Tag Archives: baseball

Movie Review: 42 [2013]

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42 [2013]

42 [2013]
Director: Brian Helgeland
Screenplay: Brian Helgeland
Genre: Biography/Drama/Sport
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie
Running Time: 128 minutes

Jackie Robinson will always be known as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball, but many seem to forget that he was also a damn good player. In a ten year career, he was a 6-time All-Star, an MVP winner, Rookie of the Year, and a World Series champion. In the new biopic, 42, his excellent career is only glossed over in favor of taking a look at his tumultuous first season.

First, we begin in 1945. Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) is looking to improve his team and comes up with an unfathomable idea — why not sign a talented African American player? While there was no rule against letting minorities play Major League Baseball, there was an unwritten code that every team adhered by. After taking a look at several of the big names in the Negro leagues — including Roy Campanella and Satchel Paige — Rickey settles on the then 26-year-old Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman), citing his strong demeanor and ability to withstand verbal abuse.

42 [2013]

Jackie, accompanied by his lovely wife, Rachel (Nicole Beharie), spends a season in the minor leagues before hitting the majors in 1947. As soon as he steps on the field on Opening Day, Jackie is surrounded by reporters. This is commonplace, as is the racist heckling from the crowd, written death threats and even petitions against him from his own teammates. It’s hard to believe that just over 60 years ago, the U.S. was so heavily segregated. Toilets, water fountains and even baseball stadiums were divided, with different lines for “whites” and “colored” patrons.

Many of the character interactions in this film are downright disgusting, and sadly enough, most of them actually happened. The most notorious example is when Philadelphia Phillies manager Ben Chapman (Alan Tudyk) attempts to rattle Robinson while he’s at the plate by spewing racial epithets at him over and over again. Chapman is relentless, and this is when Jackie reaches his breaking point. Is he really ready to do this? Can he continue to handle all of the pressure bestowed upon him as MLB’s first African American player, essentially a trailblazing pioneer? Of course, we know the answer to this.

42 [2013]

It’s somewhat disappointing that 42 only focuses on Jackie’s first season, simply because he had an impressive career with many noteworthy moments. This makes sense from a film perspective since it gives director Brian Helgeland a chance to portray Robinson in the brightest possible light (which I have no complaints about), but it still feels like there is just so much more to tell.

The film is given the full Hollywood treatment with tried-and-true cliches, dramatic music and a number of heavy-handed scenes (I half-expected Steven Spielberg’s name to be attached to the project), and it concludes with notes on what later happened to Jackie and a select few teammates. While I was fully expecting this “where did they go?” epilogue, it was bizarre to see notes given on players who weren’t even named in the film. Much of the supporting cast (re: teammates) are briefly acknowledged by a first name, if we’re lucky, and they all just blur together. While it’s nice to know Ralph Branca played for three different teams in his career, why should the audience care when he was given maybe a few lines in the movie?

42 [2013]

Regardless of these head-scratching end notes, it should be stated that the entire cast did a hell of a job with their roles. Chadwick Boseman perfectly nails Jackie’s baseball mannerisms, and Harrison Ford hits one out of the park with his scenery-chewing performance as the cigar-chomping old codger running the Dodgers. An impressive array of character actors fills out the supporting cast, led by John C. McGinley as the legendary announcer, Red Barber, and Alan Tudyk as the racist manager, Ben Chapman.

42 is a serviceable biopic, and it hits all of the proper emotional notes. It is an important film, one that deserves to be seen, even though it may be too “Hollywood” for its own good. Jackie Robinson’s legacy is undeniable, and at the very least this film has deservedly brought him back into the forefront.

7/10

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PC Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 14

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Out of the Park Baseball 14

Out of the Park Baseball 14
System: PC (also on Mac/Linux)
Genre: Baseball Simulator
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: April 15, 2013

I have been an avid supporter of Out of the Park Baseball (OOTP) for years now, and it never ceases to amaze me how they come up with new ways to re-invigorate the game year after year. The latest, Out of the Park 14, is no exception.

For those unfamiliar with the series, OOTP is essentially a text-based baseball simulator. It is ridiculously deep with every kind of statistic imaginable. If you can think of it, you can do it in the game. Every season in baseball history can be played, complete with accurate rosters and player ratings, and fictional leagues are also available. You can act as owner, general manager and manager if you like, micro-managing even the slightest details. Different lineups and depth charts can be set for matchups against right-handed pitchers and lefties. Team finances can be controlled, including ticket prices. It’s mind-boggling exactly how many options are available.

