The gameplay WAS tweaked though and there ARE new modes. I don't see why any game should be punished because the previous edition was pure ecstasy, especially when it is a step forward.
Do I think it's worth $40? Absolutely. Would I think it's worth $60? Moreso than most games I've bought in recent years. Do I think it's worth the cost of upgrading if you already own last year's? Well I guess that depends on how much you like the game. To me this is one of the best games I've ever played but your mileage may vary.
As for the Wii remote, I think it's a dumb gimmick and the longer it stays away from this game the better of it is. Cursor based batting is the pinnacle of baseball goodness in my eyes (but that is of course just an opinion). Give my history it makes sense I'd love this one... WSB '95, ASB 99-01, and WSB 2k3 and 2k4.
I'm not here to convince anyone that they should buy or play this game. If you don't like it, you don't like it. But this is a bright spot in the middle of a generation of infuriatingly ugly sports titles.