Picture of how to pitch.

[Game Dun]

Take a look at this picture. It should help some of you that are having a hard time with the pitching.



http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q255/saintwick/Untitled-3copy.jpg




VIDEO
Thanks to LALtoDB for posting this video. It's much better than this picture.

Click here to view the video. (http://www.gamespot.com/video/extras/sxsw08.html?sid=6187263)

[Oppertunistic Player]

Got a vid?

[Absolut Travis]

Honestly, it's not difficult. This is a great picture, but anyone can figure it out if they spent 30 seconds in the pitch tutorial.

[Game Dun]

Bump for the new people.

[MLBBoi]

actually this helped me alot, and I spent more than 30 secs in the tut :) Thanks

[soldaderyan]

nice........

[Gsguy]

Ah! So that's how you do it.

Thanks for the picture.

[Tribe2548]

Honestly, it's not difficult. This is a great picture, but anyone can figure it out if they spent 30 seconds in the pitch tutorial.

Do you mean the little tutorial that pops up during the game or is there an actual tutorial to physically practice?

[Game Dun]

When you start a game and your pitching, you can PAUSE the game and scroll down to PITCHING TUTORIAL.

It also allows you to practice pitch, feels like your throwing warm up.

[Bobby Smithy]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is if you want to pitch with full effort all the time, which will fatigue your pitcher faster. You don't have to bring the ring all the way out to the edge like that.

And more than this, I'd appreciate a hitting tutorial, because there's nothing about hitting in the game.

[Game Dun]

Pitchers will fatigue regardless. My pitchers last until about the 7th/8th inning with about 50% to 45% sta left.

Hitting seems to simply be pull back and push forward. After that it just comes down to timing of the swing.

[D0m]

Thsi helps ive been able to throw the pitches i want just there always balls.

[krunchybox]

Do you have to throw every pitch at full strength? What if you want to take something off your fastball to help preserve your pitcher's stamina or to throw the hitter off? Can you do that or would it wind up being a meatball?

[harley773]

Can you practice batting in the batting tutorial too? I strikeout alot especially Online. Iam always late on my swings. Also it seems that contact, defence, and check swings dont work only power swings (pull down than forward)work.

[illusive23]

does anyone know how to do contact swings cause if you read the manual it says just pull back the right annalog stick and let go and that is a contact swing but it doesn t do anything... the only thing that works is the power swing

[krunchybox]

does anyone know how to do contact swings cause if you read the manual it says just pull back the right annalog stick and let go and that is a contact swing but it doesn t do anything... the only thing that works is the power swing

How many times is this going to be asked and answered? There is NO power swing this year. I know what the book says, it's wrong. You pull down and then up to swing. It's all timing based. If you are to hit a homerun, then your timing has to be spot on.

[MGM]

The manual is WRONG about the contact swing. Only back/forward.

As far as the picture, it's helpful for OFFLINE! Online, the game is broken and you have to do everything about a second sooner than you actually see it happening. Not sure if this will EVER be fixed. I wouldn't expect Take Two to ever comment on this "little" problem. When I say the game is broken, I'm not kidding. To have to actually start your swing (Not the step, but the actual swing) immediately after the ball is released, doesn't allow you enough time to make a logical choice to swing or not. Either you are swinging or taking. There is NO in between. I've played several games today and haven't run into anyone that could do a check swing online. There is simply not enough time do to the ridiculous frame rate online :( Hey, there's always next year. We should have known when Brinkman said it would take 3 years. Good God! We shot a sattelite out of space on the first try but these monkey's need 3 years to make a baseball video game. I can't wait for EA to buy these crooks and fix it immediately.

[HollywoodKen481]

That picture was a huge help. I was having so much trouble when I got the game home earlier, until I saw this thread. Now if I can only get the game to stop freezing in the bottom of the 8th and I will be ok.

[harley773]

That sounds dumb to me. You guys telling me if i had my 8th or 9th hitter at bat and behind 0-2 in the count i would have to protect the plate with a perfectly timed power swing?

[MiddleFingaz]

The manual is WRONG about the contact swing. Only back/forward.

As far as the picture, it's helpful for OFFLINE! Online, the game is broken and you have to do everything about a second sooner than you actually see it happening. Not sure if this will EVER be fixed. I wouldn't expect Take Two to ever comment on this "little" problem. When I say the game is broken, I'm not kidding. To have to actually start your swing (Not the step, but the actual swing) immediately after the ball is released, doesn't allow you enough time to make a logical choice to swing or not. Either you are swinging or taking. There is NO in between. I've played several games today and haven't run into anyone that could do a check swing online. There is simply not enough time do to the ridiculous frame rate online :( Hey, there's always next year. We should have known when Brinkman said it would take 3 years. Good God! We shot a sattelite out of space on the first try but these monkey's need 3 years to make a baseball video game. I can't wait for EA to buy these crooks and fix it immediately.

