MLB 14: The Show

[DYSI]

I went 4th overall!

In the 5th round... to the Twins. :/ Atleast I'll have a shot at closing for them since they're garbage.

[Maxx]

You think you're man enough to dethrone Glen Perkins? UNLIKELY.

[Maxx]

4 starts and I've yet to earn a decision either way, because my defense blows every lead I have with stupid errors.

[Gabriel]

4 starts and I've yet to earn a decision either way, because my defense blows every lead I have with stupid errors.

I've got 7 decisions in my first 9 starts... but 2 of them were losses because I got no offense and gave up one run... and one of them was a loss because I managed to get four straight ground balls that my defense bumbled or missed completely, and then struck out the next two batters, and got rocked for a grand slam to finish my night in the sixth inning.

Sometimes it's just frustrating, because you can't play safe ball and count on your defense... but if you try to overpower hitters, it often leads to being taken yard.

[thatshortguy]

For my starter, I went completely Mark Buerhle. Two-seamer, curve, and slider with none of my training points going to velocity. I should throw in a knuckle for no good reason.

[DYSI]

I pretty much made my closer a Marino Rivera-El Duque love child. Using El Duque's delivery and high socks with Mo's cutter.... well a really mediocre version of it so far.

My stats:

11.2 IP, 1-0, 9 saves, 0.00 ERA, 7 hits, 13 K and only one broken bat so far.

Watch out Glen Perkins!

[Cole]

Eagerly awaiting the return of this on Monday in the mail, down for an online franchise if everyone is about it.

[Maxx]

4 starts and I've yet to earn a decision either way, because my defense blows every lead I have with stupid errors.

First decision is a complete game shut out win, with 15 Ks

[Meacon Keaton]

Did you make your guy from scratch or base him off a MLB pitcher? That's pretty good getting a complete game in the minors. I'd imagine your stamina was shot way before the ninth?

[Maxx]

Made him from scratch. Pitch count ended up around 120, but I was still throwing 93-95 on my fastball. I was surprised at having to pitch in the 9th, but my stamina held up pretty well.

[The Buscher]

I really want this even more now so I can live in a world where the Mets are good.

[Gabriel]

In RTTS, I've noticed that the AI managers aren't very good at giving me the hook when they should. I'm constantly pitching beyond when I should be, unless I give up runs or load the bases or something.

Quick counts in franchise are going to be a god-send. Even though I sim a good deal of my games, I still don't get past five or six years because I like to play my minor league games too. This will really help push me into seven to ten years for franchise before next year's game.

[Cole]

In RTTS, I've noticed that the AI managers aren't very good at giving me the hook when they should. I'm constantly pitching beyond when I should be, unless I give up runs or load the bases or something.

Quick counts in franchise are going to be a god-send. Even though I sim a good deal of my games, I still don't get past five or six years because I like to play my minor league games too. This will really help push me into seven to ten years for franchise before next year's game.

I feel like RTTS has always had trouble with various AI managing aspects, much like many other single player "Career" modes in sports games. I usually just move onto franchise eventually, and doubt I'll play with quick counts this year. Having played baseball and been a huge fan all my life; I don't want to take the bat out of my hands and in my case leave out my best weapon, pitching.

[Meacon Keaton]

I had a 22-game hitting streak snapped in RTTS, because my manager decided to pinch-hit me in a game that we were losing 8-0.

[Gabriel]

In RTTS, I've noticed that the AI managers aren't very good at giving me the hook when they should. I'm constantly pitching beyond when I should be, unless I give up runs or load the bases or something.

Quick counts in franchise are going to be a god-send. Even though I sim a good deal of my games, I still don't get past five or six years because I like to play my minor league games too. This will really help push me into seven to ten years for franchise before next year's game.

I feel like RTTS has always had trouble with various AI managing aspects, much like many other single player "Career" modes in sports games. I usually just move onto franchise eventually, and doubt I'll play with quick counts this year. Having played baseball and been a huge fan all my life; I don't want to take the bat out of my hands and in my case leave out my best weapon, pitching.

