Best Pitches for the different archetypes

[trackstar121388]

I'm planning on creating a pitcher for RTTS show and I am looking for suggestions on the best pitches to use for the different archetypes.

I know fastball type pitches (4 seam fastball and cutter) for a flamethrower any other suggestions for a flamethrower or the other archetypes?

I imagine pitches with heavy movement for the plain filthy.

Edit: I'm adding this here for ease of access. It is a chart of all the pitch speeds dependant on a pitchers archetype. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...yX8/edit#gid=0

[JoseJoseph9119]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I have a southpaw Flamethrower with a 4 seamer, screwball, and vulcan changeup. My screwball has been trash since the latest patch but the vulcan has been extremely effective, especially against righties.

[trackstar121388]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I have a southpaw Flamethrower with a 4 seamer, screwball, and vulcan changeup. My screwball has been trash since the latest patch but the vulcan has been extremely effective, especially against righties.

I imagine the screwball would be great with a plain filthy pitcher. What does the Vulcan Change do that a regular or circle change doesn't?

[Kentaurus]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I have a plain filthy archetype. And currently built more with a flamethrower style (haven't got that 4th pitch yet which will be some type of curve).

Cutter is probably the best overall pitch in the game IMO, it is my primary pitch, would imagine it as a really good secondary for a flamethrower. Elite pitch against opposite side hitters, for my right-handed pitcher it just destroys the lefties.

Sinker has been underwhelming so far, really if you don't put it at the very bottom of the strikezone it gets hammered and hitters don't seem to chase it at all.

Circle change has been great as well, good strikeout pitch at the bottom of the zone and very capable of just freezing guys when used at other times in the count.

[My993C2]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I cheated with my RTTS pitcher because I did not like the idea that you would only have three pitch types for one or more years. So I started him in MLB 17, played the first game where you can collect about 600 training points. I used 300 points to buy myself a 4th pitch type and added the rest of the training points into his hitting capabilities (which did no get me that far) and then transferred him over to MLB 18 with one AA game already played.

So as a "Control Freak" RTTS pitcher I had the following pitch types:

1) 4 Seam Fastball
2) Change Up
3) Slider
4) Knuckle Curve

and I am really liking the Knuckle Curve, though of course the 4 Seam Fastball is the work horse and the Slider when done well (which is still hit and miss at this early stage of my RTTS career) is my go to 2 strike, strike out pitch for low and away opportunities.

PS: I added the other 300 points into his hitting because he will be on a NL team and I want him to be able to get the occasional hit. But he still is still pretty bad. LOL

[trackstar121388]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I have a plain filthy archetype. And currently built more with a flamethrower style (haven't got that 4th pitch yet which will be some type of curve).

Cutter is probably the best overall pitch in the game IMO, it is my primary pitch, would imagine it as a really good secondary for a flamethrower. Elite pitch against opposite side hitters, for my right-handed pitcher it just destroys the lefties.

Sinker has been underwhelming so far, really if you don't put it at the very bottom of the strikezone it gets hammered and hitters don't seem to chase it at all.

Circle change has been great as well, good strikeout pitch at the bottom of the zone and very capable of just freezing guys when used at other times in the count.

I'm a pretty big fan of the cutter and slider in general so it's great to hear that the cutter is nasty!

Good to know about the sinker.

Interesting! What does the Circle change do better over a regular change?

[trackstar121388]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I cheated with my RTTS pitcher because I did not like the idea that you would only have three pitch types for one or more years. So I started him in MLB 17, played the first game where you can collect about 600 training points. I used 300 points to buy myself a 4th pitch type and added the rest of the training points into his hitting capabilities (which did no get me that far) and then transferred him over to MLB 18 with one AA game already played.

So as a "Control Freak" RTTS pitcher I had the following pitch types:

1) 4 Seam Fastball
2) Change Up
3) Slider
4) Knuckle Curve

and I am really liking the Knuckle Curve, though of course the 4 Seam Fastball is the work horse and the Slider when done well (which is still hit and miss at this early stage of my RTTS career) is my go to 2 strike, strike out pitch for low and away opportunities.

PS: I added the other 300 points into his hitting because he will be on a NL team and I want him to be able to get the occasional hit. But he still is still pretty bad. LOL

That's a good way to do it I don't really see that as cheating too much. Any reason why you didn't do a 5th pitch too? I'm a big fan of the slider as a strikeout pitch. What is making you like the Knuckle Curve?

[My993C2]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

Any reason why you didn't do a 5th pitch too?

I felt four pitch types was good to start with and if I do add one in the future I will do it via the MLB 18 training mechanism versus adding it in MLB 17. However if/when I do add a fifth pitch I am leaning towards the 2 seamer.

What is making you like the Knuckle Curve?

1) It just seems to work right out of the box, at least against my AA competition. I also like the change up and sliders, but I feel I don't have consistency with them yet.

