The Official "How to Hit" Thread

[SheriffBooth]

Just like my "How to Pitch" thread, I want you guys to use this thread to post your hitting techniques, what your trying to do at the plate, how you pick out pitches, how you position your batter, etc.

For example, I get that on classic settings you just hit A to swing. Am I right that by pushing the left stick in a certain direction, just like with swing stick, you direct your hitting? Is there a way to control the power using classic style - you know, try to drop a single in front of the outfileders? So far I seem to be hitting a lot of hard grounders and liners to the infielders.

Also, I'm curious to hear about the batters eye and how folks use that effectively.

Looking forward to reading eveyone's tips about batting in 2k7...

[BronxBomber42]

classic hitting is straight forward , think MVP when using it.. its major draw back is that theres no official way to guide your hits with it , so your stuck with swining and wondering where the balls going to go.. this IMO makes classic hitting not worth using ...

but on to what u were asking yes using the left stick you can direct your hit in a way, you have to move the stick to where the ball is being pitched. SO for example a fast ball on the out side corner on a lefty is hit by moving the left stick to the left part of the strike zone either with a slight diagnal angle pointing up wards for a fly ball swing or just to the left to get a straight on hit or known as "going with the pitch"

[billynation]

I use Classic and on the PS3. Don't know if it is just luck, but when I bat and it is say a outside pitch, I push the left stick that way and if seems to help. I hit 3 HR online in a row moving the left stick to left field on a inside pitch. Again I have not read anything that says this helps, but it seems to help...

[UMhester4]

IMO I would try to practice with the swing stick because it actually feels like you are hitting. When you hit a ball up the middle you actually feel like you did it.

Aside from that, if you do decide to try out the swing stick, what you would do is pull the stick down as the pitcher is going to release the ball and when you decide to swing, let go of the stick for contact and push up for power. I usually always swing for contact because power swings usually end up as ground balls or pop flys. When I do decide to use power, it is only because I used the batters eye and saw the pitch will be in the strike zone. Then it's just a matter of timing the swing to hit the ball and it usually results in a gapper or homerun if it is timed correctly.

You can also decide whether to pull or slap the ball using both contact and power swings. For contact, pull the stick down and when you decide to swing you can roll the stick left and up or right and up (like if you're giving someone an uppercut on fight night round 3,) and that will help your chances on pulling or slapping the ball for contact. For power you pull down and then push up and to the right or up and to the left.

Next is taking pitches. Usually I will try and take the first pitch all the time unless I guess it with the batters eye and it is in the strike zone. If it isn't I will look to see if the ball is high or low. If low I don't swing unless I am behind in the count. If it looks high and over the plate I will swing away. It usually just takes practice to see what kind of pitches are going to be in the strike zone and what ones aren't. Also, if you are doing franchise mode or any season mode, it helps to look at the inside edge reports if you can. I just played a game and look at a report on a pitcher for the indians (can't remember which one) but the report said when he throws his sliders, they are usually thrown outside of the strike zone. So when I was in the game and I looked at the pitches he might throw at the current situation, it showed he would throw a slider 64% of the time which was higher than any other pitch at that moment, so I decided to take the pitch and it was a slider outside the zone for a ball. It won't happen that way all the time but it helps to look at the reports.


Hopefully this long post helped...my fingers are tired lol. Tell me how this works out for ya!

[OhMyBosh!]

^Nice tips dude...



A few ideas from me:


I roll with the swing stick. I may take some practice, but it just feels much more rewarding when you make a good hit, rather than just tapping a button.
I have found that you cant always direct your hits all the time. For example, if the ball is on the outside part of the plate, you probably shouldnt try and pull it... try and push the ball down the line when the ball is on the outside, and if the pitch is in, then you can either pull it or slice it the other way...

Obviously the height of the pitch determines the trajectory of the hit. If the pitch is at the top of the strike zone, you will have a tough time hitting a low grounder... and if the ball is low, you probably cant hit it deep...
As hester04 already said, get the Inside Edge reports on pitchers. It really helps alot. Not only do you get an idea of where he likes ot throw the ball, but what pitches he likes to throw at certain situations. Use that info along with just guessing to help you out with the batters eye... If the pitcher likes to throw low and away in a 3-2 count, then put the batter's eye there... If the pitch isnt going to end up there, then just look somewhere else in the plate... The batters eye just takes away some of the guesswork and limits the areas where the pitcher can throw without you knowing.

When you are playing with a faster player with less power and you see a pitch you like, dont always try and hit for the fences, because that will probably just lead to a deep fly ball. Just make a contact swing and you will probably at least get a single, or a gapper somehwere that you can turn into a double/triple.



Okay... Thats about it... hope that helps

anyhoo.... hope that helped...

[UMhester4]

thanks ohmybosh!, I appreciate it.

And the first paragraph in omybosh!'s post has great info also. When I first started I would try to pull the ball for homeruns every single pitch no matter what. When I learned to be patient and look for my pitch, learned to use the contact swing, and learned to "go with the pitch" (if it was outside go to the opposite field with it, if it was inside then pull it,) I became a much better player and the game was much, much more enjoyable than trying to jack homeruns everytime and getting frustrated when it didn't happen.

This obviously comes with practice and with these tips plus any more you can get you will be hitting great in no time.


P.S Tell us how you are coming along and if any of our tips helped at all!

[Harmon]

I've decided that I will from now on thank all of OhMyBosh's posts that doesn't seem or sound stupid.

But on a really serious note that was good help.