My experience with MLB12: Psychobulk Perfect All-Star

[Nez477]

Hi all-

This is more or less my review of MLB: The Show 12 after 21 games in a franchise. I am putting it in the Slider section as I feel that is where it would be most helpful. My post will be a little long, but I wanted to be thorough. Mods, if you think this needs to go elsewhere let me know or please move it.

ROSTERS

I believe the first OSFM roster? I don't know, maybe it was v2.

THE SLIDERS

Since Psycho has now changed his slider set to HOF, I wanted to report my experience with his All-Star set. I have played 21 games, a pretty good sample size, and have been overall quite happy with my results.

Pulse pitching, zone hitting, no guess pitch. Everything on all-star.

Here are the sliders (untouched from when I downloaded them about a month ago, everything not listed is on default)

Human Solid Hits: -1
Human Starter Stamina: +1
Human Reliever Stamina: -1
Human Pitcher Consistency: -1
CPU Contact: -1
CPU Foul Frequency: -1
CPU Solid Hits: -1
CPU Starter Stamina: +1
CPU Reliever Stamina: -2
CPU Pitcher Consistency: -1
Pitch Speed: -1
Fielder Run Speed: -2
Fielder Reaction: -1
Fielder Arm Strength: -2
Baserunner Steal Frequency: +1
Wind: -1

THE TEAM

I have a "fantasy" team. Its not that I just chose players that I wanted, I'm in a 26-team strat-o-matic league that I've been in for 10 years, and I've built a team I'm proud of. So I made my Show team to mirror my Los Angeles Skyhawks of the SPIBL. I am the Angels but I play my games in Dodger Stadium. Here is a summary of my team:

SP: Hamels, Gallardo, Fister, Hellickson, Alvarez
RP: Adams, Betancourt, O'Flaherty, Affeldt, Bailey
C: Posey/Barajas (Posey has been on the 60-day DL for a while now).
1B: Hosmer
2B: Hill
SS: Rollins
3B: Beltre
OF: Dejesus, Hart, Maybin, Smith (we kind of rotate the four)
DH: Lind

I have Harper in the minors but he's struggling at AAA so he's staying there.

So overall my team is rated 1st in pitching and 2nd in batting. But those are just the ratings. Lets look at my team rank after 21 games:

THE RESULTS THUS FAR....

12-9 Record. Started 1-5 and have gone 11-4 since.

Batting Average: .275 (5th)
Runs: 82 (15th)
Doubles: 37 (12th)
Triples: 2 (15th, top team only has 6? Not sure if that's low or not overall)
Home Runs: 23 (8th)
Stolen Bases: 4 (28th, I suck at SB, 8 CS)
BASE ON BALLS: 49 (29th, 15th has 66)
Strikeouts: 156 (21st)
Slug Pct: .431 (5th)
OBP: .323 (13th, mostly due to my average of course)
GIDP: 22 (29th)
Errors: 9 (5th)
ERA: 4.18 (25th)
CG: 4 (2nd)
Shutouts: 3 (4th)
Hits Allowed: 189 (19th)
HR Allowed: 19 (12th)
Walks Allowed: 56 (2nd, but 10th is sitting at 63, so not bad)
Strikeouts: 136 (20th)

I put the things I'm concerned about in red, and also wanted to talk about the green.

So I'm second to last in walks. Overall, I'm getting better at it, so I'm not going to change anything. But.. I'M NOT LAST!!!! I've always struggled taking walks in The Show. In this game I definitely feel like pitcher ratings really matter. Pitchers that have a lower BB/9 rating are wilder, and its up to me to take walks. Yes, sometimes I swing at that slider in the dirt for strike three, but it feels pretty sweet to not be an outlier in walks and being in the middle of the pack in strikeouts. Its awesome. So while I'm 29th in walks, I'm still working on it and feel I can get better.

The GIDP concern me. That would honestly be the only thing I'd really want to change from my results thus far. I guess I'm just hitting poorly with guys on-base, I don't know. But again, I'm not an outlier (there is one team worse), so maybe I just need to work on my hitting with runners on. I mean, I'm getting hits and XBH obviously overall (5th in BA and SLG), so I just need to time those better!

But I really want to talk about the walks allowed an strikeouts. This has been my best experience with the show ever pitching. I am getting better and feel I may eventually go to HOF with pitching, but I FINALLY enjoy pitching. I owned MLB08 and MLB09, and in my franchise I only batted (and simmed each half inning where my team was pitching) because I just couldn't get good results period. I couldn't strike guys out, and my walks were crazy because every time I put one in the zone it got crushed. I hated pitching in the show.

