============================= MLB 07 The Show ============================= =================== Table of Contents =================== 1. What is a Starting Pitcher? 2. The Pitches 2A. 4 Seam Fastball 2B. 2 Seam Fastball 2C. Screwball 2D. Splitter 2E. Knuckleball 2F. Knucklecurve 2G. Curveball 2H. 12-6 Curveball 2I. Running Fastball 2J. Forkball 2K. Changeup 2L. Slider 2M. Cutter 2N. Slurve 2O. Sweeping Curveball 2P. Circle Changeup 2Q. Palmball 2R. Sinker 3. Delivery 4. Skill Points 5. Career 6. Retiring 7. Credits ======================= First things first ======================= This guide was written solely by me, chickenman77. Credits will go to the people who helped me with this guide. Any duplications of this guide without my permission is illegal. The only site that can use it is gamefaqs. ================= Version History ================= 1.0: First version. 1.05: Added Eephus pitch and Gyroball to pitches section. =============================== 1. What is a Starting Pitcher? =============================== A starting pitcher is the most commonly known pitcher in MLB. Everyone usually looks up to those kinds of pitchers. Their main stats are Wins and losses. These pitchers usually pitch most of the game, if they don't do terrible. These pitchers usually go to about the 5th inning maybe then a relief pitcher takes over, if not later and then a closer pitcher takes over. These pitchers need the most stamina so that they can play longer enough to get the win. There are 5 starting pitchers on each team that go in whatever order the manager put them in, which might be why your starting pitcher might not get a whole lot of skill points, since they don't play every other game. The starting pitcher starts the game of, as the implies, and if they do well, the job will be much easier for the closing pitcher. ===================== 2. Pitches ===================== Pitches are the different types of pitches the pitcher throws. If there wasn't different types of pitches, the pitchers would just throw fast balls and the batters would know what the pitcher would pitch. However, having a variety is what makes hitting so much more difficult. Throwing different pitches isn't just throwing differently- it's about where your fingers are on the ball. Sometimes, you use other parts of your fingers, or you palm. Here are the pitches. ====================== 2A. 4 Seam Fast ball ====================== A 4 seam fast ball is the most commenly known pitch. The 4 seam fastball is the fastest pitch in the game. The grip is across the seams of the ball. It is called the four seam since when you pitch it it looks as if it has 4 seams. Any pitcher should have this pitch in the game, and you should in your career. It is designed to have little to no movement. ====================== 2B. 2 Seam Fast ball ====================== A 2 Seam fast ball is another pitch in the fastball family. Like the 4 seamer, it is one of the fastest. The pitch has more movement then the 4 seam fast ball, but it is usually hard to control. Pitchers grip the ball across the 2 seams where the seams are closest together. Not all pitchers have this, but it is easy to fool a batter who thinks it is a regular fastball. ==================== 2C. Screwball ==================== A screwball is a breaking ball and less known. The pitch is gripped like a 4 seam fastball, but once you release it you turn your wrist clockwise. The pitch moves left to right from a right handed pitcher's point of view. Right handed pitchers usually use this against left handed hitters. Not a lot of pitchers use this pitch, but it does seem effective. ========================= 2D. Splitter ========================= A splitter is another part of the fastball family. It is called a splitter due to how the ball is gripped. The middle finger and index finger are gripped on different sides of the ball like it is splitting apart. When pitched, it looks like a normal fastball, but then suddenly drops down to the batter's knees. ====================== 2E. Knuckleball ====================== The knuckle ball is a very odd pitch. It is gripped by the knuckles of the pitcher, and is unpredictable as to where it goes. It is difficult for the hitter, pitcher, and catcher. The hitter can never really predict where the pitch will go. The pitch is very difficult to control, and difficult to catch. The pitch is slow, and many pitchers do not pitch it. ====================== 2F. Knucklecurve ====================== A knucklecurve is a breaking ball that is a lot like a standard curveball. It is thrown with one or more of the index of mean fingers bent. The pitch is not much of a knuckleball at all. However there is a different method of throwing this where you do use your knuckles to grip the ball. ================= 2G. Curveball ================= The curveball is the most commonly known breaking ball. When gripping pitchers grip the ball deeper into their palm and finger than they would throwing a fastball. When the pitcher releases the ball, they roll their hand over the top of the ball to create downward. At a proffessional level, the pitch can be thrown 15 mile per hour slower than a fastball. ==================== 2H. 12-6 Curveball ==================== This is the same as a curveball, just with more or less downward motion. ====================== 2I. Running Fastball ====================== This is a 2 seam fastball type pitch without a downward motion. The pitch has a severe break and can be used to make hitters look stupid when maxed out. ================ 2J. Forkball ================ The forkball