MVP Baseball 2004 by Electronic Arts (EA Sports) cheats hints tips gamefaq

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This game looks really incredible, the 2003 edition is probably my most played game ever and this one is such an improvement in depth that I'm completely freaked about it. Minor leagues, Cooperstown, incredible simulation modes, bench clearning brawls(!!!), and the best gameplay (get this: you can tune the attack on your slider/slurve while in the windup) I've ever played...

Take a look at the video on that link and tell me what you think. I'd like to post cheats and hints here too if you guys are up for that.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 23 February 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and they got my favorite announcer duo (Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper) to come back again.

here's an interview with the game's producer Brent Nielsen if you want an in-depth look at features for the game.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 23 February 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

goddamn it, i passed up ea's nhl game this year and even avoided temptation several times in passing up tiger's new one (very difficult for me) but i don't think i'll be able to pass this one up.

i've been playing madden 2004 at least weekly since october. i need help.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Monday, 23 February 2004 23:43 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

release date was supposed to be yesterday, apparently it's been delayed until the end of the month.

poop.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

relly? according to my order at easports.com, it shipped yesterday from their distribution center to my work addy.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

perhaps it's been delayed for retail outlets. can't get it around here.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

crap! found one at an eb games in the near western suburbs! now i only have to figure out how to get there from here.

i will be pissed if amy from eb games was fibbing.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

i think the guy at best buy was yanking my chain when he said it was delayed until the end of the month because i just found a closer place that got them in this morning. i was inclined to believe the best buy chain-yanker because i heard the same thing from the circuit city people across the parking lot.

anyway, i'm 31 years old and really going through way too much trouble to track down a friggin video game. but i'd be lying if i said i wasn't looking forward to an evening of tanqueray and ea sports.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 18:18 (twenty-one years ago)

but i'd be lying if i said i wasn't looking forward to an evening of tanqueray and ea sports.

Hah! I love it. I may wander over to the Best Buy tonight and see if they've got it. How much does it retail for?

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 20:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh wait, is this release date for PS2/Xbox type consoles only? I guess I was counting on a PC version.

― mattbot (mattbot), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

otto, you and me both! how's this? one of my best friends is in town on a medical conference (he's an MD) and he's texted me about 5 times today seeing if it's shown up yet or not... haha.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

cool game, i did my usual thing and played the first game without benefit of having read the manual. sox lost to cubs 19-2. controls are different from the last baseball game i played (triple play 2000 i think) so there was a lot of basestealing when there should have been bat swinging and lots of throwing home no matter where the ball was hit. oh, an no sliding, haven't figured that out yet.

overall impressions are good, i like the pitching interface it adds a nice variable to the equation. if it weren't for the 5 triples and 7 home runs (none of which left the park) i think pedro would have had a decent outing, but i think the 8 guys in the field let him down a bit.

one weird thing, no kevin millar. is he not a member of the mlbpa?

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 11 March 2004 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I was under the impression that the only guy not in the PA was Bonds. Millar might be w/ the Marlins?

The one baseball game I bought was for the NES, very cutesy graphics, I loved esp. their fat pitchers who looked so rotund and cuddly, esp. the side-army guys! It was like watching a sowbug bowling!

― Leee the Lee (Leee), Friday, 12 March 2004 00:49 (twenty-one years ago)

No Millar isn't with Florida. I just created him and as for bonds theres a guy named jon dowd on san fran so i just edited him

― Homer Simpson, Saturday, 13 March 2004 21:44 (twenty-one years ago)

This game is SWEET!!! Does anyone have any tips on hitting? I'm having some problems

― drue, Saturday, 13 March 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Keep your eye on the ball at all times, square your shoulders, and swing THROUGH the ball.

― David R. (popshots75`), Sunday, 14 March 2004 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Alright, I'm 38 and the Mrs. bought me a PS2 for my b-day last year. I'm working my way thru games. Somebody help the ol' man. How do you set up MVP2004 to get points to unlock all the old stadiums and uni's?

― jodave5, Sunday, 14 March 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

you unlock points via exhibition games and HR/pitching showdowns... ie, hitting .600 or hitting 2 HRs a game. there's a spot in the menu where it lays out all the points.

The free agent list is pretty long, I tried to edit my master roster to clean it up a bit but that involves dropping a lot of guys down.

