MVP 07 NCAA Baseball review

Your average Joe Sports Fan can likely recite his ten favorite NCAA basketball tournament game moments without any effort. Same with the moments of glory his alma-mater's football team has enjoyed. Ask him to discuss college baseball, though? Chances are, he'll stammer something about seeing grainy footage of Roger Clemens at Texas once, followed by an abrupt change of subject.

The folks at EA are out to do something about campus baseball taking a backseat to football and hoops. This year’s MVP 07 NCAA Baseball may not have major league salaries (or steroids), but it does pack a silky-smooth experience - with a little innovation to boot.

Pitching with the right analog stick - termed Rock and Fire - has been added to the existing stick-maneuvered hitting and fielding mix. Thus, all of the fundamentals of baseball are handled without using the face buttons. About the only time you'll press one of them (they’re so 2006) is when selecting a pitch or choosing a baserunner to attempt a steal. Don't fret about this, though, because it feels perfectly natural almost immediately. We love that EA has chosen to keep innovating despite the fact that this year’s MVP is a single-platform release. Kudos!