Agreed, 150%

This game is going to tank bad... There's already a ton of used copies at any EB you go to

EA is LOVING this !!

[tdtommy4]

as far as i'm concerned, 2k is done. They made the hockey game impossible on the skill moves to pull of in a game, they're online game modes suck, disconnect every fifth game, and now they ruin one of the top games last year with this crazy pitching scheme that no one can figure out!

[tdtommy4]

you must be a genius!Honestly, it's not difficult. This is a great picture, but anyone can figure it out if they spent 30 seconds in the pitch tutorial.

[PHILBOT3000]

It takes some time, but I'm not having much of a problem with it at this point. Much harder to throw a perfect pitch 99% of the time like last year's game, which is much more realistic. Just practice with the tutorial, you'll be better than average within 10 minutes...

[buckydmb]

so can someone explain why when someone gets on base you cant stop the power meter...As in it doesn't recognize your first gesture?? I know im not the only one this is happening too. I've lost 3 games because of this in the late inning with people on base. It just doesnt pick up the first move of the sick and meatball everytime.

[NEfanman]

I figured this part out but after 2 days I still don't feel comfortable with this pitching mechanism. Fastballs, Sliders, Splits, Sinkers I have down pretty good, Curveballs are near impossible for me. I don't know maybe it's me. Hoping I can get the hang of this in day 3.

I think the pitching is ok, just frustrated that it's not as EZ as some people say it is.

[FrenziedSokar]

I figured this part out but after 2 days I still don't feel comfortable with this pitching mechanism. Fastballs, Sliders, Splits, Sinkers I have down pretty good, Curveballs are near impossible for me. I don't know maybe it's me. Hoping I can get the hang of this in day 3.

I think the pitching is ok, just frustrated that it's not as EZ as some people say it is.


remember if u look after ur last pitch above ur available pitches it will show u ur last pitch and how well u got it right as well as the motion u did, if u get get it close to around 85-90% u will be fine.

This does take a little time to get use to it but in the end its good imo, yeah i still get the odd meat pitch or miss my spot however last time i checked mlb pitchers are not perfect and do make mistakes, sometimes they get punished and sometimes they dont. one pitch i messed up and it ended up a meat pitch and the guy fouled it off and i saw him slap his bat into his hand in frustration and moved out of the batters box..nice

[mtsouth]

It takes some time, but I'm not having much of a problem with it at this point. Much harder to throw a perfect pitch 99% of the time like last year's game, which is much more realistic. Just practice with the tutorial, you'll be better than average within 10 minutes...

Playing the demo so take this as you want, but the pitching tutorial was a big help. I was playing as the Sox and Beckett gave up 6 runs in the first and 6 in the second before I found the pitching tutorial. I spent about 10 minutes with it and was then able to retire the next few batters without giving up more run. In the third, I struck someone out looking and beautiful inside fastball. I brought Lester in and he did well too.

Take your time to learn the pitching. It has more of a pitching "feel" to it. More realistic than other interfaces I've used. If you haven't gotten the game, DL the demo and try it out. I'm going to play the demo a few more times before making a decision on the game.

[kevaxe2k2]

In the picture, it says to pull back on the RS in the beginning before you do the motion. I thought you put it in the direction in the pitch menu (up, down, etc.)

[dpcurrier]

In the picture, it says to pull back on the RS in the beginning before you do the motion. I thought you put it in the direction in the pitch menu (up, down, etc.)

Your first move is always straight down... then meter starts expanding towards the outside of the biggest circle. When the meter gets between the two outside circle, THEN you move the stick in the motion that matches the pitch you are trying to throw and HOLD it when you get to the end of the motion. Wait until the meter gets close to the center of the green circle and let go of the stick. hope this helps.

[belljr]

Good picture.

You don't have to press step two in te white - but the pitch will be less effective.

hitting you can still influence your swing, first you start your step (press down) then you can influence a pull swing (for a righty) by pushing to the left or up to the left.

I also have no issues when a guy is on base with the pitching meter. Not sure what problem you are having but I can pitch the same way in a wind up or in a stretch.

