The best baseball man in the biz takes a giant risk in 2008.

I loved MLB 2K7, from its gorgeous visuals to the near-simulation-perfect gameplay (after a couple of slider adjustments) and solid pitching controls. Naturally, I expected a few tweaks here and there to 2K's followup this spring…perhaps a modified (and easier) hitting mechanic, some more nuance in the franchise mode, and even more online options.

Boy, were my expectations way off.

Ben Brinkman, baseball game designer extraordinaire and the executive producer of MLB 2K8, chatted with Got-Next and other media types on a conference call this week in preparation for its worldwide release on March 4th. Amog other things, he talked about major changes to just about all of the gameplay options, his favorite new feature, and some of the challenges associated with building a video game based upon the most complicated of all major sports to simulate.

The first, and most obvious, topic of conversation was the all-new pitching controls. Last year's game featured a perfectly functional if somewhat traditional pitching gauge. This season, however, sees the introduction of a completely new dynamic, involving the utilization of the right stick for, according to Mr, Brinkman, "a more organic movement that makes you feel like you're throwing the ball." Different pitches have different motions, and there's a three-step process from load, then pitch gesture, and finally release point.

The biggest risk here is that it evidently doesn't come easily, at least right off the bat (no pun intended). No one on the 2K team says the new pitching is easy to figure out. What's more, hitting the corners and having success is based much more on skill than ever before. However, as Ben says, "once you figure it out, it's quite intuitive and interactive." He implores players to spend 10 to 15 minutes with the in-game tutorial and virtually guarantees they'll get it.

Another brand-new aspect to 2K8 is a trading card mode, complete with the ability to create your own card-based team for offline and online play (which also includes the ability to unlock Ben's favorite Achievement, "Card Battle"). Each team has between 12 and 15 cards that you can earn in-game, with levels of the card's rarity being awarded based upon the skill level you play. The higher the skill level, the rarer the card that you'll win. Not only does it encourage you to jump in and play with teams you normally wouldn't, each pack you get included at least one unlockable legendary player. For history buffs like me, that's music to my ears.

Building a baseball game is easily the toughest of all sports games, as the randomness of the game dictates a virtually unlimited world of nuance on the diamond. The biggest challenge of all for Ben and his team, though, is meeting the release date with everything that they wanted in place and ready to go. After all, as Ben says, "Bud Selig won't move the start date of the beginning of the season."

Considering how good last year's title was, the fact that Ben says that there's a big jump from 2K7 to 2K8 is no small statement. There's an all-new batter and pitcher AI, new baserunning controls in addition to the pitching (and hitting too), 90 (!) playable minor league teams from single-A through triple-A, and hundreds of new animations to make fielding, hitting, throwing, and pitching look even better.

MLB 2K8 hits virtually all platforms on March 4. It's safe to say that this baseball fan simply can't wait.