Hello San Diego Studio,
I would like to report a gameplay concern that many members of the MLB The Show community refer to as "tempo hitting" or animation-based pitch tipping.
My concern is that certain game animations may unintentionally reveal information about the upcoming pitch before the ball is released. Some high-level players claim they can identify whether a fastball or offspeed pitch is coming by observing the batter's leg kick, stride timing, or other pre-release animations rather than reading the baseball out of the pitcher's hand.
If this is occurring, hitters may be receiving information that should not be available before pitch release. In my opinion, hitting should be based on pitch recognition, reaction time, plate discipline, and baseball knowledge, not on animation cues that unintentionally expose pitch information.
My concern is that the game's animation system may be synchronizing hitter animations with pitch selections in a way that allows experienced players to predict what is coming.
Additionally, my concern is not limited to hitter animations. Some pitcher windups and deliveries also appear to reveal information through differences in speed, tempo, or timing depending on the pitch selected. Many players believe they can identify fastballs versus offspeed pitches by watching subtle changes in the pitcher's motion before the ball leaves the hand.
If this is accurate, then both batter and pitcher animations may be unintentionally communicating pitch information prior to release. This could create a competitive imbalance, especially at the highest levels of Ranked Seasons, Battle Royale, Events, and tournament play.
I respectfully ask the development team to investigate:
- Whether batter leg-kick timing changes based on pitch type before release.
- Whether hitter animations can unintentionally reveal fastball versus offspeed information.
- Whether certain pitcher windups or stretch animations vary in timing depending on pitch selection.
- Whether pitcher animations can unintentionally communicate pitch speed or pitch category before release.
- Whether pitcher and hitter animations are synchronized in a way that leaks pitch information to the opponent.
- Whether adjustments are needed to ensure pitch identification comes from reading the baseball itself rather than pre-release animation cues.
Many players believe this issue impacts competitive integrity because it rewards the ability to read animation tells instead of reacting to the actual pitch.
I hope this feedback can help improve gameplay fairness and competitive balance….
