MLB The Show 16: Gameplay Taking Steps Forward

[tessl]

I use manage mode exclusively so the things I focus on are not always the same as what people who "joystick" the game focus on.

I see a major visual upgrade to an already excellent game. Madden introduced what they called "true step" a couple years ago - the players feet actually touch the ground. It seems the show has introduced something similar. It looks good.


Visuals are fantastic, actual results of gameplay won't be known until the game goes into my ps4 but my preference would be not to change the game too much from the show 15 because I changed zero sliders - excellent results. They have in the past "fixed" one thing and messed up something else. No major changes are needed in gameplay from the show 15.

[tessl]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cavicchi

Pitcher repertoires are still the bugaboo of this game. It affects realism, what a pitcher really throws, such as Jose Fernandez with a slider and 83 mph changeup. according to brooksbaseball.net, a more reliable source than whatever they are using, Fernandez has never thrown a slider. The hot/cold zones is another piece of cake. Last year, Peter Bourjos had more hot zones than Mike Trout! Realism is not there, at least for me, with regard to Pitchers repertoire or hot/cold zones. I won't get into players attributes or potential as those are debatable, but brooksbaseball.net is far more accurate than whatever they use, and hot/cold zones is laughable. One could say hot/cold zones change from year to year, maybe so, but if realism is expected, you need to start with reality.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time but if you don't know what their source is how do you know it is less accurate?

[Cavicchi]

Quote: Originally Posted by tessl

I'm not trying to give you a hard time but if you don't know what their source is how do you know it is less accurate?

Remember the guy who used to do pitch edits? Why do you think he did pitch edits? What was his source?
Sources that use game day interpretation in my opinion are not reliable. The example I gave previously of Gerrit Cole is just one reason--I believe Fangraphs uses game day interpretation.

Does Kershaw's slider have more horizontal movement than that of Carlos Martinez?

[Cavicchi]

For those interested, the link below shows pertinent information about brooksbaseball.net and how they perform pitch types. I'll quote a bit from their About Page and more can be read from the link below.

"Overview
Pitching is part art and part science. Pitching analysis is no different. At Brooks Baseball, we strive to present the most complete, accurate, and comprehensive dataset about pitching available on the web. To do that, we start with the PITCHf/x dataset, a public resource made available by MLBAM and Sportvision, and make systematic changes that improve the quality, usefulness, and useability of that data.

Pitch Classifications by Pitch Info
The PITCHf/x data downloaded from MLBAM contains a set of pitch classifications determined by an automated, real-time, neural network algorithm. While this has the advantage of providing very fast labels that can inform broadcasts and products such as MLB Gameday, such automated classifiers have difficulty with certain repertoires and pitch types.

The Pitch Classifications used by Brooks Baseball are manually reviewed by Pitch Info using several parameters of each pitch's trajectory and double-checked against several other sources, such as video evidence (e.g., pitcher grip and catcher signs) and direct communication with on-field personnel (e.g., pitching coaches, catchers, and the pitchers themselves).

Realistic Trajectory Data
Because the PITCHf/x dataset provides the details of each pitch's trajectory, we can slightly alter the default values to align better with reality than what is commonly reported. For example, we slightly shift our reported values back to a release distance of 55' - which more closely reflects the actual release distance of most pitchers - so that release points are more tightly clustered and velocities are slightly increased. We also provide options to visualize pitch movement with gravity added back into the equation or with the effects of air drag removed."

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/about.php

[Bobhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA

Our data comes directly from they MLB they have best camera's and technology of any of the pitch FX tracking mechanisms. We also cross reference it wother another source. The data we get is 98% accurate.

Your data doesn't include arm speed, though, which is what makes it incorrect. A pitcher in real life that throws a 97 mph fastball followed by a 83 mph changeup is not maintaining the same release and arm speed for both pitches, but in The Show, all pitches have the exact same delivery and arm speed.

I don't know how feasible it is to have varying arm speeds in The Show, but as a balancing point, until it exists, these pitch speed differentials need to be maintained at an amount lower than real life. Such a reduction in differentials is what would happen if a real life pitcher were forced to use the exact same same speed every time.

[tessl]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bobhead

Your data doesn't include arm speed, though, which is what makes it incorrect. A pitcher in real life that throws a 97 mph fastball followed by a 83 mph changeup is not maintaining the same release and arm speed for both pitches, but in The Show, all pitches have the exact same delivery and arm speed. I don't know how feasible it is to have varying arm speeds in The Show, but as a balancing point, until it exists, these pitch speed differentials need to be maintained at an amount lower than real life. Such a reduction in differentials is what would happen if a real life pitcher were forced to use the exact same same speed every time.

That would require a different pitching motion for every pitch for every pitcher from both the windup and the set position. A pitcher with 4 pitches would have 8 unique pitching motions. I doubt the programmers they would have to hire to accomplish that would be worth it.

[kehlis]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bobhead

Your data doesn't include arm speed, though, which is what makes it incorrect. A pitcher in real life that throws a 97 mph fastball followed by a 83 mph changeup is not maintaining the same release and arm speed for both pitches, but in The Show, all pitches have the exact same delivery and arm speed. I don't know how feasible it is to have varying arm speeds in The Show, but as a balancing point, until it exists, these pitch speed differentials need to be maintained at an amount lower than real life. Such a reduction in differentials is what would happen if a real life pitcher were forced to use the exact same same speed every time.

Arm speed for the above two pitches (97 mph fastball/83 mph changeup) is the same.

If a pitcher adjusts his arm speed for a change up he's doing it wrong.

[Bobhead]

Quote: Originally Posted by tessl

That would require a different pitching motion for every pitch for every pitcher from both the windup and the set position. A pitcher with 4 pitches would have 8 unique pitching motions. I doubt the programmers they would have to hire to accomplish that would be worth it.

That's why I didn't suggest different deliveries, I suggested a reduction in the differential. You should actually read my post.