MLB '09 The Show

[stoutdude04]

Are the online issues better yet? I haven't been able to play for awhile but the last few games I played it was extremely laggy and pretty much unplayable. I have a wired connection too.

 

It really helps if both people are using a wired connection. If someone is using wireless it can get really tiresome.

[Invader3K]

Played my first online game this afternoon. I don't know if I loved it or hated it. I was playing against this guy that was schooling me pretty well, but I only lost 3-1 (I managed a fluke Braun homer, but other than that I was flailing a lot). I felt like some little kid playing against his older brother, as he was doing all these cheap base running tricks (which I admittedly kept falling for).

 

It was somewhat fun, but didn't feel like I was playing a real baseball game, I guess you could say.

[stoutdude04]

Yea, I usually check out to see what their "ratings" are. Most of the time people rate legit and you can get a good idea if they play it fair or not. If you go to the game rooms and ask for a 'sim game'. You will get people who play the game the right way in most cases.

[Invader3K]

Thanks for the tip. Next time I'll try to scrutinize more instead of just blindly connecting to a game.

[stoutdude04]

Yea, its not alot of fun to play people who cheat.

[Gobias Industries]

I really, really struggle against RHP's with the Brewers righty dominated lineup. But when I face pretty much any lefty I go off. Just got done beating Hamels 11-2.

 

Also, for those that play online, what are the cheap baserunning tactics people use?

[DrugBust]

Be patient. Try playing the game without guess pitch a few times. You start to see how the ball is released from the hand. The only thing I play anymore is guess pitch off, whenever its on I am always guessing pitches and I swing at balls(when I choose the correct zone). Im hovering around hitting 300 online and its all because of patience. I look fastball and react off-speed. It works really well once you understand the movement each pitcher has.

 

I haven't played online yet. In fact I think I've only played one regular exhibition game. I'm only really trying to play through RTTS. I'm batting around .330 and my OBP is over .400. My biggest thing is the lack of good hits. It only seems like a reach base when I hit a texas leaguer or ground ball with eyes. Granted, my power rating isn't good, but can it be when I start as a CF and have to devote most of my points to vision, discipline and contact? I guess I'm just nit-picking. Like I said earlier, the depth on this game is ridiculous and it's world's beyond any other sports game I've ever played.

[DrugBust]

Ugh. Textbook example of what I'm talking about. Runner on 2nd in a tight game in the 7th. My goal was to drive the runner in. I got the count to 3-2 and was sitting dead read on a fastball down the middle. I get the pitch I'm looking for, the ball indicator telling me exactly where it's going to be. I use a power swing and I end up popping the ball up directly behind 2nd base. The next time up I look at the swing analysis. My eyes were locked in on where the ball was going to be, location was my wheelhouse and it said the swing was perfect. Yet for some reason I get a lousy pop up to 2nd. What the hell?

[nate82]

Ugh. Textbook example of what I'm talking about. Runner on 2nd in a tight game in the 7th. My goal was to drive the runner in. I got the count to 3-2 and was sitting dead read on a fastball down the middle. I get the pitch I'm looking for, the ball indicator telling me exactly where it's going to be. I use a power swing and I end up popping the ball up directly behind 2nd base. The next time up I look at the swing analysis. My eyes were locked in on where the ball was going to be, location was my wheelhouse and it said the swing was perfect. Yet for some reason I get a lousy pop up to 2nd. What the hell?

Use the normal swing.

[Invader3K]

In my experience the power swing has been borderline useless. Just doesn't seem like it does much.

[B2k1121]

Is everyone using the Left Stick when swinging? I seem to do better not using it at all, whenever I try to aim it I end up swinging at everything.

[DrugBust]

I always use it pre-delivery. I guess the pitch and location and if the location is revealed I slightly move the left stick that zone. I don't keep my thumb on stick, just enough to shift my focus towards that zone pre-pitch. It usually works quite well.

[TheBucketheadBrigader]

I haven't had a chance to pick up '09 yet (figured it would throw a major wrench in midterms) but I had '07 and '08. If some of you guys REALLY want a challenge, I found that I really enjoyed turning off ALL guides (strike zone, hot/cold zones, guess pitch) and hitting and pitching by feel alone. It may sound impossible, but it's a whole new game having to follow the ball out of the pitcher's hand, recognize breaking balls, and lay off change ups low (<--- perhaps the hardest thing to do). I always felt like those zones and guess pitch were a crutch, but learning how to feel the strike zone and hit or pitch without those on made the game even more entertaining. Also - for those struggling to hit, patience is the key. I made a promise to myself to never swing at the first pitch of an at bat. If I'm getting jumpy, I'll even wait to take the first strike before looking for something to hit. This will tire out the opposing pitcher and give you a feel for the pace and break of the pitches as well as what combinations he may use to set you up. This is easily the most cerebral sports game I've ever played, and I'm sure '09 has taken it even further.