This is a simulator with no end date — you can keep playing for hundreds of years, if you like. I have one saved game that I import to the newest version of OOTP year after year. I started it in 2010 and I am now in the year 2034, using one team and playing nearly every single game manually. At this point in my game, guys like Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria have been in the Hall of Fame for years. Now I find myself getting attached to fictional characters, especially players who I personally scouted and drafted. Even when they don’t pan out, I have a hard time parting with them. Maybe I’m getting too sentimental in my in-game old age.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

This year, I decided to start fresh with a new campaign to try out all of the game’s new bells and whistles. First, here’s a quick rundown of what happened in my simulated 2013 season:

  • The Tigers beat the Dodgers in seven games to win the World Series. The Tigers were down 3-1 but went on an impressive run once their offense started clicking, scoring a combined 32 runs in the last three games.
  • No World Series MVP was announced for some reason, but my guess is that it would have went to outfielder Andy Dirks, surprisingly enough. He hit .381 with 4 HR and 12 RBIs, including a monster 3-HR game. Miguel Cabrera (.367, 3 HR, 8 RBI) and Prince Fielder (.423, 2 HR, 10 RBI) would also be strong candidates.
  • Detroit manager Jim Leyland promptly retired after winning the World Series.
  • Other playoff teams: Tampa Bay, Boston, Toronto, Oakland, Atlanta, Washington, Cincinnati, San Francisco.
  • The AL East was the most competitive division. Every team finished with a winning record, and the gap between first-place Tampa Bay and last-place Baltimore was just six games.
  • Detroit and Atlanta tied for best record at 97-65.
  • The Houston Astros finished with the worst record at 58-104, with the Cubs (64-98) not far behind.
  • Nick Swisher suffered the most unfortunate injury, a fractured skull, and it caused him to hang up his cleats for good.
  • In an amusing tidbit, middle reliever Al Alburquerque, shortly after being traded from Detroit to Seattle in a package deal for closer Tom Wilhelmsen, strained his back in what he called a “wood-chopping” accident. It was later revealed that his injury happened during a weekend rendezvous with a 23-year-old massage therapist.
  • Reds prospect Billy Hamilton spent most of the season in the big leagues, but he struggled at the place, only hitting .226 (.281 OBP). He did swipe 83 bases, though.
  • Jurickson Profar (.260, 16 HR, 64 RBI) and Adam Eaton (.305, 7 HR, 52 RBI) won Rookie of the Year.
  • Justin Verlander (19-9, 3.32 ERA, 1.08 WHIP) and Jordan Zimmerman (18-9, 2.51 ERA, 1.03 WHIP) won Cy Young awards.
  • Prince Fielder (.333, 39 HR, 147 RBI) and Bryce Harper (.325, 33 HR, 107 RBI) won MVP awards. I imagine there was another hotly contested debate from sabermetricians, as Mike Trout put together another stellar season, leading all of baseball with 10.7 WAR.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

During my season, a few new additions really stood out to me. One was the Player Development Tracker. Twice during the season — once at the All-Star Break and once at the end — I received updates as to how my players’ attributes were changing. Some of my young guys were improving, and their star ratings went up a half point, while a couple underachievers had their overall ability lowered a bit. This was a much-welcomed feature since it provided me a better idea of when my prospects might be ready.

I also loved the new playoffs screen. It is much more detailed than ever before, and it shares extensive information (including player stats versus that team during the regular season) for each matchup.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

The new trade log feature is also slick and well-designed. Now it’s easier than ever to look up all trades made during the season, complete with the player stats up to that point.

One of the more puzzling additions that I’m not sure I’m sold on yet is the inclusion of performance-based achievements. These are modeled after the like-minded systems used by the Xbox 360 and PS3, but they feel out of place in a baseball simulator. I guess it’s cool to be able to see when my last walk-off win happened, but I wish more information was available as to how some of these achievements are even triggered. In my World Series-winning season, I didn’t even unlock a single gold achievement, which makes me curious as to what exactly it would take to do so. As far as I can tell, there isn’t a full list of available achievements in the game.

Other improvements include a better player origin system, more intelligent trade AI (including the option to block a player from being offered to you) and a recoded scouting feature. What’s amazing is that after playing every single game of a full 162+ game season, I’m still discovering little tweaks and new things to do.

Out of the Park Baseball 14

I did encounter one bug during my playing time that could have been disastrous. I won an achievement after finishing a game, and the popup would not go away, causing the program to lock up. Luckily, I was able to use the keyboard to close and save my season, but I was scared that I might have lost everything. On the plus side, this problem has since been patched, which shows the dedication that this close-knit group of developers has for their game.

