Directional Hitting in MLB The Show 20

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

so i am confuse i thought brian said maybe i misread that with directional you dont have to aim because if u aim wrong u missing out on an right oppturnity so for directional u dont move the left stick. i thought that was what was said in the other thread.

[chuckm1961]

Quote: Originally Posted by COMMISSIONERHBK9

so i am confuse i thought brian said maybe i misread that with directional you dont have to aim because if u aim wrong u missing out on an right oppturnity so for directional u dont move the left stick. i thought that was what was said in the other thread.

In my view, having played the game for 15 years and only recently figuring out Directional, it's a lot more subtle than that.

Yes, holding the stick up/left (for rightie) to hit for power is going to/likely to benefit you ONLY IF the ball is on the inner half of the plate and you make a bit earlier contact. Otherwise, it will probably hurt you. Which is why I will TAKE a strike on the outer half in certain situations.

It's like real baseball.

Do I always hold the stick in a direction? No. Sometimes I am just looking to make solid contact and don't want to "pre-advantage/disadvantage" any particular pitch location.

If you want to "play it safe," never use the stick.

However, if you want to see the game really come to life, use the stick.

Why do I say this? Because since I started using this approach AND HOLDING THE STICK IN THAT DIRECTION THROUGHOUT MY SWING, the quality and variety of my hits has skyrocketed.

Also, it's not "aiming." That's an oversimplification.

[JoshC1977]

Quote: Originally Posted by COMMISSIONERHBK9

so i am confuse i thought brian said maybe i misread that with directional you dont have to aim because if u aim wrong u missing out on an right oppturnity so for directional u dont move the left stick. i thought that was what was said in the other thread.

It's WAY more subtle than that.

A no-influence swing is basically like a hitter just trying to cover the whole plate. That's terrific in contact situations but it will rarely yield the optimal results. Using the directional influences is a bit like key-holing your swing. You focused on a ball in a quadrant.

A pull-side influence can favor pitches inside, but you will have to be out in front so the barrel of the bat can get through the zone. You can still get balls to the outside, but if your swing is on-time or not early enough, the bat head will not have time to get to the optimal contact area, which means you can wind-up getting weak contact to the opposite side.

A push-side influence is the opposite (it's a lot like choking-up on the bat). Your swing timing needs to be a bit slower so that you get flush contact with the bat head and spray the ball to the opposite side. If the pitch is outside, this increases that chance to get that solid contact whereas a pitch inside with a push influence could wind up jamming the hitter.

Upward/downward influence is a lot like changing the bat plane as the ball enters the zone. The upward influence induces more of an uppercut swing while downward is a flatter swing. Uppercut swings are more likely to get fly balls, but the optimal swing timing for ideal contact is lessened. So, you're basically selling-out for power. Downward influence will help to maximize solid bat-to-ball contact as the bat plane is more level (which also favors balls down in the zone). While this can lead to more grounders, it's a good way of getting the ball in play. Players with natural uppercut swings still have a chance to go yard with a downward influence if they are out in front.

So yes, while directional influence does correlate to the pitch location, it isn't just "push right to go right if the pitch is in the right quadrants" as the timing of your swing and the player's natural swing type also factor into it.

[chuckm1961]

And as I have said in every post I have made recently, because it's monumentally important and I did not know it for the past five years playing Directional ...

YOU MUST PLACE THE STICK WHILE THE PITCHER IS IN HIS WINDUP AND HOLD THE STICK IN PLACE THROUGHOUT YOUR SWING.

It's not a flick. It's not PCI hitting. It's not "oh, fastball away, move stick to ball."

It's not that at all.

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

That I knew I always held it thru out the whole swing. I guess I just have to figure when to aim and when not to aim that’s just the hard part for me. Thx everyone for helping.

Quote: Originally Posted by chuckm1961

And as I have said in every post I have made recently, because it's monumentally important and I did not know it for the past five years playing Directional ... YOU MUST PLACE THE STICK WHILE THE PITCHER IS IN HIS WINDUP AND HOLD THE STICK IN PLACE THROUGHOUT YOUR SWING. It's not a flick. It's not PCI hitting. It's not "oh, fastball away, move stick to ball." It's not that at all.

[chuckm1961]

Quote: Originally Posted by COMMISSIONERHBK9

That I knew I always held it thru out the whole swing. I guess I just have to figure when to aim and when not to aim that’s just the hard part for me. Thx everyone for helping.

Cool.

Except it is still not “aiming,” and if you think of it as that, you will not truly understand how it works.

[COMMISSIONERHBK9]

Quote: Originally Posted by chuckm1961

Cool. Except it is still not “aiming,” and if you think of it as that, you will not truly understand how it works.

im confuse so what is it then? cuz im sucking it up in my rtts and havent touch franchise yet cuz i wanted to understand the hitting. i didnt play the show this year cuz i was mad about the roster sticking but i figure a way around it so now im trying to play lol

[Rmiok222]

Quote: Originally Posted by COMMISSIONERHBK9

im confuse so what is it then? cuz im sucking it up in my rtts and havent touch franchise yet cuz i wanted to understand the hitting. i didnt play the show this year cuz i was mad about the roster sticking but i figure a way around it so now im trying to play lol

I think what he’s trying to say is it’s not “aiming” it’s more of “looking for a certain pitch and executing”

If I’m in a 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1 count and have a pull hitter at the plate I’m holding my left analog stick towards my hitter before the pitcher is even in his windup and not letting go. While I’m doing that I look for a pitch middle in.

If it’s not where I want I let the pitch go, even if it’s a strike I let it go if it’s not exactly where I want.

That’s just one situation though. There’s tons of situations. You just have to pick what tactic you’re going to use. If I’m in a 0-0 count I’m usually using no influence. 0-2 I try to “slap” the ball if I’m NOT hitting with a major pull guy (Franmil Reyes) because it’s easier to make contact since the barrel of that bat stays in the zone a bit longer opposed when you try and pull the ball you’ll have a higher chance of swing and miss.

You should check out TheWarmWinds directional hitting guide too. He has good stuff in there.

Directional Hitting Guide
https://forums.operationsports.com/f...d.php?t=907904


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