By no means am I a gamer of any sorts. Nor do I even own a game console for that matter. However, to be honest, back in the day, a large part of me was learning how to pitch from video games. It was my sophomore year in high school, the first season that I pitched seriously.  At the time I did have a Sega Genesis system. Old school indeed!

The video game that made it happen was World Series Baseball ‘95. This was one of the first video games that was real. It had all the stadiums and all the players for that year in the game.  For only 16 bit graphics, the game was actually very authentic. As I was mesmerized by the ability to place yourself virtually in every big league ball park, which was a huge novelty in the mid 1990s, I also applied the things that I have heard about pitching strategy. Kudos to the programmers who kept the game true to form.

I have played some of the more modern baseball video games sparingly. Although, the feeling for me, is totally overwhelming sometimes. Quite often, it doesn’t feel as realistic with the pitching. Nonetheless, the focus here is when I was 15-16 years old and playing until my thumbs were blistered up, as I was able to feel satisfied that I could carry something over to the real diamond.  This was a correlating mental and visualization training, which enabled myself to feel more comfortable on the mound.

Like all baseball video games, you can select the type of pitch and the location. In World Series Baseball 95, you could also select the speed of the pitch you chose…Fast, Medium, or Slow.  The game did allow you to throw a 55mph change up. When you could back it up with a fastball at 96, you could set the hitters ability at Ken Griffey Jr. status and you would still outright Dominate! WHO CAN PROTECT AGAINST THAT?!?!?!?

Here are some of the Video game tendencies that carry over to pitching live against hitters.

 

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Up & In, Down & Away

I touched on it in a previous post that when you are able to locate your fastball, you can get hitters out, even at very high levels of the game.  So why would it be any different in the digital space of baseball? Hats off to the the programmers who kept this vulnerability of hitters in tact. These are the original baseball nerds who understood timing, feel, tendencies, and weakness. AKA The Human Element.  As opposed to the stat geeks of today, who force decisions upon the entire baseball world, based on what the heartless computer says.

I digress…  

As in a real life situation on the mound.  When you can throw a fastball under the hitters hands and then follow it up by attacking the outside corner, you expand the zone and implode the hitter’s psyche.  The hitter already has to do the most work to hit the fastball located on the outside corner on the knees. Now add in that the pitch before he saw clearer because it was closer to his line of vision, although he had to keep in mind protecting his money makers….Still, he can only protect one side of the plate.  

 

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Hard In, Soft Away

This is similar to the previous point, just changing gears on the outer half of the plate.  Hard In, Soft Away is a scouting report that will get hitters out at all levels of baseball. Especially, when the pitch away is exploding out of the strike zone and eluding the barrel of the bat.  

Mix in a Brush Back Pitch, and even the hologram of the games best will be a bit weary about diving out over the plate the rest of the at bat.  One of the programmers had to have been a Don Drysdale fan.

 

 

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Getting Out Lefties

 

The man who I credit with teaching me the Slider also advised me, that you have to have a pitch that breaks away from all hitters. Righties and Lefties. The Slider took care of that when facing righties. How about when facing a lefty? Most notably, would be a good 2-Seamer and/or a change up.  As we talked about last week’s post, if you have both, throw them both off of each other. The video game will even feature a few screwball pitchers. Enjoy that freakshow of the pre Gyroball craze.

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Changing Speeds

The 55 mph change up was a great option in the video game. If only we could complement it with a 40 mph differential off the fastball in real life. If you can, I would love to see a video of that.  

Nonetheless, many young pitchers lack confidence in changing speeds. Once they start throwing softer, they may have fear in going back to the fastball. When you throw several offspeed/breaking pitching in a row, it is slowing down the bat of the hitter. Since the catcher has the best seat in the house for seeing all the things wrong with hitters, you have to trust him. You also need to trust your fastball at all times. World Series Baseball ’95 helped me realize that as you have the catcher’s view on all your pitches. You can even pick up on the hesitation to swing at the fastball.  Once again, hats off to the programmers.

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Changing Eye Levels

The more you can locate the ball down in the zone, the more the hitter wants to see the ball up.  It’s their nature. After a mix of pitches down in the zone, when you come up with a fastball, the hitter is ready to swing out of his shoes. And when you go up higher than he can handle with the fastball….well he just looks bad….in real time also. Unfortunately, this video game doesn’t have a cut away to the hitter breaking the bat over his knee. Surprisingly, it was the 90s…

 

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Stay Out of the
Middle of the Plate

It is fair to say that you are playing a level competitive to you based off of the pitching arsenal, when you leave a pitch over the plate, hitters will tee off on it. Although, when you can spot up on the corners, this is where you will find the majority of outs are located. Now you do have to challenge hitters.  You can’t nibble all the time. Consequently, when you get ahead of hitters consistently, their vulnerabilities submit to you.

 

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Where to Start the Pitch,
Where the Pitch Will End Up

For secondary pitches that come off of the 4 seam fastball, there are 2 points of understanding needed to succeed. Where you are going to start the pitch, and where you want it to end up. In the video game, when you start a breaking ball, or even a sinker or splitter down too low in the zone, it will be called a ball. The computer batter will lay off it.  As in real pitching, the adjustment is a matter of using your eyes. Raise your focal point to a higher spot. Say you are missing down with the Slider. Therefore, find a higher target to start the pitch, in order to get enough of the zone, thus baiting the hitter into swinging.

Let’s step out of virtual reality for a moment and apply this to your real pitching success. The more you understand the importance of where you want to start and pitch and where it will end up, will ultimately maximize your effectiveness over hitters. The more comfortable you become throwing your assortment of secondary pitches, you can start them in multiple locations based off of the situation. It becomes second nature…I am big believer that you can build this visualization tactic in video games. It becomes a mind/body co-op not to be reckoned with…

 

Learning How To Pitch From Video Games
Wanna Play?

In the technology of the internet, you can access almost anything. So why not use it your advantage? Here is a link that you can play World Series Baseball ’95 for FREE! If you want the original version with the O.G. console, you can access it here too.

During my high school days, I would play this video game the night before every game I pitched.  It created a comfort level that I was mentally prepared in locating pitches and setting up hitters based off of their tendencies and weaknesses. When I went to college, the Sega Genesis stayed home for my brother to use as he had the house to himself. Then over time, like all good mothers, mine made the Sega Genesis disappear.

 

Do you use baseball video games to help your pitching?  If so, let me know the details of your gaming in the comments below.  And as always….

 

Keep Dominating!!!