Yeah I am in the same boat. I know players with your caliber will still be better using zone but I guess we have to have faith in SCEA when they say it will be balanced for online.
I mean its like they went polar opposite with the hitting this year. I used to really respect the users who would use zone plus analog online. Its by far the most difficult to use and you got no real advantage over pure analog or zone. Now since they simplified analog I feel like those who use zone may be at a disadvantage online and it will be the same as zone analog in the past. Its all about competitive balance yet still keeping the game fun. I understand that for sure.
I just hope they've tested this somehow and came to a consensus as a whole rather than just one individual making an executive decision that it will be allowed for online to appeal to the mass.
I will say this though....they allow classic pitching online and have done so as far as I started playing. Classic pitching is absolute garbage to use online and people only use it if they can't figure out analog or meter. I hope timing also pans out to be this low risk/low reward offensive philosophy as classic does for pitching.