is an off speed type pitch that is somewhat related to the splitter. The ball is held between the the first two fingers and is thrown hard by the snapping of the wrist. The ball is held deeper into the fingers than the splitter which makes it slower but makes it a lot like a nuckleball. I would reccomend this pitch personally from using this as a strikeout pitch. ================ 2K. Changeup ================ The changeup is the most commonly known off speed pitch. You grip it by putting your three fingers on the top of the ball and the thumb on the bottom with your pinkey off the ball. The pitch is slow and is very common. Best used after throwing two straight very fastballs to make the hitter swing earlier, making them miss. =============== 2L. Slider =============== A slider is a breaking ball that is basically a halfway pitch from a curveball and a fastball. The pitch is faster than a curveball but slower than a fastball and has a shorter break than a curveball. A slider can be often confused with a curveball and has great affects as a pitch. ================ 2M. Cutter ================ A cutter is a part of the fastball family. This pitch has little break before it crosses home plate. It is gripped like a two seam fastball but has more pressure from the middle finger. The pitch is in between a slider and a fastball and is faster than a slider. ================ 2N. Slurve ================ A slurve is a breaking ball that is pitched as if the pitcher was throwing a fastball is if they were throwing a curveball. It is derived from a slider and a curveball. The pitch causes many concerns and is sometimes called useless and a sloppy slider due to the wide break. ======================== 2O. Sweeping Curveball ======================== This pitch is a lot like the 12-6 curveball. Not a whole lot differences. ===================== 2P. Circle Changeup ===================== The Circle Changeup is an off speed pitch that is gripped by making a circle. You put your index finger against the tip of your thumb around the ball while gripping the ball with your other three fingers. The ball has a little rotation and has a break that is oposite of the pitcher's arm. =================== 2Q. Palmball =================== The palmball is an off speed pitch that is gripped by the palm. It is thrown like a fastball but due to the grip it takes off velocity. The batter tends to swing before the ball reaches the plate making it a good pitch. =============== 2R. Sinker =============== Last but not least is a sinker which is part of the fastball family. It has a downward break that usually tends to make the batter induce a ground ball. The pitch is gripped similar to a fastball but when throwing the pitcher uses a downward motion on their wrist. =============== 2S. Gyroball =============== This pitch is only avaible for Tate Baik(which is Daisuke Matsuzaka). The pitch is a lot like a slider. Not avaible for use for other pitchers. ============== 2T. Eephus ============== This pitch is in the manual, but is not in the game. It is more like a normal throw rather than a pitch. ============== 3. Delivery ============== A delivery is how the pitcher throws the ball. Not gripping the ball, but throwing it. There are 4 different types of deliveries: Overhand, Siderarm, Three Quarters, and Submarine. The Overhand delivery is good for pitchers who use breaking balls, as when the pitcher releases the ball, their hand is by their shoulder, so they need to snap their wrist to get the ball over the plate as a strike, causing more break. The Sidearm delivery is basically how it is writtin: You pitch sidearmed. You will throw from your waist, and the ball will break more, which is a good thing. This pitch can be good for breaking balls and fastballs. The Three Quarters delivery is the most common delivery in MLB. The release point is basically in the middle of a side arm and overhand. The release point is just slightly above the shoulder. This is a great delivery for ANY pitch. Last but not least is the Submarine. This pitch is literally like a submarine. Your hand at release point is at your thighs, which is insane. This is a confusing delivery but I like how it looks. Every pitch works well with it, and fastballs work great with this delivery. ===================== 4. Skill Points ===================== Skill Points are attributes, basically. It is the thing that makes your pitcher better. In this section I will tell you what to max out for your skill points and what to leave alone for a while. Starters do not really get a whole lot of skill points, so it will more difficult for you starter to get maxed than a closer. ============== Batting ============== Don't touch this at all, pitchers do not need to hit, especially in the AL. ================= Fielding ================= This is something you don't need to worry about until you have maxed out everything you need to max out. Spare points can go to this, but pitchers don't really need to field seeing as the hits won't really go to them a lot. =================== Stamina =================== This is one of the most important skills you need for your starter. The higher the stamina, the more games you will play, the more skill points you get, the better you get. Try to max this out first so that you can worry about the pitches later. ======================================= K/9, H/9, BB/9, HR/9, Pitching Clutch ======================================= This all is in two categories and are all related in some way or another. You will not need to max this out immediately, yet it is good to