Is There A Good Way To Avoid Pickoffs (VS CPU)?

[DeathJohnson]

I'm trying to get the hang of stealing the way it is since it's been basically castrated compared to the effectiveness it previously had. And I'm getting a little bit better at it, very slightly, it still results in an out about 75% of the time I decide to try to steal.

The big problem is CPU pickoffs now to me. It seems like with stealing how it is now, getting an extra step lead is crucial to trying to steal unless you're using one of the top couple baserunners in the game. If I try to take that extra step lead with anyone that has speed that can even vaguely be considered a threat, they'll attempt a pickoff about 80% of the time though, and of those, about half of their attempts are successful in getting the runner out (sometimes on a close play where the runner is just a bit slow to react, and other times the runner basically just stands there as it's happening). Is there a way to manually avoid being picked off with that extra step lead? I know in RTTS you can lean back towards the base and their pickoffs will almost never work unless you're taking 2 extra steps or more, but when controlling a whole team it seems like you don't have control over when and if the baserunner returns to the base.

I'm in Diamond Dynasty against the CPU so I can't lower the pickoff slider to something more realistic either.

Should I just accept that any method of attempting to steal second with anyone besides Billy Hamilton is as good as giving away outs? Honestly, if it weren't for the career mission for stealing 300 bases with a pretty good reward, I would have given up stealing altogether on the first day playing the game after that patch.

[BegBy]

I'm not sure how or why, but playing against the cpu I always either get picked off once a game (my guy just stands there and dives back too late) or while attempting a pick my guy starts running to second base. It's absolutely pathetic. Literally every single game, assuming I get on base.

I cannot avoid it. There's absolutely no way for me to not have it happen. What's worse is I have never once picked a cpu runner off, and I assume I never will. I'm 0 for like 3-400, which is not in any way an exaggeration. I also assume I'll never get his man running while I attempt a pick either.

It's a really lame aspect. Huge realism crusher for me. I've shut off games recently because of it, and it's predictability.

[jada855]

DeathJohnson,

It sound's like you are playing with full team control. However if you are playing using Player Lock. I usually hold the the left stick (so that the base indicator in the top right corner is red) that way if the CPU decides to throw over to 1st base it will dive back early enough.

It's a slight cheat method but I have also tried this without holding the left stick and using natural reflex to push the stick back toward the base. I have had no success with this even though there are times when I feel I am safe. I still get called out. I do still manage to steal bases without leading off. And when I do lead off it's from second base not first. The CPU tends to throw over to first base a lot more.

Hope that helps!


Begby,

I have to say you are correct for trying to pick off a CPU runner. I play a player lock SS and have not called for a successful pick off move as a SS since 2014 LOL! The controls are also incorrect in the help screen. So for anyone who want's to know you (Hold L2 and Press the triangle button and your man will sprint towards the bag) I even tried it on purpose with having Chris Carter leading off of second to see if that would change the outcome no go!

You are right that is just one of the many core fundamentals I wish were established in this game's previous years even though there were some decent improvement's to MLB 17 a lot of basic offense and defense fundamental's are still left to be desired. I still think the seasonal lighting and shadows is one of the games best feature's really smart idea!

[Bunselpower32]

Quote: Originally Posted by BegBy

I'm not sure how or why, but playing against the cpu I always either get picked off once a game (my guy just stands there and dives back too late) or while attempting a pick my guy starts running to second base. It's absolutely pathetic. Literally every single game, assuming I get on base. I cannot avoid it. There's absolutely no way for me to not have it happen. What's worse is I have never once picked a cpu runner off, and I assume I never will. I'm 0 for like 3-400, which is not in any way an exaggeration. I also assume I'll never get his man running while I attempt a pick either. It's a really lame aspect. Huge realism crusher for me. I've shut off games recently because of it, and it's predictability.

The thing that kills me is it's just a dice roll. Taking one extra step will result in no less than 3 immediate pick off attempts. The CPU is just rolling the dice to see if I get picked. There's no downside for them, since they have never thrown the ball away yet.

Another thing is good baserunners getting picked off on the second or third throw. Anyone knows that unless you're leaning, a decent baserunner, once he sees the move once, will never get picked off.

Lou Brock once said dummy pick off moves are stupid, because you just showed me your pick off move in slow motion.

[TripleCrown]

it was supposed to be a cat & mouse game and it's just not.

Think if they set it to one step or 1 foot lead increment every time L1 is pressed it would create that wanted effect

[jada855]

@TripleCrown

YIKES you nailed it! I was thinking this the other day as I was playing. The ability to have smaller individual steps to gain the lead would be paramount in this case and would definitely enhance the so called cat and mouse game.

It's funny though because after stealing a base I get the show track data and it shows that I had a lead off xxx number and its always different. In my mind I am thinking every player in this game leads off the same way! But what you mentioned would definitely help make sense of those show track numbers!

Maybe it will happen over the next couple of years! Overall base running game just needs to be completely re-done!

[DeathJohnson]

I guess they must have made the CPU pickoffs work most of the time because it was the laziest way they could think of to fix this old problem. Pickoffs have been a problem for years, it's just a different way than it used to be.

This was MLB 14:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0U-gS8Xh20

I guess compared to that, getting picked off in one or two throws over every time is a slight improvement.

[Roscosuper]

As far as picking off the cpu, I've had some success with throwing the ball when the base runner is "doing something". That is to say he "touches his helmet, adjusts his pants, looks away or down, shifts his weight, etc."


It definitely doesn't always work, but I have gotten a few using that method.