New players have a dream of whatMLB The Show 22will provide. Usually, this involves re-enacting the dream of a superstar, throwing runners out at the plate, and making highlight-reel catches. It’s a good dream, but the cold reality is that amateurs will often struggle fielding routine ground balls.
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It doesn’t have to be this way. There are tools inMLB The Show 22that can help turn a rookie into a serviceable infield. With some practice and a few helping hints, defense is a moment to show off the leather and not cower in fear.
Change The Settings
Do not let any other player say how toadjust the fielding settingsfor another player. Everyone has different skill levels and different teams they play with. Yes, theoretically a perfect human being can take a bad fielder and make it so they never miss a catch.
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But a great team can field perfectly 99% of the time with a “lesser” setting. To those who have mastered the tricky controls, that’s great, keep it up! But if the controls feel clunky, don’t feel bad about using an easier setting that works better. Ultimately, better fielding starts with gamer comfort on the sticks.
Speed Up
Speed is listed as a baserunning attribute but it is of colossal importance when it comes to great defense. Especially for outfielders, a few extra points in speed can nearly double their coverage area. If hitters can’t swat to the gaps without getting caught, it’s going to be a long day in the batter’s box.
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But infielders canimprove their player in Road to the Showwith speed as well on defense. Think of how many times a foul ball falls just out of reach. Surely it’s impossible to object to an extra out or two by virtue of a little extra speed.
Don’t Sacrifice Everything
There is a tendency for players trying to field better to select the fielding archetype, use fielding equipment, and select four fielding perks. That might sound great but, at some point, it’s just too much. A player with mediocre fielding can easily get through an entire season in Road to the Show and never once make an error.
It’s not that all fielding stats are meaningless. Having a cannon of an arm in the outfield is good for a couple of outs every year. Throwing accuracy means an extra double play or two. But these benefits help the team less than consistent hitting. Field well, but don’t make the ballplayer one-dimensional.
MLB The Show 22was released on April 5th, 2022, and is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PlayStation 5.
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