have some points into this. You should probably wait out and max out stamina or close to maxing out stamina to touch these skills, but they are very important for your pitchers stats and skill and value. ==================== Any pitches ==================== Any pitch needs to get maxed out ASAP. There are exceptions as to what to not max out. For any fastball (4 and 2 seam) DO NOT put anything into break, except some in 2 seam. For change up and knuckle ball, do not put a lot into velocity. Max out control for EVERY pitch. =============== Anything else =============== Anything else really don't put any into the skill, durability will get maxed out with stamini, which is why I didn't put it in there. ================= 5. Career ================= Your career is the most important part of your career. Ok, that sounded stupid, but in your career mode, your career menu is really important. What you have on there are things like schedule, locker room, league info and other things. Let's start with a rundown on what you have.... ========== Schedule ========== The schedule is a calendar that shows your upcoming games. From there you can simulate the games, play your next game, or simulate the entire season. Really not much in this section, pretty simple. ============== Locker Room ============== The locker room is all about you. You have messages from your manager and teammates, training(where you spend your skill points), your contract information, and interactions with your manager. What you can do in interactions are changing your position(You can't if you are a pitcher), ask for more playtime, or just talk to the manager. You can also retire as a great or bad baseball player, but there is a section for that. The messages really aren't too important, just more of "Good game!" or "Bad Game" or "Nice amount of wins this month!!" You can look at your achievements through this though, just press L1. It shows when you became a pro or when you were called upto the majors, and free agents signings and such. Then you can look at graphs of wins, salary, strikeouts and others compared to other seasons. Contract info really is just to show what your contract is, and stats from your career. And training is where you put your skill points. You need at least 100 to train in one thing. If you haven't trained something in 30 days, that skill will start to decrease. Of course, you don't have to train in everything, just the important ones. ================== Player Management ================== In here, you can look at the roster of your team, your lineup, and the pitching rotation. There are more, but this is usually what you will look at most. There isn't much to say on this, since really it is obvious of what you can do in those categories. You can't change anything though, which is something you could do in Madden's career mode. ======================= Around the League ======================= In here, you can see league leaders, accolades(which is hall of fame, records, and All Star Voting), Who's Hot and Who's not, and statistics. You will spend time in here no doubt, but not really the most of the time. Really just to see if you are leading in saves and what not. The last thing is options, which is well options, and I don't need to go into detail. While in your career, you can play the games or simulate them. Me, personally, I don't have the patience to play every game so I simulate most of them. While in your career, you may suffer injuries. It happens, and all you have to do is just wait until you are all healed up. Getting called up and down to and from the majors is part of your career. In your first years, you mainly would want to stay in the Minors, since this trains you up to play in the majors. Playing in the majors while still in your first few years might not make you the best starter, which is why you would expect to get sent down. Once your player gets much better, you will be prepared for the majors. The major league is not all fun and games. You have to be the best of the rest. The best closer on your team, to be exact. You want to go to Cooperstown. You need it! Well, of course, this is a video game, so you probably shouldn't get all pumped up. But if you want a successful starter, you might as well. It took my starter about 10 years maybe to get the All-Star status. I would be glad if you beat that and make a superstar starter! ====================== 6. Retiring ====================== Ah, yes. It gets that time in every player's career. Retirement. Although this could go in the career section, I think this should have its own section. When you retire, you get a plaque that says a short thing about your career. Whether it was good or bad, it shows it on the plaque. Then you get a message from your manager and get to see your stats. Well, congratulations! If you made a hall of fame starter, be proud of yourself. If you broke records and became the best, and of course, followed this guide :P, then give yourself a hand (not really). ================== 7. Credits ================== I would like to give thanks to: Wikipedia- For information on the pitches. SBAllen: For being a great Admin of Gamefaqs. CJayC: For making this awesome site. SCEA: For making this awesome game. Sony: For making the PS2. If you found anything wrong in this guide, please e-mail that error to me. I will not accept: 1) Spam or virus 2) Typo error 3) Question that has nothing to do with this game 4) I repeated question that I have answered I will answer all questions so you can send that to me. E-mail: jags_jags_jaguars@yahoo.com