___
| \
|____/ ___ __ ____ __
| \ / \ / \ / \ \ / \
| \ | | | | |-----+ |
| \ \___/ \___| \____ |
|
___ \___/
/ | /
| | ____ _ _ ____ __ ___ /
| | / \ / \ / \ / \ | \ /
| | |-----+ | | | |-----+ | | \___
\___ | \____ | | | \____ | | ____)
__ _ _ _ ______
/ \ / \ | | | | | ___ \
/ \/ \ | | | | | |___) |
| /\ /\ | | | | | | ____/
| | | | | | \ \ / / | |
| | | | | | \ \/ / | |
|_| |_| |_| \__/ |_|
____ _ _____ ____ ____ _ _ _
| _ \ / \ / ___| | __| | _ \ / \ | | | |
| |_) | / _ \ \ (__ | |__ | |_) | / _ \ | | | |
| _ / | |_| | \__ \ | __| | _ / | |_| | | | | |
| | \ \ | _ | \ \ | | | | \ \ | _ | | | | |
| |_/ / | | | | ___/ / | |__ | |_/ / | | | | | |__ | |__
|____/ |_| |_| |____/ |____| |____/ |_| |_| |____| |____|
===============================================================================
Table of Contents
===============================================================================
[INTRO] Introduction
[CONTR] Gameplay Controls
[MODES] Modes of Play
[STRAT] Strategies
[QUEST] Frequently Asked Questions
[REALL] Comparing to Reality
[VERSN] Version History
[COPYR] Copyright
[CONTC] Contact Information
Navigation tip: Press Ctrl and F to bring down a search bar. Then type in the
name of the section you're looking for - like [CONTC] for the Contact
Information.
===============================================================================
Introduction [INTRO]
===============================================================================
That's why I'm here in right field,
Just watching the dandelions grow.
- Peter, Paul & Mary ("Right Field")
Seems like VinnyVideo's decided to write a bunch of walkthroughs for old
baseball games. Exciting? I'm not expecting to get a Nobel Prize for this work,
but as usual I've done a decent job for what this guide is - an introduction to
the controls and a compendium of some of the more useful strategies for playing
the game.
Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball is an old baseball game (from 1992) that doesn't
have real team nicknames or player names, but you can figure out which team is
which and which player is which (in both instances, most of their names are
puns on the real names). The graphics are OK; the bright, cartoony style is
typical of sports games from its time. The controls are just like those of
countless other baseball games dating back to LJN's original "Major League
Baseball" from 1988. Sounds and music aren't exactly memorable (I liked the
aforementioned Major League Baseball's theme song better!). Gameplay isn't
spectacular, but it's not terrible; it's one of the better baseball games of
its time. Games tend to be on high-scoring side. The computer is pretty tough
to beat because of the game's awkward fielding; frequently balls whiz by your
infielders, giving you about 0.001 seconds to react, and outfield flies are
often hard to judge properly. In fact, the tough fielding is why I chose that
bad 1980's music (which appeared in a Pizza Hut ad in Super Bowl XXX) for the
opening to my guide.
And lastly, a note to make me feel better: As you can see, I'm writing a guide
for a baseball game endorsed by Roger Clemens. Remember, though, that just
because LJN paid a few federal reserve notes to get the Rocket's name on the
cover doesn't mean I endorse using performance-enhancing drugs, throwing broken
baseball bats at baserunners, or having a 15-year-old mistress when you're
married and a decade older. Now that I feel better, we can move on to the main
walkthrough.
===============================================================================
Gameplay Controls [CONTR]
===============================================================================
Chances are you can figure these out on your own, but here goes anyway:
---Any time---
START: Pause game/call time
SELECT: Change lineup
---Hitting---
Control Pad Left/Right/Up/Down: Change hitter's position in batting box
A: Swing the bat
B: Bunt
L: Increase baserunners' jump off the bag
R: Returns baserunners to a safer position
---Pitching---
Control Pad Left/Right: Change pitcher's position on mound
A: Throw pitch; down for fastball, up for changeup, left/right during pitch for
curve
B + Control Pad: Throw over to corresponding base (B + Down doesn't work)
Hold A and the corresponding Control Pad direction when the catcher catches the
pitch to throw to a base in an attempt to throw out someone stealing, or use
A + Down to take control of the catcher.
---Fielding---
Control Pad: Move selected fielder
B: Dive
A (without ball): Jump
A (with ball): Throw to first base
A + Control Pad (with ball): Throw to corresponding base (Up = second base,
etc.)
---Baserunning---
Y + Control Pad: Advance to corresponding base (Y + Up to go from first base to
second, for example)
X + Control Pad: Retreat from corresponding base (X + Right to go back to first
when between first and second)
L: Advance all runners
R: Return all runners
All of these baserunning maneuvers will work both before the pitch and while
the ball is in play.
---Changing Lineups---
Use the Control Pad to highlight the player you want to replace, then press B.
