MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

[RaychelSnr]

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Among the many nuances of baseball is recognizing the importance of the count. Knowing when to swing, when to hold back and when to just let it rip no matter what the circumstance is often the difference between a good hitter and a great hitter.

Need evidence? How about Barry Bonds. In his record-breaking season, in which he hit 73 homers, Barry Bonds had an astounding 27 percent walk rate. That means that in just over a fourth of his at bats, Barry Bonds made it to first base free of charge. Taking walks, and the ability to utilize the count in his favor, was a major factor in his ability to hit homers.

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[dalger21]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

This is literally how I approach each AB in RttS. With my RttS character, I avg around 110 walks a year and around 45 HRs per year as well.

[Datninja619]

This is actually funny. Because me being new to baseball, I thought the goal was to smack the heck out of the ball. In my mind I'm thinking " Swing at everything in the box".

Now I see the strategy in it. There was a similar article awhile ago referring to patience, which I have now while playing.

Now I just need to work on reading the ball and knowing which ones to take a power swing vs contact swing.

[loso_34]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

with the way bullpens are in todays game you're better off taking your chances with the starter.

[taterskin]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

This is literally how I approach each AB in RttS. With my RttS character, I avg around 110 walks a year and around 45 HRs per year as well.

110 walks is quite a bit. I think my best RTTS season is around 65 walks. Is this inclusive of HBP and Intentional walks? If so... how do you track. The stats don't cover both?

[boxboy99]

My team actually isn't last in the league in walks this season! I give a lot of credit to easier check swings and a bit of a better eye from playing 2 full seasons the last 2 years. I'm still struggling to put up hits though on 17, my average is around 6.5. At least a third of those are via the long ball. Struggling to make solid contact on this game, but might be due to the fact my team is always fatigued.

[dalger21]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

110 walks is quite a bit. I think my best RTTS season is around 65 walks. Is this inclusive of HBP and Intentional walks? If so... how do you track. The stats don't cover both?

I'm not sure what you're asking. I'll post a SS of my RttS walks when I get home on my main RttS player I've been using since '14.

[taterskin]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

I'm not sure what you're asking. I'll post a SS of my RttS walks when I get home on my main RttS player I've been using since '14.

I believe ya....just curious about the other stats. When you are hit by a pitch it doesn't increase your bb total. Same with intentional walks. They are separate categories.

[dalger21]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

I believe ya....just curious about the other stats. When you are hit by a pitch it doesn't increase your bb total. Same with intentional walks. They are separate categories.

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[Caulfield]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

... the ability to utilize the count in his favor, was a major factor in his ability to hit homers.

I really think we could find a better example than Bonds. I think we all know what the major factor was in those 73 homers.
In his 2001 season Bonds hit 12 hr on 0-0 counts, 11 on 1-1 counts, 6 on 2-0, 7 on 1-0 counts, 5 on 0-1, and 2 on 0-2, a total of 41 on 2 pitches or less. on 3 pitches he hit 11 homers. more than 3 pitches, 21 hrs. Bonds didnt need to work the count to hit those hrs. a lot of the walks were unintentional intentional walks where the pitcher knew he wasnt going to throw Bonds a strike. 74 of his walks were on 3-0 and 42 were with 1 strike, a total of 116. 61 of his walks were on with 2 strikes. Still the principal is sound, but Bonds as an example was flawed, in more ways than one. lol

[JayhawkerStL]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

One of the best methods for getting yourself in the right mindset is to think about the opposing pitcher's pitch count. Generally, you want this to soar. It decreases his effectiveness, and if you can get him in trouble early enough, get into the bullpen early and often in a series.

My goal each inning is to see 15 pitches. That gets me to 90 pitches after 6 innings. I won't hit 15 all the time, but working for it helps my mindset in taking more pitches.

The key is, when you have a hitter's count, it is about deciding exactly what you want to hit and letting everything else go. No swinging at curveballs and other junk.

