Pick Off Like a Pro in MLB The Show 24: Simple Controls Guide

Alright, listen up, y’all. Gonna tell ya how to pick off them fellers in that there MLB The Show 24 game. My grandson, he plays it all the time, and I watch him, so I kinda picked up a thing or two. Don’t expect no fancy words, I ain’t no scholar.

First off, this pickin’ off thing, it ain’t easy. It’s like tryin’ to catch a greased pig at the county fair. But if you wanna be good, you gotta learn it. This game, it’s got all sorts of controls and stuff, makes my head spin sometimes. But for pickin’ off, it ain’t too bad once you get the hang of it.

So, you got a feller on base, right? He’s tryin’ to steal, get a jump on ya. You gotta be quicker than a hiccup. The game, it lets you throw to any base where a feller’s standin’. Makes sense, right? You ain’t gonna throw to an empty base, that’s just silly. If the bases are loaded, well, you got more fellers to worry about. More chances for them to run, more chances for you to mess up.

Now, how do you actually do it? That’s the million-dollar question. The game’s got buttons, you gotta press ’em. Which ones? Well, that depends. My grandson, he says it’s different depending on the system you’re usin’. But generally, you gotta use the buttons that control your pitcher’s throw. And you gotta be quick! Like I said, quicker than a hiccup. You hesitate, and that runner, he’s gone like a chicken in a fox den.

First, you gotta look at the runner. See if he’s gettin’ antsy.
Then, you gotta decide which base to throw to. Don’t just throw for the heck of it.
Next, you gotta press the right button, and do it fast.
Finally, you gotta hope the throw’s accurate. A bad throw, and that runner’s gonna be laughin’ all the way to the next base.

This game, it’s got all sorts of things to help ya. My grandson talks about “skill sets” and “perks” and all that jazz. Sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me, but he says it helps your player get better. He also says there’s this “road to the show” thing, where you make your own player and take him through the whole baseball shebang. Sounds like a lot of work if you ask me. I’d rather just sit and watch, maybe yell at the TV a little.

And get this, they got girl players in the game now! First time ever, they say. Well, good for them. Girls can play ball just as good as boys, I always say. My niece, she could throw a fastball faster than any boy in her school.

They also got different ways to hit the ball. Power swing, contact swing, bunt… My grandson, he’s always tryin’ to hit home runs. Swings so hard, sometimes I think he’s gonna break the controller. But hitting, that’s a whole ‘nother story. We’re talkin’ about pickin’ off here, remember?

So, to sum it up, pickin’ off is all about bein’ quick, bein’ smart, and knowin’ which buttons to press. It takes practice, just like everything else in life. You ain’t gonna be good right away, so don’t get discouraged. Keep at it, and you’ll be pickin’ off runners left and right. And if you mess up? Well, don’t sweat it. It’s just a game, after all.

My grandson, he gets real mad when he messes up. I tell him, “Boy, calm down! It ain’t the end of the world.” He just rolls his eyes at me. Kids these days, they got no patience. But that’s alright, I still love him. And I still love watchin’ him play this here MLB The Show game, even if I don’t understand half of it.

And listen, if you’re new to the game, don’t feel bad if you can’t do it right away. There’s a lot to learn. It ain’t just about pickin’ off. You gotta learn how to hit, how to pitch, how to field… It’s a whole baseball world in that little box. But if you work at it, you’ll get better. Just like learnin’ to bake a good apple pie. Takes time and practice, but it’s worth it in the end.

So go on, get out there and practice them pick-offs. And don’t forget to have fun! That’s what games are for, right?