Okay, we have to talk about it. Changeups.

[PhilliesFan13]

The entire thing is just plain ridiculous and is killing all enjoyment of this game for me. I have never been so frustrated with a Show game ever.

[Scrapps]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhilliesFan13

The entire thing is just plain ridiculous and is killing all enjoyment of this game for me. I have never been so frustrated with a Show game ever.

Its rough. I played two games on Saturday. First game, I struck out 12 times. The second, only three times. I'm optimistic. Feelin myself a little. Played a game yesterday. Blam!!!! Struck out 15 times. This game is so cruel.


Why does the CPU never throw a bad changeup? They are never up in the zone. Rarely outside of the width of the plate. And always within a few inches of the knees. However, half of the changeups I throw (using classic) end up between the batter's waist and shoulders. Its infuriating.

[PhilliesFan13]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scrapps

Its rough. I played two games on Saturday. First game, I struck out 12 times. The second, only three times. I'm optimistic. Feelin myself a little. Played a game yesterday. Blam!!!! Struck out 15 times. This game is so cruel. Why does the CPU never throw a bad changeup? They are never up in the zone. Rarely outside of the width of the plate. And always within a few inches of the knees. However, half of the changeups I throw (using classic) end up between the batter's waist and shoulders. Its infuriating.

Seriously. I had 2 games the other day where I struck out 21 times in 14 innings and 18 times in the other. Been a few 11 and 15 strikeout games mixed in too. I have played 13 games in my Franchise so far and have struck out 133 times.

I understand strikeouts happen and are part of the game. Not saying I should never strike out. Just saying I have never struck out this much in any Show game ever. Especially in such a small span of time too. It is beyond infuriating.

[hunterdawgs10]

PhilliesFan--

How are your games coming along with QuestGav's pitch edits?

I'm curious because I saw Willard's roster with pitch edits won't be out for another minimum 2-3 weeks and I didn't want to wait that long. So I am debating on whether I should do the inputs myself.

[QuestGAV]

Quote: Originally Posted by hunterdawgs10

PhilliesFan-- How are your games coming along with QuestGav's pitch edits? I'm curious because I saw Willard's roster with pitch edits won't be out for another minimum 2-3 weeks and I didn't want to wait that long. So I am debating on whether I should do the inputs myself.

Keep in mind that it only tones down the problem, doesn't cure it. There are more than a handful of guys who really do have 12-15 MPH FB/CHG differentials and ~20 MPH FB/CB differentials that you're still going to struggle with. The CBs are easier to recognize of course. Ultimately I think SCEA has to give us a way to recognize changeups better, though I'm not sure how that would work without it being cheesy.

[SpritePuck]

This is so tricky to me. If they make it easier then the only way to determine base hits vs contacts for outs is scripting it. Or we will all hit like .400.

As stated slowing down pitch speed helps. I can not hit on any level higher than All-Star. Which is fine my average and strike outnumbers are realistic. Walk numbers a bit low. Now GIDP numbers are dumb! But this is life.

In real life a pitch with break looks different. The spin makes the ball either look like a red ring is around it or a red dot in the center of it. This is caused by the spin and the laces. I am by no means a good enough hitter in real life to adjust in the time one has at the plate. But have stood in the box against AA pitchers and can tell (assuming I picked up the ball out of a pitchers hand) if it was a breaking ball or not. So, prior to swinging and missing, I knew I was going to swing and miss, because I was sitting fastball and new it was a curve but could never adjust my timiming fast enough to hit it. Change ups should have fastball spin and excluding the greatest pitchers, it is their arm motion that gives it away, also an indicator for curves. Again adjusting quick enough is the part that few can do. Thing is to hit a pitch over 90 mph you have to start to set up swing when ball is released, adjusting to a change usually means just foul it off and wait for something fast.

In softball it is the same when she releases a pitch you can see the rotation of the ball. Again adjusting to it is what is hard. Every high end camp has taught us that good mechanics and timing is all that matters in hitting. We are taught literally pick a pitch and sit and wait on it. If need because of count foul off anything else. Purposely foul it off. Because a change up or rise ball or curve when sitting fastball will be an out if hit in play, as the adjustment messes up your timing. Now, if your eye is good enough and hands are quick enough and mechanics just so, you can easily always get your pitch and hit it hard somewhere. Excluding that pitcher who holds a crystal ball in her mitt and knows what you are thinking and looking for.

Here is the issue with hitting in The Show. To make great pitchers great they are near impossible to hit. The arm motion is always identycal regardless of pitch. The ball looks the same out of pitchers hand. I watch it from release to plate and there is no way to see spin only break. Truth is in real life once you see a breaking ball break you missed it. This is why you have to pick up spin to hit at any high level of baseball or softball. Without a slight change in arm motion or any tells like seeing spin actual MLB hitters would wiff on changes like us gamers do. Not sure what they can do to improve this. If they put spin indication on the ball, they would have to exagerate it and many would say it looked unrealistic.... The better the game gets sometimes the more it feels impossible. But I imagine hitting Price's fastball or change would feel that way for us one and all and probably does for many MLB guys at times.

Good news is I strike out way less than I used to, walk way more and maybe someday I will have to play on a level above All-Star to keep stat lines realistic. Patience and waiting for your pitch in The Show is as important as real life. Get in an 0-2 count and you are gonna K but so it is in reality. Hitters counts are hugely important to success this year. I am certain there are rewards and penalties for contact depending on pitch count. Plus, get ahead and that crazy change, curveball or slider will not be thrown. Catch is playing on high enough difficulty that they throw enough balls to get ahead but where you can still hit... Hard balance to find my suggestion is changing pitch speed. Though I personally did nt and just practiced, and practiced more.

[SpritePuck]

Also, I know a lot of peopld do pitch edits and use edited rosters... Not saying not to do this but when you change that stuff, you have changed what the stats will be. I have created players and used say a certain pitchers attributes and bumped one thing and it totally changed simmed results. Give Kershaw a few points more in velocity and things change crazy amounts. Just did this and simmed games to see affect. It was huge on stat lines.

[SpritePuck]

Last thing that has worked for me in hitting the change. Sit on them early. Pitch confidence is very big. You may be way late or foul off fastballs but if looking for changes (only when it is a pitcher who uses them a lot) you can smash a few and they quit throwing them. If they have success with a pitch confidence goes up and you are going to get a lot of that pitch and it will be even harder to hit it.