News Post

Noob Guide to Hitting in MLB 09: The Show

07:01 PM - March 30, 2009 by RaychelSnr

This year, baseball fans have been greeted by a welcome change in MLB 09: The Show: an increased difficulty level while at the plate. Not only is there an entirely new difficulty level, Legend, but each other level, from Rookie to Hall of Fame, has been made more difficult. With that being said, I will attempt to shine a light on some base-level batting strategies that will help players get the most out of the offensive side of their game -- and hopefully increase their overall batting average in the process.

Read More - Noob Guide to Hitting in MLB '09: The Show

Game: MLB '09: The ShowReader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS2 / PS3 / PSPVotes for game: 90 - View All

MLB '09: The Show Videos

Member Comments

# 1 scooteristkai @ 03/30/09 07:22 PM

Thanks a lot, that is actually good stuff you�re writing there!

I�m just coming to my computer from my RttS career, where I made a complete fool of myself at the plate.

MY biggest problem is that I aim and press the swing button almost always at the same time resulting in a not-aimed-swing mostly

Gotta work on my mechanics first before Iwork further more on pitch recognition!

# 2 michfan16 @ 03/30/09 07:59 PM

This does help, i might take more pitches in RTTS

# 3 Gossennator @ 03/30/09 08:48 PM

I played the demo and I thought it was great, I was just so terrible at batting that that aspect wasn't fun for me. But I am getting this game sometime this week so hopefully Ill continue to get better at batting...also I cant wait to try out batting practice seems like a lot of fun.

# 4 jWILL253 @ 03/30/09 10:34 PM

Good stuff. I find that you shouldn't always look for the fastball. I like to look for the curveball on an 0-2 count. I find the curveball that lands in the zone the easiest ball to hit because of the slow velocity of the pitch itself. But, it backfires sometimes, because some virtual players will resemble their real life counterparts: can't hit a curveball to save their life.

# 5 eddd @ 03/30/09 10:48 PM

Great tips, I am fairly successful at making contact but the problem I have is 90 percent plus when I make contact I either ground out right to an infielder or I hit a fly ball right at an outfielder. Any suggestions or tips for hitting line drives that fall in front of outfielders or in the gaps or seeing eye ground balls through the infield?

# 6 whosgotcha @ 03/30/09 11:04 PM

Good information. Believe me, i really need all the help i can get.

# 7 SportsTop @ 03/30/09 11:38 PM

I almost always guess high or low and watch for dirt to come up from the catcher moving inside or outside if I guess wrong.

# 8 delusional @ 03/31/09 12:14 AM

I can hit in practice....

in game...its either a weak ground ball right to a player or a pop up to the infield ( pitcher, 1b, catcher ).

Frankly it is pissing me off.

