MLB The Show 17 Teach Me/Strategies Thread

[PhlliesPhan6]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWarmWind

Is this directional? In directional, I almost never use power swing (less than 1%) and I see a good amount of home runs. I haven't played around with any of the other interfaces this year, but I know from previous years that home runs can be difficult with pure analog. If you're using directional, make sure to play to your hitter's strengths. Pull with pull hitters, push with push hitters, etc. In general pull produces more power, but each direction has a benefit and a cost. I'll elaborate if asked.

Thanks. Yes directional hitting. Where do I see my hitters strengths?

Sent from my VS987 using Operation Sports mobile app

[TheWarmWind]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhlliesPhan6

Thanks. Yes directional hitting. Where do I see my hitters strengths?

See? Lol. You have to learn your hitters strengths.

In all seriousness though, some hitters are easy to learn. Their tendency will be on their player card (I think it's under secondary positions). If it says balanced, you can probably guess from their stats what kind of swing you want to use (you usually want to re-enforce any strengths they have at the plate), but pull and push hitters will get less of the negatives from those types of swings.

Full disclosure: This information is all gleaned from playing the game and learning the patterns. It is in no way official.

Influencing inside (pull) will add Power at the cost of Contact.

Influencing outside (push) will add Contact at the cost of Power.

Influencing up will add Power at the cost of Vision.

Influencing down will add Vision at the cost of Power.

Keep in mind that these swings will also change where your ideal pitch location is, though a fastball down the middle is good for all of them. Example: Pushing means you're looking for a pitch on the outside half, and pitches inside are more likely to jam or bloop.

[PhlliesPhan6]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheWarmWind

See? Lol. You have to learn your hitters strengths. In all seriousness though, some hitters are easy to learn. Their tendency will be on their player card (I think it's under secondary positions). If it says balanced, you can probably guess from their stats what kind of swing you want to use (you usually want to re-enforce any strengths they have at the plate), but pull and push hitters will get less of the negatives from those types of swings. Full disclosure: This information is all gleaned from playing the game and learning the patterns. It is in no way official. Influencing inside (pull) will add Power at the cost of Contact. Influencing outside (push) will add Contact at the cost of Power. Influencing up will add Power at the cost of Vision. Influencing down will add Vision at the cost of Power.

Great! I'll give this a try tonight. To be honest, the only time I really try to influence direction is when I want to pull the ball to move a runner from 2nd to 3rd

[TheWarmWind]

Quote: Originally Posted by PhlliesPhan6

Great! I'll give this a try tonight. To be honest, the only time I really try to influence direction is when I want to pull the ball to move a runner from 2nd to 3rd

Remember to change up your swing based not only on the player, but the situation and the count. It can actually get pretty advanced, but for now it's best to think of the different swings as minor adjustments between your different swing types (so a pull swing plus pressing X = normal swing with a little extra power).

Once you're comfortable with that you can start to worry about player's swing types and learning the quirks of your players.

[sink4ever]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

My pitcher got injured, and Matty V. even made the normal mention that announcers make that a reliever would get "as much time as possible" to come into the game. When I put in another pitcher though, he was cold. I gave him his eight warm-up pitches, but after that he was still in the "cold" territory. Just curious if there is another way to remedy this outside of turning off the Warm-Up Pitchers option before the injury (note that once injured the game brings you to the bullpen screen, and one cannot pause from there).

I thought at one point Ramone had confirmed that the pitcher coming in is warm even if the display does not reflect that. I'll see if I can find that.

[Jr.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blzer

My pitcher got injured, and Matty V. even made the normal mention that announcers make that a reliever would get "as much time as possible" to come into the game. When I put in another pitcher though, he was cold. I gave him his eight warm-up pitches, but after that he was still in the "cold" territory. Just curious if there is another way to remedy this outside of turning off the Warm-Up Pitchers option before the injury (note that once injured the game brings you to the bullpen screen, and one cannot pause from there).

That's just a visual thing. It's been like that in the game for years. They're just as effective as if they were completely warm.

[sink4ever]

Quote: Originally Posted by sink4ever

I thought at one point Ramone had confirmed that the pitcher coming in is warm even if the display does not reflect that. I'll see if I can find that.

Quote: Originally Posted by Jr.

That's just a visual thing. It's been like that in the game for years. They're just as effective as if they were completely warm.

Yup, here's the confirmation from a couple years ago:

Quote: Originally Posted by Russell_SCEA

If the pitcher is injured any replacement comes in warm the osd just doesn't show it.

[335TDC]

Quote: Originally Posted by JayD

How in the world can you tell a changeup from a fastball? I'm am horrid at recognizing changeups.

Haha, that's kind of the point of a changeup, right?

It's less about recognizing and more about ANTICIPATING. I use directional hitting with classic guess pitch with feedback on, and if I'm in a strikeout count -- 0-2, 1-2, 2-2 -- I'll usually guess changeup down ("anticipating" it) and adjust from there. This has the huge benefit of allowing me to either lock onto that pitch or to totally eliminate it from consideration. I sacrifice some solid contact if it's not a changeup, but that's okay.

This year it seems that changeups are more DOWN AND AWAY than straight down, and curves are used more often too. Be selective and work the count -- best way to avoid junk pitches!