Out of the Park Baseball 14 is another winner, full of extraordinary depth and infinite replay value. I know I will be playing this all the way through the regular season and likely through the winter as well. If you have any interest in the more analytical side of baseball (i.e. stats and micro-managing), this is the game you’re looking for.

10/10

 
(A copy of this game was provided for review.)

PC Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

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Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

Out of the Park Baseball 13
System: PC (also on Mac/Linux)
Genre: Baseball Simulator
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: April 9, 2012

All hardcore baseball fans, no matter who they root for, have one thing in common: they believe they could run a professional team, sometimes even better than the actual general manager does. Of course, some are more vocal about their beliefs than others, but diehard fans especially love to nitpick every move their favorite team makes. I am guilty of this myself, so I turn to baseball simulators to prove that I can successfully manage a professional team. While there are a few options available, there is one franchise that is a clear cut above the rest, and it is one that I keep coming back to every year: Out of the Park Baseball.

This year’s version, lucky #13, has the same in-depth simulation offerings but is also packed full of upgrades. Immediately, the most noticeable difference is the brand new interface. The traditional menu system and its core buttons have all been switched around, with a shiny new right-side toolbar providing easy access to the most important screens. If you’re familiar at all with previous versions of the game, this graphical overhaul definitely takes some time getting used to. I did enjoy its changes in the long run, however, and I like this particular direction the series is taking.

Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

The biggest, perhaps most impressive, addition to the game is the real-time simulation mode. Basically this means that you can follow each game pitch-by-pitch, adjusting the speeds as necessary, and even jumping in to play the game if you want to. It’s pretty cool to keep an eye on several games at once, especially when you happen to stumble upon a rarity such as a no-hitter in progress. This is especially convenient for those running leagues as the commissioner.

Quite a bit of attention has been given to the core engine as well. Trades are noticeably tougher — a good thing — and teams can be labeled in three stages: Win Now!, Neutral, and Rebuild. This makes it slightly easier to find a trade partner, although it is still difficult to pry away their talent without giving up some big-time players or prospects of your own.

If you were a fan of the newspaper/mail system in previous editions, you will love the improvements in OOTP 13. Several unique storylines have been added, offering a much-welcomed freshness to the articles. One of my personal favorites so far was a story about a veteran on a struggling team taking it upon himself to hold his teammates accountable for their actions. A couple weeks later I was sent an article about this leader holding a kangaroo court about some minor action (I believe a teammate stepped on the team logo) and charging him a $100 fine. Brilliant. Little things like that give OOTP a touch of personality that just cannot be topped. I love this stuff, and would be very pleased if more of it seeped into future updates/versions.

Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

Of course, Out of the Park also comes pre-equipped with all of the latest MLB rosters, and new seasons are built with the recent rule changes in mind (i.e. more wild card teams, and Houston’s move to the AL West in 2013). Player photos are missing initially, but there are countless mods available to fully customize the game any way you see fit. Seriously, if there is any one thing you don’t like about the game’s setup, you can change it. The official forums are a great source of information for the game, with all sorts of awesome expansions and goodies available. The creators of OOTP are also very active in the community and regularly provide patches to fix many of the bugs that users come across. Rest assured, if there is a significant glitch discovered (unlikely), Markus and the guys will be on it ASAP.

There are so many ways to dig into OOTP that everyone will play it differently. I chose to import my association from last year’s game and immediately continued playing as if nothing had changed. It was terrific — my settings were transferred over, and I played through the rest of my season while also getting to enjoy the new features of the game. Of course, if you don’t have an association to import, you can create a new league (real or fictional) starting at any year you desire. You can play the games individually or sim them in bunches — it’s up to you. You can even join an online league with other GMs, which is an absolute blast with a good group of guys.

Out of the Park Baseball 13 [2012]

I have been speaking nothing but praise for the game so far, but there are a couple of minor flaws I feel I should mention. For one, the in-game text is a little difficult to read. I have a 19-inch monitor and occasionally have to squint to accurately read the team lineups and current statistics. While the in-game interface can be switched around, there is no way to increase text size. I have gotten used to it, but it would still be nice to adjust as needed. Also, while the trade engine is certainly improved, I was able to manipulate the system in one area. I noticed that it was a little too easy to sign a free agent to a minor league contract halfway through the season and then flip him to another team for a superior option. It was strange to me that I was able to do this. After all, if a team had any interest in the player I signed, why didn’t they just sign him on their own? Not a huge deal, but it is tempting to take advantage of this.

