One-pitch mode, pitch around

[LiquidTester]

Does the "pitch around" option apply to the whole at bat or just the first pitch? Some of the options don't seem to apply to one-pitch mode and even seem to hide functionality e.g I just want my pitchers to throw to first for a pickoff an average number of times, I don't care how many or on what specific pitch they do.

[robc]

I think the pitch around applies to the whole AB in one pitch mode.

I think the pickoff is only for the pitch in which it is pressed. So, if at the beginning of the AB it is just happens when you press it. I'm less certain here, because I do seem to throw the runner out more, even if they run later in the AB.

[thbroman]

Yes, in my experience "pitch around" certainly applies to the entire AB in one-pitch mode. You get more walks and, when the batter is a hacker and your pitcher has some movement on the ball, more K's.

As for pickoffs, all I can tell is that the pitcher always throws over to first before the first pitch. After that, there's no chance of a pickoff. In other words, if you repeatedly press "throw to first" in one-pitch mode, you never make the first pitch to the batter.
Imagine how the crowd would boo at that strategy! :

[Killing Time]

Whole AB.

[towerofpower]

Sometimes it seems like the pitch around button is secretly replaced with the "throw batting practice fastball down the middle" button.

[JackRules1]

On a related note, when I have runners on in one-pitch mode I always click on "hold runners", but when I occasionally click on "pitch" instead, I don't notice any change in the number of steals. I'm guessing "pitch" does not simply mean the pitcher is now pitching from the windup, as steals would occur every time. Does "hold runners" vs. "pitch" affect the rate of pickoffs, or is it immaterial in one-pitch mode?

[thbroman]

Originally Posted by JackRules1

On a related note, when I have runners on in one-pitch mode I always click on "hold runners", but when I occasionally click on "pitch" instead, I don't notice any change in the number of steals. I'm guessing "pitch" does not simply mean the pitcher is now pitching from the windup, as steals would occur every time. Does "hold runners" vs. "pitch" affect the rate of pickoffs, or is it immaterial in one-pitch mode?

There are no pickoffs in one-pitch mode if the P doesn't throw over to the base. Sometimes the C tries to catch the runner straying too far after a pitch, and once in a while that results in a pickoff. AFAIK, that's the only posibility for getting a pick-off in one-pitch.

"Hold runners" refers to where the fielders play, and, therefore, forcing a runner to stay a little closer to the base should narrow the window of possibility for successful steals. In my experience, that's exactly what happens. Holding a runner on first does yield fewer SB's than not holding the runners.

[LiquidTester]

So, a better deal would be having a drop-down box having a choice between

1. watch runners ( more pickoffs, pitch from stretch, pitchout sometimes, all comp controlled )

2. ignore runner for when they let the guy steal 2nd late in game ( and the runner will take the base without asking )

3. default setting inbetween ( few pickoffs ).

Like the infield settings, usually you won't care and is pretty optional

Barring that, just have my pitcher toss over there every so many pitches and I won't complain when he throws it in the dugout.

[robc]

The Hold Runner option has been described somewhere by Markus as the pitcher using a slide step to speed his delivery.

Here is the manual for these options: OOTP Baseball Manual - Game Controls

As a side note, many (but not all) of these types of questions are easily found in the manual. For basic stuff I would suggest checking the manual first since it does have a nice search feature.

[thbroman]

Originally Posted by robc

The Hold Runner option has been described somewhere by Markus as the pitcher using a slide step to speed his delivery.

Here is the manual for these options: OOTP Baseball Manual - Game Controls

As a side note, many (but not all) of these types of questions are easily found in the manual. For basic stuff I would suggest checking the manual first since it does have a nice search feature.

Doh! "Look at the manual!" he says. Good advice.

But in this case, what the manual says may be a bit inaccurate, because I have never, and I repeat never, seen a pick-off in one-pitch mode just from using "hold runner". And I have been playing this game for about 6 or 7 versions now. If someone else has seen this, I would love to hear about it! (It's possible my memory for these things is less than 100% accurate, you see . . . . )

Furthermore, if "Hold Runner" does not result in fielders being repositioned to some extent, than I must claim some astonishment and urge that it really ought to. How can you hold a runner on first if the 1B isn't on the bag and therefore unable to cover quite as much ground as he might normally? Same with the SS or 2B with a runner on sencond.

[robc]

Originally Posted by thbroman

Doh! "Look at the manual!" he says. Good advice.