Now, with Pulse pitching I feel its a pretty good challenge. You'll see as I summarize each game that I've gotten better as of late, but I also will get shelled here and there. Its a challenge, and if you miss you can get punished. In general its a blast pitching now, and that's something I could never say about the show. Its funny I'm 25th in ERA and talking about moving up to HOF, ha. Recency bias is coming into play as I just shut out the Indians in back to back games with Alvarez and Hamels.

When it comes to baserunning, I'm just terrible. I don't feel its a slider thing, but I make poor decisions on when to try to score, when to stretch out doubles... its really bad. I'll get better. Same with stealing (I just got my 4th in my last game with Rollins!!!)

Batting is overall just fun. It feels like a battle each time. Each pitcher is different, each delivery is different, each pitcher's strategy against each batter is different. In general I'm late more than I'd like, but again, the results are very realistic given my very good batting lineup. I'm WAAAAY better with LHP than RHP for whatever reason (you'll see in my stats down below), but the fact that I'm striking out a decent amount mixed with NOT BEING LAST IN WALKS (WOOHOO!!!!), while spraying the ball all over and out of the field.... its just been awesome fun. Its funny though... you'll see in my linescores below that I RARELY score more than 5 runs a game. I get tense or something once I get a decent lead and lose my plate discipline. Anyway, the batting interface in this game is something that we all get spoiled by, because its just so, so good. Batting in MLB12: The Show is my favorite gaming experience of all time. I love baseball, and it just feels so freaking perfect in the challenge and the results.

OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS....

If you aren't using variable umps, you are doing it wrong. In MLB09, my last experience, it was fine and added a little bit as borderline pitches could go either way.

However, in this version, it is WAY more realistic. I love getting squeezed. I love getting that backdoor slider that is obviously way off the plate called for strike 3. The frustration and exhilaration with the variable umps is just absolutely spot on and makes for a real baseball experience.

There are only two things that I feel need to be fixed in terms of gameplay for next year.

• 1. The ball physics are overall awesome. However, liners down the line are very unrealistic. That's my only complaint with the ball physics whatsoever. If you are to get a double down the line, you have to smoke it and hit it over the 1Bman. In real life, if you sneak it down the line, it will often roll down the line to the wall. Instead the corner outfielders get to the ball quickly and hold you to a single. Not a huge deal, but its the one piece that I feel is lacking with ball mechanics.
• 2. Infield fielding can be a little spotty. Routine grounder to Rollins at SS. I hold down the throw to 1B, and before he throws, he pauses, loads, and the throw is late to 1B for an infield single. I'll try and save a replay at some point and load it up here as an example, but this has happened about 4-5 times over the 21 games.

Those are really my only two gripes about the gameplay thus far. I think that says a lot.

I've seen guys complain about unrealistic diving catches and whatnot. You guys just have selective memories if you feel this is happening too much because its not. I've seen like 6 diving catches in 21 games.

I overall would like to see some improvements in the interface to be more OOTP-like, but I feel that SCEA already knows this. One minor thing I'd like to ask for.... when I PH for a batter (like I PH Cameron Maybin for Seth Smith, who is in LF), when I go to take the field next inning, immediately go to the lineup screen and ask if I want Maybin to play LF. It'd be nice if before the game shoots to "Cameron Maybin has taken over for Seth Smith in LF", I could instead tell the game I want Maybin in CF, Dejesus in RF, and Hart in LF. Then when the game cuts back the announcers could say "Maybin takes over in CF, moving Dejesus to RF and Hart to LF". Not a biggie obviously. Just a minor request.

Alright, that's more or less my review of the game. I'm not using hyperbole when I say its the best video game I've ever played. Pulse pitching has given me an experience that I've always wanted in the Show and finally put it above MVP05 for me. Just a fantastic job.

Linescores and player stats in the next post.

[Nez477]

LINESCORES

4/6
Royals: 1/6/0
Angels: 0/2/0

Pretty crazy that in my first pulse pitching game I only allowed 6 hits. Sure I had practiced some and played a couple exhibition games, but I definitely pitched well as Hamels goes 7 IP with 6 Ks and no walks.

But, in my first game, I COULD NOT HIT. I'm proud that over the first couple games of the season I didn't change my sliders as I was just working on my overall timing and zone discipline. Jonathon Sanchez struck out 10 and allowed 2 hits. Yuck.

Zero XBH in this game.

