What is your approach to hitting?

[callmetaternuts]

Curious to hear how people approach at-bats with speed/contact guys and power hitters. I can't hit with anyone and am looking for what others do that makes them successful. I use zone hitting FYI, but the approach shouldn't change because of that.

I usually sit on the first pitch unless it's in a hot zone. If I'm down 0-1, I look for junk away or low and protect the zone. At 0-2 I go contact swing and protect.

If I'm up 2-0, 3-1, I sit fastball down the pipe.

One of my biggest issues is, when the CPU grooves one, I always miss because I move the PCI. I can't ever jus let it sit in the middle.

[51shergie]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

I play full analog for pitching and batting (full stride) so i dont have to worry about a PCI or whether or not to do contact or power. Timing and pitch recognition are what it boils down to for me. I also use Classic Guess Pitch so that if i guess the right zone it will show me.

I welcome walks, but more importantly i hate swinging at bad pitches.

As far as my approach, the one i use 85% of the time is I guess low every pitch to eliminate falling for the low dirt pitches. i switch back and forth between the “Broadcast:Tampa Bay” and “Offset 2” cameras, because these cameras allow me to focus in on the center of the zone and quickly recognize where a pitch is going. For the Offset 2 cam i focus on the pitchers belt when he throws, not the ball and by now i have a good feel. The Tampa Bay broadcast cam is my favorite view and you can usually focus on the catchers mit unless he offsets to one side.

For timing with full stride i step or stride right a little before the pitcher releases it (striding as he releases it is too late for me).

Basically i have the mindset of im going to swing the bat unless i read not to swing. As a result i have a lot of check swings where i pull back (or down on stick after starting to go up) and DISCIPLINE attributes help out alot because it gives me ability to check swings. Like a real game, im suceptible to changeups and fastballs on the corners but i have a really good eye. Also, in the Tampa Bay camera Lefty-lefty matchups and righty-righty are alot more difficult because the decrease in vision gives less time to see and recognize pitches, just like real baseball.

Unfortunately fastballs right down the middle will freeze me sometimes since i guess dowmn every time, but i have pretty good success. Where i have most success is in, as u might guess, hanging breaking balls and low fastballs. If u hang any kind of curve i rake.

Approach #2 i do with my leadoff hitter and thats simply that i take until i have 2 strikes, trying to induce walks.

Approach #3 is i guess inside/high and try and yank something and pull it and i dont swing unless its in that zone. I only do this til i get 1 strike though and then its back to guessing low

I hope you or someone else can get something out of this or gives it a try because its very rewarding using these cam angles, full stride/analog, and this approach.

[bcruise]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

https://forums.operationsports.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2048881100&postcount=4

Post I made for '17 about my hitting approach - hasn't changed for '18 except that I'm now hitting on Legend.

Also, we unfortunately don't have the "Discipline" batting practice game anymore, except in RTTS. So you can use the custom practice to set up a 2 strike count, set it to repeat play, and just practice like that.

When I move the PCI around to follow the ball's flight path, I tend to get worse results than I expected. That's why I only do it on 2 strikes.

[Bochte23]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

first off turn all of that gimmicky arcadey PCI, on screen clutter crap off. It only serves to confuse and make it more complicated than it is. Use outfield, broadcast (or similar) camera for hitting , never swing at a 3-0 pitch, never bunt with 2 outs. Lay off the "power swing", and try to work the count and not swing at everything no matter how tempting. That's about it.

[countryboy]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

First and foremost know your hitters hot/cold zones before the at-bat. When you are ahead in count or first pitch, just look for something in the hottest of hot zones. Anything outside of that, lay off.

Next you have to become comfortable hitting with 2 strikes. If you "panic" with 2 strikes against you then you'll start swinging at junk pitches early in the count because you don't want to hit with 2 strikes.

Outside of those two things, its pretty much what you stated. Look heater when ahead in the count. Look for low pitches when in double play/sac fly situations. And do your best to work the count.

[cusefan74]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

Curious to hear how people approach at-bats with speed/contact guys and power hitters. I can't hit with anyone and am looking for what others do that makes them successful. I use zone hitting FYI, but the approach shouldn't change because of that.

