Now that everyone is in training for the up coming tournament I am curious to see how people approach the heart of an opponents lineup. This is not an attempt to get people to reveal their secrets to pitching but more of a discussion of general strategy.
As for me, I find that giving different looks to the heart of the order each time a go through the lineup is a good tactic. I like moving around the mound a lot, which in my mind makes the opponenet uneasy and always guessing. If I can get some hesistation in a batter, ususally I can get them out. My rule of thumb is to NEVER allow the heart of the lineup to get into a groove or rythmn. That spells certain death. So my pitching tip of the day is to utilize mound movement.
I always try to keep the ball on the outside because if its off the plate they can't hurt you. Batters can go yard on balls off the plate inside. Once you get the batters sitting on the outside pitch, thats the time to jam them inside.
I agree with Glenn. I stick with outside pitches. The good hitters will still knock some out, but the damage is limited. If there's two strikes, I'll throw a knuckleball too. Kinda cheap, but it has to be done.
the tom glavine style of pitching works against the likes of the mets, stros and cardinals... however, if you toss puss over the outside corner too much, teams with some pop are going to move up in the box, and rake your offering around the foul pole.
it is imperative that you keep hitters honest by throwing inside on occasion.
dont miss however, for a mistake will lead to fireworks.
So does anyone out there consistently throw inside? None of do in straight pitch, and it appears that way in curve as well...
Gantry I live on the inside of the plate when I pitch
I never move my pitcher and throw to either side but I love to pitch in.
I'm not a strike out pitcher I don't like to waste my pitcher, usually the batter hits the ball on the 2nd or 3rd pitch.
Soory Gpines, I have to disagree with you about the K's. Strikouts are always better than any type of contact. Besides, if you can utilize your staff (espically in combination with pitch hitters) you should have enough arms to last a full game. Too much contact, espically when your opponent knows he'll get somehting to swing at on the 2nd or 3rd pitch spells D.O.O.M.
I used to try to strike out every batter. It works good for a couple innings, but then they get tired too fast. With the one-starter rule that we use, its very important that your starting pitcher makes it at least 5, and striking out every batter won't work.
Personally, I'm not a strikeout pitcher. My friends and I only play "over the plate" anyway. SO it's kind of hard to get any k's. The games go too long if every batter goes deep into the count too.
I consistently use fastballs and sliders (screwballs to opposite handed batters) on the outside corner or just off the plate. I will occasionally use the knuckle, slider or cutter to come inside to an opposit handed batter. I always would get burnt trying to come inside to a same handed batter so I just stopped it altogether.
Hey sucka we play with only one-starter so we have to conserve our pitchers. Even when we use all our pitchers I don't like too many strikeouts expecially when no one's on base, if they somehow pop one out for a solo jack so be it, when guys are on base I might go for the strikeout and then they are used to swinging anyway I can throw something off the plate and they swing at it.
Check out our styles of play on my site:
http://rbichampion.com/gregs_rbi_site_010.htm
We enjoy playing the Strike-play method, combines curve-style and the occasional cock shot.
The strike play method sounds most solid, we'll have to get that a go. Adds an entirely new strategy to pitching...
Gpines...cool ass link. Under your settings, your right about not wanting the strikeout. I can see why you would really need to conserve. However, here in the SF Bay, we allow the utilization of the entire roster. We treat every game like its a game seven. I think it makes it more challegening by being able to throw in fresh arms. Plus it really shows who can hit and can't. I'll also agree with gantry about the one strike method. Its worth trying a couple of times. But for tournament play, I strongly feel that you should be able to use your entire roster every game.
My pitching is definitely cheap, but when you're playing for money or pride, anything goes. Can't give up anymore than that. Although those who have played me know I'm brutal.
SmokedUBad
www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales (http://www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales) - The Official R.B.I. Baseball COTUT
I'm really going to enjoy watching the wide variety of players at the RBI Tournament. There should be a whole range of playing styles. If you notice, most everyone on here thinks they are the best RBI player in the world... Much of this is because of the lack of exposure - most of us play the same 2-4 people, not knowing how the rest of the country plays. Should be very interesting...
pitching is an art...a chess match as me and t like to say...im with the gentleman who likes to mix it up....ive found that if you can mix things up, it helps...when your pitcher is fresh, you can dance around the outside corner and get the batter to swing at things that look like, but arent strikes....then you can move back and forth and rapid fire the ball...dont give the opponent time to think....the problems ive noticed is that hitters, especially good ones, crush outside pitching....wally joyner is the best outside hitter in the game....but most players have trouble hitting inside pitching...unless they are one of hte giant hitters....they will have a tough time going to the opposite field....sometimes, if the bases are empty, i like to challenge alot of hitters in the middle, especially when they arent expecting it, so they lay off or move back and foul one off or get a strike...sometimes you even get a ground out or something....but, to conclude this ramble, the key to pitching for me is not to waste pitches and to mix things up as much as possible....i too am excited to play against new competition in chicago....rbi forever....
I think we're all looking forward to seeing one anothers pitching style. I think everyone at the tournament will pick up new pointers from watching others play. These pointers should make everybody a better player. It's going to be extremely interesting when the nation's finest come face to face against one another in Chicago.
SmokedUBad
www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales (http://www.dee-nee.com/rbi/mbeales) - The Official R.B.I. Baseball COTUT
I play the over the plate rule too and have only heard of one other person playing this is there anybody else out there who does play it and if so could you offer me a few pitching tips...by the way darryl strawberry crushes outside pitches and has the best power to opposite filed.
i think that actually pitching to people is retarded, it is way to easy to strike people out and it makes the game no fun. me and my friends came up with some rules of our own. when we pitch they have to at least be over the plate, and u can throw slow balls but not with 2 strikes. i think it makes the game more challenging for the person in the field.
what r yer thoughts? and how do u guys normally play?