Pitch-by-Pitch mode

[sreem]

I've just started playing in pitch by pitch mode, and I really like it. I was wondering if others could provide feedback and strategy on how they play in this mode for those of us who aren't as experienced. When to use pitch around? When to steal? Infield shifts and bunt defense?

[sherdil]

Originally Posted by sreem

I've just started playing in pitch by pitch mode, and I really like it. I was wondering if others could provide feedback and strategy on how they play in this mode for those of us who aren't as experienced. When to use pitch around? When to steal? Infield shifts and bunt defense?

It really depends on your players and the players who are At Bat.

If the opposing batter has good contact rating (High AVG), then I tend to pitch around more.

If the opposing player has good contact but LOW power, I can pitch to contact to get him out quickly, instead of through strikes.

If the opposing player is insanely good, I just pray!

[sreem]

Does anyone use Pitch around when ahead in the count to try and get a strike out? I've been trying this a handful of times, but not enough to be able to make any conclusions on if it works or not

[TomVeal]

Originally Posted by sreem

I've just started playing in pitch by pitch mode, and I really like it. I was wondering if others could provide feedback and strategy on how they play in this mode for those of us who aren't as experienced. When to use pitch around? When to steal? Infield shifts and bunt defense?

"Pitch around" and "pitch to contact" seem to me to be traps for the unwary. I use the former only in situations where an intentional walk is the rational alternative, preferably against a batter with a poor "eye". "Pitch to contact" is, I think, useless.

My advice on stealing is the obvious: Try it when the runner has a high "steal" rating and the catcher a low "arm" rating.

I use infield shifts regularly against pull hitters and bunt defense when the pitcher or a lousy hitter with a good bunt rating is up. Otherwise, I don't see much reason to discourage the AI from bunting, which usually brings the inning an out closer to its end.

[sreem]

Does using infield shift with a runner on make it impossible to turn a DP?


I ask because I noticed the AI using Infield shift on one of my batters when the bases were empty, but when he came up later in the game with a runner on first the AI didn't use it.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by sreem

Does anyone use Pitch around when ahead in the count to try and get a strike out? I've been trying this a handful of times, but not enough to be able to make any conclusions on if it works or not

Pitch around is the anti-strikeout strategy. Pitch around is as close to an intentional walk as you can get.

[dunningrb]

Originally Posted by TomVeal

"Pitch around" and "pitch to contact" seem to me to be traps for the unwary. I use the former only in situations where an intentional walk is the rational alternative, preferably against a batter with a poor "eye". "Pitch to contact" is, I think, useless.

My advice on stealing is the obvious: Try it when the runner has a high "steal" rating and the catcher a low "arm" rating.

I use infield shifts regularly against pull hitters and bunt defense when the pitcher or a lousy hitter with a good bunt rating is up. Otherwise, I don't see much reason to discourage the AI from bunting, which usually brings the inning an out closer to its end.

Seconding all this.

I've used Pitch to Contact on 3-0 counts in dead-ball era games to make sure I get a strike. Batters in that era almost universally take any 3-0 pitch. In other eras, I can't recommend this strategy because I haven't tried it; I imagine it's basically nothing but dangerous. I wouldn't use Pitch to Contact to a batter like Bryce Harper, for example, under any circumstances.

You can use a bunt defense (bringing one or both of the corner infielders in) to prevent a runner on third from scoring. Of course, if things are desperate, you'll need to consider bringing the entire infield in.

As for stealing, the important thing to remember in both OOTP world and real life is that a straight steal means the batter has a take sign. To me, the only appropriate game-state in which to give the take sign is a 3-0 count, which in my opinion is also the worst count for a straight steal. This is the basic reason why, from a purely strategic perspective, a straight steal makes almost no sense in baseball. As Tom said, it is instead a purely athletic question: is the runner fast enough to beat the throw? If yes, then maybe it makes sense to try to steal, remembering that your batter will have an automatic take sign. Beyond that, the general wisdom (the "book") is that stealing becomes a better strategy later in a given inning and especially later in the game. From a strategy perspective, I think the hit-and-run and run-and-hit options are often smarter moves than a straight steal-- just make sure you know when to use one and not the other.

Another option to think about is guarding the lines. Generally speaking, I recommend guarding the lines in the eight and ninth innings (especially the ninth) when the bases are empty and you're either leading or trailing by one run. Depending on the situation, you may want to also guard the lines in the seventh inning when there are two outs and no one on base.