MLB The Show 17 is a daunting game. It’s a simulation of baseball like no other. Inside that simulation is a suite of options and tools you may not always think about when you get into the repetition of playing game after game in your franchise or Diamond Dynasty. However, these tools can lead to you becoming a true master. Here are five things you need to master in MLB The Show 17.
Five Things You Need to Master
So let’s take a look at five things you need to master:
5. Mixing up Your Pitch Delivery and Time to Plate
Once a runner is on base, your opponent is looking for anything they can to get a jump on you to steal a base. So you have to get comfortable throwing from the stretch while also changing up the time it takes for you to throw to the plate. As a result keeping the base runner on their heels and if done successfully you will be gunning down runners consistently because you’ve thrown their timing all off.
4. Bullpen Management
Towards the end of the game working the platoon splits can become your best friend. If you look at their lineup and you see your opponent has a power lefty who struggles vs lefties wedged between 2 so-so right-handed hitters coming up. Your best bet is to warm up that lefty specialist to neutralized their biggest threat. Or you run across the guy who has 4 straight righties or preferably lefties in a row coming up in the lineup. That could cause major trouble for them in the 8th or 9th innings if you plan accordingly.
3. Opposite Field Hitting
Learning how to hit to the opposite field, at the same time can fix a mistake many hitters have at the plate in trying to pull everything. This is why sliders low and away are so popular in righty vs righty and lefty and lefty matchups. Because it takes advantage of guys tendencies to want to get a jump on the ball and pull everything and not let the ball travel deep in the strike zone to take it the other way. My best advice is to assume everything is going to be outside, so you’re prepared for it and can adjust your timing shall the pitch end up there and if they throw a high inside fastball you can speed up your swing.
Instead of expecting an inside fastball like many do, and they throw a changeup away since your timing is already sped up thinking fastball your vulnerable to the outside pitch and If somebody can tell all you want to hit is inside pitches down the line, you’re in trouble….An easy way to tell if your timing is improving on pitches towards the outside part of the plate is if the ball is still being hit towards your batting side, the more you can take outside pitches the other way the better hitter you become.
2. Pick-Offs
While pick-offs don’t really happen much in real baseball, unless you were Andy Pettitte, throwing over to the bases to keep someone close can be invaluable. And controlling the running game in MLB The Show 17 can pay off in a big way. If you let a runner with decenter speed get that extra step, there is a good chance he’s going to easily pick up a stolen base.
1. Power Swing
While the power swing is not something you want to abuse, as you’re voluntarily shrinking your PCI when you really don’t need to yet, there are certainly situations in the game and counts (where you’re expecting a fastball for example) where a power swing is necessary over a normal or contact one. The key is to use it with the right hitter at the proper time to give yourself the best chance of sending one over the fence.
One example is if your power hitter has a first pitch hitter player quirk, it wouldn’t hurt if you see something you like to swing for the fences on the first pitch. Also towards the end of the game and it’s tied or you’re down by a run or two. Playing small benefit starts to work against you, so If you have a player with a high-power rating you can start to let it rip on any pitch in the zone. It could be the difference between a crushing defeat or a slow jog around the bases
So there are five things you need to master in MLB The Show 17.
Becoming a master at any game is huge task, and accomplishing that feat in this game is something in which you can take pride. I hope these tips can help send you down that path. And stay tuned for more MLB tips here at Sports Gamers Online, so check back here daily!
Is there anything that I’m forgetting about MLB The Show 17? As always, let us know in the comment section.