# 9 coachpars @ 03/31/09 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbonax


	MLB09 the Show Slump Posted on March 29, 2009 at 03:08 AM. (6) [Comments] Inevitably, in the real chronic doldrums of a baseball season, hitting slumps appear. Just as soon as you've committed with varying degrees of focus that you will never pick your head up again before the fastball arrives at the plate so that you may crack solid contact with the core of the white sphere, you do. Consequently, you top the baseball into a Sunday two-hopper to shortstop (for you right-handed batters). That one flaw steals your center of attention and throws your concentration off. From that point on, sometimes for games upon games, you are in an official hitting slump. The same thing can happen in MLB09 the Show. I was bragging to my son-in-law the other day, �Hey, I scored 12 runs against San Fran. Chipper and McCann went yard. I had 19 hits! I�m unstoppable!!� And was I ever. For four or five games, the baseball looked in slow motion. The lighting effects that were placed into the game were positioning just the right amount of shadow on the ball. My eye was focused. I was pulling fast balls onto the white-chalked line, punching late sliders to the opposite field, and propelling change-ups at the pitcher�s head like size-ten Iraqi sandals at our former president. Then, as silently as a US Navy Stealth bomber comes the slump. At the time, I was only 2 games behind the Mets; I could read a few neck tattos from that distance. Actually, the slump came as I blew a four-run lead in game one with them; then, it happened. Suddenly, I was swinging at everything like swatting at attacking killer bees. Fast balls under my chin were irresistible. Tailing sliders sucked me completely out the batter�s box and across home plate. I was making two solid cuts at each change-up, and low splitters that made divots in the dust and richochetted off the backstop, I committed to with my bat. (Don�t bring up the 2SFB!) I lost six out of my next seven games. My players� batting averages begin to nose-dive. Injuries followed. Chipper went down for nine games, then Kotchman. I had to make hash of my 40-man roster. HELP! To attempt a come-back, I changed to Rookie level. I figured I could get my timing back down with lots of practice. I took batting practice before each game. (Hey, that�s what the big boys do.) Eventually, after night-mares and self-inflicted guilt trips, I switched back to Veteran. Finally, after a long drought, which took me from that 2 games out to 8 games out, I got my eye back. I learned to be patient at the plate. I could see the ball again. Just a few minutes ago, before I began this blog entry, I beat San Fran 5-2. I had 11 hits, including one double over first and one over third. I pulled two high-and-inside fast balls out of the park. I am invincible, baby! I can not be stopped. I am on top of my game now. To think, I�m only 7 games behind the Mets, and I know they feel my heat. Hitting slump? What hitting slump? Gotta go, boys�game two with the Giants is calling me�just refer to me as David the shepherd boy, you do recollect what he did to the giants, don't you?

Now that my friends is good stuff!!!! ( i love this game...)

# 10 Braves Fan @ 03/31/09 03:10 AM

Great tips but I'd also suggest lowering pitch speed. It gives you a longer look at the baseball. My biggest problem is swinging at junk and as a result I have to many k's. When I make contact I usually do pretty well, making contact is my problem.

# 11 Buckeyes_Doc @ 03/31/09 07:42 AM

The problem I'm having is I have no problem making contact, but almost every time I make contact it is right to a defender. I know this happens in "real" baseball a lot, but when it happens at-bat after at-bat it is just irritating. I always check my timing and it says I make solid contact most of the time ,yet my player is hitting .196....

# 12 michfan16 @ 03/31/09 08:36 AM

The most fun game is playing on HOF with no guess pitch. I

# 13 damarsh1 @ 03/31/09 09:43 AM

This is great advise and I need it. I just got done going through spring training with my rookie and I think I led the league in strike outs...Rookie League here I come.

# 14 The Gird @ 03/31/09 10:40 AM

Let me preface by saying I have been playing video game baseball for 15 years and always start off on the highest difficuIty.

I got the game and system last Monday. Had to start of on Vet. My first 10 AB's I struck out 8 times. And 13 out of 15 outs recorded were K's. I was flabergasted. I actually turned the pitch speed all the way up, for me, its easier hitting that way. By my third full game on Vet, I was able to score 5/6 runs, on 8-12 hits, mixed in a few bombs. However was still strking out 8-12 times a game I went 2-1. Then I decided to bump it up to All-Star (currently still there), and DL'd some sliders.

My first game I won 1-0 in extra innings and a HR. Then, I finnally got the hang of things. Scored 13 runs with Oakland, (7 HRS that game, wind blowing out bigtime.) Beat the Yankee's 7-0 with Minnesota, (15 hits, 3 HR's)., still struck out 12 times. Then I lost 6-5 to ATL with the Stro's, still had 10 hits, Oswalt just didn't have it. However this time only struck out twice.

My point is the more you play, the easier it becomes. However you have to know count, situation and pitcher. Check your previous AB's, they pitch certain guys the same way the whole game. Some guys they will only throw away, hard stuff. Some guys they will only throw soft and low. That allows you to have a plan of attack knowing where to guess and what kind of pitch to look for. Knowing the pitcher is really helpful. If your facing a guy like Joba Chamberlin, he loves to challange you and then throw his slider or curve out of the zone. You know you are going to get alot of challange FB's up in the zone, so I would guess for that, then adjust.

All in all, hitting in this game takes: Time, pratice, PATIENCE and plate discipline. Along with having a plan for every AB. If you go up hacking at everything, your not going to be successful. It really is the beauty of the game. Hope this is helpful.