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 14 March 2004 15:37 (twenty-one years ago)

millar isn't in the game because he was a scab. same as daubach, not that you'd want daubach in the game.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Monday, 15 March 2004 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

same as Matt Herges (possible SF closer).

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

It would be nice to compose a list of the missing players:

Barry Bonds is John Dowd (in Roster Maintenance you can change his name, number, physical features, bat/throw lefty, etc.)

Missing due to involvement as replacement players during the 94 strike (and their current 2004 team):

Brian Daubach - BOS
Matt Herges - SF
Kevin Millar - BOS
Damian Miller - OAK
Lou Merloni - CLE
Kerry Ligtenberg - TOR
Brian Tollberg - COL
Rick Reed - PIT
Shane Spencer - NYM
Chris Latham - NYY
Frank Menechino - OAK
Jeff Tam - COL
Charles Gipson - TB
Cory Lidle - CIN
Keith Osik - BAL
Chris Truby - PIT

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

have you guys played in the new ballparks yet (philadelphia and san diego)?

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

merloni was not a replacement player in 94, of that i am certain. he probably isn't in there because he's bounced between AAA and the majors for most of his career.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Monday, 15 March 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

hmmm... this was my source.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

also:

Brendan Donnelly - ANA
Eddie Oropesa - SD

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

ahh, i see i may have been mistaken. i *thought* i was correct because i remember the bally-hoo in boston over area local lou merloni (the pride of framingham) making his major league debut in '98.

he was nomar's roommate at trenton and pawtucket if you're ever asked.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Monday, 15 March 2004 18:03 (twenty-one years ago)

So tell me, I've looked at ASB 2005 (which is my baseball game of choice), this game, and ESPN MLB. Espn baseball looks like it has the best graphics of them all, but no create-a-player or expansion/franchise mode. ASB has this and I've always loved it. Plus I always found ASB to be quite challenging. None of these 42 hit, 10 homerun games that I always found EA Sports games to be. So is it a slugfest?

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Monday, 15 March 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

There are 4 different levels (up from 3 last year). I'm playing the Giants on All Star Level (3rd most difficult of 4) and I've found that I'm a better pitcher than hitter (they've tweaked the hitting mechanics a little). So my team has like a 2.00 ERA but lacks the offense to evolve above the small ball game (which sounds like the Giants this year, as opposed to the last 2 years). The most runs I've scored was 8 due to creative hit and run/ baserunning tactics. The graphics can get a little choppy at times but otherwise I'm totally impressed.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

MY hitting is quite realistic. my opponents is somewhat better than normal, but i suspect this is due to the fact that i don't know what the hell i'm doing. the most runs i've scored is 4 runs. i still have yet to read the manual (i think i may have lost it actually) so i tend to run myself out of rallies. i hit into a triple play on a line drive to the gap last night, it was something i'd never seen and i'm a former little league coach.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, Kaz Matsui is not on the Mets.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

oo, no kaz? that sucks.

i've heard ASB has the most depth, has anyone compared it to MVP? i got WSB last year (which is ESPN this year) and found it awfully staid. graphically very sharp but unremarkable; gameplay sound but unimpressive - just a generally joyless game overall. so i'm thinking about a franchise switch this year but i'm not sure where to head - MVP seems to have fantastic gameplay and to have caught up a lot in the longetivity department (franchise, minor leaguers, goody bag); if the diff between it and ASB in that dept is minimal i'll go MVP, otherwise, ASB, as i must confess to spending inordinate amounts of time simming after the initial buzz wears off.

― John (jdahlem), Monday, 15 March 2004 20:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm digging MVP, but I've been reading some stories about player development being broken -- basically any players in yr minor leagues will never improve all that much, cuz EA botched the rating of those players. Something about an unviewable star rating system that controls how good a player can be...

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

that sucks major for sim nerds like me. i'll have to wait till they release an updated version i guess (i assume they do that w/ video games).

― John (jdahlem), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i've heard they'll be a roster update available for the ps2 version around opening day. the network adapter is required, natch.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

basically any players in yr minor leagues will never improve all that much

i don't know about that, i called up two flamethowers who were unhappy because they were dominating so much on the AAA level.

another weird thing (i'm not sure if i unlocked this or not)... i have duane kuiper and mike krukow in my doubl SF giants organization... wtf? have i already unlocked some secret announcer/former player goodies?

