MVP Baseball 2004

[Lightning Flik 0]

Interesting flaw. I'm two years away from that day, but I haven't had any freezing yet. But if it freezes on that day, I think we get awfully mad with letters to EA Sports about the issue.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Actually Mike my game freezes when it hits July 8, 2007.  It's happened 3 times now.  Doesn't matter if I sim that day or play out the day's game.  Once that day's game has been played, it locks up.

I might have been close to that date. Thing is --- it wouldn't load again PERIOD. Nothing. System claimed the disc was damaged, but the disc was pristine. Not a scratch on the surface.

-=Mike

Well I don't have the disc, I've got it on my HD. I have no clue why it happens, but if anyone else has the same problem we should probably let those understanding folks at EA know about it.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Before I start bragging, I'd like to say a couple things. First, I slice almost every pitch I can. Secondly, my starter pitchers are the ONLY thing that rock on my pitching staff. Thirdly, all you need to do to get my total of runs is get people on bases then let the balls fly.

 

Team Stats For The 2004 MLB Season (Expos): 118-27 (1st), RS 782 (1st), RA 305 (1st), AVG. .322 (1st), HR 234 (1st), 4 SB (Last). 2.08 ERA (1st), F% .992 (1st).

 

Yes, I'm playing hard, strike zone off, and hot/cold zones off. Just look at the stats and you'll understand why I've almost got 800 RBI for my team.

 

Now then League Leaders:

Hitter Stats

Brad Wilkerson - AVG. .406

Wes Helms - HR 61

Orlando Cabrera - RBI 158

Orlando Cabrera - R 120

Nick Johnson - H 213

Wes Helms - 2B 56

Orlando Cabrera - 3B 28

Orlando Cabrera - TB 459

Orlando Cabrera - SLG .768 (Wes Helms is .766)

 

Pitcher Stats

Zach Day - ERA 1.79

Chris Morris* and Zach Day - W 23 (23-5, 23-2 respectively)

Chris Morris* - AVG. 210

Chris Morris* - SO 195 (only 4 behind Barry Zito, and I'll make sure Morris passes him)

Livan Hernandez and Tony Armas Jr.

Chris Morris* - CG 18

Chris Morris* - SHO 7

Chris Morris* - IP 244.2

 

*denotes created player with good stats, and 89 stamina.

 

 

With a hitting staff like that, it is just SICKLY. Honestly, how the hell do you combat a hitting squad like that? Orlando Cabrera is a fucking monster if you know how to hit with him. Just slap that ball at any and all times.

 

Nick Johnson can spray a lot of balls and with amazing fashion. He's in the tailing end of my order just to do some hitting damage.

 

If the ball is up in the strike zone on Wes Helms, and it is either fast or decent, slap that bitch out of the park in a hurry. He just kills it each and every chance he gets. It's amazing that a guy with only 70-70 for contact and power is killing the ball as well as he can.

 

Now then, as you can clearly see, Chris Morris seems quite surreal, but I swear on a stack of bibles I just pitch awesome with him. The reason I say this, is because he's got a 4-Seam Fastball (99-100MPH), Slider (87MPH), Slurve (81MPH), and Curve (79MPH). Considering all of his pitches are breaking balls except the fastball, I should be getting cranked, but with the slider I can cut it inside on right handers to cuff them up. I use the slurve to hold them up as they think it'll be my curve and sick below the zone, but oh, sinks right into the zone. And the curve ball to just play nasty with them as it sails outside the zone, but you have to swing anyways, because you think it is the slurve. The fastball is a lovely starting or finishing pitch because with all the breaking pitches, it gets you thinking of breaking and nothing else till the ball is already by you. Since I can usually use the slider to cuff them, I can most of the time make it to 80% stamina and be in the fifth inning. Hence the large precentage of CGs, the low AVG. and the insane ERA. But please don't let that confuse you, he's only 13-5 in CGs. And realize only 7 of those CGs are without letting a run, 6 of those games have gone above 2 runs (1-5 when that happens). And yes, I realize that he's a perfect 10-0 and probably has an ERA of under one in those games. Yet, if he's doing so well, and it's the 7th inning, I figure let him go for it.

