Spring ritual....NEW baseball video game!

by Redhawk on Mar 9, 2007 8:27 AM MST

It's spring time, and that brings me one of my baseball rituals, namely picking up a new video baseball game for my PS2. With only 2 choices, I went with MLB: 07 The Show.

I had MLB: 06, and 07 is much improved. Everything is tweeked. Maybe the best baseball sim ever. You really have to watch pitches, and get the timing correct, even having to foul off pitches to get a pitch you like to hit. Rosters are very accurate, with only a few errors, and major league free agents are included unlike last year.

More players scanned too. Last year there was only 40, this year 400. For the Rockies that's Jeff Frances, Aaron Cook, Helton, Holiday, Atkins, Fuentes, Barmes, Kaz Mat, Tavares, Hawpe.

Speaking of the Rockies. I've simed the season a few times, and amazingly the Rockies have won the west 3 out of 5 times!, and one year playing "Road to the Show" they lost the wild card on the final day of the Season. The game really has big love for Garrett Atkins, and Willie T, and Javey Lopez, and none for Hawkins who gets hammered on a regular basis

All that said, the REAL addiction is the new "Road to the Show" where you create a player, and you play ONLY your appreances in a game with the ultimate goal of completing a 10 year career and make the Hall of Fame. You play only your at bats, only your chances in the field, fast forwarding through the game to your next "event" as the game calls it. As you complete goals you get training points to get better, and the better you get you move up in the organization. I was a 2nd baseman, started at Col. Springs bench, went down to Tulsa, then up to Col. Springs, then up to the Rockies, eventually beating out Carroll for the starting job by the 1st of August. It was great to see my "virtual" me interact with the Rockies. After the season....the Rockies cut me siting organizational depth (HUH???). I'm now trying to catch on with the Cubs.

Next up for my spring ritual....baseball movies. Such as Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, League of their Own, 8 Men Out....Now that gets me fired up for baseball!

What's your spring baseball ritual? Big? Little? Passed down from a family member, or a friend?

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. But the above FanPost does not necessarily reflect the attitudes, opinions, or views of Purple Row's staff (unless, of course, it's written by the staff [and even then, it still might not]).

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I just

picked up MLB 2K7 today for the PS3. Haven't played much of it yet since I'm correcting some of the rosters first.

I have Field of Dreams and Bull Durham waiting to be watched, but haven't got around to it yet.

by Russ Oates on Mar 9, 2007 11:21 AM MST reply actions

Let me know what you think

of 2K7 on ps3..and ps 3 platform in general. 2k6 (last years) on ps2 sucked. Graphics were bad the players felt like they were standing in mud, and I didn't even look at it this year, but would like to know how it looks, especially on the ps 3

And I'm thinking of a next gen system. But have to admit I'm leaning Xbox 360 cause of more games, and xbox-live. And I've read the ps3's big calling card the Blue Ray..has issues. And no games for ps3 too.So what do you think of your ps3?

Or a new gaming PC

by Redhawk on Mar 9, 2007 11:46 AM MST up reply actions

The graphics look great

but the SIXAXIS swing control system is going to take some time to master. Fielding feels smooth though I've only played three innings so far. The faces on the players look great. I'll have some more stuff later.

The PS3 is a good system, though I don't think I'll be buying any movies on Blue Ray just yet. They don't have the games yet, but Metal Gear Solid 4 and Final Fantasy XIII are going to be huge games for the system. Games such as Resistance and Call of Duty are stunning visually and offer great game play. Fight Night also looks and plays great.

Still, I prefer the Wii.

by Russ Oates on Mar 9, 2007 12:47 PM MST up reply actions

Final Fantasy XIII

THAT may just swing me. I'm finishing Final Fantasy XII (not X-2 mind you) and it's just great. Best of the series

by Redhawk on Mar 9, 2007 1:16 PM MST up reply actions

One of the best

XII ranks as the third best behind VI and IV for me.

by Russ Oates on Mar 9, 2007 1:33 PM MST up reply actions

Final Fantasy

Nice to know we have some FF players on this site. Been playing XII right now can't get past the stupid Mandragoras Boss fight. Great game so far likeing it a lot.

Still think for now the Wii is the next gen system to get, but final fantasy XIII might make me fork out a the money to buy a PS3

by wolf213 on Mar 10, 2007 11:11 AM MST up reply actions

Only the final

enemy gave me trouble in the game, outside of the hunts. I'm still working on those. But that's been on hold since I want to get through VI Advance first. Already beat the game but the new dungeons are a pain.

by Russ Oates on Mar 10, 2007 1:50 PM MST up reply actions

Here's a leveling trick

once you get to a certain point (about 55-60) leveling gets really hard, but helps against the big guys.

go to Cherrobi Plains (the one with all the monsters) use only one person in the party. You get more exp for each monster AND it's not divided. And there's so many monsters you don't have to wait long

I've killed Hell Worm have all the Espers. All I have are the last 3 Hunts (the 2 in Subterra..which I can't get through...those mobs are tough) & Omega to kill.

by Redhawk on Mar 10, 2007 4:20 PM MST up reply actions

Alright, I've stood quietly by...

