Do you intentionally throw off speed pitches up in the zone?

[Madden's Jowels]

I don't play online, but I play a lot of couch franchise mode with a couple buddies, and I will throw some breaking stuff up, it can definitely fool a human player. Throwing a slider outside that just breaks into the high outside corner, or a 12-6 curveball that drops into the top of the zone. Or a slider that starts out looking like meat up in the zone and then breaks in on the hands.

These may not be realistic pitches in real life, but damn if it isn't fun to see your friend's reaction when you freeze him or get him to swing at something silly.

[NDAlum]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrOldboy

I feel like this is back when RTTS first came out and you had certain people saying "Real baseball fans wouldn't bother with an arcade mode like RTTS. True fans play franchise.

Not even close

Quote: Originally Posted by Ghost Of The Year

Now what would be interesting is if that 30% told how successful they feel they are by throwing up in the zone lol. They might just be ahead of their time. I admit I might go against conventional wisdom when it comes to video game baseball. I have tried to break up a no-hitter in the 9th with a bunt. I have stolen bases in late innings with large lead. I've even bunted with Josh Hamilton & 2 outs before too. And I enjoyed every minute of it

Intentionally throwing off speed pitches up in the zone will never be a part of baseball.

Quote: Originally Posted by ryanmc564

totally agree, like a Adam Wainwright curve ball, I will throw one way up in the zone to where its barely hits the top of the strike zone, I've seen him throw that pitch in real life, whether it was a mistake location or not doesn't matter its fooled the batter.

I guarantee you he does not aim for the top part of the strike zone. Do pitchers throw off speed pitches to just "get them over" for a strike? Yes. But even then they typically want the pitch to be down in the strike zone.

Can you get lucky and fool the batter if you miss on your location up in the zone? Sure.

Quote: Originally Posted by nomo17k

I think it's just that because of the camera angle often used in the game, high fast ball and high changeup are very difficult to distinguish right after pitch release (because they travel relatively little out of line of sight), and the in-game pitcher delivery/pitch release is always consistent that the game doesn't offer enough to tip off pitch types that real-life batter could take advantage of. That likely makes high changeup more effective in the game than in real life. However, real-life pitchers (though probably not by intention) also end up leaving/hanging chageups high in the strike zone more often than we think.

Actually they don't leave them up very often and when they do miss up they say whatever prayer necessary in hopes that the ball isn't crushed. Every single pitcher is taught that if you're going to miss with any pitch, miss down. There's no variation to this unless you are throwing a fastball up in the zone.

Quote: Originally Posted by Bullit

I find this the most ridiculous conclusion every reached by a poll in just about the whole history of OS. LOL Now I am reasonably sure is this meant to be a little on the light hearted side but let me add: I have never played even one inning of online baseball in my entire life of video game baseball. I finished 3 and half years of my Nationals offline franchise with '15. If you take this factor of throwing high off speed as the sole factor of whether someone plays "video game baseball" or whether they play online or off? Like I posted before, I throw high off speed to battle the cpu mechanics which can be very unrealistic at times. So I don't see how my adjusting play style to compete against an opponent is considered as against baseball logic or the determining factor of whether I love baseball or not. If we all stuck to "true baseball" philosophies then baseball would not be the sport it is today. For better or worse going against the norm is part of the game of baseball.

Nothing about my conclusion is ridiculous. If you intentionally throw off speed pitches up in the zone you aren't playing baseball, you're playing a video game. One of the most respected posters on OS, Da_Czar, has the NBA 2K motto along the lines of: "Don't play video games, play basketball".

I'm not questioning your love for baseball or being an offline player. I'm saying that I believe most of those who voted "Yes" play online. I didn't say all nor do I believe all do.

I do understand this is a video game. I just wanted to see what % of OS stay true to the fundamental pitching philosophies. There's a reason 70% of the vote is no, and I'm proud to see such a high number.