 

And Zach Day is just an awesome pitcher in the game. His stuff lets him consistantly go 6-7 without usually giving up more than a run or two. Since he's got two types of fastballs I like to contually trade them back and forth for a first or second pitch. If the fastball is first, I usually follow that up with the splitter to catch them off guard followed by the circle change. If I nail the slider as my second pitch, I usually nail the splitter following that, as it'll just catch the zone at the bottom (or miss) and the batter is inclined to hit it because he doesn't have a choice.

 

Please note I traded for Helms half way through the season, and Wilkerson was competing with Ron Calloway for a starting job and didn't get the starting job till half way through the season.

 

Yeah, that's a lot of bragging, but I felt like sharing. Since I'm probably not re-signing Hernandez, Armas Jr. isn't really all that good and most likely I'm traded for another pitcher (younger and probably not too terribly good ), and I don't know if Cabrera will re-sign with me for cheaply and enough so I can get Wilkerson back either. Add the better half of my bullpen is leaving and I'm not liking next season at all.

 

So I'm going to brag as my team probably will make a good run but be stopped by the Cubs or something. And then I'm probably going into the rebuilding stage for a few seasons.

Edited June 21, 2004 by Lightning Flik

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm actively considering creating Rick Vaughn and placing him on the Indians. Why not have some fun? Sometimes I need to break out of my perfectionist mold.

[Guest Ahhee]

You've got to add JoeBoo, Willie Mays Hayes and the rest of the gang as well.

 

I had a 19 inning game the other night. Cubs v. 'stros. The CPU had Dotel pitch 10(!) innings of relief and he was still throwing perfect pitches until he finally gassed in the bottom of the 19th. WTF?!?

[Der Kommissar 0]

I have to seriously wonder about trading in this game. It all started when the Blue Jays were trying to trade Carlos Delgado. Needing a first baseman, I figured I'd make an honest attempt of getting him. I pitched SEVERAL idea to Jays for him in various deals centring around Shawn Green(since he is the only expendable player on my team with a large enough contract to make the deal work financially.) I throw everything at them from players to prospects and each time I get a resounding "No." I even traded them Paul Lo Duca(who they wouldn't take as part of the Delgado deal) for two promising prospects in a side deal to allow more financial flexibility on my side. Eventually, I give up and trade basically not much for Craig Wilson, thus, basically settling my first base problem. They make the trade with Chicago for Sammy Sosa.

 

Fast forward to a few games later where they put Sammy on the trading block. I figure I might as well see if I can get something done. At this time I was having a bit of a disagreement with the game over who should be my starting 1B. I wanted Wilson, while every time I'd have the CPU optimize my rosters, it would choose Andreas Gallaraga(sp?). Anyway, I figured I'd just throw a deal out there to see if it would work as I did Shawn Green and Gallaraga for Sammy Sosa. To my shock, they approve the deal.

 

It just confuses me that, when trading for Delgado, they reject a number of deals revolving around everything from young players on my roster to promising projects, yet jump at the chance to grab a 40some year old 1B who I can't imagine having too many years left after this season. I figure it could be some odd "win now" philosophy, but, still, why dump Delgado then turn around and dump Sosa if your object is winning? Basically, at the end, in the deal for Delgado, they gave up him and two prospects for, like, 3 games of Sammy Sosa, Andreas Gallaraga, Shawn Green, and Paul Lo Duca.

 

Am I wrong in thinking the Jays screwed themselves?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The CPU trading AI doesn't really take potential into account, nor does it take position needs into effect. This was very amusing when the Jays traded Delgado to the Cubs for Sammy Sosa. The Cubs already had Lee, and they benched him and played a scrub in right field. Obviously that did not improve their team.

 

You've got to add JoeBoo, Willie Mays Hayes and the rest of the gang as well.

 

I'm definately adding Harris. Anytime you can have a knuckleballer in his mid-40s, its a good time.

[Guest Ahhee]

Speaking of trades .. does anyone else get sick of checking your inbox EVERYDAY to find .. Jays are looking to deal Delgado, Sox are looking to deal Ordonez, Tigers are looking to deal Rodriguez? I swear it's worse than prescription/pr0n spam.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Speaking of trades .. does anyone else get sick of checking your inbox EVERYDAY to find .. Jays are looking to deal Delgado, Sox are looking to deal Ordonez, Tigers are looking to deal Rodriguez? I swear it's worse than prescription/pr0n spam.