Again, those are two unbelievably minor flaws in the grand scheme of things, and they do not lower my rating at all. Folks, this is a 10/10 if I have ever seen one. Easily the best baseball simulator I have ever played, and it is one with infinite replay value. For only $40, you will get your money’s worth and then some. If you are into baseball statistics or are a diehard fan of the sport, do yourself a favor and give it a shot.

I will leave you with this warning, however: this gets addictive, FAST.

10/10

Movie Review: Moneyball [2011]

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Moneyball [2011]

Moneyball [2011]
Director: Bennett Miller
Genre: Biography/Drama/Sport
Language: English
Country: USA

Let me preface this by stating that I am a huge fan of baseball and of the book, Moneyball. It helps to be a fan of both, but the film adaptation was created in a way to appeal to everyone.

The movie, just like the book, focuses on the true story of the 2002 Oakland Athletics and their charismatic general manager, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt). A former baseball player who moved to the front office after he didn’t “pan out”, Beane is responsible for operating a small-budget Major League Baseball team. Oakland’s total team payroll in 2002? A paltry $39 million, the third lowest in all of baseball. Compare this to the mighty Yankees, who had a whopping $125 million payroll that year.

Yet the year before, in 2001, the A’s won seven more games than the Yankees and ended up meeting them in the playoffs. While the team wildly exceeded its expectations, this was still a grave disappointment for the demanding Beane. He was faced with an even greater dilemma that offseason in that three of his best players — Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen — were all leaving via free agency because he couldn’t afford to pay them. Now, not only does he have to follow up a tremendous 2001 season but he has to do it with spare parts in the roles of his former superstars.

Moneyball [2011]

This is where “Moneyball” steps in. After persuading a rival team’s assistant named Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) to join Oakland, the two collaborate and develop a new way to look at baseball. Instead of listening to gray-haired scouts rattle on about a player having all “five tools” or how good they look in appearance, Beane and Brand decide to focus on sabermetrics and non-traditional statistics. They seek players who can get on base by any means necessary, particularly by drawing walks. Their key stat? On-base percentage. Who cares if a guy is a liability in the field if he makes up for it with his bat? That’s the perception the two executives have, and it is perhaps best illustrated in the form of one player: Scott Hatteberg.

“Hatty”, as he was commonly known (played by Parks & Recreation’s Chris Pratt), is the perfect example of the Moneyball theory. Unwanted by other teams since nerve damage no longer allowed him to play catcher, Hatty is visited by Beane in an attempt to get him to play first base. Even though he is terrified of taking ground balls at the position, he perseveres and puts together some great moments at the plate (including an epic at-bat during the team’s record-breaking 20 game winning streak). Hatteberg’s salary in 2002 was $900,000. Giambi’s? $10.4 million.

It’s pretty freaking incredible that a team patched together with past-their-prime veterans (like David Justice) and defensive liabilities (Hatteberg) could still manage to win over 100 games and make the playoffs once again. It doesn’t matter that the team lost in the first round again — they still went toe-to-toe against teams with payrolls four times as large. Plus the concept of Moneyball revolutionized the league, and its effects are still felt today.

Moneyball [2011]

In terms of a film watching experience, you do not need to be a baseball fan to enjoy the movie (as stated above). Brad Pitt gives Beane a highly likable personality, even as we see how he is a deeply flawed man. Jonah Hill is quiet and subdued as Peter Brand, and it’s interesting to see him take on a role like this. The always excellent Philip Seymour Hoffman plays A’s manager Art Howe, who frequently butts heads with Beane due to differences in baseball philosophy. Chris Pratt also does well with his role of Hatteberg, astutely playing a baseball player who lacks confidence in himself.

The script is both well-written and intelligent, and it also has a surprising amount of humor. Screenwriters Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian did a fantastic job adapting Michael Lewis’ bestseller.

As far as baseball movies go, this is one of the best. As far as 2011′s movies go, this is also one of the best. Everyone will find something to like about Moneyball, whether it’s the smart dialogue, perfect cast or the baseball philosophy.

9/10

Video Game Review: Out of the Park Baseball 12 [PC, 2011]

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Out of the Park Baseball 12 [PC, 2011]

Out of the Park Baseball 12
System: PC (also on Mac/Linux)
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: June 22, 2011

It’s no secret that I am a sports stat junkie. See here, here and here. I have been playing baseball simulators for years, and over the last few seasons it has become clear that Out of the Park Baseball is the forerunner in the genre. This year’s version, OOTP 12, was released just a couple weeks ago, and I am pleased to say that this is the best edition yet.

