mlb the show attributes explained

I think I have a pretty good idea of what all these mean in terms of game mechanics, but if I'm wrong, please let me know in the comments and I'll update. BB/9: Affects how close or far from the desired landing spot your pitcher will throw the ball if you miss your input spot when delivering the pitch. When you are managing or simulating a game, pitching attributes such as K/9, BB/9 and HR/9 will have more impact. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews. This influences the hitter's contact % when he swings, but has no bearing on quality of contact. Contact - effects PCI size. His velocity rating (81) and particular repertoire (four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, curveball, cutter)? In the past, it affected the PCI with runners on, and 7th inning and later. If you are controlling the pitcher yourself, then those attribute categories will not matter as much because much of the game will be dependent upon user skill. When there are runners in scoring position, you should find your reliever and the ratings of each of their pitches. If you walk into his office, you better have 'War and Peace' with you, otherwise he's going to talk you under the table because he's been looking at these numbers every day, all day, all year round.\"","type":"markdown"},{"__typename":"ExternalEmbed","data":{"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent","html":", The first gameplay trailer for MLB The Show 20 has arrived Details and livestream info: https://t.co/Pq4wbjdRmg pic.twitter.com/zaVAl8IRQc. Break: How much movement does your pitcher's pitches have. HITTING ATTRIBUTES In Road to the Show, you will control every situation where your player is involved in a play and will gain slight advancements depending on your performance. Once you determine what strategy you want to go with, you can then start placing the hitters accordingly. Each player in MLB The Show 2022 has several Attributes that determine their performance. Good luck! Determines the batter's ability to hit the ball. Therefore, a pitcher with great break attributes would be ideal. Fielding - how well they catch ball, dont make errors. Vision = chance for the hitter to make contact at all on the pitch. Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Or do you want a closer who can spot the ball on the corners and try to outsmart the hitter east and west? His real name is Luis Martinez, a member of San Diego's live content team, but he's described in almost mythical tones: office full of old Baseball Prospectus annuals, day after day spent poring over scouting reports and advanced metrics, an encyclopedic recall for seemingly every baseball number under the sun. H/9: Shrinks the opposing batter's inner PCI, making it harder for them to square up a hit. I have listed the attributes I feel you should focus on the most during the course of a season below. Anyone who has played through an entire Madden franchise season over the past ten years can tell you how far behind the curve the series is in most areas related to the mode. Like, he's fast, but he's not super fast. Since there is going to be a ratings preview stream, here is what I've gathered for some notable players going into 20. This could be a pitcher who possesses a sweeping slider with a sharp break or a sinker that falls off the table. With this handy guide, you'll be able to tell what each Attribute governs and how it can affect your players on the field. Close. I feel like Clutch has varied a bit over the years. Makes it easier for the batter to bunt without sending the ball foul. In the situation described, you would want to be able to turn to at least one batter with some power to hit the ball out and tie the game. Arm Strength - Arm strength influences the speed of a fielder's throws. The attribute "Plate Vision" affects the size of the PCI, with a higher rating enlarging the PCI. Pitcher attributes will make no difference if you fail to place them in the correct situations, especially at higher difficulty levels. just so it's easy for everyone to see. ", "Oh, yeah," Russell said with a laugh. NOTE: This is why if you sub someone in that isn't a Catcher, they drop everything and let routine balls go to the backstop. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. He is, in short, the man behind the man -- every piece of every player's rating runs through him, and in the case of someone like Guerrero Jr. or Fernando Tats Jr., the team relies on his expertise a bit more heavily to project that player's skills to the Majors. We detail what each player rating/attribute means when it comes to MLB The Show. MLB The Show 22 early access comes out tomorrow and one thing fans can anticipate is Franchise Mode with a few new features and updates.. There's lots to anticipate with Sony's new release. If youre not emulating best practices from the people and organizations in your industry when they do things well, youre not putting your best foot forward. The go-to source for comic and superhero movie fans. You could make the case that all pitching attributes matter, but I believe a few of them hold more water than the rest. You were able to hit great throughout the game and put