[ojoe]

OK, a few more...

[*]Deliberately throwing at an opposing batter should have some effect.

Also, what about a "brush back" button? If you include a "throw behind" button, that should set off some kind of incident almost every time.

[*]Players should have a temper rating that regulates how often they get into arguments with umpires

Also, many times the ejection doesn't fit the game situation. For example - I'm playing the 2014 Pirates season, and I just got finished with a series against St. Louis. The Cards were in first place, and on a winning streak. Kolten Wong was the leadoff batter and he was hot - and he got ejected for arguing after being called out on strikes leading off the first inning. That seemed like an odd time for him to be that worked up. He's playing well, the team is playing well, there's no real cause for frustration, but he got ejected and then suspended for three games after just one at-bat. Milton Bradley, sure. I see it. But just about everybody else in league history is going to say something discreetly and walk back to the dugout.

[*]What if actual historic current events – whatever really happened in the world that particular day – could be sprinkled into the play-by-play?

I don't know that I really care about that, but I would like to see a return of the ability to edit accomplishments and record books. I'm playing the 2014 season, and it'd be nice to have a list of historical no-hitters in the record book. I'd like to start a new season and not have a pitcher set a new league record when he strikes out 11 guys in a game in April.

[*]I wish fewer players were as slow as snails, and the majority of guys had more average speed. Extremely fast guys also should be very rare.

Agreed. And the pitchers can't always be the 12 slowest guys on the team, can they? At least some of them should be moderately fast. Many of them have single-digit speed ratings - meanwhile, Billy Butler is at 40? Bengie Molina is at 50? He's so slow, he once didn't score on his own home run. Certainly there are a few pitchers on his team who could out-run him.

[*]Pitchers should get fatigued a bit quicker during games. Guys with very low or average stamina ratings seem to go way too far into games.

I notice they'll go deep into a game even when they're not pitching particularly well. It's the 5th inning, he's given up 4 already and there are two men on with nobody out...but he's only at 78 pitches, so I guess he's in until I've delivered the knockout blow. Also, I've seen opposing starters hit in the 7th inning when the team is losing, just because the starter hasn't thrown enough pitches to be fatigued yet.

[*]Catchers whiff on way, way, way too many stolen bases. It almost never happens in real life.

Yes.

[*]Never had a player in a rundown … what’s up with that?

Dunno, but I'd like to see it.

[*]It would be awesome if intelligent – and even not-so-intelligent – players became managers, pitching coaches, hitting coaches, etc.

Agreed. And speaking of managers - why can't we induct them into the Hall of Fame? I know we can induct the players that they were into the Hall, but why not as managers? Besides, what if I want to induct Jim Leyland? He doesn't come up as a retired player.

[*]Runners tag up and advance to third base on fly-outs waaaay too often.

And, often inexplicably, won't tag up from third. I've run into plenty of instances where I've got at least decent speed on third base and I'm trailing by a run and then the runner holds on a fly ball that, at least according to the play-by-play, seems to be of about average depth. With a runner on third, we should always have the option of whether to send the runner or not. Same thing with a ground ball with a runner on third. The defense can bring in the corners and play back up the middle - why not give the offense the option of putting on the contact play?

Also, I'd like to have an option on defense to not throw home (or to any base). Up by 2 in the later stages of the game, runner on 2nd base...sometimes I might want to try and cut down a guy at the plate, but most of the time I'm going to throw into 2nd base to keep the double play in order and the batter out of scoring position. I'd at least like the option. At the very least, if the outfielder throws home in that situation and doesn't get the out, and then the tying run scores later on a single, the player should get chewed out on the field by Jimmy Dugan, and he should start crying.

Anyway, these are all minor things. Whatever changes to get made, I'm sure I'm going to love the next version just as much as the previous ones. ...Though if I had to pick one thing to change, it would be the return of the ability to edit records and accomplishments.