Very Important Stealing Question

[krower]

Can someone tell me a little bit about counts. I know that most 1st pitches are fast balls. but I don't know the little details, which make it very hard to steal for me.

For example, I know that an off speed pitch is more likely to come after that fast ball, but if a speedster is on 1st, is the pitcher more likely to pitch 2 fastballs in a row. Or how about this.

if the pitcher pitches a fastball, then the next pitch is a fast pitch out, are the odds saying that the next pitch is going to be an off speed pitch. Obviously is the count is 3-0, then there will be a fast ball,

I just don't know when to expect an offspeed pretty much.

[Sharpshooter]

Stealing counts are ones where the pitcher is kinda forced to throw strikes. 2-0 and 2-1 are good counts to steal because you know the pitcher will not be pitching out nor will he want to got to 3-0 or 3-1.

[Wicked420]

Stealing counts are ones where the pitcher is kinda forced to throw strikes. 2-0 and 2-1 are good counts to steal because you know the pitcher will not be pitching out nor will he want to got to 3-0 or 3-1.

No... That is the worst time to steal. You want the pitcher to be throwing balls, not strikes. If he is behind in the count he is more likely to throw a fastball which is gonna get you thrown out much easier. You want to be ahead in the count making him throw offspeed and breaking pitches.

[santini88]

I gotta agree, never attempt a steal when you know the pitcher has got to throw heat over the plate, hit and run if you're brave but a base stealer is dead if the catcher has made it outta AAA

[beantown22]

I hit and run all the time in my Red Sox franchise...the only negative that has happened to me so far is on a line drive out to the infield or a low foul pop to the catcher....and these do not happen often...When I hit and run I get my runner into scoring position and avoid a double play most of the time. I also seem to come up with mad 2 out RISP hits. So getting that runner over has helped me many many times.

[opio111]

coming from a person who stole a few bases in high school, and also had to pitch... i think first pitch is a brave steal attempt.. i personally (ingame/ or in game) never tried first pitch, and at the time i ran a 4.4. Now, second pitch is open season when A, you have seen the pitcher's control, or have already seen his stuff.. that being said, between the first 2 innings i wouldn't try, just to get an idea of what he's throwing unless you see him hanging alot of stuff in the zone. i personally never make my guys try to steal until after the second inning, and thats more for a timing aspect on all the pitches.

[electro_cute]

good pitch counts to steal in this game (in this order): 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 0-2. others are way too risky. also try to steal off a guy that has a longer windup. if a guy has a really long windeup you will sucesfully steal off him even if he throws a fastball (of course, if you have basestealers with good speed).

[45GetLive]

coming from a person who stole a few bases in high school, and also had to pitch... i think first pitch is a brave steal attempt.. i personally (ingame/ or in game) never tried first pitch, and at the time i ran a 4.4. Now, second pitch is open season when A, you have seen the pitcher's control, or have already seen his stuff.. that being said, between the first 2 innings i wouldn't try, just to get an idea of what he's throwing unless you see him hanging alot of stuff in the zone. i personally never make my guys try to steal until after the second inning, and thats more for a timing aspect on all the pitches.

So you are saying that you ran a 4.4? hell no, i am sorry but it is insanely fast to run a 4.4. I am one of the fastest kids at my school and that is probably a 4.9 so please, a 4.4 on a 40 is NFL pro type buddy.

[Dalebopp]

The art to stealing is knowing the timing of the pitcher. Make sure you pick a guy with at least a speed of 80 and has good base-running ability (the attribute). Lead off twice and when you think the pitcher is right about to throw the ball.. just hold down base you'd like to steal and hope for the best. If he pauses a split second longer than you think he should, hold "retreat all runner" and the down button to assure he slides. Sometime they go back but they don't slide. Oh yeah... make sure you have it on "manual", that way you can control the slide because the computer sometimes will choose not to slide.

Next is siding into the bag... ALWAYS do a head first slide with the joystick facing up and away from home plate. This will make him slide head first and as far as possible from the tag.

Personally.. I think having guys that can steal bags are better than guys that hit jacks.. because they'll get more total bases most likely and keep you out of double play situations.

Oh yeah... and as far as the count... everyone knows 2-1 counts are when you want to steal. Always steal on hitters counts... not the other way around... that's just non-sense.

-Scott

[Dalebopp]

That smiley face was supposed to be (eighty)... at least (80)

[AltruiSisu]

...sliding into the bag... ALWAYS do a head first slide with the joystick facing up and away from home plate. This will make him slide head first and as far as possible from the tag.

+1

/10char

[CircleChange11]

The art to stealing is knowing the timing of the pitcher.

... there's a lot more to it than that, but I get your drift. Being fast as hell trumps reading the pitcher every day of the week, though. Speed overcomes a lot of mistakes and subpar skills.

Stealing in real baseball is a completely different monster than video games. Applying resal life situations ot video games doesn't make a whole lot of sense ... especially on a game where hitters often hit the first pitch they swing at.

In a video game, just steal. Just go. Don't try guessing the count, etc. If in order for you to steal successfully, you have to have the right pitch, and a marginal throw from the ctahcer ... then it ain't worth the risk.

Personally.. I think having guys that can steal bags are better than guys that hit jacks.. because they'll get more total bases most likely and keep you out of double play situations.

I'm a speed freak. I grew up with the eighties Cardinals and Henderson is my all-time fav, but base stealing is the highest-risk, lowest-reward strategy out there. Home runs hitters are the most efficient run creators out there. The love afafir with the stolen base (I have it also) is one of those things that the numbers do not support. Stealling successfully, only marginally increases your chances of scoring, wheras getting caught eliminates the chance altogether, and puts your team in a further bind. There are some situations, lclose and late @ home, where SBs are worth the risk even with average runners.

Oh yeah... and as far as the count... everyone knows 2-1 counts are when you want to steal. Always steal on hitters counts... not the other way around... that's just non-sense.

Why wait till the 4th pitch? If you are confident you can make it ... go. That applies to real life situations too. There are no "this is the best count to steal" type rules. On 2-1 you're likely to get a good pitch to hit, and you've already given the runner 3 chances to steal. IMO, if hasn't gone by now, screw em, I'm hitting. Like I said, stealing in hitters counts is not a good idea with good hitters up. Most hitters don't mind if you take second and now they are behind in the count ... because if they just make decent contact, they have a chance for an RBI. If you're going to steal, do it early ... give your hitter a chance to get you in. If you need the planets to be aligned to steal successfully, don't steal.

If you steal on a 2-0 or 2-1 count, and the hitter gets something he can mash ... the hitter, hitting coach, and manager are gonna be all over your rear. If you get caught stealing in a hitter's count, you're not going to be very popular for a while (self over team).