Now I remember why I had avoided playing online!

[jon1960ca]

Email I just sent to the commish of a league I recently joined.

Keep in mind that I am a 48 year old, business professional, married father of 4, ex -pro baseball player and a LONG time "sim-style" gamer. I have enjoyed MLB primarily for its MOM mode, but decided to try online this season as well. I have joined several leagues this year and they are all just getting going.

"Okay, you can drop me from this league, please.

Man, I thought you were going to have grownup, mature people play this league.

My FIRST GAME: vrs Mets (player name: ALLSTAR)

Quick pitches to keep you from stealing
Bunts, with 2 strikes, with LITERALLY every player, including CARLOS DELAGADO????

I suspect he paused while I was pitching on 3 ball counts 5 times...

But, EVEN AFTER ALL THAT< I am STILL winning 6-4 in the top of the 10th. He had just thrown a wild pitch to try and foil a squeeze I laid down with Tony Abreu, a true bunter. Wild pitched in the run, then gave up a single to Abreu to put me up by 2.

Broxton came up. We both had pretty used up the 5 minute timer, but, knowing he would not take the forfeit, when Broxton came up, OBVIOUS pinch hit situation since he had already pitched 1 2/3 and I had saito warming up, I try to pause to get a ph in. HE Quick pitches for strike one to Broxton. Then after that quick pitch, I paused..and he took the forfeit.

In IM, I ask him why would he do that, KNOWING I wanted to ph, and he calls me a cheese player for pausing and for "NOT THROWING ENOUGH STRIKES"!!!!????

So he took the forfeit because he thought my pitching was "cheese". He had 14 hits! he was stealing bases with RAMON CASTRO and JOHAN SANTANA!!! he had 7 bunt hits, including one with david wright! But I am the cheeser because I wont throw the ball down the middle???

So, if this is the type of guy in this league, count me out. Sorry man, but I wanted to play with grownups.

take care."

Now, if not throwing enough strikes, and yet not walking anyone, is cheese?? I mean, am I supposed to "lay it in" to the batter? Why not swing at strikes or go with a contact swing so that you can check-swing sometime instead of taking a power swing on EVERY PITCH YOU SWING AT???


Anyway, one less league to worry about.

[nemesis04]

Whew, when I saw this title I was like he could not be talking about our game, lol!

[jon1960ca]

LOL...No Nem, playing you was a true pleasure. Excellent game, played like..well..like sim-style baseball.

I think our Wheelhouse league group has some true and soild gamers.

[DEFTFUNDAMENTALZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by jon1960ca

Email I just sent to the commish of a league I recently joined. Keep in mind that I am a 48 year old, business professional, married father of 4, ex -pro baseball player and a LONG time "sim-style" gamer. I have enjoyed MLB primarily for its MOM mode, but decided to try online this season as well. I have joined several leagues this year and they are all just getting going. "Okay, you can drop me from this league, please. Man, I thought you were going to have grownup, mature people play this league. My FIRST GAME: vrs Mets (player name: ALLSTAR) Quick pitches to keep you from stealing Bunts, with 2 strikes, with LITERALLY every player, including CARLOS DELAGADO???? I suspect he paused while I was pitching on 3 ball counts 5 times... But, EVEN AFTER ALL THAT< I am STILL winning 6-4 in the top of the 10th. He had just thrown a wild pitch to try and foil a squeeze I laid down with Tony Abreu, a true bunter. Wild pitched in the run, then gave up a single to Abreu to put me up by 2. Broxton came up. We both had pretty used up the 5 minute timer, but, knowing he would not take the forfeit, when Broxton came up, OBVIOUS pinch hit situation since he had already pitched 1 2/3 and I had saito warming up, I try to pause to get a ph in. HE Quick pitches for strike one to Broxton. Then after that quick pitch, I paused..and he took the forfeit. In IM, I ask him why would he do that, KNOWING I wanted to ph, and he calls me a cheese player for pausing and for "NOT THROWING ENOUGH STRIKES"!!!!???? So he took the forfeit because he thought my pitching was "cheese". He had 14 hits! he was stealing bases with RAMON CASTRO and JOHAN SANTANA!!! he had 7 bunt hits, including one with david wright! But I am the cheeser because I wont throw the ball down the middle??? So, if this is the type of guy in this league, count me out. Sorry man, but I wanted to play with grownups. take care." Now, if not throwing enough strikes, and yet not walking anyone, is cheese?? I mean, am I supposed to "lay it in" to the batter? Why not swing at strikes or go with a contact swing so that you can check-swing sometime instead of taking a power swing on EVERY PITCH YOU SWING AT??? Anyway, one less league to worry about.

