There is a tremendously high learning and talent curve when it comes to MLB The Show 22. It’s hard to think of a game that tests a player’s reflexes and reaction time as much as this one. With practice, new players can become experts within a few weeks of playing.
However, while experience is a great teacher, there are a few things to know that make the process easier. Games in MLB The Show 22 are long when the core mechanics have not been customized to the player’s liking. And there are so many of these systems to get right. Before playing one game, take a few minutes and get set for success.
14 Lean On The Bullpen
In real baseball, starters are encouraged to get a complete game if they can. This takes the stress off of the bullpen and keeps the relievers fresh for the next game. In the video game, consider that almost every game is played individually.
That means there is no reason to save the arms of the bullpen. Even players who have the best Diamond Dynasty cards at each position should pull the starter soon. A low-ranked relief pitcher is better than a starter who is highly ranked but tired.
13 When To Swing Early And Late
The forums are often flooded with gamers who are angry that their “perfect-perfect” swing (perfect location and perfect timing) resulted in a pop-out to center field. Just like in real baseball, there is a reason to intentionally swing early or late.
Swing early on inside pitches and late on outside pitches. This takes the ball to a shorter field with less of an opportunity for a quality left fielder or a quality right fielder to get to track it down.
12 Walk Scary Hitters
Pride often prevents gamers from making the smartest decisions. They’ll challenge themselves to pitch to an elite first baseman who can do nothing but hit home runs and hope for a strikeout. Don’t do this. If first base is open and the next hitter is weak, walk the batter.
Yes, this puts a runner on base. But, just like with actual baseball, this sets up a double play. Especially for sluggers who tend to be slow, they’re not a threat on the basepaths. It’s not cowardice, it[’s just smart baseball.
11 Adjust The Sliders
On single-player modes, the only important factor should be the gamer’s entertainment. There is no cheating. The sliders exist to customize the game and make the player have the most fun. Crank up human abilities to feel powerful or tune them down for more of a challenge.
Most notably, the Dynamic Difficulty Sensitivity should be turned all the way down if players are at a difficulty level they enjoy. This will prevent the game from getting suddenly harder or easier after a series of good or bad games.
10 Diamond Dynasty Is Casually Fun, Competitively Expensive
It’s best to lead with this warning because there is a whole mode that new players will either instantly love or instantly hate. Diamond Dynasty is the equivalent of Madden Ultimate Team. There is a lot of fun to be had here by getting a few random cards and loading them up into the main lineup.
But be warned; this is far more expensive than even Madden. There are videos of players dropping over $3,000 to get a single player. Do the math when considering there are twenty-six lineup spots to fill. Being competitive is inadvisable for all but those with the most expendable income.
9 Use A Two-Way Player
The only way to know if players will like hitting or pitching more is to give them both a shot. If one or the other is not fun, go ahead and make a new player later that focuses on one. But there are many reasons to use a two-way player besides just the fun factor.
First of all, players will win more games with more control. Throwing on the mound and hitting in between starts maximizes team victories. And even if one or the other is more fun, sometimes switching things up in between the two positions can be a great change of pace.
8 Continually Craft A Stance And Set Animations
New players might be intimidated by how customizable the batting stance creator is. For a nice, friendly stance to start with, try Legend Stance 26 since it has no weaknesses or natural tendencies on its own. Or shop around and find another one that looks great, perhaps one of a favorite player.
No two players will have the same result when using the same stance. Adjusting this stance, therefore, is the key. Fix up the batting stance based on preference. For example, raise it up if pitches higher in the zone are an issue.
7 How Archetype Programs Work
The first archetype selection is simple; choose whether to focus on contact, power, or fielding when playing a position and velocity, control, or break when pitching. These choices will create an archetype that can be equipped like an item in the “My Ballplayer” tab or the profile screen.
As players simply play the game, they will get new packs and equipment. Eventually, a new archetype of a higher rarity will appear. Equip that new one and keep going. The best rewards and perks in the game are earned this way.
6 Have An Equipment Roadmap
One of the best ways to improve a player in Road to the Show is to have some equipment on them. At first, there are nowhere near enough stubs to get the best gear in the game. But after a few games, it is conceivable to have gold or better in every equipment slot.
This sets a foundation for the player to grow on. Once getting a gold item in every slot, find the desired equipment and save up for it. It might take a while, but the good news is that once purchased, there is no new gear added; getting the best pieces are forever and can be used on all created ballplayers.
5 Earn Stubs Fast
Naturally, it’s very easy to go broke in the game and very difficult to amass a fortune. But it’s possible to earn stubs quickly without dropping hundreds of dollars in the shop. Best of all, the fastest way to earn stubs is to play the game itself.
At various times, players will earn players, equipment, uniforms, perks, and ballparks that they don’t want to use. Check the market and sell to the highest bidder. Playing an hour or two a day, it’s reasonable to have all the best gear and perks in the game within a few weeks.
4 Play With The Settings
One of the first things players have to do is get their settings in place. The game will prompt this when first loading it up and offer some testing. Definitely test these settings out and use the ones that seem the most intuitive. Don’t worry about using an “easy” setting.
There are advantages to using tougher settings, but if players are used to the throwing controls, little league home runs by the opponent are going to be a regular occurrence. Adjust these throwing controls to whatever works for now and switch them later when prepared for a tougher challenge.
3 Choose A Team To Play For
Perhaps the largest trap new players fall into is that they pick (or don’t pick) a team and spend years in the minor leagues without getting called up to the main stage. There is a mathematical reason for that and players should understand what it is.
The MLB ballclub will probably not call the ballplayer up until their OVR is higher than the starting player for the team. For example, because Ronald Acuna Jr has a 99 OVR, it will be impossible to play center field for the Braves until he retires. It’s alright to choose one of the best teams to play for, just make sure they have a weak position that needs to be filled in.
2 Hit For Contact First
Hitting is a “blink-and-its-over” kind of event. At first, even getting a bat on the ball to begin with is a mountain to climb. When swinging normally or for power, the effective hitting zone shrinks. By starting out hitting for contact, players maximize the odds of them putting a ball in play on every swing.
Want to hit for power? Still start by maxing out contact. This will increase the zone for all swings, not just contact swings. It’s a great foundation for small-ballers and sluggers alike.
1 Target Corners When Pitching
There is no good reason to target the middle of the strike zone or the sides. It can be tempting since, sometimes, a player will look like they have a blue-colored hole when hitting balls at that spot. But that’s only weak compared to other players, any given athlete will punish a ball down the middle to some degree.
The corners are where pitchers should live at. target the edges of the strike zone. Most of the time, players will be forced to swing or take a strike. With two strikes, target the outer edge of the zone. The batter has to swing to protect themselves and will likely miss.
MLB The Show 22 was released on April 5th, 2022, and is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5.
