Showdown tips from a DS player
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Good morning!!
Man, I’m seeing a lot of posts about showdowns, so I figure I would share my strategy that allowed me to do 2nd and 3rd inning first run and complete all the stage 2 showdowns with about an 80% completion rate (failed twice on sinker ballers)
This strategy is for the average to above average player. This also will not work online, so don’t try it, or you will be sad.
Drafts — power > contact. You will probably be using contact boost perks so grab as many high powered guys you can. If u have a 30 contact 90 power guy, once u get that contact boost you are working with someone who can do damage. Draft 1 silver SP and 1 silver RP. The rest are hitters. Keep 1-2 speed guys on your bench.
You will probably have a few guys that will need to play “out of position” during your run. Safest spots are catcher and 2nd base.
If u get the 7th pitch perfect bronze perk, that is your HR ball to use in the actual showdowns, I can’t tell you how many times this has helped me win a close battle. Also the “contact boost after 7 innings” perk is great during your run as many of the later challenges are late inning comebacks.
Ok, onto the showdowns. When playing a showdown on veteran, what I do is move the pci slightly up so that the 2 diamonds(or altitude) buttons split the dirt on the pitchers mound and sit. (Some of the longer strike zone guys you move it up higher) I have my thumb off the actual stick and instead apply pressure underneath it. That way as a pitch comes I don’t overreact and move it out of the zone. On all star you move it even further up. The goal is that the top of your PCI hits the top of the strike zone.
Outside of sinker ballers, you just sit right there and wait. U get 1-2 meatballs an at bat. Just don’t miss it. Don’t swing at anything that isn’t in your zone. If you have a base runner on 1st, do not swing at any pitch below where you put that PCI, ever. A strike out is better then a DP. Once u get 2 strikes then swing normally at pitches, but nothing in the bottom 3rd of the zone.
Sinkerballers, similar strategy, except tilt it slightly down, you actually get more right down the middle but if your PCI is slightly up then it becomes a ground out/DP. So if you have it slightly tilted down and wait then you should be ok. Check your swing feedback. The top of the inner circle should be right at the top or bottom of the zone based on who is pitching.
Don’t force runs, don’t stretch doubles into triples. Dont tag up on fly outs with slow runners. Play super conservative.
Most importantly you have to be patient. If u find u have gotten 3-4 outs in a row pause the game and walk around for a few minutes and reset. Don’t waste outs if u get frustrated. Just trust the process. Once u get that confidence meter below 50% then u get more and more meatballs to punish and the RNG starts giving you better results.
Hope this helps, I’ve been crushing showdowns this week. Again I go into the final showdown with 7-12 runs, so it’s not perfect, but it works for me and I’d figure I would share.
If anyone has additional questions or wants additional advice let me know.
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Look I want to swing at every first pitch and have the showdown take 2 minutes and get all 120 stars in 20 minutes. How can I achieve this?
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@NDStew_32 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
Look I want to swing at every first pitch and have the showdown take 2 minutes and get all 120 stars in 20 minutes. How can I achieve this?
Says everyone who probably struggles at showdown
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Great tips but good lord, just reading that reminds me why its not fun.......or on veteran difficulty.
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Let's not sidetrack a thread helping others with unecessary comments. I think we have enough of those threads.
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@stryder_28 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
Good morning!!
Man, I’m seeing a lot of posts about showdowns, so I figure I would share my strategy that allowed me to do 2nd and 3rd inning first run and complete all the stage 2 showdowns with about an 80% completion rate (failed twice on sinker ballers)
This strategy is for the average to above average player. This also will not work online, so don’t try it, or you will be sad.
Drafts — power > contact. You will probably be using contact boost perks so grab as many high powered guys you can. If u have a 30 contact 90 power guy, once u get that contact boost you are working with someone who can do damage. Draft 1 silver SP and 1 silver RP. The rest are hitters. Keep 1-2 speed guys on your bench.
You will probably have a few guys that will need to play “out of position” during your run. Safest spots are catcher and 2nd base.