And let this go on long enough. When threads start drifting to things called Hell Worms and Espers, and getting exp on Cherroby Plains then it means somebody needs to step back and return to planet Purple Row where we can talk about things that really matter, like VORP and the five tools and the cuteness of Brad Hawpe's butt.

Boys. Sheesh.

by Rox Girl on Mar 10, 2007 4:57 PM MST up reply actions

BUT MOMMMMMMMMM

Final Fantasy is cool! And I've never looked at Brad Hawpe's butt...

by Redhawk on Mar 11, 2007 10:24 AM MDT up reply actions

MLB 2K7

I have it for the 360, and have the Rockies roster edited. If you need any help on some of the "fake" names, just ask. Of course, we have some players under fake names who I don't recall ever being on the Rockies (Jason Grybowski?!?)

by avsfan4ever33 on Mar 9, 2007 4:05 PM MST up reply actions

That would

be very helpful. Thanks.

by Russ Oates on Mar 9, 2007 4:15 PM MST up reply actions

Here are a few

The trick is the fake names have the same first and last name initials as the real player.

MR Freddy Myers --> Franklin Morales
MR Terry Myers --> Tom Martin
MR Corey Ross --> Chaz Roe
MR Richard Spark --> Ryan Speier
3B Ivan Sanders --> Ian Stewart
1B initials J.K. --> Joe Koshansky
SP initials G.R. --> Greg Reynolds

I'll pop in my copy of 2K7 later and see if I've missed any. I'm disapointed that some players don't appear to be in the game at all (Manny Corpas, Jeff Salazar). I ended up creating Corpas.

by avsfan4ever33 on Mar 9, 2007 4:37 PM MST up reply actions

Looks like

I need to get Freddy Myers back from the Os.

by Russ Oates on Mar 9, 2007 4:47 PM MST up reply actions

Lawrence

Brian Lawrence is in the game as well under the name Billy Littleton.

That should be it for now.

by avsfan4ever33 on Mar 9, 2007 7:21 PM MST up reply actions

Another great diary!

You guys are on a roll. Anyway, my Spring ritual is that it's the only time of year that I will actually buy hotdogs from the supermarket to cook at home and eat. I also like watching the B-ball movies. Major League, the Sandlot, and that one with Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig are also some of my faves. I also like the Natural.

by Rox Girl on Mar 9, 2007 11:49 AM MST reply actions

Funny

Funny how I thought I was alone in my weird spring rituals. It's amazing to hear how many people also watch baseball movies to get fired up for the season. the movie you are thinking of is "The Lou Gehrig Story"

today...day...I...Consider....sider....myself..self
the..the..luckiest...luckiest man..man..man...in..the World.....world!"

Hot Dogs is a new one!

by Redhawk on Mar 9, 2007 1:21 PM MST up reply actions

speaking of junk food,

One of the stadiums down there in Arizona has a troop of Girl Scouts selling cookies outside the gate. Because of this, I always associate Spring baseball with boxes of those as well.

by Rox Girl on Mar 9, 2007 1:27 PM MST up reply actions

Just watched

The Natural a few days ago. Next up is Field of Dreams and The Sandlot.

by Knepster on Mar 9, 2007 5:49 PM MST up reply actions

baseball video games

I can't even play any of the MLB video games anymore since EA Sports lost the license. MVP Baseball was so far and away the best MLB game on the market. MLB 2k6 was awful last year and I've got no interest in trying 2k7, though that Road To the Show mode is intriguing enough that I might check out MLB 07.

The best baseball game out right now - and it's not close - is MVP 07: NCAA Baseball. Most fun I've ever had playing a baseball video game.

Also, I have my spring reading list: Baseball Prospectus 07, the Bill James Handbook, Baseball America's Prospect Guide, and the Baseball America 2007 Almanac.

Die-hard Rockies fan. On the bandwagon since 4/2/93. Not giving up my seat. EVER.

by Franchise26 on Mar 9, 2007 11:59 AM MST reply actions

MLB vs MVP

I was an MVP fan too. MLB 06 wasn't as good as MVP was. MLB 07 may be better. But in WAY different ways. MVP had great pretty graphics. MLB 07 is passable graphics wise

Where they differ is "Simulation". MLB really feels like playing baseball. The pitches are better. The way it reacts of a bat is more realistic. Guessing pitches is better...but the down side...it's TOO baseball at time for a video game, and some time TOO intricate. MVP was just easier and prettier, and a little more "arcade" like. Which isn't a bad thing.

Personally...I'd love to see the too merge. If MLB had better graphics, and it's Rookie/easy mode was more like a basic MVP game..it would be great

Also if you pick up MLB to try, give it some time. First impression from MVP isn't great, but it grows on ya

by Redhawk on Mar 9, 2007 1:14 PM MST up reply actions

ill second that

i bought the first ncaa baseball last year and loved it. i also pay a little more attention to the college game than i did before as well. i bought sonys mlb 06 the show a while back and took it back within an hour because they only have the 40 man roster prior to each season.i dont think i shouldnt have to create tulowitzki,ianetta, and jimenez. i dont know maybe im just to picky. 2k6 had most of them, but that game was terrible.

by jaxROXdisciple on Mar 9, 2007 1:15 PM MST up reply actions