Team Scrub

I purchased the new MLB game for the PS2 when the season started. Graphics, Audio, Stat keeping and gameplay are all perfect on MLB07 The Show. Its the first MLB Sony game I've ever owned. I was also very loyal to the EA Sports games, so when they lost the MLB contract I was quite sad and knew I would have to find a new MLB video game. After doing some research I decided on MLB 07 The Show over MLB 2K7 for the PS2 as opposed to the PSP.

Now, anyone who knows the way I like to play sports games, knows what came next. I don't like to play with my favorite team (unless we're talking Madden which I almost always play as the Cowboys) which would have been the Yankees, but I like taking a team of scrubs and trying to make them competitive. One of my favorite features on past baseball games has been the expansion draft mode (very different from the fantasy draft mode which I only like in Madden) which unfortunately wasnt available in this game. So what I did was take Sports Illustrated Baseball Preview issue and decided I would make a team of players that were listed as bench players, number 5 starters, and backend relievers. I then decided that I would take this team and because I thought they would suck, I decided to put them in the most hateful of places... Boston. I would play a season with this ragtag group of backups and never has beens in awful RedSox uniforms.

Here is what the lineup generally looks like:

Rocco Baldelli - CF
Jamey Carroll- 2B
Frank Catalanatto - DH
Craig Wilson - 1B
Wily Mo Pena - RF
Eric Hinske - 3B
Melky Cabrera - LF
Mike Lieberthal - C
Chris Gomez - SS

The lineup is solid, its the bench that really sucks unfortunately... only 1 kid on the bench I think I can go to with any regularity... here it is : Matt Murton (my 1 go to), Andy Philips, Jason Philips, Marco Scutaro, Maicier Izturis

The rotation also is quite solid:

Mark Prior
Carl Pavano
Tim Wakefield
Tomo Ohka
Jaret Wright

The bullpen is:

Geoff Geary
Jimmy Gobble
Rafeal Betancourt
J. C. Romero
Scott Proctor
Kerry Wood

A strange thing has happened though, in about a month of playing with this team (yes they are still under .500) I've grown to like these loveable losers. They havent hit that well (part of the problem is I still dont run the bases well), but the pitching has been surprisingly good. I think they can finish the season over .500 and fight for the wild card spot. I dont think they can beat the Yankees, but for now, I'm okay with that. I'm enjoying playing with these nobodies.