If u get the 7th pitch perfect bronze perk, that is your HR ball to use in the actual showdowns, I can’t tell you how many times this has helped me win a close battle. Also the “contact boost after 7 innings” perk is great during your run as many of the later challenges are late inning comebacks.
Ok, onto the showdowns. When playing a showdown on veteran, what I do is move the pci slightly up so that the 2 diamonds(or altitude) buttons split the dirt on the pitchers mound and sit. (Some of the longer strike zone guys you move it up higher) I have my thumb off the actual stick and instead apply pressure underneath it. That way as a pitch comes I don’t overreact and move it out of the zone. On all star you move it even further up. The goal is that the top of your PCI hits the top of the strike zone.
Outside of sinker ballers, you just sit right there and wait. U get 1-2 meatballs an at bat. Just don’t miss it. Don’t swing at anything that isn’t in your zone. If you have a base runner on 1st, do not swing at any pitch below where you put that PCI, ever. A strike out is better then a DP. Once u get 2 strikes then swing normally at pitches, but nothing in the bottom 3rd of the zone.
Sinkerballers, similar strategy, except tilt it slightly down, you actually get more right down the middle but if your PCI is slightly up then it becomes a ground out/DP. So if you have it slightly tilted down and wait then you should be ok. Check your swing feedback. The top of the inner circle should be right at the top or bottom of the zone based on who is pitching.
Don’t force runs, don’t stretch doubles into triples. Dont tag up on fly outs with slow runners. Play super conservative.
Most importantly you have to be patient. If u find u have gotten 3-4 outs in a row pause the game and walk around for a few minutes and reset. Don’t waste outs if u get frustrated. Just trust the process. Once u get that confidence meter below 50% then u get more and more meatballs to punish and the RNG starts giving you better results.
Hope this helps, I’ve been crushing showdowns this week. Again I go into the final showdown with 7-12 runs, so it’s not perfect, but it works for me and I’d figure I would share.
If anyone has additional questions or wants additional advice let me know.
When you do swing? Do you hit square and Power Swing 9r do you just hit X?
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@Psycho__Kinetic said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
@stryder_28 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
Good morning!!
Man, I’m seeing a lot of posts about showdowns, so I figure I would share my strategy that allowed me to do 2nd and 3rd inning first run and complete all the stage 2 showdowns with about an 80% completion rate (failed twice on sinker ballers)
This strategy is for the average to above average player. This also will not work online, so don’t try it, or you will be sad.
Drafts — power > contact. You will probably be using contact boost perks so grab as many high powered guys you can. If u have a 30 contact 90 power guy, once u get that contact boost you are working with someone who can do damage. Draft 1 silver SP and 1 silver RP. The rest are hitters. Keep 1-2 speed guys on your bench.
You will probably have a few guys that will need to play “out of position” during your run. Safest spots are catcher and 2nd base.
If u get the 7th pitch perfect bronze perk, that is your HR ball to use in the actual showdowns, I can’t tell you how many times this has helped me win a close battle. Also the “contact boost after 7 innings” perk is great during your run as many of the later challenges are late inning comebacks.
Ok, onto the showdowns. When playing a showdown on veteran, what I do is move the pci slightly up so that the 2 diamonds(or altitude) buttons split the dirt on the pitchers mound and sit. (Some of the longer strike zone guys you move it up higher) I have my thumb off the actual stick and instead apply pressure underneath it. That way as a pitch comes I don’t overreact and move it out of the zone. On all star you move it even further up. The goal is that the top of your PCI hits the top of the strike zone.
Outside of sinker ballers, you just sit right there and wait. U get 1-2 meatballs an at bat. Just don’t miss it. Don’t swing at anything that isn’t in your zone. If you have a base runner on 1st, do not swing at any pitch below where you put that PCI, ever. A strike out is better then a DP. Once u get 2 strikes then swing normally at pitches, but nothing in the bottom 3rd of the zone.
