Major League Baseball 2K8 is the latest version of the 2K Sports flagship MLB line. It promises more innovation with 2K8 by adding more and innovated features such as a new pitching system, new fielding and base running controls, a completely overhauled batting system and over 90 minor league franchises. But does it live up to expectations?

So what is new with Major League Baseball 2K8?

• Precision Throw Control - gives you an unlimited array of throwing types and angles that give you more realistic defensive abilities.

• Total Pitch Control - is a totally new right analog stick pitching system that, when mastered, will give you unparalleled pitching control.

• Swing Stick 2.0 - that lets you control the ball to bat contact much more than ever before. It will give you unlimited varieties of hitting types.

• New Base running - has been simplified and the base running controls have been overhauled.

• Full Minor Leagues - now gives you access to 90 minor league teams in both franchise and exhibition modes. It comes with 20 minor league stadiums and more to ship via digital download.

• 2K Cards - is an in depth card trading system that allows you to earn, collect, and trade them online with the MLB 2K community.

Major League Baseball 2K8 is a mixed bag. I applauded 2K for making the changes to the pitching, hitting, fielding, and base running schemes, but I am afraid that some of the changes will frustrate many until they get the hang of it. I think that down the line it will benefit the game for added realism.

Let me start off with the pitching first. It is completely new mind set that one has to deal with. You are presented with several pitch diagrams. You choose the pitch you wish to make and move the right analog stick toward the first pitch direction, and then you watch as the expanding ring begins to flash (see image above) to a point before it turns red and then you have to make a second movement with the stick. For example, to throw a curve, you move the stick diagonally to the lower left, then at the correct time you make a counterclockwise movement to finish the pitch. If everything works correctly, you have a strike; if not...well read on.

It is not the mastery that is frustrating to me; rather it is what happens when you are off on a pitch. I could understand that it is hard to get strikes, that sometimes the batter hits a line drive, hits a ball through the infield for a hit; the problem is, that when you are off, the batter jacks one. While I understand that when a pitcher misses a spot, it can sometimes be knocked out, the system seemed off. When I was testing the system, I was seeing 90% as home runs. That would be fine if each batter was Big Papi, but they're not. I have tried to throw a curve high and inside, almost to the point of hitting the batter on the back, and it was still hit as a home run. I tried to walk someone by throwing outside and had a very hard time to do that.