Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

[BegBy]

I'm fine with it happening at a realistic pace, but fastballs right down the heart of the plate or a hanging breaking ball (sometimes 2-3 in a row) shouldn't be a money pitch for the cpu. Especially with guys like Donaldson and Bautista.

To say I'm struggling at the plate is an understatement. I have now lost 33 games in a row. I cannot hit more than 4 hits a game and for me to hit 20+ fouls or pop ups a game with good timing from pitches that are near or in the heart of the plate is straight up stupid. Yet if I miss with a pitch and it cruises down the middle (majority of the time) the cpu crushes it. Doesn't matter who or what pitch. Once they get a hit, it's literally game over. I have never once only given up one hit. There is always at least a second, and usually a third and fourth.

If some of the 20+ that are foul or pop ups would actually go into play I might be able to actually win a game.

Sliders make no difference, as I have used them all. The one very consistent thing with all sliders and all skill levels is that there are way too many fouls or pop ups with good timing and contact.

[Guccilafluer]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Sounds like controller/tv lag maybe?


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[Panopticism]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

When you say that you're okay with it happening at a realistic rate, how excessive is it for you? Power hitters tend to hit infield flies between 10-20% of the time.

[BegBy]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

When you say that you're okay with it happening at a realistic rate, how excessive is it for you? Power hitters tend to hit infield flies between 10-20% of the time.

Honestly it hovers around 25%, which isn't super mega bad...but at the same time it kinda is. I also think in conjunction with my inability to hit/win I see what seems to be really inflated instances of it happening.

[Maxflier]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Sounds like controller/tv lag maybe?


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If the games hitting feedback is registering as good timing, why would it be lag? That makes no sense.

[Sgexpat]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

If you are using directional hitting that comes with the territory.

Use zone if you want more consistent solid contact.

If you are wed to directional use sliders to maybe:

Increase solid hits
Increase power
Increase timing window

Contact won't help as much.

If you think zone is too hard (as I did) read up on how some people place it over a part of the plate and don't move it. I do this now because of too many popups in directional and am happy. I don't have the stick skills to track pitches with zone so each pitch I guess if I should cover high medium or low on the plate, but the outline zone reticule there and only swing if I'm right. Hard hits are up, popups down, looking strikeouts up, and walks up.

[Sgexpat]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

There is a YouTube video or two out there on how to do it. Long story short usually cover the upper part of the plate for a fastball / power pitcher, the middle for a breaking ball guy, and the lower part for a sinker splitter type guy. Adjusting for situation (they try and get ground balls when looking for a double play, for example) and for how they pitch specific batters and you are good to go.

[KBLover]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Because timing is only one component of a swing.

Get a ball, toss it up in the air and hit it with a bat. If you pop it up, were you late? Early? No, you just hit the very bottom of the ball with the very top of the bat. Good timing, bad swing location.

Same is true in The Show (and real baseball...that's way pitches with late movement are often effective).

The location of the swing is generalized by the PCI. If you're on Directional, then the location of where the player puts his PCI means as much (perhaps more) than the timing, and that's governed by his ratings, the pitcher's ratings, the pitcher control slider, the solid hits slider, and the contact slider. Influence can be a factor as well.

Contact slider influences the chances of the player placing his PCI well.

Control slider "counters" that by how likely the pitch "fools the hitter".

Solid Hits slider influences the likelihood of getting the better trajectories (less pop ups and choppers) as well as getting the most out of them. In can only do so much, though. PCI location still has to be decent.

Contact rating vs H/9 and K/9 ratings impact the size of the PCI and the likelihood the batter puts it in a good spot.

BB/9 and Control influence the chance of the pitch being where the pitcher wants it, which is generally in a difficult to hit location.

Movement influences the break on the pitch. If you're controlling the PCI, it can challenge your PCI control. On Directional, it might impact PCI location vs pitch location. I know sometimes I see the CPU hitters miss with a green timing swing because the PCI was a mile away from the pitch.

[Kodii Rockets]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Because timing is only one component of a swing.

Get a ball, toss it up in the air and hit it with a bat. If you pop it up, were you late? Early? No, you just hit the very bottom of the ball with the very top of the bat. Good timing, bad swing location.

Same is true in The Show (and real baseball...that's way pitches with late movement are often effective).

The location of the swing is generalized by the PCI. If you're on Directional, then the location of where the player puts his PCI means as much (perhaps more) than the timing, and that's governed by his ratings, the pitcher's ratings, the pitcher control slider, the solid hits slider, and the contact slider. Influence can be a factor as well.

Contact slider influences the chances of the player placing his PCI well.

Control slider "counters" that by how likely the pitch "fools the hitter".

Solid Hits slider influences the likelihood of getting the better trajectories (less pop ups and choppers) as well as getting the most out of them. In can only do so much, though. PCI location still has to be decent.

Contact rating vs H/9 and K/9 ratings impact the size of the PCI and the likelihood the batter puts it in a good spot.

BB/9 and Control influence the chance of the pitch being where the pitcher wants it, which is generally in a difficult to hit location.

Movement influences the break on the pitch. If you're controlling the PCI, it can challenge your PCI control. On Directional, it might impact PCI location vs pitch location. I know sometimes I see the CPU hitters miss with a green timing swing because the PCI was a mile away from the pitch.

God tier post. Well done indeed sir.

