Manage option play, how is it ?

[Gametime]

I'm a big sim fan and general play my baseball games by managing and GM'ing. I was very pleased with the console effort with the ASB 2003 manage option. This is the only way I like to play the game. Most realistic managerial baseball game on a console in my opinion. My question is, is the 2004 manage option an improvement over 2003 ? Does the cpu play a realistic game of baseball while managing ? I know the Franchise aspects is better in 04 but if the CPU doesn't play as good as it did in 03 in manage play than I will pass on this years version. With 2003 I enjoy a variety of hits, dble plays, errors, high and low scores, foul balls etc. but 2004 is looking tempting.