Fastball Velocity

[sk]

This is not a thread about RTTS Fastball Velocity!

What I am wondering, is if you posses a good heater, say 96-98 mph, how easy/hard is it throwing it by somebody?

Is it like real life where it's really that hard for them to make solid contact on it? When I play, it never seems to matter when I play the cpu whether I throw 96 or 90. I try throwing off of change-ups and breaking balls, but maybe I am doing something wrong? Or maybe it doesn't affect the cpu as much as it should?

[mccutchisclutch]

To me at least, the speed of a heater does not generally matter to a CPU from my experience playing the game. A good heater/change combo can usually get good results against the CPU, but not a blistering fast heater. If you have a high velocity fastball in online play, that can certainly make a difference, but you probably already knew that.

[skow05]

Hmmm...to me it feels like there is a difference. When I pitch with Lilly I see a lot more hitters pulling the ball and never usually get K's with my fastball. (unless it's looking or off of a sequence of breaking stuff)

Yet when I pitch with a Marmol or Samardzija, it seems like hitters are either going the other way with the fastball or starting their swing too late to make contact.

So for me and my personal experiences, I would say yes, I have noticed velocity to play a part.

[mccutchisclutch]

Quote: Originally Posted by skow05

Hmmm...to me it feels like there is a difference. When I pitch with Lilly I see a lot more hitters pulling the ball and never usually get K's with my fastball. (unless it's looking or off of a sequence of breaking stuff) Yet when I pitch with a Marmol or Samardzija, it seems like hitters are either going the other way with the fastball or starting their swing too late to make contact. So for me and my personal experiences, I would say yes, I have noticed velocity to play a part.

I could always be wrong, I'm not sure the Pirates have a man who can top 93 MPH

[Qb]

I can throw some heaters past guys with Hanrahan. Also had some success with Craig Hansen (spring training warmup season).

[sk]

Quote: Originally Posted by Qb

I can throw some heaters past guys with Hanrahan. Also had some success with Craig Hansen (spring training warmup season).

Yes well the problem is I can also do it with Chris Young and Jamie Moyer

[drolouis]

What has helped me get more strikeouts is varying pitch speed. The first time thru the line up I pitch with a full meter for all my pitches. The next time thru, I stopt the meter at the top of the yellow. And the last time thru, i stop the meter in the middle for my pitches. Once I started using this method I got way more strikeout. Its not about how fast the pitch is, because all big leaguers have good bat speed, its about not letting them time your pitches and keeping them off balance.

[Qb]

Quote: Originally Posted by krisxsong

Yes well the problem is I can also do it with Chris Young and Jamie Moyer

OK, I guess I misunderstood your first post, as I thought you were saying you can't blow it by someone with a hard thrower. I can get some swinging FB Ks with Duke or Maholm if I really work for it and make a good pitch, but I still feel it's easier to rare back and blow it by someone with a guy who throws mid-90s or better.

I may be in the minority, but I felt I was getting to many strikeouts of the AI on All-Star with no hitting sliders lower than default. I raised fouls to 10 and that seems to help. I tried going to HOF pitching, but that didn't go too well...