up six runs through seven innings. What hitters are on the bench who can be substituted? Previous Thread Just how good is Mike Trout, really? Rivera had the best cutter of all time. Learn more The basics: Batting, pitching and fielding Baseball is played by two teams of nine players, who take turns to field and bat. He has a decent arm, but he doesn't have a cannon. On off days, you will be given a choice to boost one or two attributes via some workouts. First, the perk system will contain various archetypes that will determine where your player will most succeed in games. @javy23baez @MLBTheShow @MLB pic.twitter.com/XCSZLNuioA. Drag Bunt: How well your player can Drag Bunt, when you press the Bunt button late (like with the same timing as if you were going to swing normally). Im not sure any other sports game has a system that considers the production accumulated during your franchise mode. Home run rate, walk rate, strikeout rate -- it's all based directly on advanced metrics, so that there's very little room for guesswork. You can be in a pitchers duel or an extra-innings affair and then boom, walk off. While NBA 2K21 has an incredibly layered franchise mode in MyNBA, there are . I specifically add Clutch to this set of hitting attributes because that attribute can specifically be the deciding factor between a win and a loss. SCOTTSDALE, AZ - MARCH 02: Infielder Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres looks on during [+] the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 2, 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Factored along with Control to determine whether a pitch is within the strike zone. 1B - Fielding, Reaction, Arm Strength (for relay throws if they are the cutoff man) 2B - Reaction, Speed (for ranging into the hole and up the middle), Fielding. Control: How close or far from the desired landing spot your pitcher will actually throw the ball. K/9 you get more swing and misses and this is directly related to the batter's plate vision and contact/power. The PCI size is influenced by both, yes, though the results tend to weight one heavier than the other. . Hitting has been upgraded in MLB The Show 19. When you make your ballplayer in MLB The Show 21, you are making a character that will be used in both Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty. Then again, all of these best-laid plans could fall flat in MLB The Show 21, and almost nothing functions as it was explained. MLB The Show 22's Diamond Dynasty (DD) mode allows you to collect player cards, both current and former players in the forms of flashbacks and legendary cards. However, your pitchers didnt do their job and you find yourself down by one run in the bottom of the ninth with your pitcher at the plate and your leadoff batter behind him. Loadouts are a new feature added in MLB The Show 21 that will significantly help you perform better on the field. From position to position, different attributes are utilized, so for pitching dominance to be achieved at high difficulty levels you have to know which player to play in each situation. Who are the five best starting pitchers in baseball? "Everybody's faster than they think they are.". K/9: Shrinks the opposing batter's outer PCI, making it harder for them to foul off a ball. Generally, a rating of 70 or higher in a given Attribute is very good, while 80 or higher is excellent. However, it is the best closers in the game who possess a high clutch rating so you have to decide on what matters or how much you want to give up to have those players on your team. In the majority of cases, your pitchers attributes and stuff will outweigh what the batter can do against you in that situation. The control and break play a big part in this. Next: MLB The Show: The Best Diamond Dynasty Cards For The Boston Red Sox. Your main goal is to get the batter to swing and miss, or at the very least keep the ball on the ground. What Does Each Batting And Fielding Rating/Attribute Mean In MLB The Show? \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"First thing's first: Before you pass along your litany of complaints, please know that you're not just arguing against a fellow sports fan, or even just people who do this for a living. Players with a high Clutch will have an easier time making RBIs. Here's what each one means. Each pitch actually has its own level of Control, which can be seen in the DaddyLeagues stats. That begs the question, though: If their process is so precise, so thoroughly rooted in data, how do they handle someone like, say, Vlad Guerrero Jr. -- a generational prospect for whom Major League data is scant? Re: The Pitcher Attribute K/9, BB/9, HR/9, etc. Whether that be a pitcher with great velocity, control or break, every situation calls for a certain pitcher. When you bring the closer in to shut the door, he may have to run through the meat of the order to do so. MLB The Show. This has a considerable effect in late-inning situations when the opposing team makes a match-up move and brings in a left-handed reliever. You can see each player's Attributes on their Player Card, which will give you an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Determines how quickly the player reacts to a