Catered to the more hardcore baseball fan, Out of the Park Baseball 12 is pure statistical bliss. As a predominantly text-based sim, OOTP has a seemingly endless amount of options and features. The game comes with this year’s opening day MLB rosters, and you can even play classic MLB seasons starting from the year 1871. Upon starting a season, you have total control. If you want to, you can make yourself the league commissioner and micromanage every single detail of a season. I prefer to take over a single team, usually my hometown Detroit Tigers, and try to guide them to become perennial World Series contenders.

Out of the Park Baseball 12 [PC, 2011]

If it can be done in the world of baseball, it can be done in OOTP 12. The game features a full minor league system with accurate prospects, and you can switch out different lineups against RHPs and LHPs. The amateur draft, Rule 5 draft, the waiver wire and salary arbitration are all included. You can have full control over your team’s budget, right down to manipulating the ticket prices. Seriously, the amount of depth in the game is nothing short of spectacular.

There are several noteworthy improvements in this year’s game. For one, the program’s speed and loading times are significantly improved. This is the fastest loading OOTP yet, and this is a huge plus. The injury system has also been tweaked to be more realistic. Now it is possible for a player to get hurt during a game and not receive an actual diagnosis until a few days afterward. Previously all injuries were determined immediately, which was a tad unrealistic. Another upgrade in OOTP 12 is a revamped financial system, particularly the salary negotiations. This entire setup has been changed for the better, and now players are more apt to request all sorts of performance bonuses and team/player options.

I was also impressed with the computer AI this time around. During the offseason of my imported Tigers franchise, I kept an eye on the free agent proceedings. The Atlanta Braves signed two huge free agents, an All-Star catcher and first baseman. I was concerned by this decision because the team already had quality pieces in place at those positions, and I was worried that those players would be unnecessarily riding the pine. I was pleasantly surprised to see Atlanta trade both of their former starters to other teams while proceeding to acquire players at other much-needed positions. I am currently halfway through the following season, and Atlanta is kicking ass. I love it — smart moves by the AI makes for a more challenging game.

Out of the Park Baseball 12 [PC, 2011]

There aren’t many faults with OOTP 12. I noticed some inaccuracies with the opening day rosters as well as some lacking player abilities, but most of these issues were patched up immediately after the game was released. That’s what I love about OOTP — it has a very close knit group of people who work on the game, and they are very active in hearing out concerns from its dedicated online community. I suppose if I were to nitpick about one thing this year it would have to be the inclusion of White Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson’s obnoxious “He gone!” into the text play-by-pkay system. I have only seen this once out of at least a hundred played games on my part, but that was one time too many. Obviously this is just my own personal bias speaking, but I just can’t stand the guy.

Minor quibbles aside, there’s no denying that Out of the Park Baseball 12 is pretty damn awesome. It is a testament to the game’s quality that I have to do some serious digging to find any faults with the gameplay. I have spent many, many hours of my life playing OOTP games in the past, and this year’s version is sure to continue that trend. If you have any interest at all in fantasy baseball, statistics, micromanaging or if you enjoy playing MLB: The Show’s franchise mode, then you really ought to give this game a chance. This is by far the best game in the series, and it is worth upgrading even if you bought OOTP 11. Yeah, it’s that good.

10/10

- OOTP 12 can be purchased for $39.99 at the developer’s website. There is also a free trial available.

Video Game Review: iOOTP Baseball 2011 [iOS, 2011]

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iOOTP Baseball 2011

iOOTP Baseball 2011
System: iOS (iPhone/iPod Touch)
Publisher: Out of the Park Developments
Release Date: May 5, 2011

I have been an avid fan of Out of the Park Baseball for many years now, so when I heard the development team was building an iOS version of the game, I was definitely intrigued. Being able to obsess over micro-managing a baseball team and turning a franchise into perennial championship contenders, all on an iPhone/iPod Touch? Yeah, count me in.

