MLB The Show

[Cactus Drags]

I just pitched my first complete game shutout, on the road against Texas. Struck out Jason Bay twice (7 total), 5 hits and 2 walks. Very happy. Cheers for the tips.

Seems I have pitched my way onto the trading block. Which is good, because Baltimore blow goats, they've finished dead last every season, and we're now in 2013.

[KevinStorm]

Oakland traded my first baseman to the Yankees. I feel so...dirty.

And to make it worse, the Yankees' AAA team can't win for shit. I've been going 3 for 4, 4 for 4, 4 for 5 and such in almost every game, and we end up losing like 15-12. Our pitching sucks.

[SeanDMan]

I dragged my Pittsburgh team to 5-10. Finally getting wins from people other than Zach Duke, and won my first series, 2-1 over the Brewers at home.

[KevinStorm]

I just got fucking benched for stealing, when it was a hit and run play, the batter missed, and I got thrown out at second.

That is some bullshit.

[SeanDMan]

The "accomplish blank at bat" goals are absurdly difficult to get right. The pitching goals sometimes are a pain in the ass. Sure, IN THEORY, being a groundball pitcher is simple, but I can't just put every ball at the shins and hope for the best. That's why the "Positive Result" bonus is so appreciated. I wish they'd just give you a ribbon for effort when your teammates fuck you up royally when you're at bat/baserunning.

[Cactus Drags]

I keep having the manager come and talk to me when I fail to get a ground out. Which would be fine, but I'm not the shortstop fumbling the slow roller, nor am I the second baseman who I can only assume thought that Aubrey Huff was twelve feet tall and nearly a mile away when he tried to throw the runner out at first and it ended up in the crowd.

[SeanDMan]

It's brutal at the lower levels. When you make AAA, depending on your franchise, it's sometimes better. Usually, you need to wait until the majors for your fielders to not suck, though.

[HailtotheYo]

Ugh, that's not what I wanted to hear ... I'm winding down my first RTTS as my player is 40 now and well ... it's getting absurd (in a good way).

Although I'm pretty sick of the computer's absolute bullshit. In 9 playoff teams I've only made 1 WS. The other 8 have had the majority of the games go like this:

I step into my first at bat already down 4 runs.

My team is up by 6 or more runs in the 8th ... I have another at bat in the 9th because there was a 9 run 9th inning for them.

I'm the only guy on my team to get a hit, so my to HRs are solo and we lose.

My two best pitchers on the team suddenly can't get a single guy out, let alone remember how to pitch.

Yadda yadda yadda .. it really is annoying and down right bullshit.

[KevinStorm]

Ugh, that's not what I wanted to hear ... I'm winding down my first RTTS as my player is 40 now and well ... it's getting absurd (in a good way).

Although I'm pretty sick of the computer's absolute bullshit. In 9 playoff teams I've only made 1 WS. The other 8 have had the majority of the games go like this:

I step into my first at bat already down 4 runs.

My team is up by 6 or more runs in the 8th ... I have another at bat in the 9th because there was a 9 run 9th inning for them.

I'm the only guy on my team to get a hit, so my to HRs are solo and we lose.

My two best pitchers on the team suddenly can't get a single guy out, let alone remember how to pitch.

Yadda yadda yadda .. it really is annoying and down right bullshit.

I've had several games where my team is blowing out opponents away, like 5-0, then suddenly at my next AB we're down like 8-5 and end up losing the game 14-10 or some stupid shit like that.

[SeanDMan]

How the hell are you 40? My RTTS player is 22.

[HailtotheYo]

I've been playing for quite a while

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Started a new franchise last night as the White Sox and did a fantasy draft. Home opener against the Indians wasn't going too well. Sabathia gave up four runs and Shouse gave up one. It was 5-2 in the bottom of the ninth when what do you know - Carlos Pena hits a solo shot. Then Ichiro hits one. Then Chris Coghlan hits one. Holy shit. Back-to-back-to-back homers to tie the game, which we then went on to win in the bottom of the tenth. So much fun.