You guys should leave the the tips on and read them for a couple games since the manual is wrong, or pause the game and check out the controls scheme

[belljr]

Your first move is always straight down... then meter starts expanding towards the outside of the biggest circle. When the meter gets between the two outside circle, THEN you move the stick in the motion that matches the pitch you are trying to throw and HOLD it when you get to the end of the motion. Wait until the meter gets close to the center of the green circle and let go of the stick. hope this helps.

Not true. A change up you start by pressing UP first, a curve ball is down on an angle then rotate

[FrenziedSokar]

^^^ yeah i tell ya the curve can be tricky sometimes coz u gotta get that right stick motion right with 3/4 turn otherwise it might end up a slider (half turn) and vice versa & if ur guy doesnt have one of the these it turns into a meat pitch, to me pretty real coz if u cant get ur motions right thats what happens & dont tell me u dont see mlb pitchers not get their pitches spot on all the time they do mess up sometimes

[duve3534]

Does anyone have any good tips on how to time the steps in hitting? I know the manual and the in game tip are wrong, but there is no hitting practice like there is for the pitching.

[belljr]

You want to start your step just before release. The confusion is you are pulling back but in essence that is making the batter start his step for a swing.

The timing of the swing is all on you. Each pitcher will have a different point to start. You have to start quicker with a guy on base.

Use the syntax at the top that tells you step too late etc. to help

[ROBPW1]

This helps. I took the tutorial but was confused on the first circle. I actually did not give up any runs my first inning but slowly regressed when I tried to do the more complicated pitches like the curveball. It does still overly difficult at this time, but I will use your tips and try again. It stinks that we only have one option for Baseball on the Xbox 360 but there is no way I am getting a PS3 just for baseball. I really enjoyed the 2k baseball on the original Xbox and had a lot of fun playing leagues online. It almost seems like it is regressing and not progressing like it should.
The crown jewel was NFL 2k5 for the Xbox. That game was so perfect and polished...I just wish that baseball can come even close to that quality and offering.

[Negative Creep]

It almost seems like it is regressing and not progressing like it should.

I agree... this was my first thought after playing the game for the first time last night... granted, I am going to give it a few more tries before I "officially" call the game a bust.

But as it stands right now, it's not much of an improvement over last year's 2K Sports' baseball game.

[CincyFan]

I agree... this was my first thought after playing the game for the first time last night... granted, I am going to give it a few more tries before I "officially" call the game a bust.

But as it stands right now, it's not much of an improvement over last year's 2K Sports' baseball game.


This is a game where I said perviously you would have to play 3-5 times just to get the hang of it. I was wrong and it is more like 10 or more. I had a ton of trouble with throwing curves and pitches with starting at an angle and then rotating. Either I went to far on the rotation, or to short, but it always seemed to be a hit and cursed the new pitching. I knew I was doing something wrong.

I have now had a ton of games under my belt and surprising now the best pitch in my arsnel, especially on the payoff pitch is a curve ball.

Yes there are some things that go wrong. I finally found out what people were talking about when the pitching meter is broken, its when people are on base, but now that doesn't even bother me cause the lowest gesture I throw is 90-91. In my first game I threw a perfect pitch (it was a slider of all pitches) and now each time I play this it gets better and better.

I will say I still mess up on timing of pitching and I get rocked but this is a hell of a lot harder to play than last year which I strangely like better. Then again that is just me, but you do have to play a lot to get the pitching down. Ironically its easier for me to pitch than to bat.

[FrenziedSokar]

yeah i think people are figuring out the pitching mechanics is not a 5 min learning curve

[buckydmb]

Yes there are some things that go wrong. I finally found out what people were talking about when the pitching meter is broken, its when people are on base, but now that doesn't even bother me cause the lowest gesture I throw is 90-91. In my first game I threw a perfect pitch (it was a slider of all pitches) and now each time I play this it gets better and better.


I really hope 2k looks at this and fixes it in the patch. Seriously it comes out of nowhere and you just start throwing pitches at maxed out effort and drain stamina and throw meatballs.

[Negative Creep]

This is a game where I said perviously you would have to play 3-5 times just to get the hang of it. I was wrong and it is more like 10 or more.

I had a feeling that this would be the case, as I delivered so many meatball pitches with Zambrano in the first game that I played, I could've sworn that he must have learned a new pitch over the winter. ;) :lol:

[Game Dun]

In the picture, it says to pull back on the RS in the beginning before you do the motion. I thought you put it in the direction in the pitch menu (up, down, etc.)


The picture is only to show the basic use of the pitching meter.

Yes there are different starting points for different pitches. However, the idea that you will have to raise the meter to a certain point (whatever that is for you) and try to stop it on the outer ring of the inside green circle still remains the same.


