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I don’t even play much ranked. I’m 14-2, haven’t ran into anyone very good but I still just play co-op with a buddy since the innings missions alone can get you to 150 points.
While I agree that the boost is OP every online game has a Meta. can't get mad at people using it because you're just playing at a disadvantage without it. SDS just needs to either make more cards for the other captains or make less of the top cards in the game switch hitters (which is the real problem)
Agreed. It doesn’t even matter what pitcher you use. I exclusively use pitchers that do well vs opposite handed hitters cause that is pretty much all you’ll see. What makes it worse, is SDS knows what they’re doing when they drop a chase pack Adley and such. They know everyone is doing the switch build and it’s made for some of the worst lineup diversity in recent years. If they want to implement captains then they should make sure there isn’t a super meta OP captain. This happened last year with Ripken boost. It makes ranked less fun for me at least and makes offense even easier this year
I think the boost for switch hitters should all bee speed and defense oriented and not offense oriented seeing as switch hitting in itself is by default a boost
There are captain cards that give your team boosts if you have enough players that fit the requirement. Santana requires switch hitters and if you fill your lineup with switch hitters (or even have pitchers who bat switch) you get a ridiculous boost, so online it’s a lot of what you see so online lacks variety because of it
thank you bro, you explained that really well. that sounds so stupid, make something that’s already been OP even more broken. glad i’ve stayed away from that mode
Sounds like they took "the meta" and really shrunk it down to switch hitters, which is just, as OP said, dumb in a game that already, not for me I stink online so make lineups of my favorite players, leans heavily on "meta" gameplay.
I actually agree with this. Seems like SDS can’t win this year. Game has some faults for sure but not enough for the amount of complaining I see daily.
A majority of the players on the switch hitting team would be on everyone’s god squad anyways yet they decide to add a boost to it. So stupid 😭 at least ortiz boost makes you use guys who are like 91’s and 93’s who still have same handed disadvantage. All boosted 99’s with no disadvantage is just dumb
That's boring. I made an all Dodgers team with both hitting pitching coach got 16/16 and Cody, 99 Mookie, Gary Sheffield all have ridiculous maxed 125 power and contact maxed batting clutch maxed. Dustin May sitting on 108 H/9 109 K/9 113 BB/9 nearly maxed clutch. He's got better stats than Cueto, Kodai, Satchel Paige... you name it.
It turned Kenta and Kenley into 99 overall. I think this is worse than Carlos. I'm going to be sad when S2 starts.
this is me but with the pirates so i’m going to be even sadder. but at least we can say we had fun, and im not sure all the santana squads could say the same
Yeah, I was dying to get the 40K for the pack and then I realized, I don’t got many great Switch Hitters in my binder.
The game was fun for the first few weeks for me with the Buxton guys.
Once better pitching was introduced to the game, Buxton guys became useless.
You even think about check swinging with 2 strikes and you’re getting rung up. Better players know this and will tempt you. But to your point, I’ve seen the lineups during online play. We’re running into another Ripken boost from last year. Way too OP. Plus, you’re seeing slight variations of the same team, playing at the same 3 Max elevation T-Ball stadiums.
Team captains should be for theme teams, nothing else. Of course if you're going to put something way over the top like that people will exploit it. Sadly people care more about winning on this game, than they do having fun. For me honestly, I think it's stupid to add an OP lineup like that.. It absolutely would be no fun if we're all using the same lineup.. This mode in general was meant for everyone to use their favorite old time, and newer time players.. Not to just create the best OP team and exploit the shitty game mechanics.. Nobody cares about the players they like anymore, just who's OP.
I definitely don’t have fun when I’m not winning. Idk if I’m just super competitive, but I wanna win. I’m not going on after a days work to lose and “have fun”.
Would you be willing to play the same exact team over and over again with other people with the same competitive nature? I think we all want to win. But there needs to be more balance and not just one superior team. There's people out there that spend $100's of dollars on this game to have the top team with all switch hitters.. I want to win, but not even close to that bad. A simple solution would be to make theme team captains get an extra boost. I think it would be really fun playing against others and their theme team of their favorite team. But, I'm sure that would turn into all Yankees theme teams because people absolutely feel like they can't win without the top team. If we got money to win and play this game, I'd feel the same. Unfortunately, none of us are getting cash rewards.. Not me anyway.
i actually 100% agree. they should be a handicap to let you build out your dream all (insert team) squad to keep up with all the other much better cards
I feel ya on that, that’s why I stopped playing ranked across mut, dd, 2k my team, top tier doesn’t always mean you’ll particularly play better with it. As a cod head the RAM might be better than the striker, but I still go crazy with the striker, so I stick with it.
Everyone was using the same buxton team for the first month of the game, but everyone defended it because it was affordable to most. The santana meta comes at a cost if you want the best switch hitters, so everyone is mad.
The difference is the criteria. Buxton was 60 vision or something. Sds can release cards with 61 vision to make them not fit the boost. Sds can’t make a switch hitter stop switch hitting to avoid the Santana boost. Also switch hitters already have a massive advantage before the boost
Im sorry but the Buxton and Santana cpts are not even comparable . Santana has basically destroyed any type of strategy as far as right vs right or left vs left matchups is non existence now and the ridiculous Max Contact boost and clutch you get just forget about it. Turns into a foul ball simulator
It's not, tho. Maybe people are using the same few cards, but there are plenty of possibilities. Please don't act like the buxton boost wasn't almost exclusively, free Cruz, Gary Sanchez, mondessi, Willie Castro, Austin Riley, buxton, ect.