[BegBy]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

I understand that timing isn't everything, and I also understand that sometimes despite things looking like they should work out, they just don't. That said I do struggle with the amount of times as a human player I see this when compared to the cpu. All of the variables should come into play for them also, but as I said, more often than not if your pitch catches too much of the plate you get punished.

Obviously it's my problem because I just can't hit. However it seems to me, logically and hopefully objectively, that if I am doing things right (good timing, huge green pci, swinging at good pitches) and I still can't hit and pitches that I see the cpu crushing are pop ups and fouls for me, then I don't have a way to improve. If I was doing it wrong more often than not, then it'd be a non-issue. I can't hit though, because even if it's a good pitch to hit I still get punished.

To clarify I am hitting at beginner (it's that bad via dynamic difficulty) and I'll embarrassingly admit that I have human contact at 6 and solid hits maxed out. Timing hitting, as always. What's more frustrating is that if I move up to legend or hall of fame...my stats remain the same, except I strike out more. I do like striking out at a realistic pace, but you'd think that going from beginner to hall of fame I'd see a huge diffrenece, but it's all the same. I hit balls right into gloves (I mean that very literally) or fouls and pop ups. I'm convinced that if some of the ones that legit should be hits were actually hits for me, it'd open up the game. You can only hit a pitcher that's been hit. If they get in a groove it's real tough to start getting hits, which is awesome, but when you only get 3-4...they stay pretty much on point.

[Sgexpat]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

SeriouslY zone hitting will end those frustrations.

[KomicJ]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Because timing is only one component of a swing.

Get a ball, toss it up in the air and hit it with a bat. If you pop it up, were you late? Early? No, you just hit the very bottom of the ball with the very top of the bat. Good timing, bad swing location.

Same is true in The Show (and real baseball...that's way pitches with late movement are often effective).

The location of the swing is generalized by the PCI. If you're on Directional, then the location of where the player puts his PCI means as much (perhaps more) than the timing, and that's governed by his ratings, the pitcher's ratings, the pitcher control slider, the solid hits slider, and the contact slider. Influence can be a factor as well.

Contact slider influences the chances of the player placing his PCI well.

Control slider "counters" that by how likely the pitch "fools the hitter".

Solid Hits slider influences the likelihood of getting the better trajectories (less pop ups and choppers) as well as getting the most out of them. In can only do so much, though. PCI location still has to be decent.

Contact rating vs H/9 and K/9 ratings impact the size of the PCI and the likelihood the batter puts it in a good spot.

BB/9 and Control influence the chance of the pitch being where the pitcher wants it, which is generally in a difficult to hit location.

Movement influences the break on the pitch. If you're controlling the PCI, it can challenge your PCI control. On Directional, it might impact PCI location vs pitch location. I know sometimes I see the CPU hitters miss with a green timing swing because the PCI was a mile away from the pitch.

Quick question then...is there any point waiting for a pitch down the middle using directional hitting, if it relies on the player's attributes anyway ?

I ask the question because my RTTS player 85 (+13) and 75 (+13) in contact, with a 85 (+19) in plate vision and 85 (+6) in batting clutch. I try to be very patient at the plate, and usually have good timing...yet, my batting average is at .234 in my second year, a slight upgrade from my .223 average in year 1.

Clearly, there's something I don't get about hitting, because with those ratings, I should at least be near .300 in my opinion.

[KBLover]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Quick question then...is there any point waiting for a pitch down the middle using directional hitting, if it relies on the player's attributes anyway ?

Yes, the more hittable the location the more likely that the PCI will be on the ball in some capacity and more likely to be near center (since it's hard to move the PCI to NOT cover the middle of the zone).

Meanwhile, a pitch on the edge will either need a big PCI or have to get good placement.

I get the same thing. Chris Taylor has near 80 contact and he batted .220 for me in my franchise. I don't know what causes that, but a good approach is a good approach, and, like in real life, it will work out more often than not, imo.

Edit: Taylor ended up at about .250, so he picked up and is doing pretty decen in the playoffs.

I would also agree that your player should come around. I think of it like this: If I wait and making him groove everything, he'll need a lot of "good fortune" to get by. If I chase the edges and corners, I'm just making it easy and will need "good fortune" to get by.

[WhiteBunny]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

Quick question then...is there any point waiting for a pitch down the middle using directional hitting, if it relies on the player's attributes anyway ?

In my experience with Directional Hitting, a ball down the middle is your best bet for a HR or extra-base. Especially with breaking balls.
Back to OP, If you have problem at beginner difficult, probably it's your at-bat approach. What i've noticed, if you put the pitcher in a stress situation ( a lot of pitches or count in your favour ), then he'll probably start to throw bad pitches. Really, it's not about timing, it's about choosing the right pitch and the right moment.
And i strongly suggest to put the sliders on default. Don't change sliders until you've mastered the game.

[dalger21]

Re: Why does good timing = pop up/foul tip?

SeriouslY zone hitting will end those frustrations.

Up until '12 version of "The Show", I only used timing hitting. It worked great. When they changed the timing window in '13, timing hitting became way too inconsistent to use. I was so frustrated with it in '13 that I stopped playing "The Show" after a couple of weeks. I switched to zone in '14 and loved the game again. Switching to zone hitting is the way to go here if you used timed hitting in the past.