How do you manage your fielding options?

[MrBojangles]

With OOTP 17 and the numerous infield shifts, protect corners, infield in, infield out and so forth I want to use the tools effectively.

The same would apply to the outfield.

What advice do you have (I presume based upon game situation and/or batter characteristics) on how to best arrange your defense?

[battists]

Well, I will start with an obvious one. Use double-play depth when there is a runner on first and less than two outs!


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[MrBojangles]

Originally Posted by battists

Well, I will start with an obvious one. Use double-play depth when there is a runner on first and less than two outs!


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Yeah, that one I figured out all by myself! But thanks. How about the rest of the many choices?

[Number4]

Outfield deep: If you cannot allow any doubles, winning run at 1st
Outfield in: If the winning run is at third with less than 2 outs
Outfield left/right: against extreme pull hitters. Lefty hitters pull to right and vice versa!

Infield in: Either: winning run at third less than 2 outs, or runner only at third and also less than 2 outs. Don't use it if the run does not matter.
Corners in: To protect against a sacrifice bunt
Third baseman in: To protect against a bunt for hit
First in: Something with bunts I guess, but I never use or see it.
Guard lines: If you don't want a double (winning run at first)
If deep: Winning run a fast runner at second with less than 2 outs, or any runner at second with 2 outs. However, I'd usually rather set up the DP with less than 2 outs.
Shifts left/right, hard shift, infield in shift etc.: against pull hitters, hard against extreme pull hitters.
Shift right, guard 3B: Against pull hitting lefties that could otherwise bunt themselves on for hit.

Tell me if I missed something...

[VARoadstter]

I set my team strategy for favoring defensive shifts but I let my bench coach handle the defense.

[Hammercraft]

I put players at the position they have the highest skill at. That's about as much as I can handle.

[MrBojangles]

Originally Posted by Number4

Outfield deep: If you cannot allow any doubles, winning run at 1st
Outfield in: If the winning run is at third with less than 2 outs
Outfield left/right: against extreme pull hitters. Lefty hitters pull to right and vice versa!

Infield in: Either: winning run at third less than 2 outs, or runner only at third and also less than 2 outs. Don't use it if the run does not matter.
Corners in: To protect against a sacrifice bunt
Third baseman in: To protect against a bunt for hit
First in: Something with bunts I guess, but I never use or see it.
Guard lines: If you don't want a double (winning run at first)
If deep: Winning run a fast runner at second with less than 2 outs, or any runner at second with 2 outs. However, I'd usually rather set up the DP with less than 2 outs.
Shifts left/right, hard shift, infield in shift etc.: against pull hitters, hard against extreme pull hitters.
Shift right, guard 3B: Against pull hitting lefties that could otherwise bunt themselves on for hit.

Tell me if I missed something...

Thank you.. exactly what I asked for... although it does seem like a lot to remember.

What about spray hitters vs. normal hitters? Is there really any difference, defensively?

[james17]

Originally Posted by MrBojangles

Thank you.. exactly what I asked for... although it does seem like a lot to remember.

What about spray hitters vs. normal hitters? Is there really any difference, defensively?

Good question. Hopefully somebody knows.

[Number4]

I want to make clear that those are just my use of shifts, there might be some sub-optimal plays there.

I assume that normal hitters are spraying enough for a shift to be defeated often.
However, it is still a difference where the ball lands - which fielders will field the ball, whether a batter can get a triple or a runner advance first to third (much more likely on balls hit to right). You might try the slight shift against normal hitters.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by MrBojangles

What about spray hitters vs. normal hitters? Is there really any difference, defensively?

Originally Posted by james17

Good question. Hopefully somebody knows.

I'm guessing that normal hitters still pull the ball more than half the time and a spray hitter is less inclined. So based on % pull from my hat;

Spray hitter 41-54
Normal hitter 55-64
Pull hitter 65+

[NoOne]

unlike in real life, the game's players won't know how to adjust either... so it's likely a good strategy in the game to make use of shifts when warranted. like rich said, even a normal hitter in some situations might warrant a shift... maybe to limit damage of a great hitter with players in scoring position. slapping the ball the other way reduces power, in general, and still a chance of being an out, of course.

not that the meatheads in real life have accepted that they must adapt to it... some have, most have not. i think shifts will continue to exist, but nothing like we are seeing the last couple years.

e.g. a mo vaughn-type would still have a shift. they did it back then when it wasn't as popular and he refused to adapt.