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

wtf? have i already unlocked some secret announcer/former player goodies?

do you play any other ea titles? i had some stadiums/unis/players unlocked from the get-go, i *think* it's because of the saved data from other ea titles on the memory card. i have a feeling the ea sports bio has come into play here.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

but why duane kuiper (career .271/.325/.316) or mike krukow (career 124-117, 3.90 ERA)?

is it because they are the announcers (both for the giants and the game?)

i mean, gimme orlando cepeda/willie mays/juan marichal/willie mccovey!!! shit, i'd take bobby bonds with this offense.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 19:13 (twenty-one years ago)

it's kuiper and krukow because they're the announcers, a small perk for them. it's the same reason that pat summerall was the punter on all the classic all-madden teams in the ea football game for all those years.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 19:15 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG, how is anyone going to play 120 seasons with this? The offseason is insane - I'm going to have to break out paper and a pen to keep track of who I've got.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 16 March 2004 21:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I've decided to go with ASB again. Franchise mode as well as expansion team mode is key for me. From what I hear there is no expansion mode in MVP. So they can suck it. I like to start from the ground and work my way up.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Wednesday, 17 March 2004 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

No Joe Mauer on the Twinkies. How is the highest touted rookie in the game this year, not in the video game?

― Zach, Wednesday, 17 March 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Who do they have at catcher then?

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 17 March 2004 20:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey guys, I can hit with the best of them on all but MVP level, but my pitching is terrible, no matter who I get I cant seem to stop the bleeding. Just wondering what the strategy is to keep the runs allowed down. I mean I dealt for Prior and after 6 starts he has an era in the 7's. Lemme know, thanks

― Mike Regan, Wednesday, 24 March 2004 03:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Playing or simming?

The sim leaves pitchers in too long (Grady Little as basis for manager?) - if I sim part of the way through a game, when I come in the pitcher is at 35% or less stamina, and no one's warming up.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 06:43 (twenty-one years ago)

my lone strategy for keeping runs down is pretty simple, i don't throw anything that isn't on the black (hopefully) and make judicious use of the mound visits. situational infield depth/alignment and outfield depth/alignment have helped out too. oh, and nomar and pokey reese can turn two like nobody's business.

unrelated to keeping runs down: manny ramirez is death to the lhp.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 24 March 2004 14:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyone playing this on the PC? I can't play through EA but will be willing to take one of you has-beens on in a network game.

― Shaun (shaun), Thursday, 25 March 2004 04:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey Shaun, how's the game on the PC? I've considered getting that version but... I dunno, I guess I'm wondering if the game console people are getting a better experience? I don't have a PS2 but I've considered springing for one with tax rebate money (like a good American).

― mattbot (mattbot), Thursday, 25 March 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm really digging the PC version- biggest gripe is that it only supports 5 different controllers and you HAVE to have a dual analog controller which cost $20. I'm expecting to encounter some kind of player development bug but I'm only in my first season- if you want more realism I'd go with one of the Hight Heat versions, but that's only if your a total stat geek like me. There's also this graphic glitch I keep getting where the game freezes for about 5 seconds and resumes, but I think this is because I'm running it at the highest grafix levels on an older 800 Mhz machine.

The graphics are beautiful, the physics are realistic, the gameplay is smooth and intuitive once you get in tune with the controls and it's just plain fun. The AI is competitive and there are sliders for various aspects of the game (pitch speed, batter contact and power, pitcher accuracy, etc) so you tune it specifically for your individual playing style so you get realistic games. Highly recommended.

― Shaun (shaun), Friday, 26 March 2004 06:23 (twenty-one years ago)

have you hit any home runs with a left handed hitter? i've heard the pc version has a bug where the lefty's are at a distinct power disadvantage. not so with the console, as evidenced by trot nixon and david ortiz taking kevin brown deep in the 5th two nights ago.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Friday, 26 March 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks for the review -- I think I'll see if I can find a copy over lunch. Any recommendations for a game controller? I've been strictly a mouse 'n keyboard gamer all my life.

I've got a 1.4Ghz processor, 512 MB of RAM and a year-or-so old 64 MB ATI card, so hopefully that should be enough to prevent the lags you're getting.