I feel you too man. I am 33, and I hardly every play online anymore for this very reason. The Wheelhouse Gang seems to be the best league there is. A shame I couldn't play in the league because of my schedule change. Hopefully, I can shoot for next year. Good luck in this league. Win it for us old guys!

[Oldschool17]

Quote: Originally Posted by jon1960ca

Email I just sent to the commish of a league I recently joined. Keep in mind that I am a 48 year old, business professional, married father of 4, ex -pro baseball player and a LONG time "sim-style" gamer. I have enjoyed MLB primarily for its MOM mode, but decided to try online this season as well. I have joined several leagues this year and they are all just getting going. "Okay, you can drop me from this league, please. Man, I thought you were going to have grownup, mature people play this league. My FIRST GAME: vrs Mets (player name: ALLSTAR) Quick pitches to keep you from stealing Bunts, with 2 strikes, with LITERALLY every player, including CARLOS DELAGADO???? I suspect he paused while I was pitching on 3 ball counts 5 times... But, EVEN AFTER ALL THAT< I am STILL winning 6-4 in the top of the 10th. He had just thrown a wild pitch to try and foil a squeeze I laid down with Tony Abreu, a true bunter. Wild pitched in the run, then gave up a single to Abreu to put me up by 2. Broxton came up. We both had pretty used up the 5 minute timer, but, knowing he would not take the forfeit, when Broxton came up, OBVIOUS pinch hit situation since he had already pitched 1 2/3 and I had saito warming up, I try to pause to get a ph in. HE Quick pitches for strike one to Broxton. Then after that quick pitch, I paused..and he took the forfeit. In IM, I ask him why would he do that, KNOWING I wanted to ph, and he calls me a cheese player for pausing and for "NOT THROWING ENOUGH STRIKES"!!!!???? So he took the forfeit because he thought my pitching was "cheese". He had 14 hits! he was stealing bases with RAMON CASTRO and JOHAN SANTANA!!! he had 7 bunt hits, including one with david wright! But I am the cheeser because I wont throw the ball down the middle??? So, if this is the type of guy in this league, count me out. Sorry man, but I wanted to play with grownups. take care." Now, if not throwing enough strikes, and yet not walking anyone, is cheese?? I mean, am I supposed to "lay it in" to the batter? Why not swing at strikes or go with a contact swing so that you can check-swing sometime instead of taking a power swing on EVERY PITCH YOU SWING AT??? Anyway, one less league to worry about.

In all fairness Allstar complained equally about you Mr. 48 yr old businessman, father of 4 ex-pro player...

Its easy to come on a board and whine...I actually know AllStar and while I agree that some of the bunting was likely excessive I think you both did some things to irk each other. Good luck in your other leagues.

BTW..I'm as old, and as professional...But then again..what difference does any of that make?...Nobody cares about your personal life and it definitely doesn't lend any legitimacy to your story...Thanks for sharing though

We can get a game anytime because I keeps it real

[Oldschool17]

The game itself has a few annoying flaws that many players take advantage of:

1. Too easy to steal - This could be remedied by making players manually go back to bases when leading off instead of the cpu doing it.

* I personally don't try to steal with every damn player...If he's a bonafide speed burner or if my opponent is throwing alot of off speed I may be more prone to steal...Otherwise I try hit and run or just moving baserunners in the traditional manner.

2. Too easy to bunt and weird camera angles making it difficult to know who's in the best position to react to a bunt.

***I only bunt in squeeze situations or to throw my opponent off if I think he's unprepared for it...But not umteen times

3. Too many pass balls...Just far too many of them

* Great feature to eliminate balls being pitched way outta the zone but IMO still a little over done when there are times that Online play makes it impossible to hit the meter with runners on base***

4. Slow animations...Many bunts and other plays should be more snap throws instead of long drawn out animations

5. Holding down the R2 and leading off is Garbage...

Quick Pitching sucks and its a rule in my league but I'll be damn if you almost have to do it because every damn player can steal on this game...Even when you throw over to first thats not enough because after a certain point the game will not let you do that anymore and your screwed...forced to pitch out...Stealing a base should be more risky in this game

Overall ONLINE Play and the League feature is crap in this game...Choppy, unreliable online play and a league feature that is awkward simply leaves online as almost an after thought in this game.

