MLB 14 The Show: Some Basic Pitch-Count Strategies

[N51_rob]

No mention of the 2-1 hit and run?

[N51_rob]

As for my approach at the plate. It's pretty consistant first time through the line up. Take till I get a strike (unless I get a hanging off-speed pitch that I recognize). From there its just a chess match. If I get ahead I am looking for a fastball. If I fall behind I am looking off-speed.

Down 0-2, 1-2 I am using the contact swing, looking to foul off pitches or just roll something into play in hopes of making something happen. If I can get the count back to 2-2 then I go back to my normal swing. Up 3-0 I usually take, unless there are 2 outs in the inning and I have a power guy up then I will use power swing and try to jack one or put the ball in a gap.

2-1, 3-1 I will think about putting something on, if the pitcher has been aggressive in the zone in those counts in the game. 3-2 I am looking for either a fastball up or a change down. I have no problem taking the walk or being called out on a boarderline pitch.

[bcruise]

Quote: Originally Posted by N51_rob

As for my approach at the plate. It's pretty consistant first time through the line up. Take till I get a strike (unless I get a hanging off-speed pitch that I recognize). From there its just a chess match. If I get ahead I am looking for a fastball. If I fall behind I am looking off-speed. Down 0-2, 1-2 I am using the contact swing, looking to foul off pitches or just roll something into play in hopes of making something happen. If I can get the count back to 2-2 then I go back to my normal swing. Up 3-0 I usually take, unless there are 2 outs in the inning and I have a power guy up then I will use power swing and try to jack one or put the ball in a gap. 2-1, 3-1 I will think about putting something on, if the pitcher has been aggressive in the zone in those counts in the game. 3-2 I am looking for either a fastball up or a change down. I have no problem taking the walk or being called out on a boarderline pitch.

That's a great approach, very similar to what I do. The only difference is that I will swing on a piped down-the-middle first pitch fastball as well as hanging garbage balls, if I can identify it in time.

[BrianU]

This is a great article and great comments!

I want my approach to be as realistic as a real major league player so I am always interested in reading how batters take on different pitch counts. One area I always fail is choosing which counts to take a pitch. From watching baseball I can see in general when batters take a pitch but I prefer seeing statistics since they are now widely available. I found this article on Fangraphs relating to that: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-f...sus-passivity/

This is the data broken down into a readable fashion. I found it interesting it may help provide some insight on when you should swing or not swing if you happen to be a swing happy player.

2012 Swing rates per count
0-0 - 26.7%
0-1 - 47.4%
0-2 - 50.2%

1-0 - 41.2%
1-1 - 54.0%
1-2 - 57.8%

2-0 - 40.7%
2-1 - 59.6%
2-2 - 65.8%

3-0 - 8.0%
3-1 - 55.5%
3-2 - 74.0%

[timmermac]

This is great. I really need this, as I'm Ozzie Freakin' Guillen at the plate. Baseball Prospectus used to have the DiSar award (named for Gary DiSarcina) in each league for the player who took the longest to draw his first walk of the year. In my world, it would be renamed to the McHacker award, as I've never drawn more than maybe 20 UIBB in a single season in any version of the Show.

[RogueHominid]

Brian U, that stat for 3-1 is very important, I think. Almost a 50/50 take/swing rate.

One thing I've been learning by experience in The Show this year is that the 3-1 count is deceptive. Often pitchers will not groove one on that count, and if you do see something middle and up it's a hanger or mistake.

That's a count I'm learning to see more as an opportunity to take than an opportunity to crush one. With big-time power guys, I preload to pull and lift the pitch in that count, but with everyone else, I will sit and contact swing that count, looking to get something solid on what will likely be a borderline pitch, or up my chances of achieving a successful check swing if the pitch moves out of the zone.

A point I'm interested in here, which N51 brings up is when to get the hit-and-run moving.

I don't know if this is realistic, but I am putting on a lot more of these then I ever used to in order to avoid double plays. I'll put it on 1-1 if I have a good contact hitter, as well as 2-2 if I've fouled off some pitches and have a gut feeling the pitcher will come over the plate. I contact swing on these pitches to ensure that I don't get a whiff and a caught stealing, and it's generally helping my offense.

When are the best counts to H&R?

[SilverBullet1929]

Great thread. This is one of those things that I know by heart but I have a tough time executing during my games. If I had to take a test on this, I'd pass. Once I sit in front of my tv with my controller in hand, I could punch a wall at how many times I whiff at a bad pitch or hit a weak out because I didn't stick to my knowledge of the count. Lol I might reread this before every single pitch during my next game.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

[BrianU]

I have my own question. I used to use contact swing with 2 strikes with every hitter but I have realized it is probably more realistic to only use contact swing with guys that strike out less than 25% of the time based on the last 3 years.

For the Mets that would be: Flores, Duda, Lagares, C Young, Quintanilla, Abreu, Wright, E Young, dArnaud, Tejada, Murphy

Last 3 years: http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.asp...ers=0&sort=9,d

Yeah I get technical with it. I want Granderson to strike out more than the above guys. I know that the ratings ingame make check swings harder for certain guys but this is another way to widen that gap.

But I am still not sure which counts are most realistic to use contact swing in. Right now I am going with 0-2 and 1-2 counts. What counts do you guys use contact swing in?