2012 MLB Games

[Juce734]

Whilst this is the 2012 topic, I recently picked up MLB 11 The Show and am finding it hard with hitting the ball for base hits, home runs, etc. Anyone got any tips? It doesn't really help that I'm not particularly au fait with the some of the concepts in baseball

I just picked up The Show 2012 last night but something I've been doing for awhile is reading up on the game over at operationsports.com

Those forums have a lot of helpful tips for any sports game you can think of. They also have topics of where you can find rosters, sliders, and other things. Helpful forum/site for sports games.

[Cactus Drags]

Never swing on the first pitch. Never swing on an 0-2 count. That's all I've got, because I can't hit for shit either. I have to have all the extra controls switched off and just go on timing, and I still barely get a single a game.

[KevinStorm]

Whenever I don't swing on the first pitch, it's a fastball down the middle.

[JasonM]

Whenever I don't swing on the first pitch, it's a fastball down the middle.

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/002/598/The-Most-Interesting-Man-in-the-World.jpg

I don't always look at the first pitch, but when I do it's the perfect hitters pitch.

Ok here is how I work the plate in 2k12, i know it's not the show but i feel it's pretty solid.

I always lay off the first pitch unless I can clearly see it's going down the tubes, which they hardly ever do so 8/10 times I do not swing on the first pitch.

If it is a Fastball inside the zone I can be reasonably assured that the next pitch he will throw is a breaking ball or a change up.

If it's a Fastball outside of the zone there is a chance they will try to hit the zone with another fastball just to get a 1-1 count. If I see it's a zoner I will swing.

If the first pitch was a breaking ball or a changeup, expect him to start throwing a fastball to mess with your head.

Just try to stay patient, 0-1 is not a death sentence for you as a hitter and you do not need to start swining on every ball that is thrown your way, the pitcher will see that you are doing that and will start throwing stuff inside or outside to have you flat out miss stuff.

If you look at the first pitch thrown at you you can make a reasonable guesstimation on what can be coming next, there are only a few pitchers that really throw two of the same pitches at you because it's dangerous for them, they will try to mix it up and have you bite on bad pitches and swing too soon on the dirty stuff.

Also a tip I can give you is to get a reasonable knowledge of every pitch in the game, stuff like sliders going right to left for a righty and left to right for a lefty. If you know what every pitch can do, you will have an easier time picking them up out of their hands. Take some time and study every pitch in practice mode to see how they break, and if you have good knowledge of all of them you can go into the game even more confident of being able to read pitches in the air.

A good tip to add to that, before you start your at bat, go into roster mode and look at the pitcher you are facing and what pitches he uses. It's not really cheating because real life batters do the same thing as they study the pitchers they are facing and know what his throwing tendencies are. In MLB games the tendencies are pretty much the skill of every pitch.

Like if you are facing Justin Verlander look him up before you start swinging and you can see he uses a Fastball, 2 seam fastball, 12-6 curve, Circle Change and Slider.

The only not breaking ball in his repertoire is the straight up fastball, and his fastball is good. So expect a fastball as the first pitch a lot of times.

There is also a chance he throws other stuff to start, but even in this game his tendencies are there. You will not get it right every time, but this will help you get a very effective guesstimation of ever pitcher you are facing.

The pitcher will almost always have all the cards, but if you take your time to study all the pitches in the game and then also look at what the pitcher you are facing is throwing. Then you can start to read pitches 10x better than before you studied. I got this help from the Operationsports forums a couple of years back, and this has changed me from a decent but inconsistent hitter to someone who can kill pitchers on good days and have a decent game on bad days.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Jasonmufc

[Juce734]

Whenever I don't swing on the first pitch, it's a fastball down the middle.

http://i1.kym-cdn.co...n-the-World.jpg

I don't always look at the first pitch, but when I do it's the perfect hitters pitch.

Ok here is how I work the plate in 2k12, i know it's not the show but i feel it's pretty solid.

I always lay off the first pitch unless I can clearly see it's going down the tubes, which they hardly ever do so 8/10 times I do not swing on the first pitch.

If it is a Fastball inside the zone I can be reasonably assured that the next pitch he will throw is a breaking ball or a change up.

If it's a Fastball outside of the zone there is a chance they will try to hit the zone with another fastball just to get a 1-1 count. If I see it's a zoner I will swing.

If the first pitch was a breaking ball or a changeup, expect him to start throwing a fastball to mess with your head.

Just try to stay patient, 0-1 is not a death sentence for you as a hitter and you do not need to start swining on every ball that is thrown your way, the pitcher will see that you are doing that and will start throwing stuff inside or outside to have you flat out miss stuff.

If you look at the first pitch thrown at you you can make a reasonable guesstimation on what can be coming next, there are only a few pitchers that really throw two of the same pitches at you because it's dangerous for them, they will try to mix it up and have you bite on bad pitches and swing too soon on the dirty stuff.

