Difficult times with ineffective curveballs

[Aviator87AC]

What is the strategy here? I'm clearly missing effective delivery of curveball pitches because despite painting the corners and lower half of the plate in classic pitching, I always seem to hang it dead center.

It's gotten so bad that I'll call off the catcher until he gives me something else.

[bcruise]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aviator87AC

What is the strategy here? I'm clearly missing effective delivery of curveball pitches because despite painting the corners and lower half of the plate in classic pitching, I always seem to hang it dead center. It's gotten so bad that I'll call off the catcher until he gives me something else.

This is your "problem". You aren't going to pinpoint your pitches in classic mode no matter what you do (or on any mode or difficulty except Beginner and Rookie), especially with low accuracy pitches like curveballs. When you try to aim on a corner, your curveball is going to land somewhere in a circular radius out from where you aimed - and half of that radius is going to be in the strike zone. If the pitcher's control is lacking enough or he's tired, that means it's very possible that you'll hang a curveball right over the middle when you aim on a corner. Needless to say, you don't want that, especially at high difficulties.

To keep that from happening, try to make that circular radius cover less of the strike zone, such that there's a smaller chance of that pitch landing in the middle of the zone. As a general rule, I don't aim to throw curveballs for strikes hardly ever - but when they do come over the plate, they won't float in the middle - they'll be closer to corners.

This means you will, without fail, throw more pitches out of the strike zone. But you have four balls to use out of the zone - use them, especially if you're ahead in the count as a pitcher. The CPU can and will expand the zone and swing and miss/make weak contact, especially if it's trying to protect on 2 strikes.

There's no display for that radius (though pulse pitching is probably the closest you'll get), but you get a feel for how big it is eventually. Faster pitches like fastball types have a smaller radius and are more likely to go closer to where you aimed. This makes them safer to aim closer to the corner.

One other thing that needs to be mentioned on the topic of throwing out of the strike zone - you have to be careful with runners on base. Trying to intentionally make a curveball just clip the edge of the zone can result in a lot of wild pitches. So sometimes you'll have to take chances - and that's when mistakes over the plate can be very damaging.

[Caulfield]

dont want a pitcher with a regular curve or a sweeper, give me one with a good 12-6. otherwise I'd rather have a slider or splitter. but yeah, dont be afraid to throw a few 54 foot curveballs. only Rembrandt needs to paint every corner, every time. channel your inner Picasso and paint outside the lines. waaay outside

[Aviator87AC]

I understand the premise behind curve-balls and classic pitching (assuming a radius-error) but it still feels like one of the most destroyed pitches of all time this year. I can hardly deal it without giving up a wild pitch or a hit, regardless of who's behind the plate.

[BBHH1989]

Curveballs are my go to strikeout pitch this year. Surely it is a big risk to leave it hanging over the plate but on the other hand I think the CPU is falling for it more than any other pitch this year.


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[Funkycorm]

Are you tapping the button or holding it down longer as you pitch? I have found with curve balls that if you hold and release just before the vibration it has the most break, gets the most misses, and is the "closest" to where I want it.

[Herschie]

I also notice that the curveballs don't have that huge break, that "snap" to them this year. They seem way too floaty.

[Aviator87AC]

Glad I'm not the only one. I know it has everything to do with pitcher/catcher, situation, difficulty and a massive dose of RNG sprinkled in. Bottom-line is no two people will have the same results but the CB seems totally ineffective on HOF pitching this year.