Okay, here’s my personal take on how to pull off pickoffs in MLB The Show 24, based on my own frustrating, yet ultimately rewarding, experience:
Man, pickoffs in this game used to drive me crazy! I’d see the runner taking a huge lead, I’d hit the button, and…nothing. Or worse, my pitcher would just kinda lob it over, and the runner would be safe. So, I really dug in to figure this out.
Getting Started: The Basics
First thing I realized: it’s not just about hitting the button. It’s about timing, and it’s about knowing your pitcher. Some guys have a quicker move than others. I started by going into practice mode – yeah, I know, boring – but it was super helpful.
My Practice Routine
- Step 1: Button Timing
I spent a good chunk of time just practicing the button sequence. For me, on PlayStation, it’s holding L2, then tapping the base button (X for first, O for second, Triangle for third). The key, I found, is to hold L2, don’t just tap it.
- Step 2: Reading the Runner
Then I started paying super close attention to the runners. You gotta watch their lead. If they’re creeping off too far, that’s your moment. I used to just spam the pickoff attempt, but that rarely works. It’s about being patient.
- Step 3: Quick Throws.
I practiced throwing to first quickly. I’d hold L2, see the runner take an extra step, and bam, tap X. It felt clunky at first, but I started getting the timing down.
- Step 4: Deception
The game says you can “deceptive” pickoffs. Honestly, I haven’t mastered this yet, but I think it has to do with varying your timing. Don’t be predictable. Sometimes I hold L2 for a beat longer, sometimes I throw over right away. Keeps the runner guessing.
- Step 5: Different Pitchers
Like I said before, every pitcher is different. I noticed my guys with better control and fielding stats seemed to have quicker moves. So, I started paying attention to that, too.
Putting it into Practice
Once I felt somewhat comfortable in practice, I took it into a real game. And… I still messed up a lot! But, I started seeing progress. I was getting more runners leaning, and every now and then, I’d nail one. It felt good.
My biggest piece of advice? Don’t get discouraged. It takes practice. And even when you get good at it, you’re still gonna get burned sometimes. That’s baseball, right?
Keep practicing, keep experimenting, and you’ll start picking off those pesky runners. I’m still working on it myself, but it’s definitely become a fun little mini-game within the game.
