Power Pros Forum

This may have been discussed earlier but I couldn't find it.

How do you get your pitcher to pitch at (or even close to) their top speed? My pitchers seem to always pitch 5-6 mph below their stated top speed.

I'm not sure what button it is on the Wii, but on the PS2 you tap the X button as much as possible as the pitcher is doing his windup. You'll see the pitching marker rotate a little each tap and the pitch will be a few miles per hour faster.

It's still hard to get the max speed out of him especially if he's been pitching for a while but you can get more like 2 miles per hour less than his max fairly easily.

This will also cause breaking balls to have more curve to them.

Tap the A button on the Wii.

Also by tapping Z and B you can speed up your base runners some. I've also noticed over using the speed increase will tire your pitcher out quicker.

Again, this only works in Classic Mode pitching. You can mash all you want in Expert mode, but the effects are almost non-existent, as I usually don't see a significant difference in speed/break.

i posted this in another thread, but this may be a more appropriate place for it:

"to reach top speed in expert mode on the ps2, you must hold down the x button when you select your pitch (do not tap x and release). the pitch cursor will rotate rapidly counterclockwise. once it stops rotating, release the x button and prepare to tap it when your pitcher reaches his release point. if your pitcher's in a good mood, your 4-seamer should reach top speed."

hmm, I assume this would work with the Wii controllers as well with the "A" button.

Well it says right in the manual to "tap" the A button repeatedly to get more speed from pitches. As max says though this is only in classic pitching mode.

yeah, but that usually only can get you 101- 103 range with a maxed out top speed - and only in the first two innings. Unless, my thumb's too slow

Well really it's sort of abstracted like in real life. Not every pitch is thrown with full power. And if they were no starter would last more then 3 or 4 innings.

Yeah, but scouting reports say a pitcher tops out at, say, 98, and can reach back for it when needed.

If the top speed is 105, but you can never throw it, what's the use.

... to be able to throw 3-4 mph under that and still pitch a solid game of 6-7 innings.

Like slazz said... you throw all out, and you're asking for rotator cuff or TJ surgery after your first month.

but can't pitchers just reach back and get that top speed when the situation calls for it. They have to be able to at least get that top speed once. Ian Kennedy may average 89-91 but the scouts say his top speed or the speed he can reach is 93.

It's pretty much impossible to do that in this game.

Well I got gyroball and threw a 104 mph killer. Good thing I didn't drill the batter. Thats actually impossible in MLBPP. Seriously, what are the chances of beaning a guy in the head with a 104 mph bullet?

against the computer? probably slim...

against a player? only if he/she lets you

I think another factor may be whether your pitcher is throwing from the wind-up (longer animation, only done when there are no baserunners b/c of greater stolen base risk) or the set (shorter animation).

Pitchers who throw from the wind-up ought to be able to attain their maximum velocity once in awhile, if you mash the 'A' button (on Wii) and if they're in an ideal mood. But some pitchers, particularly relievers, always throw from the set, and are hence unable to ever hit their maximum velocity.

...however, I think you can change a pitcher who always throws from the set into a pitcher who uses the wind-up (when there are no baserunners) in Spring Training by changing his pitching form. I just changed Gagne that way: by changing his form from three-quarters to overhead, he also went from a 'set' pitcher to a 'wind-up' pitcher.