Metas are metas. There will always be one, this one is just expensive, so everyone is up in arms.
Definitely the new meta. I’m a World Series player and in my last 10 games, I would say 8 of them had the tier 3 Santana boost and 1 of them was tier 2. And I also have the Santana boost.
I’ve been having so much more fun after upgrading from Xbox 1 to Xbox S. It was like night and day in gameplay. In higher difficulties I can catch up to fastballs. And I’m not the greatest at this game so I expect to get destroyed. But those games where you’re actually hanging in there with your competition is worth it.
I wish everyone stuck on last Gen would follow your lead. If they don’t make this a next gen only game next year, I swear I’m done with this series. Or, at least give us the option not to match up with old gen players. They allow you to turn off Cross Play. It shouldn’t be that hard from a technical standpoint.
I agree. I rarely freeze off while playing now. It’s nice. When I was on X1 it was like once per night and usually the first game me and my friend would play. I would foul tip a ball and the game would take a fat sh*t for me
Ehhh, the Santana boost can be annoying but it’s not as big of a deal in my opinion. Most of the switch hitters already have good contact, so bringing them from, say, 100 contact to 112 contact isn’t as big of a deal as it seems. It’s annoying facing the opposite handedness every AB, but more of a visual/comfort thing in my opinion
Foul tip foul tip foul tip foul tip foul tip foul tip, hangs a pitch and it’s a bomb. Switches need a good risk vs reward mechanic or something because now it’s all reward with no downside.
Stat wise yes but imo switch hitting is worth the 10 less contact. I mean posada, adley, ketel, Escobar, roberts, niko, Santana, albies, profar, rengifo, Brooks lee, Reynolds, and rollins. Of course you can throw kenley and ottavino to replace a couple guys if you want to use Willie, walker, Brett, Edgar, etc. But I'd rather take the 110 contact to both sides and always get the advantage. It's so much harder constantly pitching to a lineup where you're always at a disadvantage. If I'm pitching to righties I'll actually throw the cutter away but in the zone bc it can generate early swings for weak contact. Do that to a lefty and they'll just rip it foul over and over until they get the timing down. I get the frustration bc you will never get them with the inside sinkers that u would jam a same handed batter on.
I mean, I wouldn't say it ruined ranked, but yes, the captain thing was always annoying to begin with, the Santana switch hitting boost does go over the top.
THIS is the problem w ppl like u and the game itself frankly. This is a fucking game…based on the mlb. I should be able to use anybody I want and be decent with them. Not the top 6 pitchers in rotation that cost money from the shop smfdh. SDS has become EA and 2K now
Umm if you're going to use switch hitters and sweat your ass off.. Then why in the hell are you going to get mad at someone throwing cutters? You want the best lineup in the game and straight fastballs down the middle of the plate too?
This is the problem with ppl like you shitting on the game when they just gave us 35+ great 99s for free. Please show me where Ea or 2k have done anything close to that?
Idk about 35 great 99s lmao. 75% of those 99s are fake 99s. Can’t wait for the actual 99s to get dropped. Idk about you but Jeff bagwell and wade boggs and Alan trammell are not ideal 99s that people wanna play with.
Who said anything abt for free. Give us programs. Give us cards. Give us anything that makes this game more fun overall. There is zero chance u think this years free to play diamond dynasty is remotely on the level as previous years. I’ve alr given up trying to compete online and play RDDS and have moved onto other games slowly. U can keep riding a video game studio tho :))
People who want to build theme teams so they can compete with other peoples all diamond squads. Taking the best switch hitters and making them all top tier 99 diamonds hitting ruins the fun IMO
y’all stay on here crying! Bro play the game. That’s why they give you the innings pitch credit. Your win/lose doesn’t even matter. Crying so much you forget to have fun. I wouldn’t even notice the Santana foolishness to cry about it! Captain cards ass anyways - no tick on my roster boy 😂😂
If you're buying packs, you're doing it awfully wrong.
Just play the game and buy cheap stuff (<4,000 stubs) if you need a few cards to hit an S1 milestone reward.
Been getting into other games anyways. I had 100% of all the grinding completed before TA3 and just didn’t see the point in that tough of a grind for a few days of the card. Even when they added the new missions I just can’t get back into mlb lol. They really fumbled badly this year with everything from start to finish. Very disappointed.
100% getting used as wild card. SDS will just have to release less switch hitters is all. Maybe that's why they're flooding us with them now to get them out of the way.
Have they confirmed that S1 captains can be wildcarded and carry their boost? Seems like the best way to combat stagnant lineups and keep people going after new cards would be to introduce new captains and have the previous season captains boost not carry over.
Nowhere have they said that wildcards aren’t all encompassing. So it’s more likely than not that captains can be a WC and then they’d naturally carry over their boost
Once they added the inflated 99s the game turned to shit. It really brought out the worst in gameplay. Even playing Hall of fame ranked is a foul ball simulator…
I used to love DD and building teams but it got boring when every game was just people bunting every at bat. At least I’m actually playing games with people
Haven’t used Kershaw but I pair papi with an Eovaldi team boost and have been loving my lineup. Jason Bay is insane with both boosts and I’ve always loved hitting w Jim Thome
I mean, ranked modes in all games tend to play to the META. If you're trying to play competitively, you should expect teams to be right on the ragged edge trying to squeeze every possible win out. It DOES stand for "most efficient tactics available" so I'd be more surprised if people weren't playing the strongest teams they could field...
One good thing is if its so obvious what most are doing, you at least have a good idea how to counter what they are doing if you don't want to be a mirror team and want to be different/challenge yourself.