Also a tip I can give you is to get a reasonable knowledge of every pitch in the game, stuff like sliders going right to left for a righty and left to right for a lefty. If you know what every pitch can do, you will have an easier time picking them up out of their hands. Take some time and study every pitch in practice mode to see how they break, and if you have good knowledge of all of them you can go into the game even more confident of being able to read pitches in the air.

A good tip to add to that, before you start your at bat, go into roster mode and look at the pitcher you are facing and what pitches he uses. It's not really cheating because real life batters do the same thing as they study the pitchers they are facing and know what his throwing tendencies are. In MLB games the tendencies are pretty much the skill of every pitch.

Like if you are facing Justin Verlander look him up before you start swinging and you can see he uses a Fastball, 2 seam fastball, 12-6 curve, Circle Change and Slider.

The only not breaking ball in his repertoire is the straight up fastball, and his fastball is good. So expect a fastball as the first pitch a lot of times.

There is also a chance he throws other stuff to start, but even in this game his tendencies are there. You will not get it right every time, but this will help you get a very effective guesstimation of ever pitcher you are facing.

The pitcher will almost always have all the cards, but if you take your time to study all the pitches in the game and then also look at what the pitcher you are facing is throwing. Then you can start to read pitches 10x better than before you studied. I got this help from the Operationsports forums a couple of years back, and this has changed me from a decent but inconsistent hitter to someone who can kill pitchers on good days and have a decent game on bad days.

Those are fantastic tips! I am going to try this.

[sahyder1]

Getting a better handle on pitching after playing a couple of games. Anyone figured out how to steal in 2K12?

[Meacon Keaton]

Man, I love the little touches in The Show. Played a game in Boston and there's a kid sitting behind home plate in a Celtics jersey.

[Quom]

Getting a better handle on pitching after playing a couple of games. Anyone figured out how to steal in 2K12?

Play as a black guy

[SeanDMan]

My little league team had to cease operations because black guys kept stealing all the bases.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I just started getting back into RTTS. Playing as 3B who was drafted by the Tigers. Doubtful I'll crack the majors for a while, especially with Cabrera playing there. I don't have a bad shot of getting up to Triple A as Inge is playing there. Then again, as a A potential player, I usually find I get traded once before making it to the show.

My guy is Mr. Clutch. In the last month, I've hit three grand slams to tie or win the game. Batting just under .300 with 6 HRs. I don't really strike out, but I hit into far too many double plays.

EDIT: See! Got traded to the Angels.

[Mike Ockizitchy]

Meh, think I'm going to avoid 2K12 this year. Doesn't seem to be much of an improvement from 2K11 so I'll pass. The video gamer in me is dying. I only own MW3 and NHL12 right now. Had Arkham City but that's already gonezo.

I'm excited for NHL 13 and the new Ninja Turtles game down the road, bout it.

[Clawson]

I know part of the reason why I hate the lack of instruction booklets now. Took me forever to figure out why my pitching zone was pulsing in The Show.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Got promoted to Bees (Angels' AAA team). Man, did I ever fall flat. My average floated around .200, with 2 HRs and 19 RBIs.

Then I pulled my groin and am probably out for the rest of the season. It's a bit of a bummer, but at least I can start fresh next season.

[Juce734]

MLB 12 The Show has a manual with just some of the basic controls. Plus if you go to the menu you can view the controls. Or you can watch the tutorial videos. They are short but show you how to do what you want.

Most people didn't read the manuals anyways. I did and I'd leave it open and next to me the 1st week I had a game until I knew all the controls but people thought I was crazy for that.

[Clawson]

The Vita version doesn't have the manual and it's a real pain to have to go through the game and look it up when I could flick it open and keep it beside me.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Clawson

[Trey]

I'm horrible beyond belief at batting in The Show but I love playing as a pitcher in RTTS, pulse pitching is amazingly simple but fun.

[Toe]

I hate the 12-6 curve in The Show. I can never pick it up out of the pitchers hand. I am lucky to just foul it off!

[Meacon Keaton]

The 12-6 curve is a bitch and a blessing. I either completely whiff on it, or I time it perfect and send it 400 feet. There never seems to be an in-between. It helps I'm a lefty so the ball curves right into the sweet spot.

[Meacon Keaton]

I'm not one to call out a cheating AI, but The Show may be the worst case of it. We swept the Tigers in the ALDS. Get to the ALCS and in our first three games, our incredibly good pitching staff gives up eleven, thirteen, and eleven runs. In each game, the White Sox have scored five runs in the first inning. It's not even giving us a realistic chance. What's the fun in playing all season (which I did) only to get cheated out of the playoffs. I may take some time away from this after we get swept out of the playoffs.

[Toe]

I feel the AI punishes you if you sim innings too.