 |
The VelvetBagel |
| MVP Baseball 2005 by EA Sports | For over a year and a half, one determined video gamer played a Dynasty Mode in MVP Baseball 2005, producing twenty championships as the manager of the San Fransico Giants (2005-2013), Cleveland Indians (2014-2022, 2026-2028), and Florida Marlins (2023-2025) over 24 years. Here are the stars of that era: |
 |
Mitch |
 |
Dave RF, 3B, SS; San Fransisco Giants, Cleveland Indians 2005-2028 |
Mitch was not only one of the premier pitchers of his era, accumulating 382 wins (3rd all-time) and 3462 strikeouts (11th all-time), he was also usually one of the best hitters on his team, slugging 54 home runs in his career. Mitch was also the All-Star Game MVP five times, and led his league in facial hair sixteen times. |
Dave was the right-handed part of the Giants and Indians slugging combo that tormented pitchers for two decades. He eclipsed the 3000-hit (3259) and 500-homer (587) late in his career, after being rescued from obscurity serving burritos at AA-Akron. He also stole 316 bases, and threw 44 balls clear over the backstop. |
||
 |
Tom P; San Fransisco Giants, Cleveland Indians 2006-2028 |
 |
Jussi |
Tom's 165 wins or 155 saves might not be remarkable by themselves, but few pitchers have found as much success as a starter and a closer. Tom finished off six deciding World Series games, started one, and survived a mid-career name change to Fazlul Das (and accompanying descent into mediocrity). |
Jussi, a collegiate Pesäpallo star, adapted to the American pastime quickly. He set the all-time records for Finnish-born players in hits (2407), home runs (392), and tied the record for pitching wins (0). These records were stripped, however, when everyone remembered he was born in Chicago. However, among Chicago-born players, Jussi holds the record for being Finnish. |
||
 |
Matt CF, RF; San Fransisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays 2007-2026 |
 |
Tim SS, 2B, 1B, 3B, LF; San Fransisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins 2008-2026 |
Matt led off for the Cleveland Indians for most of their championship run. He is credited with revitalizing the bunt, and causing Ozzie Guillen to invent the "thirdstop" position now common on most teams. His speed and arm strength made him a formiddable defender, and required Dave to defer outfield gappers to him. Late in his career, Matt cashed in his airline miles and played for four teams in five years. |
Tim spent his career as a utility infielder for eight major league teams. His usefullness, and contract demands for "line-of-sight teleportation" saw him spent time with many teams over his career. His best season was in 2021 with the Toronto, where he suddenly and inexplicably hit 52 of his 309 career home runs. |
||
 |
Ben P; San Fransisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, 2009-2028 |
 |
Rick |
Ben had a handful of junk pitches, including a knuckleball, palmball, screwball, circle changeup, and 74-MPH fastball, which he used to alternatively baffle hitters and watch baseballs fly 480 feet past his head. He showed a strange attraction to pitching in the Lone Star State, and found some success as a closer in Houston. He was lured to Cleveland when promised that Os Mutantes would play his entrance music live. |
Rick is universally regarded as the greatest hitter of all time. He set the major league career records for hits (4445), home runs (1023), runs scored (2880), runs batted in (2900), and many others. In 2012, he had the best offensive season of all time, hitting .363 with 75 home runs, 180 RBI, and 42 stolen bases. Rick had 881 career stolen bases, and two 60 HR/60 SB seasons. He played defence for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the offseason, was fired in August of his first season managing the Boston Red Sox in 2029. Soon after, he bought the Washington Nationals and relocated them to Montreal to become Les Nouvelles Expos.. |