[The Buscher]

I too did a fantasy draft, using the Mets. I went for youth at a lot of spots, a few veterans sprinkled in who are just really fill-ins for a year as I let young guys spend a year in AAA. Also with Citi Field, I'm trying to build a team built around pitching, speed, and defense. The power bats I do have are guys with no-doubt power.

Opening Day 2010 Roster

Rotation: Josh Johnson ®, Cliff Lee (L), Matt Garza ®, JA Happ (L), Mat Latos ®

Bullpen: Trevor Hoffman (R, Closer), Mike Adams ®, Darren Oliver (L), Joe Beimel (L), Luke Gregerson ®, Brendan Donnelly ®, Joe Martinez (R, SP who will serve as the long reliever)

Lineup: LF Jacoby Ellsbury (L), SS Elvis Andrus ®, 3B Evan Longoria ®, 1B Adam Dunn (L), RF Corey Hart ®, CF Scott Podsednik (L, I needed a lefty bat in the middle of the lineup, lack of lefty hitting is my main weakness), C Ivan Rodriguez ®, 2B Mike Fontenot (L, starts against righties)

Bench: 2B Ramon Santiago (S, starts against lefties), IF Andres Blanco (S), C Raul Chavez ®, OF Drew Stubbs ®, OF Gary Sheffield (R, pretty much strictly a pinch hitter)

Top Pitching Prospects: SP Jenrry Mejia, SP John Ely, CP Drew Storen

Top Position Player Prospects: C Carlos Santana, OF Domonic Brown

---

My team is shittily rated in the rankings, but I like it. Of course, on Opening Day I built up a 5-0 lead throughout the course of the game. Pulled Johnson after 6 due to high pitch count. Gregerson and Donnelly pitched scoreless 7th and 8th innings. Decided to use Hoffman in the 9th since I wanted to get used to him, plus there was an off-day the next day. Good 'ol rubberband AI kicked in, meaning I wasted my time.

[KevinStorm]

Top Position Player Prospects: C Carlos Santana, OF Domonic Brown

[MalaCloudy Black]

I am awful at this game, but it is so fun. I started a Road to the Show career and so far I've had 18 at-bats, 8 strikeouts and 3 walks. And I'm still trying to get used to the control scheme, in one game the manager wanted a double play and I accidentally threw it to home after touching 2nd. >_<

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Yeah, the fact they switched the buttons so they're reversed in RTTS threw me off the first time I played. Still gets me sometimes if I go from a franchise game to RTTS.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Yeah. I just started a season as the Cubs after getting used to the RTTS control scheme, and I accidentally threw to the wrong base because I was thinking the control scheme was the same as it was in RTTS. >_<

How do you get up-to-date rosters?

[MalaCloudy Black]

I continue to be the WORST at this! But it's fun as hell, so I don't mind. I got traded from the Travelers to the Blue Jays' AA organization, and for about a month I was the starting second baseman for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. However, in that month I only reached one of my 6 achievement goals so I got demoted to backup 2B again. I have a lot of trouble with hitting, as a Traveler my average was around the .240-.260 area - but as a Fisher Cat, I stayed around the Mendoza line all the time. That's part of what got me demoted (that and being unable to hit safely 20 times, drive in 15 runs and increase my plate discipline in 3 weeks).

My biggest problem is that I chase everything. I'm always afraid I'm going to go down on strikes looking, so if I'm behind in the count I start chasing everything. I can't tell you how many times I've gone after change-ups and fastballs that were waaaayyy outside and gotten struck out that way. I really need to work on my hitting, but I don't know how to improve it. :/

On the positive side, though, in my first game as a Fisher Cat I hit my career first HR.

[Meacon Keaton]

My biggest suggestion for hitting in this game is exactly my suggestion for hitting in real life: watch the pitcher's right hand (or left hand for lefties) the whole time. Watch his wind-up, and watch it all the way through until he releases the ball. The majority of the time, you can tell if it's going to be a strike or a ball as soon as it leaves his hand. And if you're not already, take batting practice before every game. It did wonders for my guy in the start of his career, and now my guy is a career .320 hitter in the Show.

[SeanDMan]

Pffft, talk to me when you have 6 guys on your MLB team with .350+ BAs.