see it but the thing that really bothers me is when have you seen the AI take a strike, especially one in the middle of the zone (which does happen quite often in the majors)? To go even futher, when was the last time you struck the AI out looking? It's nearly impossible as they'll almost always throw the bat out at the last second and foul the pitch off (or sometimes swing and miss). They swing at way way way too many first pitch strikes, even with guys who are notorious for always taking the first pitch of an AB.

[JPCaveman13]

I've seen more of an ebb and flow to striking out the AI. Some games, my RTTS pitcher will strike out upwards of 10 or more (tops is 18 K's in a game), but in the next game, it may only be 4-7 strikeouts. I do know that most of them have come off of setting up certain pitches to get them to chase, be out in front, or swing too late.

As far as striking out the AI looking, I'll get around 2-3 looking in about every 10 strikeouts. Getting them looking has mostly come on pitches starting out of the zone and catching the edge at the last moment, although there were a few where I dropped a curve or slider that was "unexpected" and froze the batter.

[BegBy]

My biggest complaint with his title, and always has been, is the cpu batting. You can feel when they turn it on. You just know that no matter what you pitch, where it's at or anything else, they are either getting a hit or they have the world's best eye and take the pitches. Combined with some bad calls by umps (it goes both ways though, especially this year) and I get frustrated.

I cannot stand how they won't protect the plate. It'll be 0-2. Curveball on the black. 50-50 call, at best, and they just leave the bat on their shoulder. Every batter. Every game.

[NEOPARADIGM]

About 90 full games now I've struck guys out every which way from Sunday at this point (500+ Ks on the year); they definitely swing at a ton of garbage.

Those "how did he take that?!?" moments are there but if I had to guess it only happens 3-5 times per game. After all, sometimes guys really are just taking. I get them looking kinda sorta all the time too.

Pretty balanced and ultimately pretty cyclical, like maybe one game with "Barry Bonds" eyes everywhere followed by two games of "looks like he's swinging a garden hose." Comes and goes. And likely ties with fatigue, control, confidence, ratings, execution and everything else, like everything else.

[Gagnon39]

Um, Mark Reynolds doesn't. I struck him out four times in one game. Twice on three pitches, and once on a slider way out of the zone.

Also, the next time I faced him he hit a bomb against me. I'd say that's pretty stinkin' realistic.

[Gagnon39]

Quote: Originally Posted by BegBy

My biggest complaint with his title, and always has been, is the cpu batting. You can feel when they turn it on. You just know that no matter what you pitch, where it's at or anything else, they are either getting a hit or they have the world's best eye and take the pitches. Combined with some bad calls by umps (it goes both ways though, especially this year) and I get frustrated. I cannot stand how they won't protect the plate. It'll be 0-2. Curveball on the black. 50-50 call, at best, and they just leave the bat on their shoulder. Every batter. Every game.

This just isn't true. It happens, sometimes. Just the same way that it happens in real life, sometimes. But have you ever had a complete-game shutout? I have. In fact, more than I can remember. In those games when did they, "turn it on?" The CPU sure didn't turn anything on when I tossed a complete game, three-hit shutout against the Reds with Travis Wood.

And for the record I pitch on Hall of Fame with my pitch accuracy down (4) and pitch consistency down (3). Everything else is default.

Not trying to argue, but just trying to help you understand that things like this happen. I know it's frustrating, I've been there. But at the end of the day, it's realistic. It makes you wonder how real pitchers feel when innings like you're describing happen.

[@legendm0de]

My only biggest gripe with CPU batting right now, is that even in the hardest level with default or adjustments to settings, too many times the CPU will take called 3rd strikes on pitches that catch too much plate to just sit there and not even flinch at a swing.

That really bothers me, and adjustment wise it's a difficult answer as to how to fix it. What I'm beginning to work on now is a CPU Timing up to 10 and I'm seeing a bit of improvement, with a stronger ability to foul off balls but there is still much more remaining to be seen. If you adjust the CPU Contact higher, IE above 5 you'll bring a new set of problems with poor contact resulting in hits. Plus an advancement in their discipline which means they'll take even more pitches making for unnatural feeling at bat many times.

Overall it's a tough fix, and would be best if the AI were just naturally programmed to react to pitches realistically and let their individual ability determine whether they are successful in the at bat or not. I don't get the impression that this is the way the AI is being created.

Spoiler

For me, I'm currently at 2 CPU contact (which primarily means the level of forgiveness the batter gets when making contact, ie poor or late contact can still be rewarded with a Hit). And I'm using 10 for the timing, 5 for the power.

edit -- My theory anyhow is perhaps at 10 they won't be bashful about swinging and feel confident in making contact with a pitch as they should, they are MLB players. Hopefully I will see a vast improvement or at least a difference in how CPU deals with protecting the plate in those 2 strike situations in particular. Because too often I could fire a pitch near the strike zone and they will just take it and end up called for their 3rd strike. Also I feel this 10 timing rate is actually a very fair improvement for them because on the other side of the coin, I feel great about making contact with a pitch if it's in terms of just ability. Obviously other factors affect whether I actually do make any contact or not. So the CPU should not be suffering from having the ability and the intelligence of making contact on a 2 strike fastball around the strike zone.

[rjackson]

Quote: Originally Posted by @legendm0de

My only biggest gripe with CPU batting right now, is that even in the hardest level with default or adjustments to settings, too many times the CPU will take called 3rd strikes on pitches that catch too much plate to just sit there and not even flinch at a swing.

Meh, I get frozen by Uncle Charlie a fair bit. You forget seeing Miggy getting frozen by a FASTBALL? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6cmMYue4QE I don't really see a problem but who knows, maybe you have quick counts on and I don't? I find that the SP's K/9 matters on this. Verlander would get these a ton more than Eric Stults in the game, for instance.

As for the original posting topic--use the batter analysis tool after each game. Set it to your team and everything else to "all". Then, cycle the results to look at things like "chased" and "deep strikes" (I like to see how many I let zip by, usually a couple at minimum). Then do the same for the CPU. You would be surprised at how good it is at being evened up and if it is not, there is a reason for it.