I'm curious to find out what kind of success people have with each of the pitch types. I haven't been able to try them all out myself but there are some I've had a lot of experience with. I'm particularly interested in getting swings and misses. What's your best strikeout pitch? General thoughts below, ranking from top to bottom.
4-seam Fastball - May be a bit boring but to me it's the best pitch in the game. Easiest to control and provides a good amount of whiffs, especially high in the zone.
Slider - My favorite strikeout pitch. Not easy to control but certainly easier than curveballs and I get a lot of swings and misses.
Change-up - I tend to include all the changeups in one category as they seem practically identical. I prefer a circle change on the outside against opposite-handed batters as it tails away from them. Good ability to induce whiffs and weak grounders but you have to make sure to keep it low in the zone or it will get hammered. I tend to set up slightly below the zone so I'm less likely to make a mistake.
Cutter - doesn't induce a lot of misses but it's good for getting on the bat handle against an opposite-handed batter and it's fairly easy to control. I try to use it tailing away from same-handed batters (like a slider) but they seem to hit it pretty well and don't chase it enough.
12-6 Curve - Of the curves, I only have good experience with this pitch and the regular curve. The other types I'm not familiar with. I like this one best due to the downward breaking action. It works well against both lefties and righties and induces lots of grounders and pop ups. I feel like I should get more whiffs on it but the computer doesn't seem to chase balls low in the zone enough.
Curve - Better against same-handed hitters. I can occasionally get them to chase both below the zone and outside the zone. It feels like if I make a mistake though, this pitch always gets hit hard. Curves in general are very tough to control so I'm a bit scared to use it.
2-seam Fastball - Good pitch for inducing grounders and easy to control. I don't get a lot of whiffs with it. Less likely to get destroyed if you make a mistake.
Running Fastball - I thought I would like this pitch since I like the cutter but the movement doesn't seem as biting to me. I feel like I have to be more careful.
Sinker - Great for groundballs but if you make a mistake up in the zone it will get hit pretty hard.
Splitter - Have very little success with this. It can only really be used at the very bottom of the zone (or preferably below the zone). This should be a great swing-and-miss pitch but the computer doesn't chase it enough and it gets demolished if I make a mistake.
The rest of the pitches I haven't had much experience with. If you have information on the others or want to contradict my views on the above pitches, please let me know. Maybe I'm using a pitch incorrectly or setting up in the wrong location. What's the most fun for you?
4-seam Fastball - May be a bit boring but to me it's the best pitch in the game. Easiest to control and provides a good amount of whiffs, especially high in the zone.
Slider - My favorite strikeout pitch. Not easy to control but certainly easier than curveballs and I get a lot of swings and misses.
Change-up - I tend to include all the changeups in one category as they seem practically identical. I prefer a circle change on the outside against opposite-handed batters as it tails away from them. Good ability to induce whiffs and weak grounders but you have to make sure to keep it low in the zone or it will get hammered. I tend to set up slightly below the zone so I'm less likely to make a mistake.
Cutter - doesn't induce a lot of misses but it's good for getting on the bat handle against an opposite-handed batter and it's fairly easy to control. I try to use it tailing away from same-handed batters (like a slider) but they seem to hit it pretty well and don't chase it enough.
12-6 Curve - Of the curves, I only have good experience with this pitch and the regular curve. The other types I'm not familiar with. I like this one best due to the downward breaking action. It works well against both lefties and righties and induces lots of grounders and pop ups. I feel like I should get more whiffs on it but the computer doesn't seem to chase balls low in the zone enough.
Curve - Better against same-handed hitters. I can occasionally get them to chase both below the zone and outside the zone. It feels like if I make a mistake though, this pitch always gets hit hard. Curves in general are very tough to control so I'm a bit scared to use it.
2-seam Fastball - Good pitch for inducing grounders and easy to control. I don't get a lot of whiffs with it. Less likely to get destroyed if you make a mistake.
Running Fastball - I thought I would like this pitch since I like the cutter but the movement doesn't seem as biting to me. I feel like I have to be more careful.
Sinker - Great for groundballs but if you make a mistake up in the zone it will get hit pretty hard.
Splitter - Have very little success with this. It can only really be used at the very bottom of the zone (or preferably below the zone). This should be a great swing-and-miss pitch but the computer doesn't chase it enough and it gets demolished if I make a mistake.
The rest of the pitches I haven't had much experience with. If you have information on the others or want to contradict my views on the above pitches, please let me know. Maybe I'm using a pitch incorrectly or setting up in the wrong location. What's the most fun for you?
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