[D-BacksJosh]

Originally Posted by BIG17EASY

If this feature works correctly, then pitchers with high control ratings will be better at this, and vice versa. Pitch to contact doesn't simply mean "throw the ball down the middle," or at least that's not what it should mean. A guy like Greg Maddux can successfully pitch to contact and still be highly successful because he can throw quality strikes that are still difficult to hit hard. Conversely, a guy who doesn't have great control is more likely to throw a meatball when pitching to contact, which leads to more hits, many of which will be hit hard.

All that considered, I can see the skepticism of some of the people regarding this feature. I hope it works correctly, because if it doesn't, it could cause some serious issues or just be a useless feature.

Absolutely. Using this strategy would require a pitcher with pinpoint accuracy, and preferably a strong sinker.

“The only time I really try for a strikeout is when I’m in a jam. If the bases are loaded with none out, for example, then I’ll go for a strikeout. But most of the time I try to throw to spots. I try to get them to pop up or ground out. On a strikeout I might have to throw five or six pitches, sometimes more if there are foul-offs. That tires me. So I just try to get outs. That’s what counts - outs. You win with outs, not strikeouts.”

“I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it.” - Sandy Koufax