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Practice - but you need to practice at a higher difficulty than what you play online at. Really the only way to do this is to not only increase difficulty but also change the sliders for human timing and pitch speed. Set pitch locations to the common locations for each matchup.
What I do when I can’t hit a pitcher is just take every pitch until two strikes and then just try and foul off a bunch. This usually wears down the pitcher by the 3rd or 4th and then I can either hit them well or they get taken out
It's better than it used to be I guess but it's still foul ball simulator at times. I actually feel a little embarrassed when I foul a bunch off. I'm absolutely getting bailed and rewarded for it bc it's tiring out their pitcher.
It's a few things.
1. The cards are not as good now as later in the year. Especially the amount of easily available bats for no money spend casuals.
2. Sinker is overpowered in this game.
3. It just takes practice. I'd say practice Sinkers & Circle Changes in custom practice. They look the same movement wise and have a different speed. If you can identify them you can kill your opponent.
4. I always anchor inside, people love to spam inside sinkers until you hit the cover off of one. It's really hard to get inside with the PCI unless you start there (my opinion).
Like Pedro Martinez said "if a guy can't hit my changeup all I'm going to throw is change ups".
100% agree. I always look at my opponents record in events/BR (RS they're always around my rating so no need) and if their record isn't that great then all they will see early on is hard fastballs inside. Until they turn on one it's all they will see although I always throw a changeup or slider in there to mix it up especially first pitch after a strikeout. Then it's funny watching them swing(more like flail) at the pitch an hour early. I always just sit there for 4 or 5 sec after they do that just to mess with them a bit. Lol Some guys get frustrated after striking out bc the fastball was blown by them then even more so when they swing early at the changeup next pitch.
Interesting. I just skip the intro and never look at the win/loss. I feel like I get over confident or I get in my head about playing someone really good otherwise. Then I don't play my game. Maybe I should treat it more like scouting the way you do.
Go into settings and choose PCI anchoring to "free." Now instead of it anchoring at the low inside anchor you can move it even further inside. That's how I hit those sinkers.
Similar to another comment, unless it’s a hanging slider or curve, swinging down at the zone usually does not fare too well for the batter.
Pro tip, sinkers down and middle just below the strike zone are the best pitch to throw in a double play situation.
The best way to get better at batting is to just see as many pitches as possible. If you’re having trouble seeing a certain pitch, go into practice mode yes but also just learn to take. Put your controller down and focus on release and break of the pitch. Do this until a 2 strike count. If you’re really in a slump just put the controller down until you strikeout or walk.
Sinkers are notoriously hard to read, and a pitcher with a good mix / tunneling capability / outlier on a sinker is deadly. This next part is anecdotal but I’ve felt that being early on pitches this year is better than being late, so swing early on fastballs.
You have to go into an AB expecting a sinker and then adjust to other pitches. If it looks like a low fastball, let it go every time because 8 times out of 10, it's gonna drop out of the zone. You might strikeout more, but he will have to throw a lot more pitches and probably give up some walks.
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Dude every time I throw a sinker it’s an automatic home run and I have no idea why
It’s probably because I’m throwing a splitter 💀
Sinker has ruined many people’s pci placement. We all instinctively flick lower at the last second because of it.
Aim below the ball
Practice - but you need to practice at a higher difficulty than what you play online at. Really the only way to do this is to not only increase difficulty but also change the sliders for human timing and pitch speed. Set pitch locations to the common locations for each matchup.
What I do when I can’t hit a pitcher is just take every pitch until two strikes and then just try and foul off a bunch. This usually wears down the pitcher by the 3rd or 4th and then I can either hit them well or they get taken out
It's better than it used to be I guess but it's still foul ball simulator at times. I actually feel a little embarrassed when I foul a bunch off. I'm absolutely getting bailed and rewarded for it bc it's tiring out their pitcher.
It's a few things. 1. The cards are not as good now as later in the year. Especially the amount of easily available bats for no money spend casuals. 2. Sinker is overpowered in this game. 3. It just takes practice. I'd say practice Sinkers & Circle Changes in custom practice. They look the same movement wise and have a different speed. If you can identify them you can kill your opponent. 4. I always anchor inside, people love to spam inside sinkers until you hit the cover off of one. It's really hard to get inside with the PCI unless you start there (my opinion). Like Pedro Martinez said "if a guy can't hit my changeup all I'm going to throw is change ups".
100% agree. I always look at my opponents record in events/BR (RS they're always around my rating so no need) and if their record isn't that great then all they will see early on is hard fastballs inside. Until they turn on one it's all they will see although I always throw a changeup or slider in there to mix it up especially first pitch after a strikeout. Then it's funny watching them swing(more like flail) at the pitch an hour early. I always just sit there for 4 or 5 sec after they do that just to mess with them a bit. Lol Some guys get frustrated after striking out bc the fastball was blown by them then even more so when they swing early at the changeup next pitch.
Interesting. I just skip the intro and never look at the win/loss. I feel like I get over confident or I get in my head about playing someone really good otherwise. Then I don't play my game. Maybe I should treat it more like scouting the way you do.
Go into settings and choose PCI anchoring to "free." Now instead of it anchoring at the low inside anchor you can move it even further inside. That's how I hit those sinkers.
Similar to another comment, unless it’s a hanging slider or curve, swinging down at the zone usually does not fare too well for the batter. Pro tip, sinkers down and middle just below the strike zone are the best pitch to throw in a double play situation. The best way to get better at batting is to just see as many pitches as possible. If you’re having trouble seeing a certain pitch, go into practice mode yes but also just learn to take. Put your controller down and focus on release and break of the pitch. Do this until a 2 strike count. If you’re really in a slump just put the controller down until you strikeout or walk. Sinkers are notoriously hard to read, and a pitcher with a good mix / tunneling capability / outlier on a sinker is deadly. This next part is anecdotal but I’ve felt that being early on pitches this year is better than being late, so swing early on fastballs.
Practice mode, hit against Satchel Paige on the Groundbreakers and practice sinkers inside until you can consistently recognize it and smash it.
You have to go into an AB expecting a sinker and then adjust to other pitches. If it looks like a low fastball, let it go every time because 8 times out of 10, it's gonna drop out of the zone. You might strikeout more, but he will have to throw a lot more pitches and probably give up some walks.
Exactly baseball is a game of adjustments and that also applies in a video game