I was honestly in the same boat, feeling like quick counts would detract from my overall experience... but after playing a couple of games with it on during spring training of my Rangers franchise, I found that it actually created a more realistic feel to the game. I mean, it sucks when you only get one pitch in an at-bat, whether you're hitting or pitching, but the pitch counts are more accurate than when I play a full game through... the counts themselves are more reminiscent of real-life as well.

I found that, in previous years with The Show, I would have to watch good pitches sail by just to keep the pitch total up for the other team. No matter what I did with the sliders, the ball to strike ratio for AI pitchers was just way out of whack.

Another thing I'm really digging is the Dynamic Difficulty. I want my team to perform like they should, obviously with some positives or negatives based on my user-play... whereas again, in previous years, I found that I could turn a team with terrible hitters into a run-scoring machine, or take a team of sub-par pitchers and finish my season in the top ten in lowest ERA. And again, it didn't matter what sliders I used, because something was always off. Dynamic Difficulty feels like that won't happen. I'm blowing out pitchers who are way over-matched, and I'm struggling when I try to force a sub-par pitcher to dominate.

[Chris2K]

Anyone got any batting advice for someone who is new to the game and can't buy a base hit?

[Meacon Keaton]

Are you using the analog stick or the buttons?

Don't swing at everything.

[Chris2K]

I'm... using both? Kinda?

My biggest problem is that I just pop up fly balls more than anything.

[MalaCloudy Black]

If this game is any representation of real baseball then it's (partially) about what you're hitting. Certain pitches yield fly balls and pop-ups more often than others. A fastball high in the strike zone can cause that, for example, because the batter doesn't make solid contact with the ball.

Or you might just be unlucky at this point.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Cloudy Rocker

[Cole]

In RTTS, I've noticed that the AI managers aren't very good at giving me the hook when they should. I'm constantly pitching beyond when I should be, unless I give up runs or load the bases or something.

Quick counts in franchise are going to be a god-send. Even though I sim a good deal of my games, I still don't get past five or six years because I like to play my minor league games too. This will really help push me into seven to ten years for franchise before next year's game.

I feel like RTTS has always had trouble with various AI managing aspects, much like many other single player "Career" modes in sports games. I usually just move onto franchise eventually, and doubt I'll play with quick counts this year. Having played baseball and been a huge fan all my life; I don't want to take the bat out of my hands and in my case leave out my best weapon, pitching.

I was honestly in the same boat, feeling like quick counts would detract from my overall experience... but after playing a couple of games with it on during spring training of my Rangers franchise, I found that it actually created a more realistic feel to the game. I mean, it sucks when you only get one pitch in an at-bat, whether you're hitting or pitching, but the pitch counts are more accurate than when I play a full game through... the counts themselves are more reminiscent of real-life as well.

I found that, in previous years with The Show, I would have to watch good pitches sail by just to keep the pitch total up for the other team. No matter what I did with the sliders, the ball to strike ratio for AI pitchers was just way out of whack.

Another thing I'm really digging is the Dynamic Difficulty. I want my team to perform like they should, obviously with some positives or negatives based on my user-play... whereas again, in previous years, I found that I could turn a team with terrible hitters into a run-scoring machine, or take a team of sub-par pitchers and finish my season in the top ten in lowest ERA. And again, it didn't matter what sliders I used, because something was always off. Dynamic Difficulty feels like that won't happen. I'm blowing out pitchers who are way over-matched, and I'm struggling when I try to force a sub-par pitcher to dominate.

Well put, I'll definitely have to try it out then. As I love to play full-fledged dynasty modes with multiple seasons preferably, this is tough in baseball. The fact you can player lock say just the pitcher is interesting as well, as someone who has been better at pitching in comparison to batting in The Show.

Dynamic Difficulty sounds cool as well, didn't really read into the feature much at first. Just assumed it was more of a "user profile" based slider tweak that most games offer and fail with, much like their out of the box sliders for all difficulties.

Looking forward to Monday more and more every day, regretting not just purchasing it via digital download.