Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

[Suvorov]

First, I want to say I have been using TNK's and Psycho's sliders since they released them and had awesome games. However, I decided that since I never really gave the default sliders a good chance, to start a new Franchise using them and see how it went.

My main concern of course were drawing walks, as I have ALWAYS had problems with this, mostly my fault because I can be the most impatient person anyone has ever met.

Well, as the Angels, in my first game against the Royals, I was walked 5 times in the course of a 9 Inning game. Believe it or not, the most I have EVER received in any one game. I was completely shocked how I was able to get walked. In fact, my lead off batter in the very first inning was walked and one of my players was walked an incredible 3 times his first 3 at bats!

I want to continue these default sliders in the Franchise and see how it goes.

Btw, I use Knight's Opening Day Rosters(V2.0?), timing hitting and analog pitching and I play on All Star across the board.

An added note to the game, I lost 3-2. They went up with a solo shot, then I knocked in 2, they tied it up in the 8th and then in the bottom of the 9th, I blew it. And I mean I blew it, not the computer.

[pberardi]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

This is allstar? That's good for allstar default. I automatically lower strike frequency before I even start a franchise.

[BleacherCreature]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

The walks are there on default.
A handy thing to do is to first check what the CPU pitcher's BB/9 inning ratio is. If it's low on the meter then you need to take more pitches as they will throw a lot of balls out of the zone.
Also it seems if the CPU is leading in the game, depending on the size of the lead, they will throw more strikes, as they should in that situation.
I've walked 11 times in my last 3 games.

[crques]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I have gone back to default on a lot of my sliders and it seems to be working for me, but I only have small sample size. If you don't mind me asking, about how many hits, & doubles, are you averaging and giving up per game, and how many innings are the starters and relievers pitching, on average? Also, how is the hit variety? Are there a ton of line drives hit up the middle on default? Thanks guys. It's amazing that I've been trying slider combinations out relentlessly the past few weeks and now I'm settling for most of the sliders the game shipped with. Go figure. LOL

[Suvorov]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I have only been able to play 3 games so far with default sliders thanks to a very bad glitch/bug called real life, however, through those 3 games I am getting roughly 8 hits per game(about 1 under league average last year), 1.3 doubles per game(barely under avg), and about 2.2 runs per game(mostly because I get panicky and suck when I have men on base).

As far as giving up doubles, runs, etc., I am not the man to ask because I make too many USER errors when fielding(mostly thanks to my old tired eyes and poor reflexes).

Harren pitched a full game in game 1. Game 2 my starter went 7 and in game 3, my starter went 7 again, but I could have let him in if I wanted to. He still had energy but the Royals began to hit off him easier, so I wanted a new pitcher in there.

[crques]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I have only been able to play 3 games so far with default sliders thanks to a very bad glitch/bug called real life, however, through those 3 games I am getting roughly 8 hits per game(about 1 under league average last year), 1.3 doubles per game(barely under avg), and about 2.2 runs per game(mostly because I get panicky and suck when I have men on base).

As far as giving up doubles, runs, etc., I am not the man to ask because I make too many USER errors when fielding(mostly thanks to my old tired eyes and poor reflexes).

Harren pitched a full game in game 1. Game 2 my starter went 7 and in game 3, my starter went 7 again, but I could have let him in if I wanted to. He still had energy but the Royals began to hit off him easier, so I wanted a new pitcher in there.

LOL Sounds good man. I definitely understand your USER error issue. My wife laughed at me the other night because I was nearly sitting on top of my tv trying to play (I play on a 22 inch screen). She asked what I was doing and I told her that I was moving in closer because I had just misplayed a fly ball with Heyward because I couldn't tell if I was standing where I needed to be or not. My hand/eye coordination and video game reflexes are nowhere near where they were 5-10 years ago. I can attribute at least 1-2 hits per game to poor fielding on my part. I also usually have a baserunning blunder or 2 that prevents me from maximizing my offense. It's all good though. I'm still having fun.

Right off the top of my head, I know that I'm playing with Reliever Stamina at 2, Fielding Errors at 7, and Fielder Speed at 3. I can't remember any others, but I know they are either at default or 4 for the rest. Anyway, my sample size is small but I have had 2 decent games like that.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I play on Default HOF (mostly), and have remarkably realistic stats in my Giants franchise.

Timing Only/Meter Pitching/Auto Fielding (Manual Throwing).

