MLB 11 The Show - Analog Hitting/Pitching Miscellaneous Tips

[davewins]

Sorry for my consecutive posts but I think doing what Brian said is the best way to test the stride time for different players. Turn the PCI on is the best way because you can see the big yellow circle at all times and can judge if it got smaller without even swinging.

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by sbmnky

I think that's way too early to start you swing. I start all my batter pretty much the same - right before or during the release of the pitch from the pitcher's hand. I will keep my eye focused on the pitcher's hat and when he's about half way through his windup I shift my eyes to look in the zone of where's he's going to be releasing the pitch. Once I see the the ball in his hand within that zone is when I start my pre-load (push down on the RS). Even if I take a pitch, I will release the RS so I can see how my stride timing is. I'm usually 'Normal' or 'Perfect' on AS & HoF (haven't tried Legend yet). I recommend taking an inning or two and just watching pitching and practicing your RS movement/timing. This really helped me get feel for each batter and I am not of the opinion that there is a HUGE difference in timing between a guy like Torres and Posey. There is a slight difference, but it's not seconds different, IMO. I think hitting is very much feel based this year which I love - especially when batting with guys who have a fluid movement pre-pitch. Hope that helps.

Good post sb.

Thanks for posting this Brian. It should certainly help guys here!

[davewins]

Ok guys, I just did what Brian said. I turned the PCI on and checked when it got smaller. Hamilton has a long stride. I timed it so his foot would come down right as the pitch crosses the plate and it got smaller. I then timed it right before the pitcher released the ball and it stayed the same so I can definitely tell you to ignore the stride length of different individual players. I just tried it with Posey (probably longest stride time in demo) and the same thing. The PCI shrunk when I timed it early like I was timing it before with him. For all players you must time it the same. I am glad it's this way because it was very hard for me to hold the stick back for so long with Posey and Hamilton. The stats I'm sure showed too because I hit horrible with them.

[HeyYoCraig]

I had a revelation the other day. If anyone is having trouble recognizing pitches and often swinging at horrible pitches out of the zone, I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend switching the batting view to catcher 4. It has changed the way I play the game haha

[davewins]

What has helped me the most is just being patient. Plain and simple. How can you be patient? Go an entire game just taking all pitches. I am serious. Go a game just striding and taking all pitches. Get an idea what a good pitch looks like out of the pitcher's hand. Practice with the same camera angle. Don't jump around camera angles because the pitches look different.

After doing that keep the mental attitude on the following points:

- It is OK to look at strike three
- I will swing at pitches that I like
- I will NOT swing at pitches just because they are strikes

Basically what you have to start doing is not playing the game of not letting the umpire call a strike. I am very guilty of this. In my at bats I will basically be protecting the plate even with 0 strikes on me! I want to swing at anything that is called a strike. That is WRONG. There are pitcher's pitches that are strikes and are VERY hard to hit. You need to learn to lay off them. Let's say a slider that hits the outside corner. You know it's going to be a strike. Don't even swing at it. Only swing at pitches you know you can hit well. Learn your strengths and weaknesses.

On legend I am hitting very good now. I am still striking out a little too often but that will lower in time. You have to have the right mental approach first. The skill will come after because if you swing at junk the CPU will continue to throw junk and you will dig yourself in a deeper hole. You must learn to be patient and recognize pitches you can hit. Then it will only get easier!

[matthewk]

Um, what's PCI? Is that the big semi-transparent egg-shaped thing in the strike zone?

Also, does the left stick do anything for analog hitting? Can you tell the batter to reach for low and outside pitch, or do they just do that by themselves? I would like to be able to control where in the zone I'm swinging.

[davewins]

Quote: Originally Posted by matthewk

Um, what's PCI? Is that the big semi-transparent egg-shaped thing in the strike zone? Also, does the left stick do anything for analog hitting? Can you tell the batter to reach for low and outside pitch, or do they just do that by themselves? I would like to be able to control where in the zone I'm swinging.

Yes the PCI is the light yellow transparent thing in the strike zone.

No you can not use the left analog stick to control the PCI in analog hitting. You control the PCI by moving the right analog stick in the direction of the pitch. High/low is determined by timing and player attributes.

[Plaz44]

Quote: Originally Posted by davewins

Ok guys, I just did what Brian said. I turned the PCI on and checked when it got smaller. Hamilton has a long stride. I timed it so his foot would come down right as the pitch crosses the plate and it got smaller. I then timed it right before the pitcher released the ball and it stayed the same so I can definitely tell you to ignore the stride length of different individual players. I just tried it with Posey (probably longest stride time in demo) and the same thing. The PCI shrunk when I timed it early like I was timing it before with him. For all players you must time it the same. I am glad it's this way because it was very hard for me to hold the stick back for so long with Posey and Hamilton. The stats I'm sure showed too because I hit horrible with them.

I wish it was the other way. I like the idea where each batters stride would decide the timing not the same release point of the pitch. I will have to try this tonight myself.