# 15 Shinyhubcaps @ 03/31/09 03:21 PM

Do not take 3 straight on a 3-0 count because a surprising amount of the time, the pitcher will suddenly find his composure and strike you out.

# 16 chuckm1961 @ 03/31/09 03:30 PM

I was disappointed by this article.

When I saw the title, I expected it to be about the things that get discussed a lot on this forum: the pros and cons of Guess Pitch, the way the PCI works, how to time your swing and the movement of the left stick, the purpose and use of the left stick versus the right stick, game changes you can make to make hitting easier or harder including sliders, views and such.

My two.

P.S. The article is essentially a primer on how to work the count in real life. Which says a lot for what SCEA has accomplished here.

# 17 Braves Fan @ 03/31/09 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gird


	Let me preface by saying I have been playing video game baseball for 15 years and always start off on the highest difficuIty. I got the game and system last Monday. Had to start of on Vet. My first 10 AB's I struck out 8 times. And 13 out of 15 outs recorded were K's. I was flabergasted. I actually turned the pitch speed all the way up, for me, its easier hitting that way. By my third full game on Vet, I was able to score 5/6 runs, on 8-12 hits, mixed in a few bombs. However was still strking out 8-12 times a game I went 2-1. Then I decided to bump it up to All-Star (currently still there), and DL'd some sliders. My first game I won 1-0 in extra innings and a HR. Then, I finnally got the hang of things. Scored 13 runs with Oakland, (7 HRS that game, wind blowing out bigtime.) Beat the Yankee's 7-0 with Minnesota, (15 hits, 3 HR's)., still struck out 12 times. Then I lost 6-5 to ATL with the Stro's, still had 10 hits, Oswalt just didn't have it. However this time only struck out twice. My point is the more you play, the easier it becomes. However you have to know count, situation and pitcher. Check your previous AB's, they pitch certain guys the same way the whole game. Some guys they will only throw away, hard stuff. Some guys they will only throw soft and low. That allows you to have a plan of attack knowing where to guess and what kind of pitch to look for. Knowing the pitcher is really helpful. If your facing a guy like Joba Chamberlin, he loves to challange you and then throw his slider or curve out of the zone. You know you are going to get alot of challange FB's up in the zone, so I would guess for that, then adjust. All in all, hitting in this game takes: Time, pratice, PATIENCE and plate discipline. Along with having a plan for every AB. If you go up hacking at everything, your not going to be successful. It really is the beauty of the game. Hope this is helpful.

Yeah when they say this is the most realistic game ever it's not just talk, it really is. If you don't go up there with a game plan it's going to frustrate you beyond belief. You aren't going to get a lot of pitches down the middle unless you work the count and force them to come to you. Even then they still might choose to walk you instead of giving in.

You better be prepared to walk in this game or you are going to strike out a ton.

# 18 HechticSooner @ 03/31/09 10:54 PM

One thing that I would also say is that you have to at least understand the basics of the physics behind batting. You can attempt to just hit the ball dead center on a low and outside pitch, but for the most part that means you are just going to hit it at the SS or 2b. If you hold back and wait with your hitting zone pushed down and out you can pull the ball through the gap, or you can go a little early and and pop it over the gap. If it is up in the zone you are going to pop it up unless you learn that you want to go a little early at that pitch trying to slap it the other way.

This game at the plate shines for the way they have really brought hitting into the game for real.

As far as approach at the plate this article does give very good techniques for the first time real batter. As you get farther into the game and you start to really think about different pitchers, different hitters, and such you well have to learn how to develop a game plan for not just each player, but each situation, each pitch, location, count, how many on, the score, inning, it really does take it all in.

Great article, even better game.

# 19 derekh8 @ 04/01/09 12:26 AM

so the Batting Practice must be fore ps3 cant find it on ps2 ..

# 20 Imnus @ 04/01/09 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michfan16


	The most fun game is playing on HOF with no guess pitch. I

I play Legend but with Guess Pitch = No Feedback Mode.

« Previous12 Next »

More Links

Noob Guide to Hitting in MLB 09: The Show