4/7

Royals: 1/6/1
Angels: 5/6/1

This is when I realized that pulse pitching could end up being my solution to having fun in the show. Here is Gallardo's line:

6.2 innings, 5 hits, 4 walks, 4 strikeouts. I was being very careful and it felt like an awesome real MLB line. Adams and Betancourt combine for 2.1 scoreless innings.

I drew 2 walks off of Hochevar but struck out nine times. Beltre hit my first HR of the season.

4/8

Royals: 5/10/1
Angels: 3/7/1

Fister allows 11 baserunners (8 hits/3 walks) in 6 innings, but only allowed 3 runs. The pen blew this one. Bruce Chen was fine, I only struck out 6 times in the game. I still haven't allowed a HR up to this point.

4/9

Angels: 1/6/0
Twins: 2/8/0

I was frustrated after this game. I walked twice ans struck out 3 times, and only got 6 hits. EVERY hit seemed to be freaking weak. A double by Smith was my only XBH and only RBI. So you see at this point not much was going well batting, but I pressed on. Hellickson struck out seven (yay!), walked two (yay!) and gave up 7 hits. Mayer and Doumit hit legit triples.

4/11

Angels: 10/16/0
Twins: 14/21/0

WTF. Lol, this game was just ridiculous. The two teams scored more runs than both teams did in my first four games combined. I had a very fun first inning when I scored five runs. I thought I was finally going to break through. I drew two walks in the first inning, and with two outs Aaron Hill smashed a low inside fastball for a grand slam. Definitely a fist-pump moment.

Then Henderson Alvarez got shelled. I walked 3, struck out 6, and served up three homers (including two by Valencia). I think I probably got impatient with pitching and just left too many in the plate. I don't know. Regardless it defintiely showed that each game is different!

4/12

Angels: 2/9/1
Twins: 13/16/1

I hate the Twins. Hamels gives up 10 hits, 3 walks and 8 runs. The bullpen doesn't fare better. Pavano struck out 8. I'm 1-5. But I am stubborn and am going to get a good sample size before I start messing with sliders. Damn Danny Valencia hits another one, Morneau hits two jacks. Thank God that series is over.

4/13

Angels: 5/9/2
Yankees: 3/5/0

Bring on the Yankees!

I hit two of my most satisfying home runs ever in this game. The first was Seth Smith hitting an inside fastball into the right field bleachers. I just timed it perfectly and for whatever reason the flight of the ball was just so pretty. I had battled in a 6-pitch at bat and recognized the inside fastball which I've always struggled with. Man that was great.

But then the Eric Hosmer one.... high outside fastball. I SUCK against high pitching (at least I did in 09), and I timed it well, and it felt like it was in the air FOREVER. And it just cleared. It was a contact swing, and it was opposite field in Left Center. That gave me a 5-1 lead. Four XBH in this one.

Gallardo again had a "real" game. Walked four, struck out five, only gave up 4 hits. I was dancing on the outside of the zone and really enjoyed it. Betancourt got his first save of the year despite a solo shot to Ibanez

4/14

Angels: 0/3/0
Yankees: 6/10/0

Holy crap Phil Hughes owned me. Three singles, two double plays, and 11 strikeouts ended up with Hughes pitching to one over the minimum. Fister walks three, allows 8 hits and 4 runs. Granderson hits a HR. Just never had a chance against Hughes. I hope to play him against sometime.

4/15

Angels: 3/11/0
Yankees: 0/4/0

Hellickson does his best Hughes impersonation. He pitches to contact, striking out 3 and giving up 4 hits. While I complained about my BABIP in another game, I felt this one was justified. I just didn't hang anything, I was always on the outside of the zone and it felt like a very well pitched game. Hosmer has a big RBI double in the 3rd, and we scored 2 more runs in the 9th to make it 3-0. Intense fun game, felt good to win a series in New York.

4/16

A's: 4/7/1
Angels: 6/11/1

SIX extra base hits! Two homers by Lind (who starts to just destroy the ball after this game) and one by Rollins and Smith. Lind also had a double, going 4-4 with 3 RBIs and his average sat at .600 (he was kind of playing part time before this as Smith was doing so well to start). His HR was against Fuentes when it was tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 8th. Boo-ya.

Henderson Alvarez wanted to prove he still should be in my rotation after his last absolutely terrible start. He goes 7 IP and strikes out ELEVEN A's. When you are in a groove you are in a groove. He gets a no decision but that was fun.