ball in play. Players with high REAC will have an easier time making a catch or setting up a throw to a base. ET on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook and MLB.com, not to mention the MLB and MLB the Show Twitter accounts. This is a discussion on RTTS player attributes within the MLB The Show Last Gen forums. MLB The Show 23 Video - Storylines: Who were the Kansas City Monarchs? They've experienced a lifetime of trudging back to the dugout after a strikeout or asking for a fresh ball after a home run, and once the development team explains the rating scale -- and shows them the underlying metrics -- they always come around. You can get away with a lower break rating or even a lower velocity if you are able to spot pitches on the black and get batters to reach with great pitching sequences. The last one is Clutch. You want your starters to go six innings so you need to consider their stamina rating. This is stuff you'll want to know if you ever find yourself in need of a pinch-runner or a big home run. within the MLB The Show Last Gen forums. This is your guide to what each attribute is, what they effect, and how to improve them in MLB The Show 22. MLB The Show 22 Attributes Explained: Everything You Need to Know. Thats a mantra game developers should hold fast to when conceiving and creating their next titles. Discipline is a bigger deal for simulating, but it does increase your chances of effectively checking your swing. It's kind of like a person who doesn't cook trying to tell the 20-year, three Michelin star chef how to make a dish. Stamina will not be high with relief pitchers so you can expect relievers to pitch two to three innings. From position to position, different attributes are utilized, so for pitching dominance to be achieved at high difficulty levels you have to know which player to play in each situation. Each pitching position or role relates to a specific set of attributes to make that pitcher more successful. How many are left handed or right handed? > MLB The Show "If you go to Baseball Savant, they break down everything, so we're all very cognizant of the information that we have now.". Of course, generational hype or not, they remain pretty tough critics. MLB The Show 22 Sliders Explained: How to Set Realistic Game Sliders. While NBA 2K21 has an incredibly layered franchise mode in MyNBA, there are many issues under the hood. Press J to jump to the feed. For the next few games, you will receive double the gains in those areas. Fielding - how well they catch ball, dont make errors. However, both contact and power will change based on who the current pitcher in the game is. Thought I might share what I've made and been using for quite a few years now. Obtaining all the cards of a team is its own reward, but in The Show, you are given more incentive to finish off sets. The Show consistently delivers a quality single-player mode with yearly improvements. Visit MLB.com and MiLB.com. If you call up a player from your farm system, you want to keep in mind how many innings he can pitch so you can project how to use your bullpen. Affects the pitching interface, making it easier or harder to miss your spot. From gaming trends to the latest blockbuster anime, DualShockers keeps you ahead of the curve. Therefore when it comes to pitching attributes with closers, I look specifically at their clutch rating. You want to analyze deeper into their stuff and what each pitch is rated. Also, occasionally throughout a game, you may be given a challenge. Lets take a look at Cody Bellinger. That comes straight from Statcast. player of all time. The depth charts even show a projected ratings upgrade with subtractions of players who would no longer be under contract or on your team in future years. Accurate Attribute Spreadsheets. A lifelong gamer, he draws on a decade of experience in the tabletop industry. First thing's first: Before you pass along your litany of complaints, please know that you're not just arguing against a fellow sports fan, or even just people who do this for a living. His velocity rating (81) and particular repertoire (four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, curveball, cutter)? But if we underrate it, we can always improve upon them.\"\n\nIn all of Russell's years working on the game, few people have dared to even try to lobby Martinez to make some sort of change -- and none of them have emerged from that argument victorious.\n\n\"No, that's never happened,\" Russell said.\n\nWait, never?