Baseball games have always been tough. Even great games like the old High Heart series could play more like slow pitch softball. Honestly, I've never felt like The Show's hitting mechanics made for good count working. It was too hard to judge balls and strikes, and it was more just guessing when to swing or not. But it seems to be a lot better this year.

And the quick counts are an abomination in my mind. It ruins all the strategy that goes into hitting and really turns the game into slow pitch softball even more. The fact that they were just random, but not based on the pitcher and his control make them worse.

[Atax1s]

I really think we could find a better example than Bonds. I think we all know what the major factor was in those 73 homers.
In his 2001 season Bonds hit 12 hr on 0-0 counts, 11 on 1-1 counts, 6 on 2-0, 7 on 1-0 counts, 5 on 0-1, and 2 on 0-2, a total of 41 on 2 pitches or less. on 3 pitches he hit 11 homers. more than 3 pitches, 21 hrs. Bonds didnt need to work the count to hit those hrs. a lot of the walks were unintentional intentional walks where the pitcher knew he wasnt going to throw Bonds a strike. 74 of his walks were on 3-0 and 42 were with 1 strike, a total of 116. 61 of his walks were on with 2 strikes. Still the principal is sound, but Bonds as an example was flawed, in more ways than one. lol

We doing the " Bonds was only good because of steroids" thing? Bonds was a multiple time MVP before 1999 (The year his body started changing) and won 8 Gold Gloves before then also. Let's also not pretend like the excitement of all of the home runs during the steroid era didn't save MLB from declining interest and fan support after the strike in 1994. Everyone loves to hate on McGwire, Sosa, Binds, A-Rod, etc. but these guys saved the game. Steroids or not, Barry Bonds is the greatest baseball player there ever was.

[taterskin]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

We doing the " Bonds was only good because of steroids" thing? Bonds was a multiple time MVP before 1999 (The year his body started changing) and won 8 Gold Gloves before then also. Let's also not pretend like the excitement of all of the home runs during the steroid era didn't save MLB from declining interest and fan support after the strike in 1994. Everyone loves to hate on McGwire, Sosa, Binds, A-Rod, etc. but these guys saved the game. Steroids or not, Barry Bonds is the greatest baseball player there ever was.

A very polarizing subject....but I have to say I'm in agreement. The steroid argument will rage on till the end of time and I understand the other side of the argument, but we're talking a man who hit a HR every 12 to 13 at bats across his whole career average. He walked 177 times in his HR breaking season and still hit 73. lol. I saw him in a series in Atlanta hit the 2nd and 3rd longest HR's in Turner field history and it was amazing.

[BA2929]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

I really think we could find a better example than Bonds. I think we all know what the major factor was in those 73 homers.
In his 2001 season Bonds hit 12 hr on 0-0 counts, 11 on 1-1 counts, 6 on 2-0, 7 on 1-0 counts, 5 on 0-1, and 2 on 0-2, a total of 41 on 2 pitches or less. on 3 pitches he hit 11 homers. more than 3 pitches, 21 hrs. Bonds didnt need to work the count to hit those hrs. a lot of the walks were unintentional intentional walks where the pitcher knew he wasnt going to throw Bonds a strike. 74 of his walks were on 3-0 and 42 were with 1 strike, a total of 116. 61 of his walks were on with 2 strikes. Still the principal is sound, but Bonds as an example was flawed, in more ways than one. lol

Go back and look at Bonds' career numbers though. Once he started to take more walks than he struck out, his power numbers blew up. Just insert 1993 instead of 2001: Bonds walked 126 times and hit 46 HRs. Well before his head blew up trying to keep pace with McGwire and Sosa.

So, sure the year of 2001 might be tough to argue for some (not me, whatever he did was "legal" in baseball and Selig looked the other way due to ratings/interest), but the reasoning behind the walks/power point is still valid.

[WhiteBunny]

Re: MLB The Show 17: Work the Count As a Batter to Increase Your Hits

Due to the insane amount of meatballs, the only thing you should do is waiting for a pitch in the middle of the strikezone.