Some of you are asking can you use less effectiveness on pitches (stop the outward motion of the meter before it reaches the outer white circles). Yes you can, however when playing on-line I highly suggest not to try it. It will more than likely result into throwing a meat ball. Lag is just too great to react to it.

[beltranfan05]

I never found the pitching that difficult. Just spend a few minutes in the tutorial until you get a good score in each of the 3 categories. (gesture, effectiveness, release)

I thought I would share this with everyone. I had a perfect game with oliver perez going into the 8th inning until Luis Castillo ran by an easy grounder to end it. That was the only hit that game too. 1 hit shutout on All-Star with Oliver Perez.

[Game Dun]

New pitching video one front page.

[Stodds13]

I haven't read everything here so I'm just gonna post this...


If you are struggling pitching, just start up a game...hit the start button, and go to the pitching tutorial, you will get everything down pat there...

[CWSpartan9]

Beltran fan, I just threw two no hitters in a row online. One with Liriano and one with Sheets. On the first game my outfielders ran into eachother on the final out to lose my perfect gamea and in the second Prince Fielder missed a ball at first and neglected to pick up the ball for about 3 seconds.

So it is possible to master the pitching, even online.

[jdnidle]

The pitching is much more realistic than simply pressing a button. spend some time learning the pitching, as others have stated, you will get the hang of it.
And don't strive to be able to throw every pitch at 100% effectiveness. Again, no MLB pitcher is perfect. And that is what I like about the pitching this year. It is much more realistic.

The hitting this year is too. No more seasons of cranking out 125 home runs. to me, I like when a game is more realistic in the stats. If i wanted to just play a game where it is arcadish, I would play the Bigs and crank home runs all day long.

[kmass]

thanks for the video. i will try it tonight.

[sf49steve1]

Total Control Pitching was a bad idea. The guy who thought of it should be fired.

If you can't get it, like me, and don't want or need to get it because it adds nothing to the game, just go back to regular pitching. Why waste your time on this?

[Skribblez]

I didn't use the tutorial, but I figured it out after 1(Really BAD) Game online with my buddy

[Skribblez]

Total Control Pitching was a bad idea. The guy who thought of it should be fired.

If you can't get it, like me, and don't want or need to get it because it adds nothing to the game, just go back to regular pitching. Why waste your time on this?


It is really easy to learn, and if they stuck with the same exact controls as last year, people would dislike that, new game=new content.

[Gtown34]

It helped me also

[Bl00d h0und Gang]

Gamespot pitch video doesn't work anymore. But the youtube on does:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuFJ_FLRW6g

[shappy7000]

how do u get ranked games online???

[McDonalds]

i am having a problem when it is working like that it is going great, i can throw every pitch. But for me, it only does it like that every once in a while. Like it will take a couple batters in an inning to get it to do it or it won't even do it at all. It will be a faded colors and i will give up meatballs and they will hit jacks off me all day. How do i fix it? I am doing the motion on the screen right like it says, it isn't working all the time though.

[McDonalds]

how do u get ranked games online???
quick game is only way

[Shamrock6699]

remember if u look after ur last pitch above ur available pitches it will show u ur last pitch and how well u got it right as well as the motion u did, if u get get it close to around 85-90% u will be fine.

This does take a little time to get use to it but in the end its good imo, yeah i still get the odd meat pitch or miss my spot however last time i checked mlb pitchers are not perfect and do make mistakes, sometimes they get punished and sometimes they dont. one pitch i messed up and it ended up a meat pitch and the guy fouled it off and i saw him slap his bat into his hand in frustration and moved out of the batters box..nice


I'll agree with you that I like the new pitching, but like others have said it's pretty messed up online. Due to the lag factor you have to push the stick earlier to compensate for the lag. It makes it very much harder than playing offline.

Also I'm not sure if you played any league games yet Frenzy, but the leagues are really messed up right now to the point we have pretty much postponed any future games in SMBL. Something is seriously wrong with the sliders because every game played is 20 runs scored for each team. Hell I dont' have a single player on my team hitting below 500. Every single hit is a double or HR.

It is possible though that there is a glitch with changing the diffuculty after season starts. Shizzy changed it from All Star to legend after he generated the schedule. So I'm wondering if it messed up the sliders and gave us rookie sliders or something. Anyway if you can, let me know some scores in your league, are you seeing 20+ runs being scored?

[Jospiv]

Thank you for this, it helped a lot.

I like the new pitching even though it's difficult. I'm sure i'll grow to love it, and will look back with disdain at all previous pitching models.