In recent years, Out of the Park Baseball has rightfully earned a reputation as being one of the best, if not the best, baseball simulators on the market. The sheer amount of depth and tweakable options found in the computer edition is just insane. iOOTP Baseball 2011 is basically a condensed version of its big brother, and is enjoyable for both hardcore and casual baseball fans.

iOOTP Baseball 2011

Upon starting the game, you have the option of playing a franchise using real or fictional players, as well as a historical league (the 1923, 1965 and 2004 seasons are included). After typing in your managerial name and selecting your team, you are ready to begin. From here, you can control most aspects of your team. You can change your lineups versus righties and lefties, tweak your rotation/bullpen, adjust the depth chart, set coaching strategies, and maneuver players to and from the minors, if necessary. There are some notable omissions from the computer version, such as the lack of a real minors system (there is only one minor league) and less financial options (no ticket prices, concessions, etc.), but for the most part you can expect to find a lot of the same content.

iOOTP gives the ability to simulate individual games or play them one-by-one, so you can get as hands on as you want to. The game’s interface is presented very well, and the touch screen features have been flawlessly implemented. At first I thought it would be tedious to manually create different lineups for RHPs and LHPs using the touch screen, but I was pleased to see a copy & paste function to smoothen the transition.

iOOTP Baseball 2011

One thing I noticed while starting a normal league is that the rosters are totally out of whack. I tend to play as the Detroit Tigers more often than not (hometown bias), and I found several bizarre errors with their default roster. For example, Timo Perez, Fu-Te Ni and Clete Thomas were all on the active roster. Perez in particular hasn’t even played in the majors since 2007! These guys took the spots of some key players on the Tigers: Don Kelly, Brayan Villarreal and current #3 hitter Brennan Boesch. Also, their lineup had some serious inaccuracies: Magglio Ordonez was the #2 hitter, something he hasn’t been in years, if ever, and Austin Jackson was listed as the DH, despite being one of the best defensive centerfielders in the real MLB. I am not sure how all of these odd quirks made it into the game, but at least it is easy to customize everything into the way it should be.

While playing the game on my older iPod Touch, I did find a couple of other problems. There were two different occasions where my saved game file became corrupted, and apparently this has been a problem for the older iOS devices. I also had an issue where the app completely closed out on me after I had played a good 30 games or so, and then reverted me back to my old save file upon my reloading. Thankfully, due to a hard-working development team, these issues have already been fixed with an update. That’s one thing I love about niche developers like OOTP — they listen to their fans and do what they can to enhance their gaming experiences.

iOOTP Baseball 2011

To be frank, iOOTP is something I never thought I would see on a handheld device. To have a deep baseball simulator on an iPhone/iPod Touch is nothing short of incredible. This is perfect for stat geeks like myself, who are looking to get their baseball fix while on the go. While the text-based gameplay might still deter some casual gamers, iOOTP is accessible enough that it will catch on with a larger fanbase, and that is definitely a good thing. With some tweaks here and there (such as more accurate rosters), iOOTP could be even better than some full-fledged PC simulators. As it stands, however, this is a very admirable debut into the mobile gaming market, and it is one hell of a bargain at $4.99.

8/10

Video Game Review: MLB 11: The Show [Playstation 3, 2011]

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MLB 11: The Show [Playstation 3, 2011]

MLB 11: The Show
System: Playstation 3
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: SCEA San Diego Studios
Release Date: March 8, 2011

One of the biggest reasons I bought a Playstation 3 last year (other than for Blu-ray and a handful of exclusives) was to finally be able to play MLB: The Show in its full-fledged glory. I had played the pint-sized PSP versions in years past and heartedly enjoyed them, but I knew its PS3 big brother would deliver all of that and more. It is rare that I buy new sports games, but I made sure to pick up MLB 11: The Show right before the actual season started.

This year’s edition boasts brand new analog controls, a huge change to the series and something that seemingly all sports games have been moving toward. For the most part, these analog controls work well. Pitching in particular feels more natural than ever before, and it’s about as close as you can get to actually throwing a baseball with a video game controller in your hand. The hitting and fielding controls take some time getting used to, especially the hitting, which has a steep learning curve that is bound to frustrate all but the most patient gamers. Still, even if you end up disliking the new controls, you can always revert back to the traditional style of gameplay. The allowance of a change in control schemes is just one of many, many tweakable options that MLB 11 provides.

MLB 11: The Show [Playstation 3, 2011]

Basically, this is a baseball simulator in video game form. While not entirely as in-depth as text-based PC titles such as Out of the Park Baseball, MLB 11 still offers detailed statistics, including several that are mainly only of interest to sabermetricians. This is a game that is catered toward hardcore baseball fans, although it remains accessible for the more casual as well.