[MrBojangles]

Thank you all. It makes sense. I may overthink these things.

I'll see a better that is a pull hitter with great gap power and I'll be wondering do I shift my infield to that side AND put my outfield deeper?

With the randomness of baseball, even a good strategy won't work every time.

So, is it really worth worrying about in this game?

[plinko83]

I wanted to start a new thread on shifts, but figured I'd add on to this one.

i can't really figure out what the point of shifts are in the game. Few thoughts/questions

1.) Is there any proof or evidence that shifts work? Whether it's playing DP Depth, or shifting hard right against a lefty? And what i mean is, that I made a play that I ordinarily wouldn't have made without the shift? How is it possible to know? Yes, if you're in 3D mode and have the flight of the ball on, I can see the ball being hit to the fielder in his shifted location. But isn't that just a function of the game and its graphics package? How do I know that my shift into DP Depth turned a single out into a double play? Or that by shifting hard right, I turned a would be base hit into an out?

It seems to be - and I hope someone can tell me why I'm wrong - that the shifts are simply cosmetic and don't actually effect the ball being put into play in any tangible way.

2.) What is the best way to go about determining if you want to shift someone? I don't believe there are "spray charts" on hitters. I'm into 2018 in my sim using real players, so when Joey Votto comes up, I shift on him because I know Joey Votto. But what about a rookie or fictional player who's now come up in the league who I don't know from watching real life baseball - how do I know whether or not to shift on him?

3.) Lastly, what do people think of an option hen you right click on a player on the other team to be able to pre-set the defense against them. So I know going into a series with the Phillies that I'm going to select "always hard shift right" on Ryan Howard. Every time he then comes up, that's the default. I then have the option to take it off based on the in-game situation, but it creates a pre-set for many players that will be shifted 90%+.

I look forward to hearing others thoughts.

[rpriske]

Defense is the one thing I don't control when playing out games. I just find that it drags games out too long.

[MrBojangles]

Originally Posted by plinko83

I wanted to start a new thread on shifts, but figured I'd add on to this one.

i can't really figure out what the point of shifts are in the game. Few thoughts/questions

1.) Is there any proof or evidence that shifts work? Whether it's playing DP Depth, or shifting hard right against a lefty? And what i mean is, that I made a play that I ordinarily wouldn't have made without the shift? How is it possible to know? Yes, if you're in 3D mode and have the flight of the ball on, I can see the ball being hit to the fielder in his shifted location. But isn't that just a function of the game and its graphics package? How do I know that my shift into DP Depth turned a single out into a double play? Or that by shifting hard right, I turned a would be base hit into an out?

It seems to be - and I hope someone can tell me why I'm wrong - that the shifts are simply cosmetic and don't actually effect the ball being put into play in any tangible way.

2.) What is the best way to go about determining if you want to shift someone? I don't believe there are "spray charts" on hitters. I'm into 2018 in my sim using real players, so when Joey Votto comes up, I shift on him because I know Joey Votto. But what about a rookie or fictional player who's now come up in the league who I don't know from watching real life baseball - how do I know whether or not to shift on him?

3.) Lastly, what do people think of an option hen you right click on a player on the other team to be able to pre-set the defense against them. So I know going into a series with the Phillies that I'm going to select "always hard shift right" on Ryan Howard. Every time he then comes up, that's the default. I then have the option to take it off based on the in-game situation, but it creates a pre-set for many players that will be shifted 90%+.

I look forward to hearing others thoughts.

I don't have answers to your questions, but I have wondered the same questions myself - mainly, are the shifts actually helping the game or are they cosmetic? Also, knowing a bit more about batter tendencies would make shifts (presuming they help) more of a decisive factor.

[Number4]

For me, turning DPs was definetly more noticeable with the infield in the turn DP position. A fast runner often beats it out with the team in normal positioning.