2) If I am not mistaken, it complements the fastball as it is throw like a fastball but with the knuckleball grip.

https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/the-knuckle-curveball-how-it-behaves-and-why-it-is-becoming-so-popular-050814

[JPCaveman13]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

Good to know about the sinker.

Interesting! What does the Circle change do better over a regular change?

Circle change has arm-side movement as well as the downward break...think 2-seam/sinker but slower. With the lateral movement, it allows you to throw it on the edge of the plate and moving off, or off the edge and tail it back to the black. So for my RHP who has it, I throw it to LHH on the outside edge and bend it off the plate and against RHH, I go on the inner third and use the movement to run it in and under the hands. I will sparingly use the other side of the plate to L/RHH but it try to just make it back to the black so if I miss, it stays off the plate instead of tailing right down Broadway.

As far as the sinker goes, I'm using it in place of a changeup so it acts more as a power-change to a high-90s fastball since changeup velocity is maxed at 84 (85 with max effort). So with my flamethrower archetype, I have the 4-seam at 96-98, 12-6 curve at 80-82 with a fair amount of movement, and the sinker (acting as a hard circle-change) at 88-91.

[trackstar121388]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

Circle change has arm-side movement as well as the downward break...think 2-seam/sinker but slower. With the lateral movement, it allows you to throw it on the edge of the plate and moving off, or off the edge and tail it back to the black. So for my RHP who has it, I throw it to LHH on the outside edge and bend it off the plate and against RHH, I go on the inner third and use the movement to run it in and under the hands. I will sparingly use the other side of the plate to L/RHH but it try to just make it back to the black so if I miss, it stays off the plate instead of tailing right down Broadway.

As far as the sinker goes, I'm using it in place of a changeup so it acts more as a power-change to a high-90s fastball since changeup velocity is maxed at 84 (85 with max effort). So with my flamethrower archetype, I have the 4-seam at 96-98, 12-6 curve at 80-82 with a fair amount of movement, and the sinker (acting as a hard circle-change) at 88-91.

Oh alright, thanks. I already have a maxed out SP from 17 that I imported and put as a flamethrower he has a 4-seam, 12-6, change, slider, and cutter.

I'm planning on trying a control-freak or plain filthy from scratch this year in addition to my now flame-thrower so it's helpful to know what is working and what the pitches I'm not used to using do. That's a creative use of the sinker.

[trackstar121388]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

I felt four pitch types was good to start with and if I do add one in the future I will do it via the MLB 18 training mechanism versus adding it in MLB 17. However if/when I do add a fifth pitch I am leaning towards the 2 seamer.



1) It just seems to work right out of the box, at least against my AA competition. I also like the change up and sliders, but I feel I don't have consistency with them yet.

2) If I am not mistaken, it complements the fastball as it is throw like a fastball but with the knuckleball grip.

https://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/...popular-050814

What's making you lean toward a 2-seam?

Oh alright, that makes sense. I've only used a 12-6 curve with the pitcher I have. So I'm looking at new pitches with my new pitcher

[My993C2]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

What's making you lean toward a 2-seam?

Oh alright, that makes sense. I've only used a 12-6 curve with the pitcher I have. So I'm looking at new pitches with my new pitcher

I don't know, to have another fastball in the toolbox, but one that sinks a little versus one that stays on level. But I have a lot of time to think about it and time to educate myself on other pitch types.

I did try the 12-6 curve in a test pitcher in MLB 17 before deciding on the knuckle curve instead. As I said I chose the knuckle curve because it just worked for me right off the bat. But if you watch Kershaw and his 12-6 curve you can see how nasty it can be in the hands of a master.

[Kentaurus]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

So the one thing to really consider is what rare pitches there are... I don't know if there are any databases out there yet or not. Because you can only learn a pitch one of the other pitchers on your staff knows.

Also I stumbled on it accidentally, but for those that haven't noticed yet... you can have more than 3 training options (there is a near invisible scroll bar). I'm in my 2nd season, just around the 60th game and have 4 different additional pitch options now but all of them are options 4, 5, 6 and 7, so without accidentally scrolling I wouldn't have seen them.

I made this a long time ago either for show 16 or 17... Should still give a general idea of what pitches do.

https://prnt.sc/izh7qs

[trackstar121388]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

So the one thing to really consider is what rare pitches there are... I don't know if there are any databases out there yet or not. Because you can only learn a pitch one of the other pitchers on your staff knows.

Also I stumbled on it accidentally, but for those that haven't noticed yet... you can have more than 3 training options (there is a near invisible scroll bar). I'm in my 2nd season, just around the 60th game and have 4 different additional pitch options now but all of them are options 4, 5, 6 and 7, so without accidentally scrolling I wouldn't have seen them.

I made this a long time ago either for show 16 or 17... Should still give a general idea of what pitches do.
https://prnt.sc/izh7qs

Oh thanks that's a helpful tip and a helpful chart

[garyjr33]

Re: Best Pitches for the different archetypes

How do you add your 4th and 5th pitch this year? I can't find it b/c you had to train it in years past (I think it was like 200 or 400 points to learn a new pitch).