To start, let me get this out of the way: I don't play online. I won't get into the reasons here, as they're not relevant, but I just don't. So it's not a solution to this problem.
Generally, I stick to All-Star difficulty against the CPU.
A couple of years ago, probably with MLBTS 20, my plate discipline sucked, so I adopted a different strategy in my hitting against the CPU. That being, to sit on a location until 2 strikes, and not swing unless the pitch was there. After 2 strikes, swing at anything close. I did this regardless of batter, regardless of circumstances (unless I was bunting).
Since then, my hitting game has improved
greatly. However, as a result, after really committing to this strategy, and finally developing more consistent patience at the plate, a couple of things have become painfully obvious:
1. The AI pitching is sloppy as hell.
2. The AI is
not patient at the plate.
I've played about 10 games so far as the White Sox on default All-Star. I haven't lost one game. Scores varied but, more often than not, I kept the CPU under 3 runs, while putting up an average of about 6. In every game, I either pitched a complete game, or went deep (8th/9th) with the starter. All the matches have been vs random opponents, using random spots in the rotation. So, no focus on a single caliber of team or pitcher. I didn't track any stats. These exhibition games are more or less to get a feel for things and find the right settings before the updated rosters drop and I begin my franchise.
Some general observations after those games:
- AI pitching is all over the place. A lot of wild pitches, a general lack of consistency.
- The AI strands a lot of runners. Poor clutch hitting. A lot of low-run, high-hit box scores.
- The AI will often swing at a first pitch in their cold zone (I use first-pitch view of zones). It's pretty easy to get that first pitch strike.
That they would swing at those locations so early in the count really translates into them not being patient. I doubt that the AI is even coded to recognize its own hot/cold zones. It should be. It should know, all things being equal, where not to swing on first pitch.
There were other observations, but those are the ones relevant to this post.
So, having completed those games with so little trouble, I decided to take my philosophy to HoF difficulty. It feels like it's time to graduate.
I just played at home vs the Dodgers, Cease vs Urias (3rd rotation spot).
____R_H_E
LAD 0 2 0
CWS 11 15 0
I gave the HoF Dodgers a bigger whooping than any of those earlier opponents at All-Star difficulty.
Now, I'll offer up that one game is not a proper sample, but it certainly doesn't bode well. I'll stay on default HoF for a few more games and see if things change. But here are some noteworthy stats from that game:
- CPU threw 156 pitches across 3 pitchers. Urias was out in the 5th having thrown 82 pitches and given up 4 runs.
- I threw 87 pitches for a complete game shutout.
- AI first-pitch-strike %: 63
- My first-pitch-strike %: 79
- My number of takes: 79
- The AI number of takes: 34
Something is obviously out of whack. To what extent I suppose is subjective, and I certainly have more testing to do but, to me, this is glaring.
So, what's my point of this post? Primarily to point it out. For realism's sake, it should be addressed; patched if possible, fixed for next year if not (it doesn't feel like it would be too difficult a thing to do). Secondly, if anyone here is a slider engineer (which I most certainly am not), and you know of slider tweaks that might help this issue, I would be very appreciative.
And finally, I guess a PSA: Patience pays off. Maybe too well.