Typically in sports games I spend most of my time building a franchise and watching it progress over the years. While MLB 11′s franchise mode is excellent and worthy of many gaming hours, I found myself playing Road to the Show more than anything else. In this mode, you create a player of any position and then work your way through the minors before hitting the big time. Along the way, you can train and build up your stats via in-game experiences. If you’re a hitter, you can gain more “XP” by not just getting base hits, but by working the pitch count and getting a strong at-bat out of the situation. This is similar for pitchers as well; getting an MVP-caliber hitter to single after a long at-bat is better for you than letting him do so on the first pitch. It’s a lot of fun watching your created player work his way up to the big leagues. Just like in reality, once you hit the big time you never want to go back.

MLB 11: The Show [Playstation 3, 2011]

I would be remiss if I did not mention MLB 11′s stunning presentational values. This is a gorgeous game, and it’s easily one of the most lifelike sports titles ever. Every player is modeled after their real-life counterparts, complete with accurate batting stances and pitching mechanics. The stadiums are simply beautiful, and the game really makes you feel as if you are there. The game’s announcing crew of Matt Vasgersian, Dave Campbell and Eric Karros is solid for the most part, although their comments sometimes feel disjointed and a lack of chemistry is apparent.

For baseball in this generation of video games, you cannot do any better than MLB 11: The Show. While the game is not without its flaws — namely, the steep learning curve for hitting/fielding and an abundance of lengthy loading screens — it is still a great effort that will please any and all baseball fans. If this is your first time playing Sony’s franchise, you are in for a treat.

8.5/10

A Player To Be Named Later [2005]

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A Player To Be Named Later [2005]

A Player To Be Named Later [2005]
Directors: Bart Stephens
Genre: Documentary/Sports
Language: English
Country: USA

Today is one of the best days of the year for sports fans: Opening Day of baseball. In light of the new season, I perused Netflix’s Instant Watch for some baseball movies and found this little known documentary: A Player To Be Named Later. This 2005 film chronicles the 2001 season of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis Indians. The movie revolves around five players:

- Brad Tyler, a 32-year-old veteran who never got the call up to the majors. Near the end of his career he bounced around professional baseball, including a stint in Mexico.

- Micah Franklin, another veteran hitter who played for a bunch of different teams over his career yet only had one brief stint in the big leagues (1997).

- Kyle Peterson, a former first round draft pick who has struggled with serious injuries throughout his career.

- Allen “Meat” Levrault, a pitcher who spent the majority of his 2001 season in Milwaukee with less than impressive results (6-10, 6.06 ERA). He played in 2003 for Florida, and then struggled in the minors for the rest of his career.

- Marco Scutaro, a Venezuelan athlete who is the only one from this group still playing today. He is the current starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

What makes this documentary so interesting is that it shows what life is like for these guys both on and off the field. None of them are guaranteed to make it to the big leagues; in fact, it is estimated that only 6% of minor leaguers actually get the callup at some point in their careers. Yet these guys still continue to pursue their dream against all odds.

Throughout the movie there are clips showing the players with their families, interviews with “super fans” of the team, and some interesting discussions with team personnel. All of these people share one common trait: the love of the game. Having said that, I’m not sure how much A Player To Be Named Later will appeal to non-baseball fans. For those who love the sport, however, this is a fascinating look into the lives of those who are so close, yet so far from the majors.

8/10

Moneyball [Michael Lewis, 2003]

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Moneyball [Michael Lewis, 2003]

Moneyball
Author: Michael Lewis
Original Release: 2003

Moneyball is the story of the Oakland Athletics and their general manager Billy Beane, back in the early 2000′s when they were winning games left and right despite having one of the lowest payrolls in the league. While there have been a number of small market teams in recent years to have found success (the Twins and Rays, to name a couple), the story of the A’s is novel because of Beane’s approach to building a team. Beane and his trusting group of assistants threw traditional viewpoints out the window and focused on cold, hard statistics to lead the way. In lieu of paying much attention to standard stats such as RBIs, steals and batting average, the A’s front office focused on OBP (on base percentage) and slugging percentage. Beane, his top assistant Paul DePodesta and others were avid fans of Bill James and his followers of Sabermetrics. These guys wanted players who would take pitches and get on base, not guys who would swing for the fences all of the time or took “unnecessary risks” by attempting to steal a base. This strategy produced outstanding results. In 2001 and 2002, the A’s won 102 and 103 games respectively, and they made the playoffs every year from 2000-03. With their $41 million payroll, they were putting up comparable results to the Yankees, who were spending in excess of $125 million.

