strikeouts

[josh07039]

I have always had trouble getting a good amount of strikeouts. My pitchers always have a pathetic K/9. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Also, does the computer start recognizing patterns in my pitching as the game goes on?

thanks in advance for the help.

[VTek33]

I don't know why it worked out this way for me, but changing my control slider from around +15 down to zero actually increased my strikeouts. I have my pitcher stamina something like -15 and control at 0. I average 3-6 Ks and with good guys (Schilling, Beckett, etc.) sometimes I'll get 8 or 9, but not everytime they're out there.

I think the cpu does recognize patterns and adjust.

[superciuc]

First, for make Ks you have to know your pitcher, let's see, an example, Randy Johnson: he has a Nasty slider and the batter will probrably swing and miss. So, trow the best pitch as strike 3. The best thing to do is to make the batter fish.

First pitch is usally a fastball, down in the zone.

Second pitch, the count is 1-0 or 0-1

1-0: trow another fastball down in the zone (you can trow a 2 seamer or a cutter too)

0-1: now, you have 2 things that you can do: a changeup at the corners or a good pitch outside. What pitch? well, a splitter is good. if you don't have the splitter trow some good pitch that the batters swing.

0-2: now, you can pitch a good breaking ball outside and try the batter fish or, better, a big splitter.

2-0: you have fall behind, BIG BOY, try a changeup at the corners.

1-2: it's time to your best pitch now, cutter, slider, splitter, knuckleball, it doesn't matter. You can trow it inside or just a little outside.

3-0: big troubles here. let's see, this guy will swing on a 3-0 count? No, good, a fastball right down the middle. If this guy is a great poer hitter walk him.

2-2: trow a breaking ball for strike 3. Lights out see ya.

3-1: ok, remeber, this is the hitter's pitch. There's a reason if it's called the hitter's pitch: they know that you will trow a strike and they will probably hit this one out of the park. I usually walk a power hitter but if this hitter is weak try a fastball at the corners.

3-2: the last pitch. This is the time where you will pitch the best pitch in your arsenal. Use it.

Remember, know the pitches of your pitchers. If you don't know it you'll probably get hammered.

[josh07039]

thanks for the advice guys. My biggest problems ia that unless my guy has a good curve ball or splitter that i can throw down and out of the zone, i need to throw a strike to go for the strikeout and the hitter often can at least make contact. also, why is it that hitters never swing at pitches out of the zone unless its two strikes. i throw pitches that are half in the zone and they don't even swing, it makes not sense.

[Alvan9]

half of my strikeouts have alot to do with foul balls. I would say most of the time when I do get a strikeout, the first pitch is an off target fastball, then they normally foul pitch 2 off, then I use my best pitch to get the K.

Also I have noticed on certain right handed batters using a right handed pitcher, if I throw a slider low and inside, Thats the pitch that gets the K. With Schilling i am getting about 4-6 Ks per game, and Becket gets around 4 or 5. Dice k gets anywhere from 6-9, but it tough. The most I have had in a game was 10 and Im 50 games in my dynasty.

Dice K is second behind the Twins' Santana with 74 Ks. Johan has 77 which is best in the league.

Its kind of Ironic, but players like A-rod, or Haffner, or Pudge (really good hitters), I tend to strike out more. As compared to guys that just got called up from AA batting 9th and batting .156. Those guys always go 3 for 4 against me. They are always the guy who breaks up my no-hitters as well. I just cant beat those guys.

But overall, play with the sliders a bit, and remember foul balls count as strikes too. :)

[superciuc]

Tried doing a game i my dynasty: with Glavine 7 Ks in 7 innings.

[josh07039]

using phillip hughes against the D-rays 10k in 5 innings. thank you for your loose guidelines superciuc.

[Sean O]

also, why is it that hitters never swing at pitches out of the zone unless its two strikes. i throw pitches that are half in the zone and they don't even swing, it makes not sense.

Either your CPU Swing Rate slider is maxed out, or something else weird is going on. I love dumping a slider right in on the hands of a batter, and they'll swing more often than not. This is on MVP with the '07 datafile, so i'm not exactly on rookie mode.

It's all about sequencing. I always start with something on the outside corner, then I move my locations around considerably. I've been playing a dynasty as a lefty whose fastball tops out at around 82, but has a plus sinker and slider, and a decent screwball/circle change. I'll often start with a sinker outside, then a slider to the 3rd base side of the plate (buries it under the hands of a righty, has a great frisbee effect to lefties), then a slider a little bit higher on that side.

When I'm throwing the sinker, I like moving it just slightly farther away on the successive pitch. So, if I throw a slider that just barely clips the inside corner to a righty, I'll bury it way inside the next pitch, and the batter will expect it to be in the similar location. He'll hack at it for the K.

Also, pitch inside, just be careful. With my pitch selection, I'll bury a sinker off the inside corner to a righty, then follow up with sliders and sinkers all inside. If I still can't get him, I'll dump a backdoor screwball that will just freeze the batter, or I'll try to get my terrible 81 mph fastball on the outside corner.

Mix it up, you'll get there. With the right pitcher, you can get an 8-10 K/9 on MVP.