― mattbot (mattbot), Friday, 26 March 2004 17:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 79 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

And that's another thing, I give up more triples by accidentally throwing home or just by having slow ass outfielders (Corey Patterson excepted). Eddie Perez tripled off me last night, and that is a very humbling experience.

What level are you guys playing at? I'm at the next to hardest one (forget the name) and I can't hit for shit. My pitching's gotten better so that I'm able to hang around in every game, but I get lots of 2-1, 3-2 type scores. Or I just get shut out.

― mattbot (mattbot), Thursday, 8 April 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

no, in chicago. grew up in massachusetts. lived on comm ave in allston for a bit (in the days of rent control). my younger sister still lives in slummerville (davis sq. i think). miss it this time of year (esp. patriots day).

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 8 April 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I lived on Comm Ave in Boston too for 6 years. 1450 to be exact. I play on that level too Matt. The level below it was getting too easy and now its just right, with a little tweaking of the gameplay settings. Making the games just hard enough that Im not throwing 0-1 hitters every game. Now its at least a challenge.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Thursday, 8 April 2004 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, that was only a few blocks down from where i was. i lived on the 1200 block, a little past bunratty's. i miss getting loaded on brigton ave.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I miss getting loaded there as well. around 20 bars to stumble in and out of and then walk home. god i miss that place. not the rent mind you.....

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

i can remember going to the kells one night and parking in a parking lot (osco?) that had a sign saying all others would be towed. since it was 11:00 pm and the store was closed we didn't think anything of it, especially since the lot was filled with other cars obviously headed to the bars. my buddy kevin o pointed out the sign to my buddy jon (the driver) and he said "hey, if they tow us they have to tow EVERYBODY!". 3 hours later we come staggering out of the kells and see that jon's car is on the tow truck. we had to bribe the guy to take it off the lift. "it's 50 dollars now or 110 at the yard, your choice." between the four of us we had 36 dollars and change. the guy took it, even the change.

ride that d-train to allston
gotta get the fuck out of boston...

*sniff* good times.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh man, the Kells. Talk about a meat market. I loved that place.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Thursday, 8 April 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Hideki Inoue (Kazou Matsui) was awesome in the 1st half of the year but terrible in the 2nd half for 2 years in a row. Why is that?

2004
avg after 1st half: about .265
avg at the end of the season: about .235

2005
avg after 1st half: about .290
avg at the end of the season: about .245

― Curtis Martin (Izzy), Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I traded Sosa for Sheffield...best move I ever made

― Curtis Martin (Izzy), Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Curtis, what position to have Inoue playing vs. Reyes? Maybe edit Inoue to have a 2nd position (@ 2nd) which may be affecting his happiness and gameplay?

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:33 (twenty-one years ago)

i've been taking "batting practice" (home run derby) prior to playing some games. it's helped quite a bit.

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

which reminds me - the lefty glitch is REAL, and you can test it out yourself by doing a HR derby with one lefty and one righty, and then reversing: the lefty tops out at about 405 feet, the righty at 505, and it's much harder to hit home runs with lefties. maybe it doesn't apply to actual games? ppl who've got lots of home runs by lefties - are you hitting them yourselves our are you simming?

― John (jdahlem), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm hitting them myself. i hit a 522 footer with Bonds. he's #2 in HRs in the 2004 season.

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

have you tried this in the home run derby? i tried about 3 diff lefties and 3 different righties and got exactly the same results each time.

― John (jdahlem), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:46 (twenty-one years ago)

It may have something to do with what system you're playing on. I've got it for the XBox and haven't noticed any kind of lefty glitch.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 11 April 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm on the xbox too. have you tried doing a hr derby?

― John (jdahlem), Sunday, 11 April 2004 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

also for curtis, there is a kaz matsui in the Mets AA but I think Inoue is the real deal.

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 11 April 2004 21:42 (twenty-one years ago)

OK. How come Barry Bonds isn't in the game. I guess theres some LF for San Franciso, but why isnt he named Barry Bonds?

― Patrick Gill, Sunday, 11 April 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Barry is not part of the MLBPA as of this year. If you read above, there's lots of discussion about who is and isn't in the game and how you can rectify it.

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 11 April 2004 23:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I've thrown some wicked HBPs, but no one gets injured!

Olerud slid hard into second breaking up a double-play (and knocking down Michael Young), so I threw a fastball at his head the next time he was up.

