A Completely Unscientific Analysis of the Nationals Courtesy MLB 2k8

Last night I purchased Major League Baseball 2k8 for my PS2 - probably one of the last games I acquire before upgrading to a next gen console sometime this year - I'm leaning XBox this moment as 1. I am a Microsoft Shareholder, and 2. GTA IV (I know the PS3 will also have GTA IV, but it's WAY too expensive). However, it's also hard for me to dismiss getting a Wii because it's...well...just plain fun. But I digress - got 2k8 and was ready to checkout the Nats and Nationals Park.

I picked MLB 2k8 over The Show for two reasons - one, my copy of 06 The Show's franchise mode was buggy - contracts wouldn't stick, and there was general weirdness. But more importantly, Pitchfork was involved with picking the music for 2k8 - as any licensed hipster knows, one cannot deny anything with Pitchfork's stamp of approval.

I played 1 full game last night, and had started one before I stopped because I realized I had yet to eat dinner.

The first game, which only lasted 3 innings, contained one very ominous sign - Nick Johnson hit a slap single, and was immediately pulled from the game for spraining his ankle. Doh! As hunger called, I shut off the game and cooked some of my delicious bounty procured earlier in the evening from Trader Joe's.

Next, the actual full game. First impression, Patterson looked pretty good - only gave up one run through 6, but he started to run out of gas. Since it was a one run game, I kept Rauch and Cordero in the pen and put in Wagner - bad move. Wagner proceeded to load the bases. Brought in Rivera, who proceeded to completely cough up the game. But the good news was the Nats hit two homers, both over the left field wall - Nicky J and Lo Duca. Perhaps the Nats homer drought will be over with this new park?

The Park itself didn't look great in the game, but I don't fault them as they had to program this WELL before they could actually see what the real thing looks like. I'm not at all concerned - the new stadium looks wicked pretty on the construction web cam. I can't wait for opening day (and yes, I do have a ticket for it - it pays to have friends who are season ticket holders.)