DerekJeter
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Baseball umps cite HDTV, SportsCenter for changing the way games are called
While we were just getting used to the football, hockey and basketball offseason, baseball umpires have piqued or interest with a statement that HDTV has changed the game. Now that viewers at home (& in the stands) have high res screens and feeds, not to mention DVRs to go frame by frame as many times it pleases them and constant replays on SportsCenter it's changed the way they call close plays on the base paths. Of course, we don't think that calling the game more accurately within the rules is a bad thing, but as this week's dustup involving Derek Jeter showed, not everyone has gotten the message, we're thinking a HD replay booth may be in order. Any longtime baseball fans noticed games getting called tighter over the last decade or so?
Jeter still MLB cover model
If you base your sports game purchases on how pretty the cover athlete is, than this is a great day for you. Derek Jeter will once again don the cover of a 2K Sports' title. Predictably that title will be Major League Baseball 2K7. Mr. Jeter (or DJ as I like to pretend I call him) had this to say: "It is a real privilege to represent the premier MLB title in the video game industry." He continued, "Just as I am always striving to improve my game, 2K Sports is constantly improving theirs, and this dedication has made Major League Baseball 2K7 the best MLB video game ever." He then stopped reading the cue cards and went back to his favorite hobby of counting money. Major League Baseball 2K7 will appear on the PSP March fifth (according to EB Games). [Via IGN]
Surprise -- Derek Jeter to grace MLB 2K7 cover
New York Yankees Shortstop Derek Jeter will have his mugshot plastered on the front of all copies of Major League Baseball 2K7. This should come as no big revelation, as the seven-time All Star has previously adorned the covers of the last two annual editions. Jeter has also appeared serially on game boxes for the now-deceased All-Star Baseball franchise from Acclaim. Say what you will about Electronic Arts for lack of innovation, but at least they swap out cover athletes every year (thanks in no small part to the curse). To be fair, 2K Sports is hoping MLB 2K7 will be a reinvention of the franchise. According to designer Ben Brinkman, "First year, drill down to the core and get the core baseball game going. Year two, add some cool features, maybe some tersely modes, maybe redesign franchise. The third year, just wrap it up into a nice bow and nail it." So if not this year, expect MLB 2K9 to be the real winner. MLB 2K7 will come to bat Spring 2007 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, PS2, and the original Xbox.
