2k Sports (via IGN) has reported what their unlockable teams for Major League Baseball 2k8 are. Most of them are rookie teams, and some have a few strange things (like Derek Jeter, 1996 AL Rookie of the Year being on the 1997 rookie team) but the most bizarre by far is the “Living Legends” team.
While specifics weren’t noted, looking at the roster I assume it’s all active players with at least 10 years of service time. I’m listing all the positions as what IGN published here instead of correcting obviously wrong ones so this is a critique of both 2K and IGN all at once.
- Pedro Martinez (P) – Yep, he is a living legend.
- Curt Schilling (P) – Okay, I guess I can fight this but you’ve got to fill a roster spot.
- John Smoltz (P) – Same as Schilling.
- Greg Maddux (P) – No arguments here!
- Randy Johnson (P) – Even if he wasn’t so good, he would be a living legend because he’s so frightening.
- Tom Glavine (P) – 300 wins makes you a legend, even if wins are the worst stat in the universe. (And no, I am not arguing that he isn’t anything but an excellent pitcher.)
- Kenny Rogers (P) – Uhhhh??????
- Trevor Hoffman (P) – Overrated but relief pitchers of his quality for so many years are very hard to find.
- Mariano Rivera (P) – No brainer.
- Tom Gordon (P) – Uh, okay I guess. Before he was Torre’d to death he was very good.
- Billy Wagner (P) – Same as Hoffman.
- Ivan Rodriguez (C) – No arguments.
- Mike Piazza (C) – No arguments.
- Jason Giambi (1B) – ?!?!
- Jim Thome (1B) – No arguments.
- Frank Thomas (1B) – No arguments.
- Jeff Kent (2B) – No arguments.
- Ray Durham (2B) – ?!?!
- Chipper Jones (2B) – Not a second baseman!
- Omar Vizquel (2B) – ?!?! + Not a second basemen!
- Ken Griffey Jr. (LF) – If we’re going with “not horribly injured Griffey” he should be in CF, but okay.
- Jim Edmonds (CF) – Not really in the “Living Legends” category outside of St. Louis.
- Gary Sheffield (RF) – I’ll buy it.
- Moises Alou (LF) – Arguments could be made either way.
- Kenny Lofton (CF) – Legendary annoyance, I suppose.
I’m not sure of the intricacies behind making the list but here are some players it makes no sense to leave off, especially when compared with the players that made the cut.
Mike Mussina (P) – Yes, once upon a time broken old Mike Mussina was one of the best pitchers in baseball. And this was true for many years, even when the Orioles became terrible after 1997. Nobody ever seems to remember this, but that is the Mike Mussina story in a nutshell.
Manny Ramirez (LF) – This is seriously a no-brainer.
Alex Rodriguez (SS/3B) – I don’t even think the point has to be argued.
Derek Jeter (SS) – He isn’t very good at fielding sure, but unlike Vizquel he doesn’t suck at that hitting thing.
