Online Hitting 101: How to hit pitches without using "All Strikes" gameplay.

[Mandog25]

I can't believe all the posts about the problem of players not throwing all strikes during head to head play? I have yet to hear about a real game where a pitcher goes out there IRL and throws 120 strikes! As far as I'm concerned you're eliminating half the game by forcing people to throw strikes on every pitch.

Here is a simple strategy that I've discovered, that works pretty good. All you players who like playing "all strikes only" should try this.

This works good with your good hitters with LARGER BATTERS EYE. Medium sized players can also try this.

First, you have to get good at choosing your location. As we all know the batters eye fades away after a little while. Move quickly and select an area you predict the ball will go. For example choose the outside corner. Hold your target as best you can ALONG the outside edge of the strike zone. Now that you are looking outside you have efficiently eliminated a pitchers option. NOW If you see the pitch slowly make its way towards the outside of the plate you wait and see. If your batters eye notifies you that you have guessed correctly then go ahead and swing away. If you see the ball heading outside and your batters eye does not light up LET IT GO, more than likely it is floaitng out of the zone.

Try it and see if this works for you. After a couple innings you will begin to see your opponets tendencies and favorite pitches.

Keep in mind you are always susceptible to the areas you did not select, but as they say "Look outside....but watch out for in your ear!"

[ChillzReborn]

Mandog,

Thanks for the advice. I'm yet to play a game online because I'm kind of wrapped up in my offline fantasy draft season and I play ALOT of 2K6 hockey.

I find that this info will probably be quite useful and I also appreciate the fact that someone would do this as I try to give out as much advice as possible on NHL 2K6. I believe helping everyone out there who's willing to listen who appreciates the sport being played will make almost anyone's gaming experience better.

Check out my League site, RandomTeams on X-Box for NHL2K6! There's a few articles that relate to this kind of stuff!

Anyways thanks again!
Chillz

[stl1fanman]

Also note that the more balls you take the bigger the batters eye get

[email2003]

Also note that the Changeup pitch is the pitch that throws everyone off 90% of the times. I've done this in the strikezone and the batter themselves swing early causing them to get a strike.

And, if your really good at pitching, which I am; #7 Pitching on PS2 Online, you could use the Fastball and try to cause a 97-99 MPH pitch which is almost impossible to hit for some batters.

[fade2blk2]

All strikes... that is dumb... **** one of my online games I threw a slider down and in about 95% of the time cuz the guy couldnt hit it! In the early part of the game I tried to set him up with you know fastball/change-up deal fastball down and in then I went change-up high and away and he took it out the park. After that I was like screw it until he hits the slider Im not stopping... that homer was his only run. I know he was probably mad... but oh well!

[BurnYa]

I love it when I hear somebody come on the mic and start screaming about throwing too many balls(usually it sounds like a pre-adolescent). At that point, they won't see another strike again.

[Xx Yankee xX]

It is Easy to tell a ball from a strike most of the time if you Pay Attention

They only pitches that might give you trouble are the knukcle, 12-6, and Fork.

[Navart]

TRY THIS!
It worked great for me.
Don't swing at it, if it's not a good pitch.
I was playing last night and I lead off the game with a walk on 4 straight pitches, next batter got a base hit. With the third hitter, I worked the pitcher to a 2-2 count so he had to throw a strike and when he did, I jacked it. This is real baseball people. A real pitcher would throw balls on every pitch if the batters in the majors would swing at all of them. If you bat like real life, they have to pitch like real life.

[Ryan777]

Who in the heck would play all strikes thats not real baseball!!!!!!!!!!!

[ToyDingo]

Who in the heck would play all strikes thats not real baseball!!!!!!!!!!!

You'd be surprised by the amount of people that complain about someone not throwing all strikes. The argument is that 1) lag online makes it really impossible to decide wether or not a ball is in or out of the strikezone, and 2) if you are good at pitching you can keep the ball in the strikezone and use speed changes to strike out a batter.

The first argument is sorta legit. But, if you play against someone with 5 green bars that shouldnt be a problem. The second argument is completely bogus. Unless you have someone with a A+ fastball and a A+ changeup or breaking ball it is impossible to effectively keep the hitter off balance the entire game.

I personally like John Smoltz with his fastball/changeup/slider set up. Get them looking for speed with the first pitch fastball inside. Next throw them off balance with a changeup inside of the batter but out of the strike zone. Third, throw the slider to break out of the strikezone and watch the batter screw himself into the ground (and subsequently hear the child turn on his mic and scream like mad) :)

[lefty1117]

A lot of the leagues I am looking at (360) they are talking about gentleman's rules for throwing strikes. Personally I think it's unnecessary - I use the batter's eye and as mentioned it really helps. Part of the real game of baseball is guess where the pitch is going to go, as a batter. this is influenced by the pitch count, men on base, WHO is on base, and the pitcher you're facing. The batter's eye is working well for me offline - I have even turned off the strike zones for more realism. When playing online, I simply take some pitches even if i'm 0-1 or 1-2. yeah sometimes I strike out looking, but more often then not I get a ball - and all that does is give me a another chance and chips away at the pitcher's stamina.

Not all games have to be won in the first few innings. By going deeper in the count you can tire a pitcher out. Sometimes when you're facing a dominant pitcher, you want to get to the bullpen. Especially if you know the team has a weak bullpen. That is baseball strategy - this whole "don't throw balls" thing gets away from that.

[BudTokR]

anything goes in a head to head game, just like real life :D

[targetthestore]

A lot of the leagues I am looking at (360) they are talking about gentleman's rules for throwing strikes. Personally I think it's unnecessary - I use the batter's eye and as mentioned it really helps. Part of the real game of baseball is guess where the pitch is going to go, as a batter. this is influenced by the pitch count, men on base, WHO is on base, and the pitcher you're facing. The batter's eye is working well for me offline - I have even turned off the strike zones for more realism. When playing online, I simply take some pitches even if i'm 0-1 or 1-2. yeah sometimes I strike out looking, but more often then not I get a ball - and all that does is give me a another chance and chips away at the pitcher's stamina.

Not all games have to be won in the first few innings. By going deeper in the count you can tire a pitcher out. Sometimes when you're facing a dominant pitcher, you want to get to the bullpen. Especially if you know the team has a weak bullpen. That is baseball strategy - this whole "don't throw balls" thing gets away from that.

listen i want to be pitched to but all i get are Splitters low and fastballs inside. all 5 games and with the hideous lag they all look like strikes.