I've gotten that with Schilling, Pedro & Nomar, when the Sox were leading the Wild Card race. Nobody bit, and they made the playoffs only to blow a 2-0 lead in the ALDS to Seattle.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Well, I'm proud to announce that awhile back, I managed to make it past the first round in the playoffs! Been so busy with school and life, I haven't played since June 20th. But I'd like to let you guys know that I swept the Cubs in my very first round! And boy, did I ever sweep them as my bats came alive and I hit 7 HRs in the first game, 5 in the second, and another 5 in the last. I just torched the Cubs, something like 50 runs against like 5. Hopefully, later on today I can go play against the Arizona Diamondbacks (who beat the St. Louis Cardinals) and beat them senseless. As I'm writing this while I'm in school (taking a minor break from the course).

 

Also I'd just like to say that I have to sadly report to White Sox fans that you got eliminated by the New York Yankees. You were swept as well. So the Yankees will be playing the Boston Red Sox (and I have no recollection of who Boston played now, think it was Florida Marlins).

 

I hope I can hold the Diamondbacks, as they were the team I always had trouble dealing with.

[fazzle 0]

(and I have no recollection of who Boston played now, think it was Florida Marlins)

Somehow, I doubt it.

[Lightning Flik 0]

(and I have no recollection of who Boston played now, think it was Florida Marlins)

Somehow, I doubt it.

I couldn't remember who it was. *goes and checks* Dammit. I meant the Seattle Mariners. Stupid me.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Considering I'm in insomniac mode again, I complete the first year of my Dynastyby winning the World Series! Go me go! I beat the Diamondbacks 4-1 and then I went on to face the Boston Red Soxs (who beat the New York Yankees) 4-1 to become the 2004 World Series Champions! Woo! Marcus Giles turned out to be the MVP of the Playoffs, as he was just cranking in the stats.

 

I now go into the next season trying to figure out who will be on my team for next season. Should I re-hire the MVP of all of MLB last season, Orlando Cabrera? I have a 20 game winner in Livan Hernandez who's contract is also up. Add in .400 hitter Brad Wilkerson and I've got some choices to make this off-season. Should be entertaining.

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

I finally found someone in the UK willing to import this game for a price that does not require a second mortgage.

 

Been playing the game a bit and started off from using the keyboard, to using a simple pad and now a pad that actually allows me to aim my pitches.

 

I'm enjoying that aspect of it but have a question about hitting - can you actually aim your hits because most of mine (when I do not ground out, fly out, or strike out) are line drives to centre field or homeruns - again, to centre-field?

 

Plus, coming off High Heat 2004 the hitting is a lot harder - especially picking up the speed of the pitches.

 

Any help appreciated.

[KingPK 0]

In hitting, you have to go with the pitch. If it is outside, you press either left or right (right for righties, left for lefties) with the swing button to get good contact. If it is up, press up, if it is a low pitch, press down (you can press up, but you have to hit it just right or you'll just pop it up 5 miles into the air.)

 

I just lost the WS to the Cardinals 4-1 in my second season. Nomar charged the mound during the ALCS against Cleveland and hurt his shoulder in the process, so that completely screwed me (along with my pitchers sucking ass the whole postseason). My only win was in an 18-inning marathon in St. Louis where one of my PITCHERS smacked in the winning run.

Edited July 18, 2004 by Kingpk

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It helps to wait for your pitch. This game really emphasizes the importance of plate disapline.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I tried to give all my Red Sox red socks, and in doing that, all the hot-cold zones got screwed up. Fine. No high socks.

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

Well I've got the pitching down pretty well. Its really quite good, and I would say 4/5 mistakes I make (on Pro level) are punished, which is fair enough.

 

Hitting is still a problem. I am getting there with plate discipline, but whe whole aiming the pitch thing isn't going too well. If I just pressed the 'hit' button and left the directional button alone, will it go 'auto'?

[Guest webmasterofwrestlegame]

I am much better with my hitting now - thanks. Good pitchers will still shut me down (which is realistic) but I even beat up Mulder with 8 runs in 5 innings - silly bugger kept leaving high sliders and with Vlad, Glaus, and Derek Lee about thats just silly.