I've read countless threads dedicated to people sharing their frustration with their inability to hit. Looking for advice. I'm hoping this thread helps people who are struggling.
- I'd like to start off by saying what to me is the most important thing, you're going to strike out. Everyone strikes out. Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen. They all strike out. It happens. Wasting your time trying not to strike out is most likely hampering your ability to hit the ball. You're putting yourself in constant "protect mode" instead of simply letting the game come to you. Now i'm not saying striking out is good. What I am saying is you can learn something from each at bat, no matter the result. Don't view a strikeout as a complete failure. It's only a complete failure if you learn nothing from it.
- Simply put, play the game. I see people saying that they always take the first pitch or they take until they get a strike. If it works for you fine, doesn't mean it will work for everyone. Personally You will never catch me looking for the sake of looking. In my experience roughly 15% of the first strikes you see will most likely be meat pitches. Get me over pitches that can be hammered. The best pitch of the at bat. I look at every pitch and only take strikes that I know I won't hit hard.
- Find out your hitting style. Everyone has one. Something that suits your strengths. Some people handle high pitches well, some hit breaking balls well. Find out what your strengths are and develop a strategy around them. If you hit the low ball well than work the count until you get something you can handle. Use the count to your advantage, if you have less than 2 strikes only look to swing at a pitch or location where you can do damage. With two strikes try to protect until you get a pitch you can handle. If you try and hit every pitch in all zones you will most likely be unsuccessful. Play to your strengths.
- Strategy. This is a simulation and requires strategy. Some pitches are tough. Just like they are in real life. You might not be able to hit them. So instead of focusing on how to score 10 off Kershaw, why not make him throw pitches and get to the bullpen where you might fare better. Also always pay attention to the count. Pitchers who are behind in the count 2-0, 3-1 are more likely to make mistakes than pitchers who are ahead.
- Practice. This is probably the key. If you find yourself swinging at balls constantly, especially a certain pitch or in a certain region than you just need to practice. Go to batting practice, and find a way to lay off pitches thrown there. If you don't practice it'll take you that much longer to figure it out. No shame in practicing if you want to get better.
Hopefully if you follow this you will become a better hitter. I use these keys to hitting in all of my at bats (I play on HOF, Zone, no guess pitch). I won't say I always score 10 because sometimes I have games when I score only 1 or 2. I will however say I consistently score 4-6 runs a game, obviously I have great games where I score 10+ just like I have poor games.
P.S. This goes without saying but i'll say it anyway. Play on a difficulty level that is playable to you. No shame in playing on Veteran if that's where your skill level is. The purpose is to enjoy the game, not show you are the best to ever swing a virtual bat.
Hope this helps. Cheers
- I'd like to start off by saying what to me is the most important thing, you're going to strike out. Everyone strikes out. Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, Andrew McCutchen. They all strike out. It happens. Wasting your time trying not to strike out is most likely hampering your ability to hit the ball. You're putting yourself in constant "protect mode" instead of simply letting the game come to you. Now i'm not saying striking out is good. What I am saying is you can learn something from each at bat, no matter the result. Don't view a strikeout as a complete failure. It's only a complete failure if you learn nothing from it.
- Simply put, play the game. I see people saying that they always take the first pitch or they take until they get a strike. If it works for you fine, doesn't mean it will work for everyone. Personally You will never catch me looking for the sake of looking. In my experience roughly 15% of the first strikes you see will most likely be meat pitches. Get me over pitches that can be hammered. The best pitch of the at bat. I look at every pitch and only take strikes that I know I won't hit hard.
- Find out your hitting style. Everyone has one. Something that suits your strengths. Some people handle high pitches well, some hit breaking balls well. Find out what your strengths are and develop a strategy around them. If you hit the low ball well than work the count until you get something you can handle. Use the count to your advantage, if you have less than 2 strikes only look to swing at a pitch or location where you can do damage. With two strikes try to protect until you get a pitch you can handle. If you try and hit every pitch in all zones you will most likely be unsuccessful. Play to your strengths.
- Strategy. This is a simulation and requires strategy. Some pitches are tough. Just like they are in real life. You might not be able to hit them. So instead of focusing on how to score 10 off Kershaw, why not make him throw pitches and get to the bullpen where you might fare better. Also always pay attention to the count. Pitchers who are behind in the count 2-0, 3-1 are more likely to make mistakes than pitchers who are ahead.
- Practice. This is probably the key. If you find yourself swinging at balls constantly, especially a certain pitch or in a certain region than you just need to practice. Go to batting practice, and find a way to lay off pitches thrown there. If you don't practice it'll take you that much longer to figure it out. No shame in practicing if you want to get better.
Hopefully if you follow this you will become a better hitter. I use these keys to hitting in all of my at bats (I play on HOF, Zone, no guess pitch). I won't say I always score 10 because sometimes I have games when I score only 1 or 2. I will however say I consistently score 4-6 runs a game, obviously I have great games where I score 10+ just like I have poor games.
P.S. This goes without saying but i'll say it anyway. Play on a difficulty level that is playable to you. No shame in playing on Veteran if that's where your skill level is. The purpose is to enjoy the game, not show you are the best to ever swing a virtual bat.
Hope this helps. Cheers
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