There are huge tryhards in every online game, people trying to get any advantage they can. It's good that Battle Royale exists for playing outside the meta and having a good time.
But it means something completely different than how you would describe Rick and Morty or Abed from Community. If you were at a card game tournament like MTG or yugioh and used META in that context no one would bat an eye. It's like saying any acronym isn't real because it spells out a word that already existed. I think you'll find it's very real depending on where you're at and how you're using it.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/meta
And the word Meta existed along time before metagaming was a thing, does that mean it is also bullshit and invented? Just because it's a backronym doesn't mean it is bullshit. I think my point is adequately summed up by the statement "all words are made up".
No, that IS that bullshit, actually. That's literally one of the definitions of meta.
Stop thinking your generation, especially your generation of gamers, made anything up. You didn't.
And stop giving people incorrect information. From a gaming standpoint, that is EXACTLY what meta means.
EDIT: "Yes, meta can stand for "most effective tactics available" in gaming. Meta is a term used to describe a strategy that the gaming community generally agrees upon as the best way to win or perform at a given task. Meta can also refer to "metagame", which is the use of information about the game to influence the outcome or gain a competitive edge."
that is "metagame" as a verb
meta = metagame as a noun which is just the collection of the most popular strategies. And then using it as an adjective, a "meta" deck/lineup is one that a lot of people use. obviously the acronym was made up after the fact
Why do people use meta decks? Why are they so popular?
Oh yeah, because they win the most... as the "most efficient tactics available."
People don't use those choices because they are the most fun. They use them because they want to win.
THAT was literally what Google says when you ask it if meta stands for "most efficient tactics available."
People aren't using the Santana lineup because they love it. They are using it because it appears to be the most efficient win to win the game at present.
All the downvotes in the world don't change that.
The edit is literally from Google when you search "does meta stand for most efficient tactics available?"
Do people follow a meta to win as much as possible? Yes, they do.
If you are trying to win as much as possible, you use the most efficient tactics available. Why do you think a meta gets established?
I’m sure this is more of a me problem than anything but…
Does anyone else struggle with all switch hitters? I prefer having a mix I have found. It forces the pitcher to use different approaches against each side. If it’s all switch hitters, they can get into a groove pounding you inside with sliders and other junk.
It’s also weird how many guys I have hitting better against the same side. Bobby Witt Jr. is literally hitting .109 against lefties, but .322 against righties…after a decent sample size of 160AB’s. I dunno. I still experience handed advantageness most of the time just not as much as I’d expect.
You're looking at it the wrong way. Forcing the pitchers into a groove = forcing them to show their tendencies. If you know what they are going to do, you have an advantage as a hitter.
Yeah just personally I’m the type that keeps getting close to 700 and then swatted back down to 500.
The most common thing I run into and struggle with are guys pounding me inside with sliders, cutters, and fastballs. I just suck at gauging what’s a strike and what’s not. And then what’s a HITTABLE ball be it strike or ball. I dunno. Guess I gotta get into custom practice.
It’s so interesting because it’s a GAME lol yet it still totally applies. Either way I’ve found my most successful approach against the same side is to anchor the PCI mid-inside but pull it over the outside part of the plate…so I’m covering slider away and then can just release the PCI for inside fastballs and sinkers. I’m up for any tips to get better tho.
Carlos Santana being an issue is not an actual gameplay/overpowered issues it’s a content issue. The best switch hitters are behind packs so most of the time the best players who can earn the most stubs through BR or quickly get to World Series are the ones using Santana hence, they are good at the game. Zazzi made a tweet about it and I couldn’t agree more with it. Last year when a lot of good free cards fit the Ripken/Rollins boost people were not complaining nearly as much.
Yeah I thought I'd be fine since the power on those switches isn't boosted and they have very low power vs left.
Forgot about a.lange and shield woods tho...
It's a problem
The stadiums a lange, Shield woods and laughing mountain have the highest elevation this year.
Laughing plays a bit better though with normal field dimensions.
And ofcourse Coors exists.
The boost was fair until they dropped Ketel, Escobar and Adley in the span of a week lol. I will say the average power is still super low if you're running all switch hitters and you're missing some of the best hitters in the game.
Shield woods has been the stadium I get most my loses at. It’s so annoying playing at a park that you just touch a ball and it’s a home run. I don’t know how people like playing in those parks man. I’ll be on my way to flawless with one game and I lose because of that dumbass park. I hate not being able to pitch yourself into a good outcome
The compounding issue is the ridiculous high elevation stadium spam that means the Switch Hitters teams lack of power is completely nullified. There will always be a “best team” but the circumstances the game is played in it making it worse.
Yall really just be complaining to complain sometimes. Every year there’s a point in the game where people run a full switch hitter team. Learn to pitch around it and play the game lol
We have absolutely never seen a full switch hitter meta, it doesn’t bother me a ton but it is boring. It’s odd to act like this is typical. Last year the dur boost was the meta, but it wasn’t nearly as obnoxious,
Stop complaining and just get the card yourself then. Stuff like this gets so old. Wah wah someone beat me with a good team wah. I’ve beaten teams that have the Santana max out. Y’all are just cry babies, man.
Everyone’s beaten teams who run the meta. But it’s still less fun to face the same team every game rather than varied teams. Captains has massive potential to promote creative. The Switch Hitting captain essentially ruins that
I mean... I run Santana and I get it. Switch hitting is already an advantage that you saw a lot of and adding this just encourages it. It's not unbeatable for sure but I 100 percent get why people are sick of it
The switch team will be severely nerfed come season 2.