The fact that Oakland was able to compete at all with that budget is just outstanding, and reading about the methodology and the management’s thought processes behind their moves is fascinating. Michael Lewis really excels with Moneyball, as he makes baseball statistics seem as exciting as an action thriller. There are so many great stories intertwined in the book that provide even more insight into the team. We learn about Billy Beane’s failures as a baseball player and what ultimately made him pursue a job in the front office. We read about Scott Hatteberg, a former Red Sox catcher who was unable to play behind the plate anymore due to injuries and therefore lost any appeal to 95% of baseball’s teams. Beane coveted Hatteberg since he was a guy who got on base a lot, signed him to a paltry deal and then stuck him at first base where he had no experience playing (every ground ball hit his way gave him a “mini panic attack”). Hatteberg proceeded to put up some impressively consistent numbers and grew confidence on the field. There’s also a chapter about Chad Bradford, an unorthodox relief pitcher stuck in AAA hell with the White Sox, who Beane savvily acquires for practically a bag of peanuts, and then goes on to become one of the key components in the team’s bullpen. Perhaps most intriguing are the moments where we get to listen in on Beane trying to pull a fast one on other general managers, essentially working his ass off to find trades that benefit him yet make the other GMs feel like they got a “fucking A” trade. Never mind the fact that certain teams refuse to even talk to Beane since they got swindled one too many times before. The man has a gift, and he sure knows it.

There’s also a large portion of the book dedicated to the now-infamous 2002 MLB draft in which the A’s selected a bunch of guys in the first round who weren’t even on other teams’ draft boards. Although they did get some players who have had lasting success in the big leagues (albeit to varying degrees) such as Nick Swisher, Mark Teahen and Joe Blanton, they also had their fair share of busts like the “fat-bodied catcher” Jeremy Brown, Ben Fritz and Stephen Obenchain. Still, it was very interesting to look into Beane’s mind and experience his wide range of emotions when he realized he was going to be able to get all of the players he wanted.

Since Moneyball was published in 2003, other teams have adapted to Oakland’s strategy, and many have incorporated the theories into their own systems. There are still critics of Beane’s ideas, especially since the A’s never found much success in the postseason despite winning so many games in the regular season. The aforementioned playoff run from 2000-03 had the same result every year — a heartbreaking game five loss in the first round. Still, you can’t deny that the team really had something special going on during that time. It’s always fun to see David stand up to Goliath, isn’t it? Moneyball is an excellent read from beginning to end, providing insight into a creative front office while delivering entertaining side stories along the way. This is one of the best baseball books available, and I highly recommend it if you are into the sport at all.

9/10

- Also, it should be noted that Moneyball is currently being made into a movie starring Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and it is coming out in September of this year. Could it turn out as well as The Social Network? One can only hope…

The Sandlot [1993]

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The Sandlot [1993]
Director: David M. Evans
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Family/Sports
Language: English
Country: USA

“You’re killin’ me, Smalls!”

The Sandlot is a movie that I have fond memories of watching as a child. I grew up as a huge baseball fan and loved to play the game, so it is easy to see why this was one of my favorite movies back then. The movie is about a kid, Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry), who moves into a new neighborhood and has difficulty making friends. He stumbles upon a sandlot baseball game and is very interested despite not knowing anything about the sport. One kid, Benny (Mike Vitar), gives him a chance and decides to help him learn the game. The first half of the movie is about Smalls bonding with the other baseball players (who are an interesting batch of characters themselves). Once Smalls is accepted, the movie quickly changes gears into a battle of man vs. dog. Outside of the sandlot, there is a house with a nasty dog-beast that supposedly eats both children and baseballs. When Smalls loses his stepfather’s prized Babe Ruth autographed baseball over the fence, the kids try to figure out how to get the ball back.

After watching the Sandlot for the first time in several years, I greatly enjoyed the first half of the movie. I was able to relate to Smalls in terms of trying to fit in with a new group of peers, and I couldn’t help but wax nostalgic at my own childhood. The movie gets a bit too over-the-top for my liking now when it comes to the dog/beast/monster behind the fence. I can see how kids would get a kick out of this subplot, however.

The Sandlot is filled with memorable scenes and characters. Who could ever forget Ham (Patrick Renna), the pudgy catcher on the team who uttered the timeless quote at the beginning of this review? How about the scene where the kids try chewing tobacco just like their baseball idols, and then proceed to get sick on a tilt-a-whirl ride? Of course, Squint’s (Chauncey Leopardi) run-in with the sultry lifeguard is unforgettable as well.

There is a lot to like in The Sandlot, and it has certainly withstood the test of time. Even with the ridiculous antics involving the dog, this is a great movie. This is a movie I plan on watching with my own children when that time comes. You don’t have to like baseball to enjoy this adventure, either.

8/10