My standard for playing curve pitch is I mostly use the outside curveball. Curveballs have 2 curve stages, the initial curve which happens when pitcher releases the ball, and then a secondary curve which occurs when you push left or right on the control pad when the ball is in flight.
My mainstay is curveballs either off the outside corner or curving them back towards the plate in order to catch the outside corner for a strike. Then i mix in inside curves, fastballs and bloojes (sinkers) in order to keep hitters from sitting on the outside pitch.
Any thoughts on this strategy? Any differing pitching strategies?
I'll just copy from another post:
On the other hand as a pitcher you try to stay away from any noticable pattern. I've thrown three inside or three outside pitches in a row. Some might be over the plate, some maybe not. My favorite is throwing a pitch not over the plate that is a swinging strike. Then come back with the same pitch on the corner. I try to give good pitches to hitters that won't hurt me. This way hopefully they swing at the first pitch & I save endurance. I save the FBs & SIs (sinkers) for the Strawberrys & Jacksons. At times I've thrown three straight sinkers to get these guys, but usually I wait until 2 strikes to start using the FB & SI.
M.K.
IMO, pitching in Ribbie is much like pitching in "live" baseball in that the most important aspect is keeping the hitter guessing. a close second, of course, would be having the ability to throw all pitches for strikes in any situation (regardless of count).
some personal strategies...
from the Frank Anderson school of pitching, I always try to stay ahead in the count. I feel most of the bombs I give up are a result of getting behind in the count and having to make a pitch that I might not want to make. (also from the F Anderson school of pitching...working quickly. I feel this is highly effective if you're in zone of mowing guys down...especially effective is you've continually got hitters off balance)
sort of tying into the point above, I never hesitate to pitch around a guy, depending on situation. If I fall behind in a count to a "big bat" (3-1 or 2-0), chances are I'm going to try to get the hitter to chase something out of the zone. If they do, gravy...if not, a BB is much better than a HR.
another basic tenet in my pitching strategy...if I have more than a 3 run lead (which is rare in any RBI game played in the Texas Ribbie League), you've gotta go right at guys. no sense in wasting pitches if you've got a lead. of course, sitations will always need to evaluated on a situational level, but I'm more likely to "come right at" Reggie Jackson, Daryl Strawberry or Kirk Gibson if I've got a lead.
RE: the different types of curves.
I will mix this up quite a bit...but, the most common pitch I will throw is immediately curving for the outside corner (throwing from the opposite extreme on the mound) -- basically a hard slider -- and perhaps bending it back to catch the outside corner ("bending it back" being a pitch that is actually impossible to throw). I think the power pitchers (Dr. K, Roger) are the best guys to throw the hard slider with, whereas guys like Ojeda, Tudor and Reuschel seem to have the nastiest "bendback" action.
"the late curve" -- basically a slider that breaks later than the pitch described above. I find this pitch works best when you've got a righty/righty or lefty/lefty matchup and you've been able to "sneak a few by" on the inside corner. if the batter is sitting on an inside pitch, I will mix this pitch in. the "nastier" pitchers certainly have an advantage over the "hard throwers" on this pitch.
"the reverse curve" -- essentially the "bendback" described above, but without the initial "slider curve". much like "the late curve" described above, I love this pitch in the righty/right or lefty/lefty matchup. best way to work the inside of the plate.
fastball -- I usually only throw a fast ball 2 or 3 times a game. usually in on the hands of a less proficient batter. I think of the fastball as kind of like a "reverse change" when compared with actual baseball. if you can throw a pitch at 97 when the hitter is looking for 87, chances are you'll throw it past him or at least get a "less than perfect" cut out of him.
sinker/knuckle -- I probably throw this pitch 5 to 7 times a game, usually with a 2 strike count. I rarely throw this pitch in the zone as you just don't know whether or not it will "sink". this is probably my favorite "out" pitch with Bobby Ojeda... I will throw this pitch to righties, starting it outide and then breaking it off the plate at the last second. again, usually just throw this pitch in an attempt to get the hitter to chase when I have a pitch to waste.
The thing with curveball pitching, as we all know, is whether or not your pitcher is capable. Different pitchers will throw differentcurveballs.
Puss-ball throwers like Tudor or Ojeda have two or sometimes even three breaks on their pitches. The Doctor and Roger throw hard sliders and nothing else.
The best changeup in the game is definitely a fastball, especially in the later innings if you've saved enough energy. There's nothing better than the Doctor surprising someone with 97 mph in the seventh inning and watching them flail uselessly. Always good stuff.
Another question tied into this whole pitching strategy: if you're pitching well but slowing down, do you always take out your pitcher or do you go old school and finish what you started. I have the record for complete games in Phoenix. On any given night of drunken RBI I'll go the distance in 3 out of 5 games. It's very effective because the batter has a hard time adjusting if you adjust right and it also very frustrating when the 8th and 9th innings roll around.
fkn -- couldn't agree more on having gas left in the tank late in the innings. It's one thing to crank up the gas with Berenger or King out of the pen...it's a completely different deal to throw 97 with Nolan in the 7th inning.
to me, the CG is one of the most impressive achievments in the game. I myself have only a handful to my credit. of course...I've typically got a "Jimy Williams-esque" quick hook. even if I've got a no-no going in the 6th with my starter, I'll typically sit him down in favor of a fresh arm. My main competitor here in Austin, JFreed, is more likely to go the distance with his starter.
congrats on your abilities to finish the games out with your SP's...very impressive.
Yup, my main competitor doesn't understand saving your pitcher. Which is why I usually score a bunch of runs in the 4th-6th innings. I try to make it worse by taking as many pitches as possible early on & intentionally fouling as many pitches as possible with my pitcher.
Mike
It's definitely fun to mess with your adversary by hacking foul balls like crazy. I try not to do it with anyone but my pitcher. He's almost guaranteed to make an out so you can afford to waste as many swings as you want.
If a guy does hit more than three foul balls in a row and I know he's doing it on purpose I'll tell him to crowd the plate. Then I'll drill him with a wicked changeup. You can't give him the satisfaction and you can't afford to waste pitches. Like I said before, you've got to finish what you started.
I love the pure heat/late curve towards the hands first pitch strike 2-3 times per game to get a quick pop up or ground out.
Great talking RBI pitching!
Anyone with a dsl/cable connection (I do to) please feel free to email me for some great games, I miss the human competition.
vegetariansoul@yahoo.com
I particularly like the Mame Atari RBI played online with Kaillera. Super fun with those old teams. Love the regular too, cannot beat the "Rob Wilfong Theory." a.k.a. - "pinch hitter theory."
;-)