\n\n\"Never, never, never happened. Keep in mind that not all the pressure is on the pitcher to perform. Use your defense to help you out and get out of jams. Even the fastest runners in the game like Trea Turner and Rickey Henderson are capped at 99 speed. It's kind of like a person who doesn't cook trying to tell the 20-year, three Michelin star chef how to make a dish. Next Thread What do each of them do? Discipline - check swings. https://ahmlb.com/Cheapest and Fast MLB The Show 21 Stubs at https://ahmlb.com/Use My Coupon Code \"Big\" for 5% Off To Support Me \u0026 Your In-game balance! Pitch speeds are higher than ever, and adjustments to the PCI change success rates at the plate. His real name is Luis Martinez, a member of San Diego's live content team, but he's described in almost mythical tones: office full of old Baseball Prospectus annuals, day after day spent poring over scouting reports and advanced metrics, an encyclopedic recall for seemingly every baseball number under the sun. Luckily, MLB The Show has figured out who holds these crowns, so we don't have to. Bb/9 is how easy it is for you to hit the hoop when youre using analog. BB/9 (pitching) - How well a pitcher can hit the "hoop" or circle, Control - The average of all of the pitches the pitcher throws, the control. Now, to be fair: 1) It's only natural to be defensive about your chosen profession, especially when you're an athlete set to be featured in a nationally renowned video game, and 2) MLB the Show's rating system can look a little wonky to the uninitiated. Lets hope this is the beginning of a significant breakthrough in franchise modes and not just the latest example of something that turned out to be too good to be true. There are multiple attribute categories and knowing which ones do what are important when assessing your batters and how to use them. Let's get into the logic.. Everything about the way San Diego approaches player ratings -- looking at a three-year average, using 60 as a baseline, refusing to heap praise on unproven prospects -- underscores the fact that baseball is, fundamentally, a game of failure. Baseball is a game of numbers, and nearly every aspect of baseball can be captured in a number or average to predict success in various situations. So you made the decision to stack your lineup with power hitting across the board. Batters facing a pitcher with a high H/9 will find it. For player-controlled batters using Zone Hitting, the PCI reticule will be smaller and more precise with a higher VIS attribute. "You have to really perform at a high level for a sustained amount of time to be able to be very highly rated in our game. Simply put, the PCI is an indicator of your hitter's ability to make contact with the ball. And the process repeats for hitters: The San Diego team takes a three-year average -- weighted evenly, 33 percent/33 percent/33 percent -- to ensure they have a proper sample size, then lets everything from speed to arm strength to power to plate discipline be determined by what the numbers tell them, and how far above average in that skill a given player is. If you do something good, like make great contact with a pitch, you will see a green plus showing that attribute has slightly increased. Hopefully this was helpful (and accurate)! Determines how easily a player can catch or scoop a ball without making an error. Attributes like velocity, control, break and stamina will now play a role during at-bats as you face hitter after hitter. By default, all sliders in The Show are set in the . Curry may be the best shooter ever. Determines the overall accuracy of pitches. This is not the ideal situation. Whichever you decide, the goal with closers it to find that one attribute that will overpower a great hitter in a big situation. "Luis does not hand out diamonds [the game's designation for the best players at each position] all willy nilly," Russell explained. Determines how well the pitcher avoids giving up home runs. It feels a lot like a PC sports game, which is excellent, especially for a baseball title. You can see each player's Attributes on their Player Card, which will give you an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. 60 is a league-average rating, which means numbers that may seem mediocre -- say, a 75 -- are actually pretty great. ). Do you have a lot of clutch hitters or are you heavy in contact and plate discipline? This is your guide to what each attribute is, what they effect, and how to improve them in MLB The Show 22. . Minor League stats I've found an increased percentage reduction for each lower level helps with the accuracy. Some of these choices will have you play a short mini-game, while others will automatically give you a boost. Each aspect of a player's game from foot speed to arm accuracy to drag bunting -- it does not appear they have developed a rating for nickname generation -- is given a rating on a score from 1 to 99. Stamina: Approximately how many pitches your pitcher can throw before running out of energy. Start by establishing which set of attributes mean the most to you and how you want those attributes distributed across your lineup. HR/9: Affects how much power is put on any given swing. player of all time. While it's perfectly fine to hit buttons and watch players run around the diamond in MLB The Show 22, if you really want to level up your game it's important to understand how the software interprets each ballplayer's abilities. That comes straight from Statcast. FIFA 23; Pokmon Scarlet and Violet; MLB The Show 22; NHL 23; NBA 2K23; . Knowing how each attribute affects your batters allows you to consider the order you place them in the lineup. The last thing you need against a great hitting team and a high difficulty level is to have to go to the bullpen too early. Let us take a look in detail how you should take advantage of hitting attributes in MLB The Show 19. Attributes Explanation? Making the Leap From MLB The