[jnjn1980]

iv spent a very good amount of time with the new system...and still like last years system better. Just a personal preference i guess, its not that its easier or harder...just like it better. I will say i like swing stick 2.0 much better than last years hitting system...i love that I actually foul off pitches when i swing late.

[ItsTheWrightTime]

thanks for this

[safman80]

Ok folks, this will be my first and last post on this forum. I just need to get something off my chest. The pitching stick system has to be, without a doubt in my mind, the most half-assed idea I've ever seen. I have played this game for 4 days, and I have gotten a pretty good handle on this feature. But it doesn't take away the fact that 2K has overcomplicated what should be a relatively simple process. But no, i have to do the stick sequence that would produce a hurricane kick ala Street Fighter to throw a slider. And the sequence to throw a slider is too close to the sequence to throw a curve so there is the potential for "mistaken identity" of the AI. The biggest complaint I have though is after playing even a nine inning game, with using the stick to do well, pretty much everything, how sore my thumb is. Yesterday I couldn't get almost any sleep last night due to how sore this dumb *** game made my thumb. Hell, my thumb is sore right now, way to go 2k Sports. Anyway ill be going back to the game store to return this piece of crap ASAP. And it sucks cuz this is the only baseball option for me this year because I only own a 360. Perhaps the creators of this game had this in mind too, I wouldn't put it past them.

[xtoonsx]

Ok folks, this will be my first and last post on this forum. I just need to get something off my chest. The pitching stick system has to be, without a doubt in my mind, the most half-assed idea I've ever seen. I have played this game for 4 days, and I have gotten a pretty good handle on this feature. But it doesn't take away the fact that 2K has overcomplicated what should be a relatively simple process. But no, i have to do the stick sequence that would produce a hurricane kick ala Street Fighter to throw a slider. And the sequence to throw a slider is too close to the sequence to throw a curve so there is the potential for "mistaken identity" of the AI. The biggest complaint I have though is after playing even a nine inning game, with using the stick to do well, pretty much everything, how sore my thumb is. Yesterday I couldn't get almost any sleep last night due to how sore this dumb *** game made my thumb. Hell, my thumb is sore right now, way to go 2k Sports. Anyway ill be going back to the game store to return this piece of crap ASAP. And it sucks cuz this is the only baseball option for me this year because I only own a 360. Perhaps the creators of this game had this in mind too, I wouldn't put it past them.

safman, do you need a tissue?

[frago]

Ok folks, this will be my first and last post on this forum. I just need to get something off my chest. The pitching stick system has to be, without a doubt in my mind, the most half-assed idea I've ever seen. I have played this game for 4 days, and I have gotten a pretty good handle on this feature. But it doesn't take away the fact that 2K has overcomplicated what should be a relatively simple process. But no, i have to do the stick sequence that would produce a hurricane kick ala Street Fighter to throw a slider. And the sequence to throw a slider is too close to the sequence to throw a curve so there is the potential for "mistaken identity" of the AI. The biggest complaint I have though is after playing even a nine inning game, with using the stick to do well, pretty much everything, how sore my thumb is. Yesterday I couldn't get almost any sleep last night due to how sore this dumb *** game made my thumb. Hell, my thumb is sore right now, way to go 2k Sports. Anyway ill be going back to the game store to return this piece of crap ASAP. And it sucks cuz this is the only baseball option for me this year because I only own a 360. Perhaps the creators of this game had this in mind too, I wouldn't put it past them.

Please please tell me you know that you can turn off any new feature and just use buttons like previous years.

You knew that didn't you?

Tell me you are not the biggest *** ever to try and be insightful with your scathing rant. You are a complete tool and we all know why you only wanted to make one post. If I were to write something so utterly assanine I too would run away and hide in shame.

Nice try though , really.

[P1NSTR1PEZ]

nice job here

[Tennione72]

what's crackin fellas? I'm new to the board. Just like most of you I was frustrated with the pitching until I spent about 15 min in the tutorial. I got that part down. Something has to be done about the online play it's terrible.

[2K Admin Ron]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iej48ZYv0o

A video I posted earlier that might help those still confused.

[utexas]

I love this new pitching interface and the fact that it is difficult to master. This will add weeks of gameplaying before it gets redundant IMO

[Spyre1]

good job, nice post!

[rudedeath]

Hey man good description took me a while to figure it out but once I praticed i'm really good just threw a two hitter online :) its kind of hard to do online cause of the heavy lag... but still doable.

[JET]

how does that video help with the PSP game that does not have the same controls and does not make sense to me in regard to the PSP controls.