I usually sit on the first pitch unless it's in a hot zone. If I'm down 0-1, I look for junk away or low and protect the zone. At 0-2 I go contact swing and protect.

If I'm up 2-0, 3-1, I sit fastball down the pipe.

One of my biggest issues is, when the CPU grooves one, I always miss because I move the PCI. I can't ever jus let it sit in the middle.

Get rid of the PCI and just worry about swinging the bat.

[Caulfield]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

Directional hitting, just looking to get on base anyway I can, whether it's a power guy or contact hitter.

With a power guy if I have a 3-1 count I might use square but usually I use X or if it's the first pitch fastball in the zone I'll swing for the fences with square.


With pitchers at the plate, I don't care what sabrematicians say about never bunting. If there are less than 2 outs and a runner's on, I'm not risking a GIDP, I'm bunting.

[HighCmpPct]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

Check my signature, and remember you're only hitting your best when you're taking the occasional called 3rd strike.

[KBLover]

Re: What is your approach to hitting?

First, I had to find/make a camera angle that just melds with my eye and my mind's eye (the visual perception so I can see the release and "draw a line" from it to the center of the strike zone - then I can also see the "definition" of the pitch to help ID it, which then informs my timing)

Ideally, I take until 2 strikes or until pitch somewhere "near" the middle zone. Doesn't have to be in it and can be in the other zones - hard to explain in text but hopefully you get the idea.

x = hit me
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Some of those places might not look hittable but they are, especially if my player likes it there and I swing with a timing that meshes with his natural timing (JL for Push, JE for Pull, G/P for Balanced/Up-the-Middle).

If it gets to two strikes - I pull down on L-stick (I'm Directional) and focus on being "late". That usually keeps me reading the pitch so I can better judge those narrow misses trying to make me chase and also help lay off high fastballs because the pitch will have started its "rise" and show me it's going out of the zone.

I almost always sit offspeed, and the slower the pitcher's offspeed/breaking stuff, the more adamantly I'll sit on it, even if he's one of those guys with 96-98 fastball and 75-78 curve combos, I'll sit curve all day. That keeps me from getting into "I gotta swing fast" mode. I'll accept JL/L on inside pitches if I must - I'll aim opposite with directional as well to open the window that way.

I have a really hard time with slow pitches that look more floaty wiffle ball than breaking balls with some pace. Henderson Alvarez in earlier games (used to come with a 68 MPH 12-6 curve and 95 MPH sinker...) and that reliever Abad...guys like that...

So this sit off speed and "be late" mindset helps me read it all the way in. If I'm getting late on sliders because I'm thinking curve, I'm doing something right. I just need to refine the eye to look for the curve signature so I can tell which is coming. Of course, if he has a "sweeping" slider or a KNCV or his arm angle + camera angle makes both seem that way...but no method beats all pitchers!

Using the Directional feature - I usually pull down...try to get more line drives (I'm a LD fanatic of sorts, I want my 20-25% line drives!) and, hopefully, decrease lazy fly balls (hate those) or...gasp...pop ups. I'd rather strike out than pop up...

That said, with slugger types, I'll go the opposite - pull up. I DON'T want grounders with those. Liners or low-flies. Of course, I might get the pop-ups but with a 90 Power type, I can justify that more than with a 50 Power type.

Swing type? A lot of X, but I will shift based on the hitter's ratings. High Contact and vision, I'll contact more - blow the PCI up so he has a good chance and more forgiveness in his swing to still get a strong result. Also foul balls off in case I miss read. Power type - power swing. "Let the dog out". Even if he mis-hits (censor pls) the ball, enough power rating and power swing can still do damage...especially to the right part of the yard. I will especially do this at Fenway and Coors. A 304 foot pop fly at Fenway can be a gift triple with enough speed on the batter and Coors is so spacious, hit to the right spot, the fielders won't get there - Comerica and AT&T too.

Everyone else - usually situational if I want a specific batted ball type. Power if I want a fly ball (either avoid DP or try to get a guy like Tony Kemp or Mallex Smith to get a can of corn with some carry for a sac fly). Contact if grounder (move runner up, GB to bring in runner on 3rd), etc.