The animation showed it hitting him square in the face but he just shrugged it off and went on to first. WTF? I wanted a broken nose or something.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 12 April 2004 01:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I have gotten injured on HBP, but the opposite way. I was Randy Johnson, and i figured it would be fun to bean somebody, cause im Randy Johnson. Turned out that both the batter and I got ejected, plus Randy fractured his finger and was out for a month. Talk about backfiring...

― Dan B., Monday, 12 April 2004 02:04 (twenty-one years ago)

This game would be a lot more evil if I was a programmer - "Three batters were killed today in the War of the Beanballs."

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 12 April 2004 03:19 (twenty-one years ago)

An answer for the guy wanting to know about warming up pitchers. If you hit the button (5) to pull up the managers and bulpens you can see their readiness meter. That will you tell you when they are ready. Once it is full then their stamina starts to go down. unless you sit them down.

Also They refer to barry bonds all the time in my games as being the key to the game for SF.

― Jack Anders, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Ok, I want to say that ASB 2005 was complete shit. I took MVP and traded it in last Friday and got ASB. I got home and played it for 15 minutes. I got back in my car and returned it for MVP. It looked like something from the Sega Genesis days. Of course this was after I had deleted my 60 or so games from my memory card of MVP. So I had to start all over. I made the necessary roster moves and trades and set the rosters properly but A-Rod is still on Texas and Soriano still on the Spankees. I take it there is no way to do it mid season if I'm not controlling either of those teams.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Kaz Matsui is in MVP but his name is Hideki Inoui something like that in the AA team

― Lalo Fabian, Thursday, 15 April 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I am going to vouch for the left-handed power glitch. I'm playing as the Phillies, and after 15 games, Pat the Bat has 20 HRs, Thome 3, Abreau 2, and Hank Blalock (acquired via trade) 1. Routinely Pat knocks anything low and over the plate outta the park despite a 72 power rating, while the three lefties, when faced with a hanging curve or a fastball down the pike, can only manage doubles. It's frustrating as fuck, to the point that I'm considering trading them all for righty counterparts.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 15 April 2004 15:57 (twenty-one years ago)

can i ask what platform you're experiencing this on? As stated above I've got Tucker/Pierzynski/Bonds/Durham (Neifi hit the wall!!!) getting their due in a park supposedly down on lefties on PS2.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

ditto, no problems with lefties on ps2. as i've stated before (and yanc3y's 200+ hr pace with burrell seems to support) the problem seems to be with right handers having TOO MUCH power. after 40+ games manny and nomar are 1/2 in the majors with over 20 homers each but ortiz and nixon (who've each missed 4 games to injury and other time to keep the bench happy vs. lefties) have 15 and 11 homers respectively.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:08 (twenty-one years ago)

this is on ps2. and maybe yr right on too much on righties, not enough on lefties, as marlon byrd, placido polanco, and orlando cabrera (another trade) have more HRs than thome. i've forced myself to stop pushing up with pat the bat, and he hits it out anyway.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 15 April 2004 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the right-handers are just too good period. Einar Diaz was hitting .308 for me halfway through a Rangers season, Rey Ordonez (after I cut A-Rod) was almost at .300 with serious power, and the Big Cat is a STUD for 232 bucks/credits/whatever.

I'm at the All-Star Break with an Angels franchise (technically, I did a lot of moves) and Vlad is hitting .352 and leading the league in homers, RBIs and doubles.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Thursday, 15 April 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Is the player progression messed up on xbox too

― happykid, Monday, 19 April 2004 03:20 (twenty-one years ago)

some articles from EA Sports:

Breakout article on SF left field phenom Jon Dowd (April 1, 2004)

Kuiper and Krukow talk about MVP Baseball

New Team simulations for top players

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 19 April 2004 16:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Has anyone experienced slumps with players in games you've played? I did an early-Sept. Angels-Mariners series and just couldn't get Vlad to do a thing, but then he hit three homers in a 10-inning game a couple of days later.

Weirdest thing I've seen in an offseason - Garrett Anderson's power decreasing by 1 across the board, but his speed jumping by 14. Sweet.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Monday, 19 April 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

That is very strange. I wonder if there is a reason for that.