Sinkerballers, similar strategy, except tilt it slightly down, you actually get more right down the middle but if your PCI is slightly up then it becomes a ground out/DP. So if you have it slightly tilted down and wait then you should be ok. Check your swing feedback. The top of the inner circle should be right at the top or bottom of the zone based on who is pitching.
Don’t force runs, don’t stretch doubles into triples. Dont tag up on fly outs with slow runners. Play super conservative.
Most importantly you have to be patient. If u find u have gotten 3-4 outs in a row pause the game and walk around for a few minutes and reset. Don’t waste outs if u get frustrated. Just trust the process. Once u get that confidence meter below 50% then u get more and more meatballs to punish and the RNG starts giving you better results.
Hope this helps, I’ve been crushing showdowns this week. Again I go into the final showdown with 7-12 runs, so it’s not perfect, but it works for me and I’d figure I would share.
If anyone has additional questions or wants additional advice let me know.
When you do swing? Do you hit square and Power Swing 9r do you just hit X?
Always X
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X gon' give it to ya
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I’ve been having good luck using contact swing. A few more tips
If you have diamond lift off and something else that you need to be behind in the count Intentionally swing and miss on the first pitch and mash the 2nd
Talk walks, usually I can get 3-4 baserunners easily
Don’t swing at anything in the bottom half of the strike zone
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These are a lot of good tips.
Definitely take power over contact. Even common Chris Davis can carry a squad over higher rated contact hitter.
Avoid low pitches. Only swing at meatballs unless you're in a 2-strike count.Adjust your lineup and perks according to the next challenge, especially if you know which pitcher you'll face. Load up your lineup with lefties if you're going up against a RHP, and vice versa.
Also, if you're able to figure out who the final boss will be, always draft your players with the final boss in mind. When the AL East Showdown says "vs. Blue Jays," I know it's probably Ken Giles so I'll load up on lefties. If it's "vs Milwaukee," you know it's probably Hader, so get those good righties with your best picks.
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Good thread here. I actually completed the National League on my first try and I am AWFUL at hitting. A little luck was on my side as well.
The thing I have started doing is placing my PCI with the highest diamond right below the pitchers waist and hiding it right in line with the legs of the pitcher, I hope that makes sense.
That being said, I swing at only what is within where I can move the PCI without tons of movement.
My last two attempts I've scored 9 and 7 runs and I only had 6 and 4 heading into the final. Just need to find a way to not throw away the easy 2 run games. -
After reading this I went and won a showdown for the first time. Grateful for all the tips.
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so you hold your thumb UNDER the stick? So you just give up on the lower pitches?
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@Blue7_Gaming said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
After reading this I went and won a showdown for the first time. Grateful for all the tips.
Boom!
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@oldgamingdad727 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
so you hold your thumb UNDER the stick? So you just give up on the lower pitches?
Until you have 2 strikes yes, unless u have a runner on 1st, then usually take the K if it goes low, exception would be if you have one of your diamonds up or you are feeling frisky.
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good stuff, gonna try it. I've won a few SD but Matthew Boyd is giving me fits lol
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@stryder_28 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
@oldgamingdad727 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
so you hold your thumb UNDER the stick? So you just give up on the lower pitches?
Until you have 2 strikes yes, unless u have a runner on 1st, then usually take the K if it goes low, exception would be if you have one of your diamonds up or you are feeling frisky.
Also, yes if u have your thumb under the stick putting slight pressure up on it, when a pitch comes you are less likely to overreact and mis hit it. Worse case scenario is a fly out.
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my biggest problem is I instinctively pull down on the left stick every time. So I pop up a lot of pitches.
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@oldgamingdad727 said in Showdown tips from a DS player:
my biggest problem is I instinctively pull down on the left stick every time. So I pop up a lot of pitches.
I do the same thing and it hurts me a ton, but I've been making a huge effort to not pull down.
Another thing I've done is switch my hitting view to strike zone high versus strike zone. It makes me able to recognize low pitches better which is starting to keep me from pulling down. I still do it but not nearly as much. -
Same here, used your tips and beat the AL showdown for the first time. Pretty easily too....thank you!!