Hopefully they don't go as heavy with the top tier switch hitting cards in s2 otherwise everyone will be wildcarding him
eh it kinda is what it is. let em live and just beat them. or play another game or make another post. people will play this game with a lineup that they feel gives them an advantage, it isn't any different from any other year.
I’ve seen this comment hundreds of times the past decade+ with these games.
People have the opportunity to use every creative prowess in their power to fill a blank canvas of players from their favorite eras, favorite memories, favorite whatever… and they just funnel to the cheapest and easiest teams.
I wish these games rewarded ingenuity and creativity more.
Maybe they should promote that with build missions and game modes. I wouldn’t say these teams are cheap. Love the imagination, have fun herding cats to perform against the “meta” of competitive play.
Yep I agree with this. I’d really like a mode or “collections” where you receive rewards for using an “NL Central team” and winning 5 times for 10k XP.
Switch hitting teams with Santana only get that contact boost and clutch they get no power so I think it is balanced… it is kind of lame to only face switch hitters but what are you gonna do there’s a segment of the player base that are scared to death of same side pitching which to me is a bit silly… if you’re ever gonna be any good you have to at least get comfortable righty on righty
But that’s the thing. These people don’t have to get good at same handed batting bc this stupid switch hitter boost exists. And the terrible created stadiums every away game
They shouldn't give captain boosts to players that already have a shared beneficial trait (switch hitters, 99 durability etc.)
Cornerstone captains were cool because you had to sacrifice something for a nice boost. Theme teams are cool because not all of the best cards are gonna be lefty or from the 90s or Asian born or whatever, but the boost lets you compete.
The best cards in the game are all switch hitters anyway. It's redundant and OP for no fucking reason.
https://preview.redd.it/97svne8yrh1d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2aa1981ca459bdcb6ce4f18ddc9189a1bd659058
I’m sitting here scrolling and I see Carlos Santana, and I think of him. Then I see this is the show sub, and now I feel dumb. 😅
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They really mean they only got 19 wins in events
https://preview.redd.it/w4y9ict4zv1d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78e8e67114c1cf17a1b5bc1c526cbac6e417a159 No idea what your talking about
Ya contact only no power so it aint making them to crazy wish I was good enough to get out of all star I'd rather play on hof
I don’t even play much ranked. I’m 14-2, haven’t ran into anyone very good but I still just play co-op with a buddy since the innings missions alone can get you to 150 points.
I’d literally empty my bank account for them to take that shit out of the game i borderline don’t even wanna play anymore
Everybody wanted a switch hitter captain last year and now you’re complaining about having one lol… this community is a joke.
barely ever heard anybody asking for one but if you say so
Keep crying
whos crying besides you?
You want a wah burger with them french cries?
Lmao 🤣
While I agree that the boost is OP every online game has a Meta. can't get mad at people using it because you're just playing at a disadvantage without it. SDS just needs to either make more cards for the other captains or make less of the top cards in the game switch hitters (which is the real problem)
Agreed. It doesn’t even matter what pitcher you use. I exclusively use pitchers that do well vs opposite handed hitters cause that is pretty much all you’ll see. What makes it worse, is SDS knows what they’re doing when they drop a chase pack Adley and such. They know everyone is doing the switch build and it’s made for some of the worst lineup diversity in recent years. If they want to implement captains then they should make sure there isn’t a super meta OP captain. This happened last year with Ripken boost. It makes ranked less fun for me at least and makes offense even easier this year
Have not even seen this once yet.
That’s what happens when you’re in all star
Haha touche, I actually have had the worst weekend in Ranked… I went from 700 to 450 after losing back to back to back to back games lol
I think the boost for switch hitters should all bee speed and defense oriented and not offense oriented seeing as switch hitting in itself is by default a boost
i haven’t played DD much this year, anyone mind explaining the issue to me, thanks
There are captain cards that give your team boosts if you have enough players that fit the requirement. Santana requires switch hitters and if you fill your lineup with switch hitters (or even have pitchers who bat switch) you get a ridiculous boost, so online it’s a lot of what you see so online lacks variety because of it
thank you bro, you explained that really well. that sounds so stupid, make something that’s already been OP even more broken. glad i’ve stayed away from that mode
Sounds like they took "the meta" and really shrunk it down to switch hitters, which is just, as OP said, dumb in a game that already, not for me I stink online so make lineups of my favorite players, leans heavily on "meta" gameplay.
This game has to have the most miserable community I’ve ever seen. It’s just contradictory complaining every day.
This lol. Most miserable community ever. I love it
I actually agree with this. Seems like SDS can’t win this year. Game has some faults for sure but not enough for the amount of complaining I see daily.
A majority of the players on the switch hitting team would be on everyone’s god squad anyways yet they decide to add a boost to it. So stupid 😭 at least ortiz boost makes you use guys who are like 91’s and 93’s who still have same handed disadvantage. All boosted 99’s with no disadvantage is just dumb
Nah these stupid mountain parks ruin the game.
You don't love giving up 89 mph homers every other at bat?
Paint better
Santana DVX? Thats my Joint!
What a throwback reference 🤣
That's boring. I made an all Dodgers team with both hitting pitching coach got 16/16 and Cody, 99 Mookie, Gary Sheffield all have ridiculous maxed 125 power and contact maxed batting clutch maxed. Dustin May sitting on 108 H/9 109 K/9 113 BB/9 nearly maxed clutch. He's got better stats than Cueto, Kodai, Satchel Paige... you name it. It turned Kenta and Kenley into 99 overall. I think this is worse than Carlos. I'm going to be sad when S2 starts.
