Classic Pitching Help

[brewha202002]

For those of you that are using the classic pitching option, can you please give me some pointers. I am all over the place, but in the strikezone. There must be some kind trick to this, because I know some of you enjoy using this option over meter pitching. So far, I am not enjoying it at all.

[Joepman]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

I'd be interested in hearing some tips as well.

I just can't seem to find the release point on breaking balls.

Sometimes when I tap it the break is very short (as it's supposed to be when you tap) other times it breaks HUGE with just a tap.

This inconsistency makes spotting anything other than a fastball a bitch. Which I guess is pretty realistic.

[brewha202002]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

You are having the same problems as me. I can't get any pitch over the plate but the fastball, and I am lucky if I get this over with consistency. I know there is something to this that I am missing at this point.

[jim416]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

I am all over the place, but in the strikezone.

Haha!!!! The glory of CLASSIC pitching. I never liked that meter covering the pitchers head and switched from day one.

I had a real problem at first. I actually had to look at my pitchers attributes and their pitches, how much they break, control, etc. and use that in a game.
Learn each pitchers ability with his pitches.

The buttons are DEFINITELY pressure sensitive. Hold it down too long for a pitcher who has a great breaking slider and you'll airmail it way out of the zone. Tap it and you'll do better.

NOW, when you're pitcher gives up a couple hits his CONFIDENCE is/may go down. Hit the pause button and bring up the window and check it out. If it's down, do a MOUND VISIT and you'll see his confidence get a boost. This way there is less of a chance of throwing a wild pitch and runners advancing. Also when his confidence is down watch throwing those big breaking balls until he gets his confidence back.

I found the HIGH INSIDE fastball, up and end, holding down the pitch button gives me a good strikeout pitch when I'm up on the batter 1-2, 2-2, but again, watch the CONFIDENCE if men are on as you must might airmail it to the backstop if you hold the button down too long

[baa7]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

The thing that's SO GREAT about the pitching in this game (classic pitching anyway -- that's all I use) is the accuracy variability. Turn on the strikezone and ball cursor, and pitch fastballs so they're just missing outside. It's unusual to get two balls to end up in the same place. One will miss the cursor spot outside; the next will end up in the strikezone; etc. That definitely needs to be taken into account when pitching

[brewha202002]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

OK guys, in the directions it says to tap X to get more velocity on the pitch. I have seen others that state you just need to hold the X button down to gain more velocity. Which is it? Keep the tips coming because I really enjoy the classic pitching even though it is hard as hell.

[poster]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

Hey Brew,
I think the manual is wrong. You hold it for more velocity or break on a pitch. What I found is you dont need to hold the button down as much as you would think. Normally you would think "I need to hold it down for as long as I can for a power fastball." I dont find that to be the case.

In the other thread you asked me about pitching attributes coming through in this mode. It might be the case although it is hard so a great pitcher can look bad. A poster made a post once about using the Cubs and kerry Wood saying that he has had realistic starts with Wood where he will dominate and then the next game he is wild an ineffective. That might answer your question. Keep at it, I just started my chise and still throw too many wild pitches.

[Playmakers]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

You are having the same problems as me. I can't get any pitch over the plate but the fastball, and I am lucky if I get this over with consistency. I know there is something to this that I am missing at this point.

I see your a Rangers fans like me.....

I hardly ever have problems with Millwood or Eaton's control. It's usually once I get past those two guy's where I struggle with consistency using Classic pitching.

For me the slider is the toughest pitch to throw with Classic pitching. I can place most of the other pitches where I want but then depending on who's pitching I might not get the same breaks and locations with Dickey as I would with Millwood. Dickey is wild and all over the place and usually with him I just try to keep the ball down and not worry about throwing strikes.

Also, IMO holding the button down just makes things more difficult. I just tap and release and it's reduced my wild pitches by 90% now. I would only try to control the speed on my own if I simply wanted to try and blow a fast ball by someone. Even then it's only going to happen when I'm throwing dead center because anywhere else and the ball will sometimes go sailing.

[Village Idiot]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

Funny this should pop up again, because I've officially experienced just about everything now.

At first, I treated Classic the same as the meter, minus the meter. Was working fine: challenging, fun. Eventually, I started having problems and switched to just tapping: had great success.

For the past week or so, however, it's all gone downhill. I've been allowing five and eight walks just about every game. My control has gone so far south, I've almost given up on throwing anything but fastballs, and I don't trust any of my pitchers to aim. Balls are varying in location by as much as ten and twelve inches, even if it's the same pitch aimed at the same location.

I suspected it had something to do with my training budget, so I maxed them all. Maybe that will help, eventually; but for the moment, even Bonderman and Maroth are having considerable trouble finding the zone (again, even without any aiming!) let alone Verlander and the guys in my pen, who have walked guys on four fastballs, all 'aimed' at dead center, on more than one occasion.

Bizarre. Unless it's indeed relative to my training budget, I'm lost as to what to do now. I'm ten games back with only like 35 to play. I have to turn this around RIGHT NOW, and yet this is what I'm faced with!

[Knight165]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

Funny this should pop up again, because I've officially experienced just about everything now.

At first, I treated Classic the same as the meter, minus the meter. Was working fine: challenging, fun. Eventually, I started having problems and switched to just tapping: had great success.

For the past week or so, however, it's all gone downhill. I've been allowing five and eight walks just about every game. My control has gone so far south, I've almost given up on throwing anything but fastballs, and I don't trust any of my pitchers to aim. Balls are varying in location by as much as ten and twelve inches, even if it's the same pitch aimed at the same location.

I suspected it had something to do with my training budget, so I maxed them all. Maybe that will help, eventually; but for the moment, even Bonderman and Maroth are having considerable trouble finding the zone (again, even without any aiming!) let alone Verlander and the guys in my pen, who have walked guys on four fastballs, all 'aimed' at dead center, on more than one occasion.

Bizarre. Unless it's indeed relative to my training budget, I'm lost as to what to do now. I'm ten games back with only like 35 to play. I have to turn this around RIGHT NOW, and yet this is what I'm faced with!

Two words:
PITCHING COACH...shhh...don't let everyone know the secret!

M.K.
Knight165

[Joepman]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

I've experienced the same kind of backslide only I'm playing in a season mode so I know it can't be the coaching or budget.

It's weird, I was doing okay for a while there and now (even with tapping) I've got NO location.

[Village Idiot]

Re: Classic Pitching Help

Two words:
PITCHING COACH...shhh...don't let everyone know the secret!

M.K.
Knight165

Well, that's good thinking, except that I tried that first - i.e. before I maxed all my training sliders. Indeed, I did happen to have a pretty crappy pitching coach (good with velocity, but way low on accuracy) and I replaced him with a $1.8 million guy who is much more balanced. That said, this move was also pretty recent (maybe fifteen games ago) so I have every reason to suspect the combination will fix the problem. Trouble is, like I said, it might be too late!

But then:

I've experienced the same kind of backslide only I'm playing in a season mode so I know it can't be the coaching or budget.

And I can't deny this either!

I suppose I can update this thread with the results of my coaching/training spending spree ... if I can maintain my composure and stay with it, that is.