All Defaults, except:

CPU Timing 4 (to increase misses) *
CPU Solid Hits 6 (to compensate for the dropped Timing)*
CPU Consistency 4
CPU Strike Frequency 4
Pitch Speed 2
Fielding Errors 10
Throwing Errors 7
Stolen Base Frequency 8

* I may drop both of these back to default soon, as I realized that I wasn't focusing on the yellow line on the meter as much I should have...thus, I just moved my chair about half a foot closer to the TV! LOL!

31 games:

Team average .257
HR's 37
Doubles 59
SO 248 (this equals exactly 8.0 per game, as I've recently been had a VERY bad stretch)
BB 93 (this equals exactly 3.0 per game)
ERA 4.03

This game plays great on Default, especially since the patch. As you can see, I've made some tweaks here and there, but my stats are pretty much money. Again, I need to re-emphasize, that I took A LOT of time off from playing recently, and have drastically seen my BB numbers decrease, and my SO numbers increase.

Boy, this game is brutal when you're out of practice.

[Suvorov]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

Wow, your stats for the Giants are VERY close to actual stats from 2010. Are you playing every game or do you sim some? Your HR's and 2B's are very slightly over what they did in 2010. I absolutely LOVE when a sports game can get this accurate while actually playing.

[nickaepi]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

First, I want to say I have been using TNK's and Psycho's sliders since they released them and had awesome games. However, I decided that since I never really gave the default sliders a good chance, to start a new Franchise using them and see how it went.

My main concern of course were drawing walks, as I have ALWAYS had problems with this, mostly my fault because I can be the most impatient person anyone has ever met.

Well, as the Angels, in my first game against the Royals, I was walked 5 times in the course of a 9 Inning game. Believe it or not, the most I have EVER received in any one game. I was completely shocked how I was able to get walked. In fact, my lead off batter in the very first inning was walked and one of my players was walked an incredible 3 times his first 3 at bats!

I want to continue these default sliders in the Franchise and see how it goes.

Btw, I use Knight's Opening Day Rosters(V2.0?), timing hitting and analog pitching and I play on All Star across the board.

An added note to the game, I lost 3-2. They went up with a solo shot, then I knocked in 2, they tied it up in the 8th and then in the bottom of the 9th, I blew it. And I mean I blew it, not the computer.

I would love to see your progress on this. My main reason for wanting to go back to default is the fielding. My fielders just seem too slow to react to anything with TNK's sliders, even slow hit ground balls I can't catch up to sometimes. I dunno. I go thru this every year. slider hell..and I hate it.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

Wow, your stats for the Giants are VERY close to actual stats from 2010. Are you playing every game or do you sim some? Your HR's and 2B's are very slightly over what they did in 2010. I absolutely LOVE when a sports game can get this accurate while actually playing.

I think I've simmed 3 games. Definitely no more than 4 or 5.

My ERA is pretty high for SF, but it's headed in the right direction.

Keep in mind, the reduction to CPU Timing is a relatively recent change (maybe 10 games ago). I did this to combat the CPU's ability to make contact with 2 strikes (on HOF) but I MAY head back to Defaults now that I've reacquainted myself with my The Show 10' chair-to-television proximity. I lost it's sweet spot for 11' for some reason. Anyway, I'm currently 4th (I think) in the team rankings in the K department.

Speaking of K's, I've gotta say, it's strange. I lead all of MLB in K's with Tim Lincecum, thanks to a 10 K performance last night, but am pretty run-of-the-mill with the rest of my staff. My advice would be for those to REALLY focus on hitting your spots on the meter if you want to fool the CPU with your 2-5 starters.

Offensively, I couldn't be happier. Aside from my SO numbers, my games feel pretty authentic. Since I have a few points to spare in the AVG category, I may begin using contact more often with less than two strikes with my weaker hitters.

[Suvorov]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

Just as a follow up. I am averaging about 2 BB's per game since that 5 BB game. I know I can get more but I really have to practice my patience at the plate. I am sure I could get 3 a game easily, but I get anxious and frustrated when I am not scoring and swing at anything in the Strike Zone even when I should probably not swing and wait for a better pitch.

[DJ]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

Taking pitches was one of the toughest things for me to learn with The Show. I used to swing at everything, just out of habit, really. Now, I'm much more patient at the plate and it helps, not only in drawing walks, but when it comes to hitting, both with runners on base and nobody on.