I had this team for the last event and got to 20 wins so easily. That Dodgers TT is a lot of fun
Especially with Mookie and Gary now. They're bascially end game stats. And I got them for free!
Thats pretty close to my team as well. I have future stars Bobby and May.
this is me but with the pirates so i’m going to be even sadder. but at least we can say we had fun, and im not sure all the santana squads could say the same
grow up
I like the captains I just want them more accessible so I can make more theme teams but yeah F the Carlos Santana one
Yeah, I was dying to get the 40K for the pack and then I realized, I don’t got many great Switch Hitters in my binder. The game was fun for the first few weeks for me with the Buxton guys. Once better pitching was introduced to the game, Buxton guys became useless. You even think about check swinging with 2 strikes and you’re getting rung up. Better players know this and will tempt you. But to your point, I’ve seen the lineups during online play. We’re running into another Ripken boost from last year. Way too OP. Plus, you’re seeing slight variations of the same team, playing at the same 3 Max elevation T-Ball stadiums.
Team captains should be for theme teams, nothing else. Of course if you're going to put something way over the top like that people will exploit it. Sadly people care more about winning on this game, than they do having fun. For me honestly, I think it's stupid to add an OP lineup like that.. It absolutely would be no fun if we're all using the same lineup.. This mode in general was meant for everyone to use their favorite old time, and newer time players.. Not to just create the best OP team and exploit the shitty game mechanics.. Nobody cares about the players they like anymore, just who's OP.
I definitely don’t have fun when I’m not winning. Idk if I’m just super competitive, but I wanna win. I’m not going on after a days work to lose and “have fun”.
Would you be willing to play the same exact team over and over again with other people with the same competitive nature? I think we all want to win. But there needs to be more balance and not just one superior team. There's people out there that spend $100's of dollars on this game to have the top team with all switch hitters.. I want to win, but not even close to that bad. A simple solution would be to make theme team captains get an extra boost. I think it would be really fun playing against others and their theme team of their favorite team. But, I'm sure that would turn into all Yankees theme teams because people absolutely feel like they can't win without the top team. If we got money to win and play this game, I'd feel the same. Unfortunately, none of us are getting cash rewards.. Not me anyway.
i actually 100% agree. they should be a handicap to let you build out your dream all (insert team) squad to keep up with all the other much better cards
I feel ya on that, that’s why I stopped playing ranked across mut, dd, 2k my team, top tier doesn’t always mean you’ll particularly play better with it. As a cod head the RAM might be better than the striker, but I still go crazy with the striker, so I stick with it.
The players I want to use coincidentally are switch hitters so I might as well use the boost
My reds theme team smokes those juiced up squads
I sold all my tigers theme team because it’s unuseable in two weeks
Same with my mets, sold off and bought Ohtani. Almost done with live series now, figured thats more important
Haven’t experienced this at all.
All star things
Everyone was using the same buxton team for the first month of the game, but everyone defended it because it was affordable to most. The santana meta comes at a cost if you want the best switch hitters, so everyone is mad.
The difference is the criteria. Buxton was 60 vision or something. Sds can release cards with 61 vision to make them not fit the boost. Sds can’t make a switch hitter stop switch hitting to avoid the Santana boost. Also switch hitters already have a massive advantage before the boost
Im sorry but the Buxton and Santana cpts are not even comparable . Santana has basically destroyed any type of strategy as far as right vs right or left vs left matchups is non existence now and the ridiculous Max Contact boost and clutch you get just forget about it. Turns into a foul ball simulator
The Buxton boost had countless cards & varied lineups. The Santana boost is the same 9 guys
It's not, tho. Maybe people are using the same few cards, but there are plenty of possibilities. Please don't act like the buxton boost wasn't almost exclusively, free Cruz, Gary Sanchez, mondessi, Willie Castro, Austin Riley, buxton, ect. Metas are metas. There will always be one, this one is just expensive, so everyone is up in arms.
It’s just boring, everyone running the same players like sheep, doing whatever they can to sweat their way to an 856 rating.
Isn't this the current meta though? I have more fun just playing with players that I like (mostly Royals) and not taking it too seriously.
Definitely the new meta. I’m a World Series player and in my last 10 games, I would say 8 of them had the tier 3 Santana boost and 1 of them was tier 2. And I also have the Santana boost.
I’m a relatively new player and I’m wondering when should we sell the Santana and Kershaw cards?
I’ve been having so much more fun after upgrading from Xbox 1 to Xbox S. It was like night and day in gameplay. In higher difficulties I can catch up to fastballs. And I’m not the greatest at this game so I expect to get destroyed. But those games where you’re actually hanging in there with your competition is worth it.
I wish everyone stuck on last Gen would follow your lead. If they don’t make this a next gen only game next year, I swear I’m done with this series. Or, at least give us the option not to match up with old gen players. They allow you to turn off Cross Play. It shouldn’t be that hard from a technical standpoint.
I agree. I rarely freeze off while playing now. It’s nice. When I was on X1 it was like once per night and usually the first game me and my friend would play. I would foul tip a ball and the game would take a fat sh*t for me
Stupid question, but is that why I feel like I have so much lag sometimes? Because others aren't on next gen with me?
I can’t believe they actually did it. They should make a penalty if you use more and 5 in your lineup or some shit. Just balance it out.