4/17

A's: 9/13/10
Angels: 4/10/0

Yikes. The A's led 7-0 after two innings. Cespedes just killed me with a 2-run double and 3-run Homer. I distinctly remember the curveball Hamels hung to him. Terrible pitching by Hamels, although I did strikeout 6. His ERA stood at 8.64 after the game.

I did enjoy a random Jeff Keppinger HR in this game. Just a low fastball that I timed well. If you bat well even the scrubs can jack it. It was a 3-run shot and really my only batting highlight.

4/18

A's: 4/6/0
Angels: 5/10/0

Gallardo gets knocked out of the game with an elbow bruise after 1.1 innings. Way to go bullpen! The highlight was Andrew Bailey who strikes out SIX in 3 innings, including striking out the side in his 2nd inning. 9 Ks overall. I was up 5-1 after three so it wasn't really quite as close as the score indicates. Don Kelly gets his first start of the year and launches a HR into the RF corner, that was fun. Lind hits another one too.

Bartolo Colon pitched very much like he does in real life, just putting everything in the zone. He struck out three and walked one in five innings, giving up 8 hits.

4/19

A's: 5/9/0
Angels: 6/12/1

Walk-off! Adrian Beltre goes 4-5 with two home runs and four RBIs. The walk-off is a single by Posey with 2 outs. I struck out 10 times overall but also walked four times. Fister again has a mediocre start with 5 Ks, 3 walks and six hits in 6.2 IP. His ERA stands at 5.30 after three starts. Adams blew a save in the top of the 8th (or blew a hold, as I like to call it)

4/20

Orioles: 5/13/0
Angels: 1/3/1

WTF, Brian Matusz just killed me. My lineup against lefties is overall not great. Sure I have Hart/Beltre in the middle of the lineup, but Brooks Conrad is my DH against lefties, and I'm always starting either Lind or Hosmer at 1B who both struggle against southpaws. He struck out seven, and after three starts leads the league in ERA with 0.81.

Hellickson follows up his 3-hit shutout with a 10 hit, 5.2 IP performance. He probably should've given up more as the Orioles stranded baserunners like crazy.

4/21

Orioles: 1/8/0
Angels: 2/9/0
10 innings

My bats have gone randomly silent in this series. This was my first extra inning game of the season, and it ended with a David Dejesus double to win the game. Bruce Chen was really good striking out six and giving up 5 hits/1 walk in 7/2 innings.

Henderson Alvarez is proving to be awesome all of a sudden. In his third start of the year he strikes out double digits AGAIN. I guess I just get in a groove with him? 7 IP, 6 hits, 1 walk, 10 Ks. The pen pitches three scoreless with 1 K and 1 BB.

4/22

Orioles: 2/5/1
Angels: 5/10/0

It's Adam Lind's world and we are just living in it. Another HR, a double, and his average is still at .500. Pretty fun battling line for the team in this one:

33 AB, 5 Runs, 10 hits, 5 BB, 12 SO

15 baserunners and 5 runs sucks, but talk about some crazy battles with 12 SO and 5 BB!

Hamels FINALLY settles down with a 5 SO, 1 BB, 2 run complete game. His ERA drops to 6.31 after his fourth start.

4/24

Angels: 5/9/0
Rays: 1/5/0

Pitching is starting to get easier for me. Gallardo only walks two this time (he seemed to keep walking four every start) in an 8 IP, 1 run performance. His ERA is 1.56 after 4 starts.

We knocked James Shields around. I just seemed to be able to pick up the ball very well. 8 hits and 3 BB in 4 innings. Rollins hits a triple, that was fun. Hit off the top of the fence in LF.

4/25

Angels 6/13/0
Rays: 2/8/0

Six runs!

Four doubles, and a Hart HR. Fister does a little bit better allowing only 2 runs, but 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7. Four straight games of 2 runs allowed or less.

4/26

Angels: 5/15/2
Rays: 13/17/0

And.... there goes the pitching, ha. The Rays put an 8 spot up on Hellickson in the 5th inning. He allows 10 runs, 6 of them earned, in 4.2 innings. Yikes.

4/27

Angels: 4/11/0
Indians: 0/5/0

CG shutout by Alvarez. Only 3 Ks this time. Definitely feel like the Indians lineup sucked as there were some hittable balls.

We get 8 hits and 4 BBs off of Lowe.

4/28

Angels: 4/12/0
Indians: 0/7/1

CG shutout by Hamels. Pitched out of danger and had fun with just 2 walks and striking out 5. Indians just can't put good wood on the ball.

Cameron Maybin PH for Smith against Sipp and hit a first pitch fastball to right-center for his first HR. That was fun.

And there you have it! More to come later.....