Major League Baseball 2K9 Diary - Part 2 (ESPN)

[Coug00]

Quote: Originally Posted by JBH3

That Zito deal offered up by the Rangers didn't make sense to me AT ALL if we're talking improved trade logic. For the Rangers to take on so much money on a pitcher like Zito, swapping an expiring contract at that... Zito is under contract till 2014. There isn't a team in baseball that would trade for Zito; for the CPU to accept that deal offered by the user is one thing. For the CPU to offer that deal is another. Offering to acquire Zito IMO doesn't spell improved trade logic. Improved trade logic would be no team EVER offering or acquiring Zito and making the user or CPU live w/ the signing through the life of the contract, or making the tough decision of releasing him. Cain should've come w/ a prospect or two too if we want to say the trade logic is improved. Berkman is worth at least that. Improved trade logic in my mind would be the CPU asking for a ridiculously high price, and forcing the user into negotiations or haggling - which is where making the game accessible to all rears its ugly head. I'm guessing the average user wants to settle on something quicker than having to haggle w/ the CPU. So it seems for that reason the CPU just does all the work for you, and asks in return the bare minimum of what they would want. Zito is probably rated too high as well which is why there would be a team interested in acquiring him.

Agreed. That's very disappointing for me as well. No team in MLB would take on that albatross of a contract straight across. The Giants would have to throw in some high quality prospects for it to even be halfway believable.

This has me worried the CPU bases trades solely off of overall rating and doesn't take into account the financial details of the players contracts.

[Woodcutta]

Good article and it actually offered insight into the game which some of the videos haven't done. The trade for Zito isn't that big of a stretch considering Zito pitched better in the 2nd half (4.59 ERA, 6-5, .232 OBA) with a 3.15 ERA in September. I'm not saying he is anywhere close to his Oakland form but he can still pitch and we are talking about the Rangers. Remember Kevin Millwood and Chan Ho Park?

[boomhauertjs]

I'm glad the Tribe made the World Series! Also, good to hear about the framerate and AI issues.

[GrandMaster B]

So the Yankees didn't win the whole thing with their $5 billion payroll?

[ronnyballgame]

The Yankees not winning was sweet, but the Mets winning was uncool! Ha, but anyways, I really enjoyed these write-ups/blog, that were very insightful, and have me more even wired up to play the game in 2 weeks. I am glad the framerate is fixed. The power numbers seemed a bit high, did he say what level he was playing on? The trade logic is a lot better, and maybe the Rangers(who need a pitcher) went after Zito(maybe having a good year), to push themselves to the top of the division? But the other trades seemed plausible, so I am interesting in trying this game out. Good job. 2k. VC! Well done!

[DocHolliday]

Those season ending stats looked pretty damn good.

[JonahFalcon]

This is the most thrilling part to me: players who are always on the bench will lose ability, and rookies won't develop if they don't play.

This will hopefully prevent the game from having Ye Olde 0 AB Bench Players.

[idesign2]

This all sounds good, but from what I remember this guy didn't mention any gameplay issues in his 2K8 writeup. In fact, I remember being really psyched about the game after reading his diary. Now here he is this year saying how great the game is....again.

I'm not saying that means this year's game is going to be as bad as 2K8, but it is food for thought.