[nomo17k]

What I don't understand is, why would it be necessary (for a moderator, no less) to belittle forum members who simply don't play the game in a certain way?

Baseball is a dynamic game, and there is a chance that what we believe is the "right way" currently might not actually continue to be the right way as the game changes.

Few in 90s would thought such extreme fielding shifts like MLB teams regularly employ these days are "staying true to baseball."

Sorry that I inadvertently mentioned "online play" which appears an NG word in this part of forum; I regret that I have bothered to contribute to this thread.

[MrOldboy]

Staying true to pitching philosophies only make sense in context. The Show does not model baseball perfectly so why would anyone bind themselves to the philosophies used in a system that has very little to do with the system of The Show? The only reason would be to role play which is fine, but don't call that some higher form of baseball. So simply if you do not pitch according to how The Show operates as opposed to real life, your playing the video game poorly. I don't think that is why most people play video games. So to me the poll is disappointing in that 70% of people taking the poll would rather role play being a MLB pitcher instead of trying to succeed at the game. I'm in the latter category because I don't intend to role play.

[NDAlum]

This thread was to see who utilizes actual true to life fundamentals when pitching and who doesn't. The question has never been asked here and I have always wondered.

I should have left out my personal view of online/offline. It really has no place in this thread. For that I will apologize.

Few in 90s would thought such extreme fielding shifts like MLB teams regularly employ these days are "staying true to baseball."

Great example of how the sport has evolved. I'm sure there are several more.

So maybe the 30% here is ahead of the curve. I'll eat crow if that happens in my life time.

[NDAlum]

Quote: Originally Posted by MrOldboy

Staying true to pitching philosophies only make sense in context. The Show does not model baseball perfectly so why would anyone bind themselves to the philosophies used in a system that has very little to do with the system of The Show? The only reason would be to role play which is fine, but don't call that some higher form of baseball. So simply if you do not pitch according to how The Show operates as opposed to real life, your playing the video game poorly. I don't think that is why most people play video games. So to me the poll is disappointing in that 70% of people taking the poll would rather role play being a MLB pitcher instead of trying to succeed at the game. I'm in the latter category because I don't intend to role play.

Ummm we are pushing buttons on a plastic controller as we sit on our butts. We're all role playing!

[MrOldboy]

Quote: Originally Posted by NDAlum

Ummm we are pushing buttons on a plastic controller as we sit on our butts. We're all role playing!

I'm not sure you know what role playing means in the context of video games.

Everyone is role playing to a degree, that can be applied to any facet of life. In the context of video games it is to restrict one self to a certain style of play or a certain role. Think someone playing an RTS and instead of trying to defeat the AI using the game's logic, they instead restrict themselves to battle tactics only used by the type of military they are controlling in game even if that puts them at a disadvantage. If it's Napoleon Total War they only use French combat formations and tactics from that era. That is essentially what you are arguing for. To role play as a real life baseball player and only use strategies that one would use in real life so even if high off speed pitches are effective in game you restrict yourself to playing as a real MLB pitcher would and never intentionally do that. It's a choice you personally make.

That I get and understand and I've certainly done it in other games. What I don't understand is your outlook on how others play the game as if there is a correct and incorrect side. One side is playing real baseball, but the other is playing arcade baseball.

[mikeq672]

Quote: Originally Posted by NDAlum

This thread was to see who utilizes actual true to life fundamentals when pitching and who doesn't. The question has never been asked here and I have always wondered. I should have left out my personal view of online/offline. It really has no place in this thread. For that I will apologize. Few in 90s would thought such extreme fielding shifts like MLB teams regularly employ these days are "staying true to baseball." Great example of how the sport has evolved. I'm sure there are several more. So maybe the 30% here is ahead of the curve. I'll eat crow if that happens in my life time.

Youll be safe, the break and movement on pitches is way too severly diminished to throw breaking pitches up in the zone with any kind of regularity. Like some said, Ill throw in the occasional high 12-6 just to change eye levels and give people something to think about, very rare though