― Curtis Martin (Izzy), Monday, 19 April 2004 17:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Same thing happened to me with Tim Wakefield. His knuckleball decreased either 1 or 2 and his fastball went up 8. Now he's practically unhittable. 57 mph knuckleball (dropped in knuckeball speed) and a 92 mph 4 seamer. Unhittable.

― Dan B., Monday, 19 April 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Yep that happens. I created myself as the Red Sox 3rd baseman with 90 power. its now up to 99. I lead the league in HR's and Rbi. I rule. For cheap money too.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

damn, i can't wait to finish this 1st season. maybe i'll sim the second half.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 12:36 (twenty-one years ago)

and it looks like i have a huge package when i step up to bat. Bonus! I didn't notice a sliding meter under player appearance for "crotch" when I created myself but they must have just assumed im massive.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Tuesday, 20 April 2004 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I just rented this game for the weekend, and am having problems finding out what the controls do since no instruction manual came with it. I've played about 15 games so far and have yet to hit a homer. I've won most of the games, but I'd love to know what the different buttons do. Does anyone have any advice on where I can find an online manual?

― Jamie, Saturday, 24 April 2004 03:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Dynasty mode is kind of boring. There are never many free agents, player improvement doesn't seem to be linked to performance at all, in fact player improvement seems completely random.

I created myself as a v. good catcher (75 contact/90 power, 60 speed, decent fielding), played every day, complained constantly about PT (yo, asshole, how do you want to play more, cover two positions?) had a decent rookie season (.290/14/50 in 100 games) and immediately dropped 20 points in contact AND power after spring training.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Saturday, 24 April 2004 04:04 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, mvp dynasty mode is worthless. high heat baseball rooled the school on that one - you can probably get a cheap old copy of it somewhere if you're really craving some sim-kicks. i really wanted to buy last year's (apparently the very last) for xbox, but it came out really late and i could never find it anywhere.

jamie: just watch the harald raynalds mvp tips video thingy, it tells you all the basics.

― John (jdahlem), Saturday, 24 April 2004 04:36 (twenty-one years ago)

* Left-handers are definitely at a disadvantage when it comes to power hitting, Manny is hitting twice as many as my 100% created lefty player

* Pitching is the easiest part, I have Wolf, Appier and Millwood and they all have under 2 ERA after 100 games. Just keep the pitches low and on the extreme corners, I pitch almost exclusively curves, sliders and very fast 4-seamers.

**** HOW DO I STEAL WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT??? I must suck bad because I get caught 90% of the time

― Thor, Wednesday, 28 April 2004 04:04 (twenty-one years ago)

for steals i generally get a hefty lead (pushing up on the right analog stick for ps2) and see if the pitcher is going to hold me on. if he does i wait until after he throws a fastball and go on the next pitch as i rarely see two heaters in a row. it's still a crapshoot. johnny damon is second in the league in steals for me but he leads (by far) in caught stealing. nomar has about 6 or 7 swipes after 50 games and i don't think he's been caught. varitek has two stolen bases both on hit and runs gone bad. it's not easy but it can be done. the cpu never runs on me though, even though i changed the cpu steal rate slider up to 35 or 40 or something.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 11:39 (twenty-one years ago)

stealing is easy as hell. i created a player who was 42 steals in 56 games. caught 9 times.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 12:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Was his name Ruben Rivera?

― David R. (popshots75`), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, good one! Nope, I created most of my friends and this one was always fast in high school. Seeing as I have a bum hip and my baseball days are over, this is as close to reality as i get.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Check the speed of the guy who is running and the throwing/accuracy attributes of the catcher. If speed > 90 and catcher's throwing attributes <80-85 i say "steal!".

There is a guy in the SF minor leagues with 98 speed rating. I send him all the time. I don't think he's ever been caught.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 28 April 2004 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Ichiro has 98 speed, i dont even take a lead with Ichiro (maybe one step) and i beat the throw every time. I play online, and I throw out about 50-60% of all base-stealers. Its not that difficult.

― dan b., Saturday, 1 May 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.mvpmods.com/ has some cool, uh, MVP mods for those with the PC version.

― mattbot (mattbot), Saturday, 8 May 2004 14:48 (twenty-one years ago)

three weeks pass...

I got a guy as a free agent after the 2004 season and his speed is 99 but his hitting is in the 30's and 40's

― Curtis Martin (Izzy), Monday, 31 May 2004 18:01 (twenty-one years ago)

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