What is your pitching strategy?

[GoChiefs]

Generally I usually like to throw first-pitch strikes the first time through a lineup. Mostly fastballs.

The second time through a lineup I will usually throw something out of the zone, trying to get them to swing.

If I get two strikes on a guy, I will generally throw an inside slider out of the zone (outside slider if I'm facing a righty) or go high/outside with a fastball (inside vs lefties). I also like throwing the slider and curve low/outside.

Occasionally I will throw a splitter or curve over the plate but low trying to get the K.

If the count is full I almost always try to throw my best pitch for a strike in a cold zone. I almost never throw an intentional ball when the count is full. That might be a weakness of mine.

[SwinginSoriano]

- always pitch into the cold zones

- preferably on the lower corners of the plate

- the cpu usually rips pitches up high cold-zone or not

- breaking pitch out of the zone on a two strike count, if the CPU doesn't strike out the ball is hit on the ground, increasing my chances of recording an out

[UncleMo]

I look at the batter's plate discipline. If it is low I try to throw more crap to them to get them to swing at junk, or I may go with my best stuff at them.

Second, even if a player has a high rating of plate disc., you can get them to chase crap pitches so long as the pitcher throws it good.

Ex: Splitter too low makes the batter foul it off, or miss and thus strike out.

Ex: Oswalt has a great curveball. So I make him throw it out of the zone, just below the strike zone so that all batters will swing at that for a strike or a foul. Great stuff. Just started doing this and it has yet to fail. And if you can't get them to chase, you get a full count and that is when my crowd reaction mod kicks in. )

[SwinginSoriano]

Take, miss, and chase ratings dictate a player's plate approach, not plate discipline to my knowledge. (Doesn't that only affect simulations?)

Sadly, most hitters are prone to hitting the fast ball, and chasing and missing a hard breaking ball. I guess that explains why I usually only throw fastballs for called strikes.

[UncleMo]

Take, miss, and chase ratings dictate a player's plate approach, not plate discipline to my knowledge. (Doesn't that only affect simulations?)

Sadly, most hitters are prone to hitting the fast ball, and chasing and missing a hard breaking ball. I guess that explains why I usually only throw fastballs for called strikes.

You are absolutely correct on all points, however, in the game you don't know what their take/hit/miss attributes are when you are in the game, so you have to go by what I said, so maybe that is why if you give them hard breaking stuff (oswalt example above) then they'll chase that stuff in the dirt.

You are right though. Maybe that is why it doesn't matter about me getting a lousy player with no plate disc. to chase a pitch in the dirt. I was able to get Jeter to chase junk which surprised me. Bottom line, don't listen to me.

[UncleMo]

The next most productive, or atleast SATISFYING strategy is this-If they hit a homer, the next batter up gerts beaned.

[SwinginSoriano]

Well, I usually bean guys like Bonds and Cabrera, if the rest of the team's lineup sucks and I'm pitching a no-no/perfect game screw it I'm not going to get beaten by the best hitter on the team.

I plunked Bonds the other day and he wound up hitting the DL. :)

[UncleMo]

I just got a no hitter and was scared in the 8th and 9th that I'd accidentily give up a hit. Luckily the 2 errors on my defense kept the no hitter intact.

[SwinginSoriano]

Errors are great for keeping no hitters, but the game is stupid and charges them for earned runs half the time.

[JKidd]

I gotta learn to be more discplined when picthing they keep smacking my fastballs for homeruns.I guesss i gotta learn to not throw too many of them and i noticed that change ups from a rh pitcher to a rh batter and lh pitcher to lh hitter they always seem to hit those out of the park so i tend too thow change ups down and away against opposite match up.

[krawhitham]

hard stuff to cold zones

breaking stuff on hot zones

and do not be afraid to throw balls with 2 strikes, high for hard stuff, low and inside or outside for breaking stuff

[UncleMo]

and do not be afraid to throw balls with 2 strikes,

Exactly what I just learned this weekend. Worked like a charm and got me a no hitter with Oswalt.

[SwinginSoriano]

I always throw a ball with two strikes, they usually chase it/do nothing with it. I never, EVER, throw anything in a hot zone though. Unless it's Barry because there really isn't a choice.

[Sean O]

I like to throw the ball down the middle of the plate at around 85 miles per hour, in between having absolutely no control whatsoever over where the ball goes.

I could say it's because I'm trying to lure the batters into a false sense of security, or because I just pitched for the Royals, but it's really just because I'm thinking of my wife's giant fake rack.

Signed,

Jose Lima

p.s. thanks to Sean O for letting me post this through his account, I haven't had a chance to register yet, what with the constant daydreaming.

[aaronuconn]

hard stuff to cold zones

breaking stuff on hot zones

and do not be afraid to throw balls with 2 strikes, high for hard stuff, low and inside or outside for breaking stuff

Completely agree with you. That is basically my strategey the whole game. I have a dynasty with the redsox and usally throw a good 7-8 innings with the starters. Then comes my bullpen to blow it.

[SwinginSoriano]

I like to throw the ball down the middle of the plate at around 85 miles per hour, in between having absolutely no control whatsoever over where the ball goes.

I could say it's because I'm trying to lure the batters into a false sense of security, or because I just pitched for the Royals, but it's really just because I'm thinking of my wife's giant fake rack.

Signed,

Jose Lima

Awesome that Limatime himself got to post through Sean 0's account. Lima's 85 mph fast ball and his dreaded meat ball did lead him to one successful season with the Astros, and a slightly average season with the Dodgers. Because of those two seasons we know the man exists, well, also because of Melissa.

Now Mussina has a good strategy, go 0-2 against a batter, and continually fail to put him away until the count reaches 3-2. Or, you could be like Kevin Brown and Randy Johnson and just throw the ball, not pitch. When you have stuff as good as them you could last in the league for a really long time though.

[uspdude]

my K pitch usually are slider or curveball outside of the zone. Most of the batter would just swung and missed, but sometime i'd like to do the "macho manly battle" throwing heat aiming at middle or high hot zone to make the game more dramatic.

However it doesn't always worked for me. I've jsut finished a 4 games series with the Giants, and Barry Bonds has belted about 7HR off my pitchers during the 4 games series.