An inability to play a flex schedule kills most league play...The Ps3 microphone issue is stupid..because alot of times being able to communicate eliminates all the little problems guys have on games..Half the damn time I don't know if my mic is on or off on this game...Its simply awkward. When will ANY game truly commit to ONLINE???

[avad]

Quote: Originally Posted by Oldschool17

The game itself has a few annoying flaws that many players take advantage of: 1. Too easy to steal - This could be remedied by making players manually go back to bases when leading off instead of the cpu doing it. * I personally don't try to steal with every damn player...If he's a bonafide speed burner or if my opponent is throwing alot of off speed I may be more prone to steal...Otherwise I try hit and run or just moving baserunners in the traditional manner. 2. Too easy to bunt and weird camera angles making it difficult to know who's in the best position to react to a bunt. ***I only bunt in squeeze situations or to throw my opponent off if I think he's unprepared for it...But not umteen times 3. Too many pass balls...Just far too many of them * Great feature to eliminate balls being pitched way outta the zone but IMO still a little over done when there are times that Online play makes it impossible to hit the meter with runners on base*** 4. Slow animations...Many bunts and other plays should be more snap throws instead of long drawn out animations 5. Holding down the R2 and leading off is Garbage... Quick Pitching sucks and its a rule in my league but I'll be damn if you almost have to do it because every damn player can steal on this game...Even when you throw over to first thats not enough because after a certain point the game will not let you do that anymore and your screwed...forced to pitch out...Stealing a base should be more risky in this game Overall ONLINE Play and the League feature is crap in this game...Choppy, unreliable online play and a league feature that is awkward simply leaves online as almost an after thought in this game. An inability to play a flex schedule kills most league play...The Ps3 microphone issue is stupid..because alot of times being able to communicate eliminates all the little problems guys have on games..Half the damn time I don't know if my mic is on or off on this game...Its simply awkward. When will ANY game truly commit to ONLINE???

For the record, I would not like to play you...so what's different than stealing on every pitch and "hitting and running" on every pitch. What happens if you swing and miss? does that legitimize your cheap steal.
Until they fix the stealing aspect of the game, I for one will not use it...and when someone excessively uses it against me, i simply ignore them after the game. I took a 17-6 (i think) loss to a guy using the Mets and he stole with Schneider twice and Santana and was running on every pitch or hitting and running, which is no different given the ease of it. He was also bunting with both Beltran and Delgado in the ninth...up by 10...it took a lot of patience to finish the game... to not get a quit on my record...i already have three of those for other circumstances (mainly being 27 and married)
I think the past balls are great...i stay in the zone as much as possible, but when I throw a hook in the dirt...i know i'm gambling with danger...i like that.

[Skyboxer]

The people aren't my problem...

I think I've reached the point where online is a thing of the past to me but I simply can't hit online, period. I'm sure (Those who have played me notice) I look like an idiot a lot of swings. That's because I have to swing as soon as the pitcher releases the ball or It's either by me or I'm way late. So when a offspeed pitch is thrown I'm way way way in front. Makes the waiting for "your pitch" and pitcher batter duels useless and it's more of a "pot luck" game for me. Maybe I'm just getting old....

[avad]

Quote: Originally Posted by Skyboxer

The people aren't my problem... I think I've reached the point where online is a thing of the past to me but I simply can't hit online, period. I'm sure (Those who have played me notice) I look like an idiot a lot of swings. That's because I have to swing as soon as the pitcher releases the ball or It's either by me or I'm way late. So when a offspeed pitch is thrown I'm way way way in front. Makes the waiting for "your pitch" and pitcher batter duels useless and it's more of a "pot luck" game for me. Maybe I'm just getting old....

That's funny, I was just thinking that it's too hard to get people to swing and miss. I wish they toned down the foul ball rate like 10-20% online so when I fool someone with a change or a fastball they weren't expecting...i'd actually get a swing and a miss instead of an early or way late foul tip. I pitch to contact for the most part...i'm not looking to get 20K's every game. I enjoy the 5 pitch innings.... but every once in a while...i sure would like to get that swing and a miss on anything other than a fastball high out of the zone or a curveball in the dirt.

[The Management]

I hardly play ranked for this reason. I'd rather someone quit on me because they're losing than sit there for 9 innings playing with someone who uses cheap tactics. I hate quick pitchers.

On the other hand, I don't have a problem with people stealing bases. I wait for the computer to take the initial lead, then give a couple seconds to let the user get a lead. I'm not going to give away my strategies but it's actually a lot of fun shutting down the running game. If you do all the things a real pitcher does on the mound you can stop rampant base stealing and a decent clip.