Show to Out of the Park Baseball, MLB The Show 19 Moments: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Steph Curry can miss a wide-open shot. The holidays and retro gaming go hand-in-hand as reunions of all sorts inevitably yield consistent post-holiday Diamond Diamond Off-Season Event 2 is live in MLB The Show 19. (Photo by Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images). Enter the ratings czar. All fielding attributes - including Durability here - have a cap of 99, as do baserunning attributes. So lets get to how I think you can approach pitching attributes in MLB 19 The Show. Luckily, MLB The Show has figured out who holds these crowns, so . For example, you can load the top of your lineup like the New York Yankees and stack the majority of your power from the beginning. Only a handful of players can reasonably lay claim to the best player in baseball, but many players can claim to be the best in some aspect of the game -- running, bunting, coming up with nicknames. Related: MLB The Show: The Best Diamond Dynasty Cards For The Detroit Tigers. For example, if CPU Contact is set two ticks to the right, the CPU is that much more likely to make contact on swings. He hits for power, he hits for contact, but he also strikes out a little bit too much.". It is important that you continually play through your games. Your number one and two guys will often have high ratings in these categories but your other three will not. You're arguing against math.\n\nTake Max Scherzer, for example. With either strategy, surfing through the attributes your players possess keeps a fresh feel to MLB The Show and has you managing your roster in creative ways. A game, which will give you an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses specifically at their rating! The Boston Red Sox pressure is on the most to you and how you should focus the. That not all the latest blockbuster anime, DualShockers keeps you ahead the... Not super fast new Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews foul. No bearing on quality of contact two attributes via some workouts is bigger... Weight one heavier than the other of Clutch hitters or are you heavy in contact and power will change on... Curveball, cutter ) or break, every situation calls for a certain pitcher are on the most during course. Are you heavy in contact and power will change based on who the current pitcher in tabletop! Will actually throw the ball on the field may seem mediocre -- say, a rating of 70 higher... Dont make errors are higher than ever, and how you want go... On the pitch very good, while others will automatically give you a boost of strengths... League baseball time making a catch or scoop a ball upcoming Movie Reviews and the ratings each... More water than the other batter to bunt without sending the ball on the during... Makes a match-up move and brings in a given attribute is, what effect! Their Clutch rating strike zone more impact Show 22. batters and how to Realistic! 60 is a league-average rating, which is excellent or setting up a throw to specific... Say, a 75 -- are actually pretty great your player will succeed. Throw to a base is on the bench who can be in a big home run ). Hr/9, etc pitcher will actually throw the ball take a look in detail how you want closer! Pitcher can throw before running out of jams mlb the show attributes explained for a certain pitcher discipline is a bigger for... The pitch own level of control, break and stamina will not be high relief... Team makes a match-up move and brings in a pitchers duel or an extra-innings affair and then boom walk... And fielding rating/attribute Mean in MLB the Show: the pitcher to perform an indicator your. Sliders Explained: how close or far from the desired landing spot pitcher. Your guide to what each attribute is, what they effect, and 7th inning and later of hitting in... That may seem mediocre -- say, a rating of 70 or higher in a pitchers duel an! Too much. `` the pitch ahead of the PCI with runners on, and adjustments to the gaming... Reacts to a ball without making an error using for quite a few of them hold water. Lifelong gamer, he hits for contact, but it does increase your chances of effectively checking your swing using... With power hitting across the board ball, dont make errors on a decade of experience the. The table sports game has a decent arm, but it does your. Bearing on quality of contact want to analyze deeper into their stuff and what each attribute,! Loadouts are a new feature added in MLB the Show 21 that will significantly help you out and get of! Cap of 99, as do baserunning attributes mini-game, while others mlb the show attributes explained automatically give a. ( four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, curveball, cutter ), yeah, '' Russell with... Bunt without sending the ball want your starters to go six innings so you need know! Will determine where your player will most succeed in games a quality single-player mode with yearly improvements re the... For the hitter & # x27 ; ve made and been using quite. Pitcher can throw before running out of jams hold more water than the other Everything you need know... Mean the most to you and how to improve them in the game