Bombs and Beanballs

[stealyerface]

Well, I am 5-5 in my Red Sox season, and I am loving the game. No freezes yet, no lock ups, and honestly, I love to play the game, I just wish I was more patient at the plate. My wins come from my being very selective at the dish, taking a called strike, and really trying to work the count to the hitter's favor and unloading on the fastball I know is coming.

Which brings to to a few points of interest. I LOVE the camera view in Broadcast View with HR Celebrations Off. One of the great things about this year's game is that you do not always know whether the ball is going out or not, and it really makes for some strategic use of the base running controls, especially on windy days. But the absolute blasts, where the camera view is backed off, and you really get a sense of just how far it was crushed... Awesome.

One thing that is a bit puzzling is the how hitting CPU batters is handled. In MVP Baseball, sometimes if you hit a star player on the other team, be it on purpose or not, the CPU would throw one at you the next inning, and you just knew it was on purpose in retaliation for the beaning prior.

This year's version of MLB has me totally confused. Sometimes, when a particularly hated player from the other team hits one out on me and either stands at the plate, or does the bat flip, I may tend to send a message his next at bat if the situation presents itself (A-Rod *cough cough).. but here's the thing. I can hit 4 guys in a row, blatantly on purpose, and not even get a warning from the umpire. If I finally hit enough guys consecutively, I get tossed. But in my estimation, hitting 5 batters in a row is a bit past the acceptable limits for heading to the showers.

Is there a way to fix this, or to toggle the amount of leeway the umpire gives the pitcher? After a warning in MVP, you really had to decide whether you risked the inside pitch, because the next one, on purpose or not, was going to be it for your pitcher. This year, I have absolutely no fear of going inside, and there is no consequence for hitting batters.

Thought, workarounds, or just something I am missing?

syf

[Counted Out]

I can't say that I know of a work around, but i would be interested in hearing of one too.

[Padgoi]

I noticed this too. I hit 4 Red Sox in a row with Sabbathia and finally got tossed after the 5th. And these were fastballs right at guys heads! So yeah, I feel your pain.

[stealyerface]

Yes, it seems as though the 5th hit batter in a row is the trigger. I find it hard to believe that the straw that breaks the camel's back, so to speak, is hitting enough guys to force home the run...

syf

[Chef Matt]

While I don't have an answer ( I try to avoid hitting anyone period. My ERA is bad enough I don't want to give them any free runs lol) I do remember the strategy behind the MVP scenario. Hit a guy, get warned, stay away from inside stuff or else. It worked very nicely.

[stealyerface]

What I loved even more was that if you plunked one of their star players, or someone who was performing fairly well (on purpose or not) you could expect that your next big hitter who came up in the next half inning, was gonna get it. That was especially cool, and usually when the warnings would get handed out.

I too rarely hit guys on purpose in this game for fear of the big inning igniting from it, but if you fire up an exhibition game and just start going all Beckett on them, you'll see that the results and the timing of the ejection are just not correct. Your next hit batter after the ejection is an automatic trip to the showers, so that is set up right, but otherwise, might need to be looked at next year.

syf