But in this case, what the manual says may be a bit inaccurate, because I have never, and I repeat never, seen a pick-off in one-pitch mode just from using "hold runner". And I have been playing this game for about 6 or 7 versions now. If someone else has seen this, I would love to hear about it! (It's possible my memory for these things is less than 100% accurate, you see . . . . )

Furthermore, if "Hold Runner" does not result in fielders being repositioned to some extent, than I must claim some astonishment and urge that it really ought to. How can you hold a runner on first if the 1B isn't on the bag and therefore unable to cover quite as much ground as he might normally? Same with the SS or 2B with a runner on second.

I believe Markus has stated that the fielders are automatically positioned to hold the runner (like the infield automatically plays at double field depth).

I agree that in this instance the manual seems a bit off about hold runner. The only way to pick of the runner is the throw to base button or the catcher automatically doing it from time to time. I think that manual should state that it increases the chance to throw the runner out.

[Charlie Hough]

My experience with holding runners is that you really need to do this almost always, no matter who is on base. This is not so much to prevent steals but to prevent the runner from easily picking up an extra base on a base hit. I have experimented with not holding the runner in some situations based on the assumption that it might keep the fielders in better position for ground balls to the left side of the infield, but it seems to have a very negative impact by allowing the baserunner to get extra bases. You'll start giving up runs in a hurry. It goes without saying that you will give up steals more readily as well, but bad base stealers don't get enough of a benefit to become all that effective.

[thbroman]

Originally Posted by Charlie Hough

My experience with holding runners is that you really need to do this almost always, no matter who is on base. This is not so much to prevent steals but to prevent the runner from easily picking up an extra base on a base hit. I have experimented with not holding the runner in some situations based on the assumption that it might keep the fielders in better position for ground balls to the left side of the infield, but it seems to have a very negative impact by allowing the baserunner to get extra bases. You'll start giving up runs in a hurry. It goes without saying that you will give up steals more readily as well, but bad base stealers don't get enough of a benefit to become all that effective.

I agree. You see comparatively few runners from first taking third on a single after having been held on.
In general, I find the way that base stealing works in this game to be a pretty satisfactory balance between pitcher's ability to hold the runner, the catcher's arm, and whether you play "hold runner" for your pitch selection. When all that works well, I don't really miss pickoffs in one-pitch mode very much.

[LiquidTester]

Originally Posted by robc

The Hold Runner option has been described somewhere by Markus as the pitcher using a slide step to speed his delivery.

Here is the manual for these options: OOTP Baseball Manual - Game Controls

As a side note, many (but not all) of these types of questions are easily found in the manual. For basic stuff I would suggest checking the manual first since it does have a nice search feature.

The manual makes no explicit distinction ( except in one case, "swing away" ) between how pitch-by-pitch and one-pitch mode work.

eg. I never hit and run in one-pitch mode because that would happen on a 0-0 count which isn't a great time to hit and run.

[LiquidTester]

Originally Posted by thbroman

I don't really miss pickoffs in one-pitch mode very much.

Yeah. I just wanted to see if there was something I was doing totally wrong. It's not a big factor, but I was surprised when I played pitch-by-pitch by how many pickoffs I got. It may have been the team I had, observational bias or sample size, but I was picking off someone every few games, which seemed too high. Now, playing one-pitch, I don't get any. But I do get the catcher picking off guys with snap throws, which is cool. ( that same catcher had 46 HRs in a 100 game season, which was sweet )

[orwell]

Originally Posted by JackRules1

On a related note, when I have runners on in one-pitch mode I always click on "hold runners", but when I occasionally click on "pitch" instead, I don't notice any change in the number of steals. I'm guessing "pitch" does not simply mean the pitcher is now pitching from the windup, as steals would occur every time. Does "hold runners" vs. "pitch" affect the rate of pickoffs, or is it immaterial in one-pitch mode?

I play in one-pitch mode and when holding runners, I seem to get more double plays on ground balls, and my catcher does seem to have more success on steal attempts.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Charlie Hough

My experience with holding runners is that you really need to do this almost always, no matter who is on base. This is not so much to prevent steals but to prevent the runner from easily picking up an extra base on a base hit. I have experimented with not holding the runner in some situations based on the assumption that it might keep the fielders in better position for ground balls to the left side of the infield, but it seems to have a very negative impact by allowing the baserunner to get extra bases. You'll start giving up runs in a hurry. It goes without saying that you will give up steals more readily as well, but bad base stealers don't get enough of a benefit to become all that effective.

I find that a couple of pickoff throws accomplishes the same thing. Maybe it's wishful thinking but if the PbP says the runner isn't going anywhere or has a short lead, I take that as holding the runner. I always throw over before a pitch in a running count.

Basically I never use hold runner now.