Power Pros Forum

Do you think an "All Fastball" pitcher should be allowed to have breaking pitches like Sinking Fastball and 2 Seam Fastball?

Why not? Also the Cut fastball better known as the Cutter

Yes: 4SFB, 2SFB and SIFB.
No: CUT, SNK, HSNK, etc.

In real life, virtually every pitcher can and does throw a 2SFB. It’s no different than 4SFB, except the grip is along — as opposed to across — the two seams. Some pitchers flick their wrist at release and use it as a breaking pitch. In this case, it can look like a CHG or SPLT and it is usually classified as such. Others use the 2SFB as a minor wrinkle to their 4SFB, which is how the pitch is represented in MLBPP.

Some pitchers throw only a diving 2SFB (never a 4SFB), and those are generally the guys described as sinkerballers. It’s a shame you can’t remove the 4SFB from a pitcher’s repertoire in MLBPP.

Anyhow, pitchers described as having “good action” or “late movement” on their fastball generally posses the dive and tail of a SIFB pitch. You see it more in hard-throwing lefties and guys who throw from a three-quarter, sidearm or submarine arm slot. It’s just the natural movement on their regular fastball. Felix Hernandez doesn’t technically throw a SIFB, but when he is on, his 2SFB moves more than most pitcher’s breaking balls. I gave him a SIFB in the game to mirror his real stuff, but it would be nice if the SIFB was only 3 mph slower than the 4SFB as opposed to 6.

In MLBPP, the SNK is 16-mph slower than a 4SFB and the HSNK is 12-mph slower. Neither are realistic sinkers, but they can be used as a 2nd SPLT or CHNG.

Throwing a good cutter requires a considerable amount of skill and dexterity, and I don’t recall ever seeing a pitcher whose 4SFB or 2SFB had natural cut action. I wouldn’t lump the CUT in with the other fastballs.

Conditionally Yes

I agree with Eric Davis on this subject.

When i watch baseball and see a great pitch with lots of tail or sink I instantly think a sinker or hard sinker. Then i edit the player with a sinker and he starts throwing this lefty curveball crap which is MLBPP's sinker.

The cutter could be lumped into the subject of faster pitches, because Mariano Rivera accidentally threw one then it became his best pitch.

Everything, but SNK, HSNK. Cutter if you want.

This is what I think.
The original fastball is 4SFB.
4SFB is basically thrown by anyone throwing higher than 98mph or someone who seriously sucks. The point of 4SFB is to overpower the opponent. Most/All good pitchers have some kind of movement on their fastball. It is really rare to find someone who throws are 4SFB with no movement at all. Just pure 4SFB. This is the start.
Result: Yes, you don't have a choice

SIFB is MLBPP's version of a rising fastball.
Alot of pitchers uses this pitch. Halladay, Hamels, Mussina. This pitch looks like a 2SFB, but is slightly slower, but is sharper and has more sideways movements. Good pitch for groundballs, jamming up batters and scrappy the outside corner.
Result: Yes

2SFB is a 4SFB with downward movement.
Standard pitch. Generally this pitch is used instead of 4SFB to avoid the sweetspot of the batter. Alot of pitchers has this pitch. Beckett, Halladay(Again). This can be used as a inside pitch that will break downwards, back into the strikezone or a backdoor pitch that causes a groundball.
Result: Yes

4SFB that breaks sharply into the batter is a CUT.
We all know what a cutter is. A cutter breaks into the batter and jams them up. Many pitchers can add cut on their fastball, its not take hard. However, a true cutter is breaks even sharply. It is not that hard to tell the difference between a ball with cut and a pure cutter.
Result: Mabye, good out pitch if there is good break.

Fastball with that breaks downwards quickly is a H-SNK.
MLBPP really screwed this pitch up. Its nearly impossible to throw a H-SNK above 90mph for a regular guy like Oakley. This is a pitch used by groundball pitchers. Brandon Webb and Wang uses this pitch mainly. This causes the batter to not get the bat under the ball which causes groundballs. However, sinkers are prone to bunts.
Result: Absolutely not.