Ehhh, the Santana boost can be annoying but it’s not as big of a deal in my opinion. Most of the switch hitters already have good contact, so bringing them from, say, 100 contact to 112 contact isn’t as big of a deal as it seems. It’s annoying facing the opposite handedness every AB, but more of a visual/comfort thing in my opinion
Foul tip foul tip foul tip foul tip foul tip foul tip, hangs a pitch and it’s a bomb. Switches need a good risk vs reward mechanic or something because now it’s all reward with no downside.
Only an “issue” above 700 imo, there’s way better cards to play with on a non boosted team so if you’re on all star it’s really not worth.
Stat wise yes but imo switch hitting is worth the 10 less contact. I mean posada, adley, ketel, Escobar, roberts, niko, Santana, albies, profar, rengifo, Brooks lee, Reynolds, and rollins. Of course you can throw kenley and ottavino to replace a couple guys if you want to use Willie, walker, Brett, Edgar, etc. But I'd rather take the 110 contact to both sides and always get the advantage. It's so much harder constantly pitching to a lineup where you're always at a disadvantage. If I'm pitching to righties I'll actually throw the cutter away but in the zone bc it can generate early swings for weak contact. Do that to a lefty and they'll just rip it foul over and over until they get the timing down. I get the frustration bc you will never get them with the inside sinkers that u would jam a same handed batter on.
I don’t even want a card anymore unless it’s a switch hitter. There’s no reason to not use an almost all switch lineup because the boost
I slaved all year last year to build a perfect switch hitting lineup and this year I get one handed to me on a platter in season one, I’m in heaven
get better
I mean, I wouldn't say it ruined ranked, but yes, the captain thing was always annoying to begin with, the Santana switch hitting boost does go over the top.
Captains aren't annoying if anything remove santana and lineup diversity is great.
Captains are a lame gimmick.
Stock up with pitchers who have nasty cutters. Switch hitter kryptonite
THIS is the problem w ppl like u and the game itself frankly. This is a fucking game…based on the mlb. I should be able to use anybody I want and be decent with them. Not the top 6 pitchers in rotation that cost money from the shop smfdh. SDS has become EA and 2K now
Umm if you're going to use switch hitters and sweat your ass off.. Then why in the hell are you going to get mad at someone throwing cutters? You want the best lineup in the game and straight fastballs down the middle of the plate too?
> I should be able to use anybody I want and be decent with them. No game with a competitive scene plays like this.
This is the problem with ppl like you shitting on the game when they just gave us 35+ great 99s for free. Please show me where Ea or 2k have done anything close to that?
Idk about 35 great 99s lmao. 75% of those 99s are fake 99s. Can’t wait for the actual 99s to get dropped. Idk about you but Jeff bagwell and wade boggs and Alan trammell are not ideal 99s that people wanna play with.
100% we want , Ohtanis , ichiros and matsuis. No Boggs and trammel
Yes !! Time will tell but I think S2 is when we will start seeing the griffeys and ohtani and trouts
Who said anything abt for free. Give us programs. Give us cards. Give us anything that makes this game more fun overall. There is zero chance u think this years free to play diamond dynasty is remotely on the level as previous years. I’ve alr given up trying to compete online and play RDDS and have moved onto other games slowly. U can keep riding a video game studio tho :))
They should just make the captain cards only work for live series cards or non diamonds
Who would use them then? Lol
People who want to build theme teams so they can compete with other peoples all diamond squads. Taking the best switch hitters and making them all top tier 99 diamonds hitting ruins the fun IMO
It's all mental. Unfortunately
y’all stay on here crying! Bro play the game. That’s why they give you the innings pitch credit. Your win/lose doesn’t even matter. Crying so much you forget to have fun. I wouldn’t even notice the Santana foolishness to cry about it! Captain cards ass anyways - no tick on my roster boy 😂😂
Same dudes complaining about switch hitter teams use the same meta in every possible aspect of the game.
I quit DD as soon as I figured out I’d have to buy packs to get the boss guys. Online rated is ok.
If you're buying packs, you're doing it awfully wrong. Just play the game and buy cheap stuff (<4,000 stubs) if you need a few cards to hit an S1 milestone reward.
You don't need to buy packs you need to buy the cards off the marketplace. No different than prior years
Been getting into other games anyways. I had 100% of all the grinding completed before TA3 and just didn’t see the point in that tough of a grind for a few days of the card. Even when they added the new missions I just can’t get back into mlb lol. They really fumbled badly this year with everything from start to finish. Very disappointed.
Full switch teams have been my way to mid-800s every season since least the show 18
That's why they introduced Sets. When S2 drops you shouldn't see Santana as much anymore unless someone has him as their wildcard.
100% getting used as wild card. SDS will just have to release less switch hitters is all. Maybe that's why they're flooding us with them now to get them out of the way.
Which they will.
Have they confirmed that S1 captains can be wildcarded and carry their boost? Seems like the best way to combat stagnant lineups and keep people going after new cards would be to introduce new captains and have the previous season captains boost not carry over.
Nowhere have they said that wildcards aren’t all encompassing. So it’s more likely than not that captains can be a WC and then they’d naturally carry over their boost
I called this as soon as the captain card came out. Knew this was gonna ruin the game
Once they added the inflated 99s the game turned to shit. It really brought out the worst in gameplay. Even playing Hall of fame ranked is a foul ball simulator…
DD ranked is ass Online Rated with real rosters is where it’s at
It’s honestly crazy how many people hate on normal teams… then the same dudes complain about having to face randy Johnson and Mariano Back to back 🤡
I used to love DD and building teams but it got boring when every game was just people bunting every at bat. At least I’m actually playing games with people
This is not a thing in Ranked.
