Best Pitch Types

[Mekias]

I'm curious to find out what kind of success people have with each of the pitch types. I haven't been able to try them all out myself but there are some I've had a lot of experience with. I'm particularly interested in getting swings and misses. What's your best strikeout pitch? General thoughts below, ranking from top to bottom.

4-seam Fastball - May be a bit boring but to me it's the best pitch in the game. Easiest to control and provides a good amount of whiffs, especially high in the zone.

Slider - My favorite strikeout pitch. Not easy to control but certainly easier than curveballs and I get a lot of swings and misses.

Change-up - I tend to include all the changeups in one category as they seem practically identical. I prefer a circle change on the outside against opposite-handed batters as it tails away from them. Good ability to induce whiffs and weak grounders but you have to make sure to keep it low in the zone or it will get hammered. I tend to set up slightly below the zone so I'm less likely to make a mistake.

Cutter - doesn't induce a lot of misses but it's good for getting on the bat handle against an opposite-handed batter and it's fairly easy to control. I try to use it tailing away from same-handed batters (like a slider) but they seem to hit it pretty well and don't chase it enough.

12-6 Curve - Of the curves, I only have good experience with this pitch and the regular curve. The other types I'm not familiar with. I like this one best due to the downward breaking action. It works well against both lefties and righties and induces lots of grounders and pop ups. I feel like I should get more whiffs on it but the computer doesn't seem to chase balls low in the zone enough.

Curve - Better against same-handed hitters. I can occasionally get them to chase both below the zone and outside the zone. It feels like if I make a mistake though, this pitch always gets hit hard. Curves in general are very tough to control so I'm a bit scared to use it.

2-seam Fastball - Good pitch for inducing grounders and easy to control. I don't get a lot of whiffs with it. Less likely to get destroyed if you make a mistake.

Running Fastball - I thought I would like this pitch since I like the cutter but the movement doesn't seem as biting to me. I feel like I have to be more careful.

Sinker - Great for groundballs but if you make a mistake up in the zone it will get hit pretty hard.

Splitter - Have very little success with this. It can only really be used at the very bottom of the zone (or preferably below the zone). This should be a great swing-and-miss pitch but the computer doesn't chase it enough and it gets demolished if I make a mistake.

The rest of the pitches I haven't had much experience with. If you have information on the others or want to contradict my views on the above pitches, please let me know. Maybe I'm using a pitch incorrectly or setting up in the wrong location. What's the most fun for you?

[Ghost Of The Year]

My favorite is the 12-6. The 4sm fastball & 2sm fastball are an extremely close second.Changeup (any kind) is third.
Cutters sinkers sliders slurves curves sweepers & runners are all tied after my Top 3.
I don't go out of my way to get pitchers with forkballs/splitters, knuckle curves or knucklers,
but if it's in their arenal, I will make use of it.

I don't play online anymore but when I did I liked the screwball.
It's real benefit came from the fact most people don't see it a lot.

I can see a definite difference in a couple of the changeups & if I have my druthers, it'd be the Circle.

[Godgers12]

The 12-6 curve is nasty. Use it in DD all the time. I have Walker, and his 72 MPH 12-6 after 95 MPH heat is unhittable, people just can't lay off it. Hell even if you hang it they won't do much with it because their timing will be so off.

[Mekias]

I agree. Those big, slow 12-6 curves are so hard to hold back on. I either swing too early or too high. I can never figure out the break.

Guys with changeups that are like 18-20 mph slower than their fastball also screw me up. I almost have to guess which one is coming and hope I'm right.

I haven't seen the computer hitters have a problem with those speed differences but human opponents definitely do.

[KBLover]

CPU hitters can have hard times with changes of speed (though it depends on their contact/timing sliders and your pitcher's ratings).

As far as pitches - I like all the exotic ones Forkballs (well I guess that's not that exotic), palmballs, screwballs, knuckleballs, vulcan change. I like the "named" curves (sweeping, 12-6, ideally both to change the break angle)

Among the "regular" pitches, circle change is my favorite, especially if the pitcher has a break that goes opposite, like a cutter or slider, so I can play one off the other and start both in the same spot. Same or close velocity is better for me in this case - it will mimic the other better until the movement.

Second favorite is the 2-seam fastball. Just a versatile pitch, not just for inducing grounders. Sinker here, too I guess...considering they are the same thing with the same movement...2-seam/sinker + CCH is a tough combo.

Strikeout pitch - the pitcher will tell me. I.e. which ever one he's most confident in at the time.

[Sgexpat]

I think the overall best pitch is a hard two seam fastball with high break. Huge swing and miss potential and nice downward action

Pair it with a circle change (#2 most deadly pitch IMHO) and you are pretty golden.

A hard cutter would be my #3 and the 12-6 #4.

[BENVCR]

Has to be the slider. Nastiest pitch in the game undoutably, especially against human opponents. When guys are chucking 90MPH sliders with a good break it's damn near unhittable.

[Figment]

4 Seam Fast Ball has probably given me the most strikeouts, especially if I take a lot of heat off on the strike three pitch I'll usually get them looking.
Sliders are a close second (but Cubs pitchers have really good sliders). I get more chasing with that pitch.
I've had decent success with the change up this year, and in previous years I've had really good success with a splitter, but none of my Cubs pitchers have a splitter this year.
Cutters are Nast though, especially against same handed batters. I get most of my strikeouts looking sneaking a cutter inside.
I struggle with the curveball. I would like to hear how you guys use your curveball for strikeouts. How do you set it up and where do you put it to get the strikeout? Are they generally looking or swinging?