Directional Hitting

[Bm7414206]

First my fellow Directional/Classic MLB players out there. Hiw do you guys go about hitting? Which swing types do you use and when? Do you use the swing influence mechanic?

Just curious because I always go back and forth between things lol


OR Do you just use Timing?

[prey2god]

Re: Directional Hitting

Strictly timing. I play offline franchise and I just suck at directional. Plus I feel like it jacks up my joystick causing joystick drift later on ngl.

[Bm7414206]

Re: Directional Hitting

Strictly timing. I play offline franchise and I just suck at directional. Plus I feel like it jacks up my joystick causing joystick drift later on ngl.

Yea I feel like I hit less HR with directional for some reason it's weird

[jcar0725]

Re: Directional Hitting

Remember directional is timing when you don't touch the stick. So you don't have to use the stick at all.

Sent from my thoughts

[Skippy85410]

Re: Directional Hitting

I use directional and very RARELY use left stick influence. Makes ratings matter the most.

[prey2god]

Re: Directional Hitting

Remember directional is timing when you don't touch the stick. So you don't have to use the stick at all.

Sent from my thoughts

I thought there was an actual Directional and Timing?

[zephyr13]

Re: Directional Hitting

Remember directional is timing when you don't touch the stick. So you don't have to use the stick at all.

Sent from my thoughts

This seems incorrect.

[baconbits11]

Re: Directional Hitting

Timing and I went with Pulse over Classic this year for a little more unpredictability.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[jcar0725]

Re: Directional Hitting

This seems incorrect.

Its correct. You can see in the description in the hitting options. Directional hitting is timing hitting with the ability to influence the direction by using the stick. Timing based hitting, you don't have the option of influencing the direction by using the stick. Thats the only difference.

Sent from my thoughts

[zephyr13]

Re: Directional Hitting

Its correct. You can see in the description in the hitting options. Directional hitting is timing hitting with the ability to influence the direction by using the stick. Timing based hitting, you don't have the option of influencing the direction by using the stick. Thats the only difference.

Sent from my thoughts

The explanation you’ve given in this example is more coherent and clear than the previous explanation that I said seemed incorrect. Thank you for clarifying.

[Cod]

Re: Directional Hitting

I use directional hitting (rarely try to influence) and always swing with normal swing.

[adembroski]

Re: Directional Hitting

I use directional for a number of reasons. The PCI requires more attention investment and I prefer to play the game relatively casually, but it's also far more satisfying. Also I'm not good at fine movements on the stick, so I tend to push too far.

That said, I am very variable on a pitch-to-pitch basis. All of this is obviously variable based on who I'm facing, but I like to sit inside early in the count and try to pull the ball, while I tend to use a contact swing and just get contact late. In between, it depends on the specific count and the pitcher, but I like to go the other way a lot... not from from a strategic standpoint, but because I'm working very hard on getting better at going the other way. I tend to be ahead of even the fastest pitches and I need to get my timing better.

All that said, MVP absolutely perfected directional hitting and I wish The Show would dig deeper into that system. The little things like how awkward it looked when you were trying to pull an outside pitch, the way the influence you put on a ball would be reflected in exactly how the ball came off the bat. It was so well done. The Show's directional hitting just feels off by comparison, where as they do zone hitting better than most other baseball games have.

My advice that I don't take: use PCI if you can. It's the system The Show has put the most work into, they're nowhere near what MVP's directional system. I just prefer directional because hitters in real life face MUCH faster pitching and putting the ball on a location is more repetition and instinct than it is seeing and adjusting to the ball, so directional, by making reacting to location be ratings based, "feels" more realistic to me.

[Hammerhunker]

Re: Directional Hitting

First my fellow Directional/Classic MLB players out there. Hiw do you guys go about hitting? Which swing types do you use and when? Do you use the swing influence mechanic?

Just curious because I always go back and forth between things lol


OR Do you just use Timing?

I never use the stick and let situation dictate buttons. I try to be fluid and not just use X every pitch but I tend to get stuck sometimes.

Those hitters in my lineup with power (3, 4, 5 for sure), I try to use square once in the at bat in the right situation. If there are runners on base or I'm trailing, then I go square more.

I use circle in situations where I can't take a strikeout and flat need to put the ball in play. Also, down 0-2 with most hitters except my power guys where I go X or square.

If I have a pitcher that is throwing a lot of juicy first-pitch fastballs, I will get cheeky and try to hijack the first pitch with the square with any hitter. Terrible percentage but it's sure a rush to bomb one in this situation.

[thedudedominick]

Re: Directional Hitting

I like to use the influence based on situation, count, and who I have up to bat.

Say I have my power hitters up. In hitters counts I'm looking for a pitch middle in that I can drive so I'm aiming up and pull. If the wind is blowing in I almost never look to get the ball in the air so I don't use the directions. (I use the Cubs in my franchise so that is very relevant.) If the count is 0-0 or any in the hitter's favor I am looking to pull and drive the ball. Once I have a strike or two I stop using the directional influence.

If I have a guy on 3rd and a batter that doesn't have power, I will look to go on the ground and opposite field. Waiting for a pitch that I can let get deep in the zone and drive the other way.

I try to treat it like I did as a batter when I played. It also helps me be more patient at the plate. If I'm looking for a pitch slightly up that I can drive, I am going to let pitches go that are low or away that I normally would swing at. If I'm looking to hit a fly ball or drive it the other way, I wait for a sinker or fastball on the outer half that I can just slap to the opposite field.

I try to take an approach at the plate in a way I would think a batter on my team with his skillset would. Speedy contact guy? Look to stay middle/opposite field. Power hitter with runners on? You better believe I'm trying to get the ball in the air and pull it.

Swing type I almost never change unless I really need to put a ball in play then I will contact swing. Other than that I use normal swing 95 percent of the time. If I am giving a guy a greenlight on a 3-0 or 3-1 count I may power swing, but thats about the only time.

I'm also not sure how long it has been in the game, but I just figured out you can lock the direction by clicking the left stick so when you let go it keeps the direction there.

[bkrich83]

Re: Directional Hitting

I've been playing mostly zone hitting the past 2 or 3 years, and I do really like it, it's very rewarding when you sit on a certain pitch and really square it up.

That said I started playing directional again this past week just for a change of pace, and I forgot how much I really like it. I would say about 90% of the time I play stick neutral with no attempt to influence the hit, but what I really like is the ability to try to influence contact based on situational hitting, which I just don't have the skillset for on zone hitting.

Case in point:
I'm the Padres and I'm playing the Reds in Cincy last night. We go to the top of the 9th up 3-2, but I know my bullpen is gassed, so even with Hader getting ready to come in and insurance run or 2 would be ideal. Manny Machado leads off the inning with a ringing double. So now man on 2nd with no outs and I have a left handed batter in Matt Carpenter up. First couple of pitches I have him swing away, but not the count is 2-2 and I really want to advance Machado to 3rd, so I use influence to pull the ball so I can hit behind the runner, I get a ball I can handle and ground out to 2nd, so I get a productive out. Next batter up is Austin Nola. I just want to get the ball in the air to get Machado home, so I use flyball influence, get another pitch I can handle and hit a fly ball to left center for a sacrifice fly and I get my insurance run.

While this still could've happened with zone it would have been more luck of the draw rather than attempting to implement some in game strategy, and I really felt rewarded after.

So for now at least probably going to stick to directional for the time being.