[Invader3K]

Man, the problem I seem to be having the last few games I've played: I can't hit any home runs. I hit bombs that are caught on the warning track. And I lose games to the computer like 4-1 or 3-0, and the computer scores all their runs via the long ball. And I'm playing on veteran level. I don't get it. Also, my lack of clutch hitting is a problem, but that is just due to needing more practice, I guess.

[stoutdude04]

I haven't had a chance to pick up '09 yet (figured it would throw a major wrench in midterms) but I had '07 and '08. If some of you guys REALLY want a challenge, I found that I really enjoyed turning off ALL guides (strike zone, hot/cold zones, guess pitch) and hitting and pitching by feel alone. It may sound impossible, but it's a whole new game having to follow the ball out of the pitcher's hand, recognize breaking balls, and lay off change ups low (<--- perhaps the hardest thing to do).

Thats the only way I play online. Our league was set up like that but too many of my friends needed the strike zone. So we put that on. I agree with you, alot of fun. Once you can lay off those low changes and boarderline pitches you really start to tatoo some pitches. You work the pitch count and the guy is forced to throw strikes.

 

 

 

Also, I use the left stick everytime I swing. Im hitting about 300 online and my OPS was about 820 or so. Whenever I just leave it be I usually pop up or ground out. I usually swing and miss at pitches right down the middle because I just assume noone is going to pitch it there...heh.

[DrugBust]

I'm now batting .355 with an OB% in the .420's. I still haven't hit a home run but RTTS gets much easier the more you play. I have a surplus of training points to help me with challenges as they come up. This game is gonna dominate my weekend. Watch the Tourney online and play The Show.

[jordanmuehl]

I took the advice of many players in this thread and stopped using "Guess Pitch" altogether. I've found that I've gotten a lot better at holding off on swinging at the junk pitches. It's helped my play tremendously.

[Invader3K]

I started a new career in RTTS as a lefty pitcher, and I have to say this mode is much more fun as a pitcher. I like the point of view from the pitcher's mound. It's also nice to feel like I have some more control over the course of a game.

 

Minor nitpick: I hate how the buttons that correspond to each base change after the ball is in play. Like to make a pickoff throw to 1B while facing a batter, I press circle, but after fielding the ball I have to hit square to throw to 1B. Kind of weird. It's lead to me throwing the ball to the third baseman a couple times already.

 

Also, on a happier note, I'm giddy every time I hear the "you suck" jeer I recorded play in one of my rear surround sound speakers.

[RightFieldCoder]

I hate when the baserunning gets turned around. A sharp line drive to right when I'm on first, and pressing forward makes me dive back to 1st. I'm then forced out at second. Being a big lumbering fool catcher is as much fun on the bases in the game as they are in real life.

 

I played 3 games in RTTS this morning without guessing the pitch. I went 6-11 with a HR.

[Invader3K]

I think I need to stop guessing pitches when I'm hitting, and just focus on the ball as much as possible. I think the guess pitch thing just throws me off too much.

[PeaveyFury]

I guess fastball on every pitch without selecting a location, then react accordingly when it doesn't indicate a 4-seamer, knowing it'll be offspeed or breaking ball.

[patrickgpe]

That has been my theory for the last 3 years on that game. The problem is that I seem to still swing at alot of stuff outside of the strike zone.

[Invader3K]

I think the key is that if it looks like it's possibly going to be junk outside the zone, don't swing. You'll take some strikes that way, but it seems like only the elite hitters are able to get good hits on stuff outside the zone anyway.

[B2k1121]

I am having too much trouble using the left stick to aim my swing. I can't lay off pitches and I'm usually late on fastballs because I'm too worried about trying to move the cursor to the spot I think the ball is going. When I don't use the stick I draw a lot of walks and swing at good pitches, but I have completed a full year in RTTS as a SS and haven't hit a home run yet, and I basically only get singles. I'm Craig Counsell essentially. Maybe it gets easier once I get my power attributes up.

[RightFieldCoder]

I started as a C. IIRC, C's start with extra power. I would think SS would start with one of the lowest power ratings. I never move the left stick once the pitch is released. I set it to the lower half of the strikezone to compensate for the fact that I swing at pitches that are sometimes too low. Leave the left stick alone and only concentrate on the timing. I've only hit HRs because I got the swing perfect and the pitcher threw the ball into my bat zone.