Now, there's still games where the CPU will have me off-balance and I'll strikeout 10-12 times in a game. But, most games I can keep it around 4-8, and I'm good with that. I will have games where I don't walk at all, but then I'll turn around and walk 5 times the next night. I am averaging almost 3 walks a game, so that's a huge improvement for me.

I'm playing on All-Star with almost 100% default sliders. I lowered HUM/CPU Power -1, Pitch Speed -2 (personal preference), CPU Consistency -1, CPU Strike Frequency -2 and HUM/CPU Reliever Stamina -3.

I'm sure I could go back to all default (aside from Pitch Speed and Reliever Stamina) and I'd be able to draw walks at the same rate I am currently. This series does play great "out of the box", which is very refreshing compared to a lot of other games.

[NimitsTexan]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I sort of noticed the opposite. Initially after lower strike frequency, drew all kind of walks . . . but then it seemed the CPU learned my tendancies, and is almost never throws it out of the zone more than 2-3 times per at bat (even on high pitch count at bats), reducing me to less than a walk per game, on average.

[pberardi]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I sort of noticed the opposite. Initially after lower strike frequency, drew all kind of walks . . . but then it seemed the CPU learned my tendancies, and is almost never throws it out of the zone more than 2-3 times per at bat (even on high pitch count at bats), reducing me to less than a walk per game, on average.

I have gradually raised strike frequency from -4 to -1 (close to default) on H of F mode thinking I was going to destroy my walk opportunities and nothing could be further from the truth.

I am walking too much at the expense of hits. My hits are averaging 3-7 per game with very few games in the 10+ column.

Walks should not be a problem in this game regardless of the sliders. I now believe after so much experimentation and reading some really good slider discussions, particurlary CHD, Bob, Heroes and too many to mention, that the goal of sliders is to find balance and not just isolate one metric such as walks.

Set strike frequency too low and a good eye will make the cpu throw well over 138 pitches per game. Surely walks should be had when the cpu's arm is about to fall off.

When lowering strike frequency, my walks were good but I paid for it with high strikeouts. After so many games, the walks averaged out but the k's continued.

Once I moved strike frequency closer to default, my strikeouts were closer to real boxscores (5-6) and my walks still ranked in the top 20th percentile.

The cpu will throw strikes when behind and nibble when ahead. It pitches around certain hitters and challenges certain hitters, compared to the barrage of black painting that was resulting in walks and strikeouts yet few runs and few hits with certain sliders too low.

Keep in mind that the cpu confidence meter has alot to do with drawing walks and striking out. Sliders won't rule over a confident pitcher.

The one slider that has recently made a difference for me is the consistency slider this year. Pitchers that would never walk me such as Carl Pavano will pitch around my best hitters if no men are on base.

Of course once men are on base he is capable of fileting me like a dead flounder!

[crques]

Re: Default Sliders - Was Worried About Walks....

I have gradually raised strike frequency from -4 to -1 (close to default) on H of F mode thinking I was going to destroy my walk opportunities and nothing could be further from the truth.

I am walking too much at the expense of hits. My hits are averaging 3-7 per game with very few games in the 10+ column.

Walks should not be a problem in this game regardless of the sliders. I now believe after so much experimentation and reading some really good slider discussions, particurlary CHD, Bob, Heroes and too many to mention, that the goal of sliders is to find balance and not just isolate one metric such as walks.

Set strike frequency too low and a good eye will make the cpu throw well over 138 pitches per game. Surely walks should be had when the cpu's arm is about to fall off.

When lowering strike frequency, my walks were good but I paid for it with high strikeouts. After so many games, the walks averaged out but the k's continued.

Once I moved strike frequency closer to default, my strikeouts were closer to real boxscores (5-6) and my walks still ranked in the top 20th percentile.

The cpu will throw strikes when behind and nibble when ahead. It pitches around certain hitters and challenges certain hitters, compared to the barrage of black painting that was resulting in walks and strikeouts yet few runs and few hits with certain sliders too low.

Keep in mind that the cpu confidence meter has alot to do with drawing walks and striking out. Sliders won't rule over a confident pitcher.

The one slider that has recently made a difference for me is the consistency slider this year. Pitchers that would never walk me such as Carl Pavano will pitch around my best hitters if no men are on base.

Of course once men are on base he is capable of fileting me like a dead flounder!

So what do your sliders look like now? Thanks.