MLB 15 The Show: Working the Count as a Hitter

[N51_rob]

Down 0-2, 1-2 in the count, you can expect a change below your knees or a slider, curve outside. Another thing is don't be afraid to go down looking. Especially on 2-2, 3-2 counts. In the long run it will give you a better understanding of the strike zone.

[RogueHominid]

In very practical terms, I would say to be cautious in 1-1 counts. I have been overly aggressive in that count but have recently started taking the majority of 1-1 offerings, and I'm getting into much better situations as a result.

I think the CPU will often not give in unless it has to, and in this count, the CPU can give you sliders, changes, and moving FBs at the edges of the zone. I rarely see the CPU groove one on 1-1.

[jcar0725]

The CPU seems to adjust to what you're doing. If you swing and miss at pitches out of the zone on a 1-1 count often, they'll keep giving you junk on that 1-1 count.

And for goodness sake that "contact" swing is your friend, as I have learned, especially when you have 2 strikes.

[HypoLuxa13]

I think the tweaks to the pitch breaks this year make it easier to pick up breaking pitches. Especially inside/outside and high.

Low, not so much. I'm struggling mightily against pitchers who have a great over the top curveball. Not just 12-6 curves, but regular curves that have sharp downward movement. And sure, Clayton Kershaw's curve can make me feel silly, but lesser-rated pitchers are giving me trouble too if they can bury them below the knees consistentyl. I can't even count how many curves look like they are going to catch the bottom of the zone, only to end up bouncing in the dirt. Still trying to figure that out.

Hanging curves, however, are MUCH easier for me to pick up this year. If a pitcher leaves one up in the happy zone, I'm able to sit back on it and put a good swing on it.

[BelfourThibault]

I never guess pitch or location unless I'm up 2-0 or 3-1 in the count, and then I'll sit on the pitch/location that I've guessed. If it isn't there, I'll take a strike. For me, guessing the pitch and location screws me up when it isn't there. It's just one more thing to take into account when you already have a very small window of time to make a decision to swing or look at a pitch. I kinda feel like you're taking the bat out of your own hands when you overuse that feature. But that's just me...if it works for you, great!

Side note about working the count. I don't understand the way that the point system works in RTTS. One example, out of many, comes from my last game played. In one at-bat, I hit a first pitch fastball hard into the gap for a double...12 points for an 'OK at-bat'. Next time to the plate, I had a 10-pitch at-bat which resulted in me grounding into a double play...30 points for a 'Great at-bat'. I understand the advantages of working the count and making the pitcher work, but that didn't make sense to me. If you get a hanging curve or a grooved fastball on the first pitch and make them pay for it, that should be worth more than a 10-pitch GIDP.

[mosdef328]

Quote: Originally Posted by Go Yankees

I read a post on here a few years back, it said the best spot to look at to pick up the ball is the pitchers head, also if yoou are striking out to much or just not hitting in general, remember to not use power swing and USE CONTACT SWING WITH TWO STRIKES, that is very important if you dont want to strike out a boat load every game.

OMG I read this today at work, the part about focusing on the pitchers head... GAME CHANGER!!!! I feel so much more comfortable batting now. Thanks for mentioning this.

[bravo1914]

With the show you have to go up to the plate liek you are hitting in real life. THIS IS FOR ZONE HITTING First what I do is

1.I turn off guess pitch (This will not help your pure hitting skills)
2. Make sure you pick the camera for you. Not your friend camera but pick the camera that you can see the ball leave the pitcher hand the best. I use catcher classic.
3. I always take the first pitch. I just put the control down when the first pitch comes. Most of the time it will be a ball. If its wild pitch I take the second one as well. If you get a strike so be it. The only time I will take the first pitch if the pitcher is tired. You can kill the pitcher by doing this.
4. What I do is change the PCI to outline or classic. I know you guys think I am crazy but what this does this blocks your view of the strike zone. It forces you to look at the ball leave the pitcher's hand. I think the worst thing you can do is focus on the strike zone itself. In real life you dont focus on the strike zone you focus on the ball leaving the pitchers hand.

Doing all of these steps will allow you to work the count and become a better hitter.

[HouseKeepinItReal]

Quote: Originally Posted by Senator Palmer

What's your technique for picking up the ball out of the pitcher's hand? Where are you looking before the pitch?

not sure if your eyes can handle this but you can immediately tell the general location of a pitch immediately at/before the release point(then all you have to do is recoqnize what pitch.)

A pitcher has a general location as to where he releases the ball but you will notice there is a difference in location for lower and higher fastballs, as well as inside/outside.

Once you've trained your eye to do this. Look for fastballs!

one of the hardest part about picking up a pitch is that first 1-5 feet of the pitcher's pitch because some pitchers have such a deceptive release point that you don't actually notice the ball has left his hand until after the first few feet and tends to make their high fastballs appear impossible to hit but I can tell if its a fastball by how fast the pitch makes it past that first 20 feet.

I also draw a line from top of batters zone to pitcher's release point.Then another line from batter's belt to release point. If that pitch starts above the top line all i gotta do is wait on a breaking pitch or watch the high heat above the zone.

If it goes below the belt line then I know I have more time to react and read the pitch.

Also take into consideration the height of your batter.