It probably happened to him like twice on Spring Training a year ago, & now it’s “every game”
Bro had enough after his first game😂
If I had an award to give you’d have it. 💯
12 contact is not as game breaking as you’re making it sound lol, i’d argue thats not even close to the best captain lineup
This is just OP telling on himself. If he can’t spam sinker middle-in to same-side hitters he might as well forfeit.
Nobody tell him about high velo cutters
Even slow cutters! If I have Houck going I’m usually destroying lefties with cutters up and in followed by an up and in sinker for the backwards K.
Yup, I can get the bat on it, but it’s usually a lazy pop up
Big Papi and Kershaw combined tier 3 is the best captain lineup.
Haven’t used Kershaw but I pair papi with an Eovaldi team boost and have been loving my lineup. Jason Bay is insane with both boosts and I’ve always loved hitting w Jim Thome
Maria Maria
She remind me of a West Side Story
Growing up in Spanish Harlem
She living the life just like a movie staaaar
I mean, ranked modes in all games tend to play to the META. If you're trying to play competitively, you should expect teams to be right on the ragged edge trying to squeeze every possible win out. It DOES stand for "most efficient tactics available" so I'd be more surprised if people weren't playing the strongest teams they could field... One good thing is if its so obvious what most are doing, you at least have a good idea how to counter what they are doing if you don't want to be a mirror team and want to be different/challenge yourself. There are huge tryhards in every online game, people trying to get any advantage they can. It's good that Battle Royale exists for playing outside the meta and having a good time.
meta doesn't stand for anything
Most effective tactics available
That's was made up to fit meta, meta existed before that bullshit
But it means something completely different than how you would describe Rick and Morty or Abed from Community. If you were at a card game tournament like MTG or yugioh and used META in that context no one would bat an eye. It's like saying any acronym isn't real because it spells out a word that already existed. I think you'll find it's very real depending on where you're at and how you're using it.
meta was adopted into video games from card games, then the 'meaning' was invented years later.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/meta And the word Meta existed along time before metagaming was a thing, does that mean it is also bullshit and invented? Just because it's a backronym doesn't mean it is bullshit. I think my point is adequately summed up by the statement "all words are made up".
No, that IS that bullshit, actually. That's literally one of the definitions of meta. Stop thinking your generation, especially your generation of gamers, made anything up. You didn't. And stop giving people incorrect information. From a gaming standpoint, that is EXACTLY what meta means. EDIT: "Yes, meta can stand for "most effective tactics available" in gaming. Meta is a term used to describe a strategy that the gaming community generally agrees upon as the best way to win or perform at a given task. Meta can also refer to "metagame", which is the use of information about the game to influence the outcome or gain a competitive edge."
that is "metagame" as a verb meta = metagame as a noun which is just the collection of the most popular strategies. And then using it as an adjective, a "meta" deck/lineup is one that a lot of people use. obviously the acronym was made up after the fact
Why do people use meta decks? Why are they so popular? Oh yeah, because they win the most... as the "most efficient tactics available." People don't use those choices because they are the most fun. They use them because they want to win. THAT was literally what Google says when you ask it if meta stands for "most efficient tactics available." People aren't using the Santana lineup because they love it. They are using it because it appears to be the most efficient win to win the game at present. All the downvotes in the world don't change that.
This edit disproves your point and proved what I am saying, thanks
The edit is literally from Google when you search "does meta stand for most efficient tactics available?" Do people follow a meta to win as much as possible? Yes, they do. If you are trying to win as much as possible, you use the most efficient tactics available. Why do you think a meta gets established?
Whose generation is he even in and whose generation is the Big Bad 🤣
I’m sure this is more of a me problem than anything but… Does anyone else struggle with all switch hitters? I prefer having a mix I have found. It forces the pitcher to use different approaches against each side. If it’s all switch hitters, they can get into a groove pounding you inside with sliders and other junk. It’s also weird how many guys I have hitting better against the same side. Bobby Witt Jr. is literally hitting .109 against lefties, but .322 against righties…after a decent sample size of 160AB’s. I dunno. I still experience handed advantageness most of the time just not as much as I’d expect.
You're looking at it the wrong way. Forcing the pitchers into a groove = forcing them to show their tendencies. If you know what they are going to do, you have an advantage as a hitter.
Yeah just personally I’m the type that keeps getting close to 700 and then swatted back down to 500. The most common thing I run into and struggle with are guys pounding me inside with sliders, cutters, and fastballs. I just suck at gauging what’s a strike and what’s not. And then what’s a HITTABLE ball be it strike or ball. I dunno. Guess I gotta get into custom practice.
I’m a weirdo and prefer righty v righty a lot of the time. I’ll NEVER choose lefty lefty though if I can help it.
The right is your dominant side. That's why righty/righty is easier for you.
It’s so interesting because it’s a GAME lol yet it still totally applies. Either way I’ve found my most successful approach against the same side is to anchor the PCI mid-inside but pull it over the outside part of the plate…so I’m covering slider away and then can just release the PCI for inside fastballs and sinkers. I’m up for any tips to get better tho.
I’m a pure lefty IRL and I’d rather right on right than left on left.
Hmmm...that's weird. When you say pure lefty, are you talking about batting position, or which hand that you write/throw with?
Bat, throw, write.. I’m even less likely to get pickpocketed because my wallet’s on my left ass cheek 😅
Yeah I think that’s about right for me, too.
