When it comes to improving your skills at the plate in MLB The Show 23, there’s unfortunately no magic potion you can drink to make you a more formidable hitter. That means the only way to make yourself more dangerous with a bat in your hands is through spending plenty of time in that batter’s box seeing a variety of pitches. Whether you’re struggling to lay off sliders just outside the zone or having difficulty catching up to high fastballs on higher difficulties, there’s no substitute for the tried-and-true method of practice making perfect. By refining your tactics and altering your approach at the plate, you can break out of even the worst hitting slumps in a hurry.
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To that end, here are a few helpful tips that could point you in the right direction and potentially lead to the kind of breakthrough that will have your offense keeping the scoreboard operator busy before you know it.
5 Tips To Improve Your Hitting In MLB The Show 23
Adjust Analog Stick Grip
If you want to have the most control over the results of your swings, it’s imperative that you’re using zone hitting (rather than directional or timing), which comes with a plate coverage indicator that you’ll need to use to track and square up the ball as it comes at you. The trouble with controlling this PCI is that there’s a tendency to jam it too hard in one direction with your thumb as a pitch approaches. If this is something you’re struggling with, try changing up how you grip the analog stick.
Some people have a lot of success with a “claw” method where you hold the analog stick between your thumb and index finger. I personally try to keep the analog stick in the crook of the knuckle on my thumb, as it tends to minimize any sudden movements and allows me to move the PCI around within the strike zone without flying too far from my target.
Change Camera Angle
Sometimes all it takes to get the bat going is a change in perspective, so it’s a good idea to play around with the many camera angle options the game offers until you find one that feels comfortable. Whether you prefer a wider view to track the ball out of a pitcher’s hand or a more zoomed-in vantage point to get closer to the action, you’ll likely find that there’s one angle above all the others that allows you to track the ball the best.
The wider looks may offer you a better chance at quickly identifying pitches that are too high or low while closer angles can put you more in the POV of the batter as the ball approaches. The only way to learn what works best for you is with some trial and error and games vs the CPU (or Diamond Dynasty moments) provide some of the best testing grounds.
Move PCI While Awaiting Pitch
Once you’ve found a way to grip the analog stick in a way that allows you to make those fine movements with the PCI that you want, it can also help to start bouncing the PCI around the zone before the pitch is even thrown. This gives you an opportunity to practice sending the PCI in every direction that it could possibly need to move once the pitch is thrown. It’s good to concentrate on how it feels to get the PCI to the edges of each part of the strike zone so it will be easier to replicate these movements once the ball is headed your way.
As there’s that natural tendency to want to push the PCI too far in any direction, also try to work on subtly moving it around the center of the zone because those are the kinds of pitches you’ll be able to hit the hardest.
Use Practice Mode
In those inevitable moments when you’re getting frustrated and can’t seem to connect with any pitches, it can be immensely helpful to jump into practice mode and get some time at the plate without the pressures of game situations. You might want to also consider going up against a formidable pitcher who will be sure to offer you a considerable challenge (think someone like Clayton Kershaw or Gerrit Cole). If you want to really test your mettle, try increasing the difficulty from whatever you’ve grown accustomed to using.
All of these practice tactics will go a long way in ensuring that hitting won’t seem quite as hard when you do go back to playing games against the CPU or others online. Making practice a little more demanding can function a bit like throwing you into the deep end of a pool or using weights on your bat when you’re in the on-deck circle.
Experiment With PCI Display And Anchors
The visuals for the PCI have come a long way over the years in MLB The Show and now there are more ways than ever to customize how you want it to look. Some people might prefer to have as many parts to the PCI as possible, with the option of including outer, inner, and center components. You can also choose from different options like diamonds and starfighter for the center and inner parts of PCI and even adjust how transparent you would prefer it to be. The newest option in MLB The Show 23 for the PCI is the ability to have it finally appear in the shape of a bat, which can assist in having you line up the ball with the barrel of the bat for best results.
Of course, if you’re someone who would rather not have the screen cluttered too much with your PCI, you can always strip it back so you only have the center of the PCI showing or perhaps even none at all if you’re really looking for a challenge. It can also be helpful to make use of the game’s new PCI anchors that will start your PCI where you like it in the zone, which will make it easier if you’re struggling to get your bat to certain areas or if a pitcher is being predictable with his location.
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