Testing New Experiement - Plate Discipline

[MLB Bob]

I am a sim and ratings junkie and try to test and learn what I can about ratings and how to alter the way the game is played. I can't draw a walk to save my life...well not exactly but if I could get 1 a game that was good, 2 was phenomenal and anything more I though was great but came when a pitcher absolutely broke down and needed to not only be replaced but carted off to the mental hospital.

So i am trying something new. Many may not be interested in this method but my results seem pretty realistic for me.

I have read that plate discipline is still effecting game play even when you play the game manually, without simming. It has been suggested that pitchers will throw more balls to a player will high plate discipline ratings.

So what i did was in my Blue Jays franchise ( sliders are authentic and ILiveForThis' sliders on all star with modified user settings but left cpu sliders as indicated by the slider set) and jacked plate discipline to 99 for everyone of my 90 players on my roster. I am playing all levels (AA,AAA,MLB) games and have so far noticed it plays, for me, a helluva lot better. I still swing out the strike zone, but when I get to 3 ball counts I dont have the feeling that a walk is still so far away...if you know what I mean. I plan on continuing this and seeing how the walk rates work out but I am really enjoying it. Im hoping this isnt a placebo or me finally not stressing about walks (as I still have to earn them) and is something I can continue on with. Its not a perfect solution as if you plan on playing franchise and want to trade these players you would have to re-adjust their rating so you dont have a bunch of walk machines being simmed around the league.

So far in limited testing Ive seen 2-4 walks a game, I had chances to get more but they were boarder line pitches I felt I need to spoil..checking the pitch graphs things look good, scores are staying realistic. If anyone else is interested in giving this a try, feel free to post results. As I stated earlier I am using All star and authenic and ILIveForThis sliders with personal mods for my batting skill level. (I use a bit more contact and a lot more foul ball)

[BegBy]

From a hitter's perspective, I really don't mind the variety in both the pitching and my ability to perform at the plate in pitcher's counts. I've had plenty of at bats where it went my way, and I'm more than certain either the battery's ratings helped, the pitcher's helped, or most likely a combination of the two. I'm not saying I haven't been surprised and been called out, or helped out at the plate, but it seems like it can go either way at any time and that is fine by me.

My issue lies with cpu batters and their ability to read pitches remarkably well. I don't mean big hanging hooks that get crushed or never swinging out of the zone. I mean letting a 96 MPH fastball go that is on the black and they just take it. This happens far too often. I should say I mean in pitcher's counts to be more specific. I fail to see how a bottom of the lineup dude can just let that pitch go. I don't want him to cut and miss, or crack a double. I want him to protect. It's a real weakness in gameplay this year, and despite some rosters making that issue play better, it still is a bit of an issue. Knowing that a pitch has been called a strike a lot of the game and then seeing the batter let it drift by when his at bat is one of their last hopes is kinda lame. It's almost like they know it will be called a ball, despite the previous calls. Even if it's a strike and they get rung up I'm equally disappointed.

Maybe you'll find a sweet spot in the attributes that make it play out better. Good luck.

[MLB Bob]

this is solely about the human players ability to draw walks. i have no issue (if I do Ive made the adjustments already) with cpu players. This is for the people that find pitchers paint the edges too much and have trouble drawing the walk for more realistic at bats....so far this has worked for me.

[nomo17k]

Quote: Originally Posted by MLB Bob

... I have read that plate discipline is still effecting game play even when you play the game manually, without simming. It has been suggested that pitchers will throw more balls to a player will high plate discipline ratings. ...

I actually doubt this is the case. Pitchers would pitch around when good batters are at the plate (and high Plate Discipline would increase OVR of the hitter), but I don't think CPU will purposefully nibble against high discipline hitters.

But this is from my limited CPU vs. CPU testing though.

[MBMavs20]

Whether I am facing the CPU I try and work some walks but it just doesn't happen. If I get 1 a game that is good.

However, lately I have noticed that a lot of the pitches I swing at are out of the strike zone. So the computer is trying to pitch around certain hitters in my lineup but I still swing at bad pitches.

When I am pitching, I hardly EVER get the computer to strike out looking. If I have the CPU 0-2, the most success I've had striking him out is a fastball up in the zone that's usually a ball. Sometimes when I have them 0-2 they suddenly have great discipline and rarely swing at something out of the strike zone.

[Heroesandvillains]

Quote: Originally Posted by MBMavs20

Whether I am facing the CPU I try and work some walks but it just doesn't happen. If I get 1 a game that is good. However, lately I have noticed that a lot of the pitches I swing at are out of the strike zone. So the computer is trying to pitch around certain hitters in my lineup but I still swing at bad pitches. When I am pitching, I hardly EVER get the computer to strike out looking. If I have the CPU 0-2, the most success I've had striking him out is a fastball up in the zone that's usually a ball. Sometimes when I have them 0-2 they suddenly have great discipline and rarely swing at something out of the strike zone.

That's odd...

Did you read my write-up in the most K's poll thread? Of my 11 K's, 8 of them were caught looking.

It's weird that we're seeing drastically different things...

[Bobhead]

Yeah even I'm not seeing that. I have huge problems getting strikeouts, but getting the CPU to strikeout looking is never a problem for me. I'd estimate that a good 80-90% of my strikeouts are K's looking, on 2-seamers in the corner, backdoor sliders, etc...

It's really the only way I can strike the CPU out at all.

[Geronimo22]

Quote: Originally Posted by MLB Bob

this is solely about the human players ability to draw walks. i have no issue (if I do Ive made the adjustments already) with cpu players. This is for the people that find pitchers paint the edges too much and have trouble drawing the walk for more realistic at bats....so far this has worked for me.

MLB Bob I admire your test. I too have done various tests over the last 2 years on plate discipline to get realistic results...

My final conclusion this year is I think the game out of the box plays very realistic. SCEA really did a good job of making pitchers pitch realistic on default AS. The problem wasn't the pitchers - it was me having poor at bat's.

IMO all you have to do is reduce the pitch speed slider (mine is at zero) and you will recognize pitches better, thus leading to more walks and better plate discipline.

Again, your test looks very well thought out and I'd like to hear more about your results.

Quote: Originally Posted by nomo17k

I actually doubt this is the case. Pitchers would pitch around when good batters are at the plate (and high Plate Discipline would increase OVR of the hitter), but I don't think CPU will purposefully nibble against high discipline hitters. But this is from my limited CPU vs. CPU testing though.

I'm playing two separate franchises right now... San Diego Padres and New York Yankees... I agree that the CPU pitches around higher overall rated players and not just players with good plate discipline. I've had some 8 walk games with the Yanks. The Padres, uhm I think my highest is 4.