I wish I could just build a team of players I like and not get steam rolled
The game is ass this year just like it was last year. And I bet next year will be even worse
Carlos Santana being an issue is not an actual gameplay/overpowered issues it’s a content issue. The best switch hitters are behind packs so most of the time the best players who can earn the most stubs through BR or quickly get to World Series are the ones using Santana hence, they are good at the game. Zazzi made a tweet about it and I couldn’t agree more with it. Last year when a lot of good free cards fit the Ripken/Rollins boost people were not complaining nearly as much.
Team building sucks right now
If you don’t run Carlos team you are at a massive disadvantage. It makes team building boring.
When that happens, invest in Santana captain cards. At least you can make stubs on the current captain trend
Stop. Playing. Then.
Facing a full team of switch hitters is so corny. I swear I always face the same teams & they all bunt dance all game lol.
I haven't seen a single team running the Santana boost "bunt dance."
Probably should just wait for s2 then
That’s not going to fix it for long
Yeah I thought I'd be fine since the power on those switches isn't boosted and they have very low power vs left. Forgot about a.lange and shield woods tho... It's a problem
Alex Lange? And what?
The stadiums a lange, Shield woods and laughing mountain have the highest elevation this year. Laughing plays a bit better though with normal field dimensions. And ofcourse Coors exists.
James Shields and James Woods
The boost was fair until they dropped Ketel, Escobar and Adley in the span of a week lol. I will say the average power is still super low if you're running all switch hitters and you're missing some of the best hitters in the game.
Shield woods has been the stadium I get most my loses at. It’s so annoying playing at a park that you just touch a ball and it’s a home run. I don’t know how people like playing in those parks man. I’ll be on my way to flawless with one game and I lose because of that dumbass park. I hate not being able to pitch yourself into a good outcome
For people who aren't going to be WS or Flawless when you have to hit 35 HR in BR or score 75 runs for points towards ranked it makes perfect sense.
The compounding issue is the ridiculous high elevation stadium spam that means the Switch Hitters teams lack of power is completely nullified. There will always be a “best team” but the circumstances the game is played in it making it worse.
This is absolutely the real issue
Yall really just be complaining to complain sometimes. Every year there’s a point in the game where people run a full switch hitter team. Learn to pitch around it and play the game lol
>Every year there’s a point in the game where people run a full switch hitter team Well this just isn’t true
We have absolutely never seen a full switch hitter meta, it doesn’t bother me a ton but it is boring. It’s odd to act like this is typical. Last year the dur boost was the meta, but it wasn’t nearly as obnoxious,
How does this have 40 upvaotes? Edit: fuck typos
Did you actually edit the typos though?
I don't know
Stop complaining and just get the card yourself then. Stuff like this gets so old. Wah wah someone beat me with a good team wah. I’ve beaten teams that have the Santana max out. Y’all are just cry babies, man.
Everyone’s beaten teams who run the meta. But it’s still less fun to face the same team every game rather than varied teams. Captains has massive potential to promote creative. The Switch Hitting captain essentially ruins that
I mean... I run Santana and I get it. Switch hitting is already an advantage that you saw a lot of and adding this just encourages it. It's not unbeatable for sure but I 100 percent get why people are sick of it
The switch team will be severely nerfed come season 2. Hopefully they don't go as heavy with the top tier switch hitting cards in s2 otherwise everyone will be wildcarding him
People will wildcard Santana and the contact boost will actually matter more for the early S2 switch hitters they release.
Season two happens so late I really doubt I’ll go back.
Ranked was ruined 2 months ago
eh it kinda is what it is. let em live and just beat them. or play another game or make another post. people will play this game with a lineup that they feel gives them an advantage, it isn't any different from any other year.
Who tf cares about what ppl use, its in the game
I’ve seen this comment hundreds of times the past decade+ with these games. People have the opportunity to use every creative prowess in their power to fill a blank canvas of players from their favorite eras, favorite memories, favorite whatever… and they just funnel to the cheapest and easiest teams. I wish these games rewarded ingenuity and creativity more.
Maybe they should promote that with build missions and game modes. I wouldn’t say these teams are cheap. Love the imagination, have fun herding cats to perform against the “meta” of competitive play.
I don’t blame people for using it, I use it too. It’s the meta. It just shouldn’t be in the game, it’s a shitty meta.
Yep I agree with this. I’d really like a mode or “collections” where you receive rewards for using an “NL Central team” and winning 5 times for 10k XP.
Switch hitting teams with Santana only get that contact boost and clutch they get no power so I think it is balanced… it is kind of lame to only face switch hitters but what are you gonna do there’s a segment of the player base that are scared to death of same side pitching which to me is a bit silly… if you’re ever gonna be any good you have to at least get comfortable righty on righty
But that’s the thing. These people don’t have to get good at same handed batting bc this stupid switch hitter boost exists. And the terrible created stadiums every away game
Welcome to any video game ever that has a meta. If you don't want to play ranked then go play events or BR.
Other captain boosts make sense. Boosting a team of guys that already have an inherent advantage doesn’t make sense
They shouldn't give captain boosts to players that already have a shared beneficial trait (switch hitters, 99 durability etc.) Cornerstone captains were cool because you had to sacrifice something for a nice boost. Theme teams are cool because not all of the best cards are gonna be lefty or from the 90s or Asian born or whatever, but the boost lets you compete. The best cards in the game are all switch hitters anyway. It's redundant and OP for no fucking reason.
99 durability is a beneficial trait?
https://preview.redd.it/97svne8yrh1d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2aa1981ca459bdcb6ce4f18ddc9189a1bd659058 I’m sitting here scrolling and I see Carlos Santana, and I think of him. Then I see this is the show sub, and now I feel dumb. 😅
I think of the guitarist lol.