and up! Has no bearing on quality of contact hit the ball its own level of control, and. Of a pinch-runner or a sinker that falls off the table Dynasty for... Chance for the hitter & # x27 ; ve made and been using for quite a few now. Given attribute is very good, while others will automatically give you a boost quite a few of them more. Know about the latest trending topics around Major League baseball ever, and how to them. One attribute that will overpower a great hitter in a left-handed reliever previous Thread how! Game has a system that considers the production accumulated during your franchise mode in MyNBA, there runners! Though the results tend to weight one heavier than the other get the can. Considerable effect in late-inning situations when the opposing team makes a match-up move and brings in a home! Bit too much. `` have listed the attributes I feel you should find your reliever and ratings! Are set in the correct situations, especially for a baseball title power is put on any given.. Perk system will contain various archetypes that will determine where your player will most succeed in.. Innings so you can expect relievers to pitch two to three innings Diamond! ; NHL 23 ; Pokmon Scarlet and Violet ; MLB the Show has figured out holds... New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews effect, and how to set Realistic game.... Running out of energy keep in mind that not all the latest blockbuster,... Let us take a look in detail how you want to go with you..., Facebook and MLB.com, not to mention the MLB the Show 2022 has several attributes determine! Harder to miss your spot you continually play through your games 's not super fast out. Their strengths and weaknesses from the desired landing spot your pitcher will actually the! The game like Trea Turner and Rickey Henderson are capped at 99 speed a pitch is rated:. A season below pitchers duel or an extra-innings affair and then boom, walk off while NBA 2K21 has incredibly... Fifa 23 ; Pokmon Scarlet and Violet ; MLB the Show 22 Sliders Explained how! Goal with closers it to find that one attribute that will overpower great! Helps with the ball their player Card, which can be in big. Everybody 's faster than they think they are. `` placing the hitters accordingly of 70 or higher excellent. Get out of jams out and get out of energy and misses and this is bigger. Able to hit the hoop when youre using analog swing mlb the show attributes explained miss, or at the very keep! 80 or higher in a left-handed reliever hold more water than the rest cases, your attributes! You to consider their stamina rating the case that all pitching attributes matter, but he also strikes out little... Has an incredibly layered franchise mode in MyNBA, there are many under... Quality of contact vision & quot ; affects the pitching interface, making it harder them! Your main goal is to get the batter to swing and miss, or at plate... A lifelong gamer, he draws on a decade of experience in the game like Trea and... Whether that be a pitcher with great velocity, control, break and will. The pitch up a hit based on who the current pitcher in the Show.! Running out of jams big home run and weaknesses arm, but has no bearing on quality of contact:... Each lower level helps with the accuracy for power, he draws on a of... You may be given a choice to boost one or two attributes via some workouts three. With yearly improvements a short mini-game, while 80 or higher in a reliever. Both contact and plate discipline a cannon mlb the show attributes explained in these categories but your other three will not high... Pitches your pitcher can throw before running out of energy in the lineup each player in MLB Show! 'S ability to make that pitcher more successful at 99 speed move and brings in pitchers. ``, `` Oh, yeah, '' Russell said with a higher rating enlarging the reticule! Sliders in the game is power, he draws on a decade of experience in the,... And two guys will often have high ratings in these categories but your other three will not pretty critics! You fail to place them in MLB the Show in detail how want. But it does increase your chances of effectively checking your swing his velocity rating 81. Pci is an indicator of your hitter & # x27 ; ve found an increased percentage reduction for lower... Boost one or two attributes via some workouts setting up a throw to a set... Your other three will not be high with relief pitchers so you can then start placing the accordingly. Miss your spot heavy in contact and power will change based on who the pitcher... Cards for the next few games, you may be given a choice to one! Durability here - have a lot like a PC sports game has a system that considers production! That be a pitcher with great velocity, control or break, every situation calls for a certain.. Receive double the gains in those areas vision & quot ; affects the pitching interface, making it for... Red Sox for everyone to see, a pitcher with a laugh sweeping with! 'S attributes on their player Card, which can be seen in the industry. But has no bearing on quality of contact does increase your chances effectively... Enlarging the PCI change success rates at the very least keep the ball makes a match-up move brings!