Then highlight the player you want to bring in, and press B to make the switch.
===============================================================================
Modes of Play [MODES]
===============================================================================
Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball hardly has a wide variety of playing options:
---1 Player---
Exhibition mode matches up the teams of your choice.
Regular Season is a 33-game season that puts your team two games out of first
place in the division with less than two months remaining. You'll receive a
password at the conclusion of each game, allowing you to resume from where you
left off.
Enter Password resumes season play, assuming you wrote down the password.
---2 Players---
Two-player games are just like one-player exhibition games, except you're
playing against a friend (or enemy). This is a lot of fun when the economy
stinks and you have to choose between this and "reality" TV.
---Options---
In truth, there aren't a lot of options here (one, in fact), but you can turn
the music off if it irks you.
===============================================================================
Strategies [STRAT]
===============================================================================
Here are some strategies used in various aspects of this game.
----------------------------------Baserunning----------------------------------
Stealing second base (and, to a lesser extent, third base) works pretty
reliably if you get a good jump and have a speedy runner. If the pitcher throws
a fastball or you don't get a good jump, just press X and Right on the Control
Pad to return to first.
With runners on first and third, stealing second is a piece of cake. Press L to
give everyone as big a lead as possible (or Y + Up and Y + Down a few times),
press Y + Up to send the runner on first stealing, and then Y + Down to send
the man on third toward home. After the pitch, the catcher will throw to third.
Return the man on third to his base, while stealing second without a fight.
The most important aspect of baserunning in this game deals with fly outs and
line outs. As soon as the ball is hit on force plays, the computer sends all of
your runners toward the next base. However, if the ball is caught, your runners
can be doubled off if you don't return them to their original bases. Use R (or
Y and the respective Control Pad directions) to turn back just before the ball
is caught. If you reverse too late, you'll be doubled off, and if you're too
quick to turn back and the ball is dropped, you'll miss the chance for extra
bases and could get thrown out heading to the next base. Of course, you can
throw caution to the wind when there are two outs.
I wouldn't try to get extra bases through sacrifice flies unless the runners
stayed at their base as the outfielder caught the ball (for example, with
runners on second and third).
Suppose runners are on first and second and you hit a single to center. Bring
the lead runner on home, and when the outfielder throws home (it'll never make
it in time), send the other two runners for an extra base. This move - and
variants thereof - can be used frequently in this game without too much risk.
Go for the extra base when you think you can do it. If the opponent's throw is
good, you can simply turn back to your previous base (as long as you haven't
gotten too close to the base and started sliding), and you won't get caught in
a rundown. Do bear in mind that the outfielders have pretty good arms, and on
close plays the loser is typically the runner.
------------------------------------Fielding-----------------------------------
Fielding in Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball is mostly a matter of learning the
controls and anticipating how to position your fielders against certain kinds
of hits. However, there are two special moves you can perform to make fielding
easier.
One is jumping (press A), which helps you reach balls over your head and is
seldom useful because it's slow. Diving (B), on the other hand, is used
frequently as a way to reach balls that are far from the nearest fielder. In
fact, diving is faster than running, so you can dive several times in
succession to reach far-away balls. Remember that you can only dive sideways;
never forward or backwards.
To make catching outfield flies easier, watch the ball's flight from the moment
it leaves the bat, and position yourself in front of the ball's shadow. Don't
stand too far in front of the shadow, though, or the ball will fly over your
head and possibly cost extra bases.
Be vigilant at all times! If an opponent hits a hard line drive to the center
fielder with a runner on first, throw over to second base and you can often get
the runner out.
Another play that deserves special consideration is the dribbler to the first
baseman; you must run over to first base to get the runner out; you can't throw
to first, since the pitcher won't be covering the base.
------------------------------------Hitting------------------------------------
The computer doesn't throw many balls (walks are virtually nonexistent), and if
you make contact, you can usually reach base safely. The CPU serves up a steady
diet of fastballs; changeups are rare but may throw you off guard, especially
in early innings when the pitcher's velocity is still strong. Curveballs from
computer pitchers are rare, but those usually aren't any tougher to hit than
regular pitches.
Moving up and down in the batter's box doesn't make much difference, so I
usually stay near the middle and shift left or right in response to the
opposing pitcher's movements; if he's on the left side of the mound, you should
move left in the batter's box. Also consider the fact that inside pitches are
slightly easier to hit than outside pitches.
Success with bunts is pretty iffy; bunting for a hit with no runners on is
nearly impossible, even with a leadoff man. Sacrifice bunting is a different
story; the computer will usually try to throw out the lead runner, but if the
runners are fast and get a good lead, everyone (including the batter) will be
safe. If you do bunt, hold Left on the Control Pad so the bunt rolls along the
third-base line (or, in certain situations, Right so it goes toward first).
Needless to say, don't even think about bunting with a count of two strikes.
Hit-and-run plays are not recommended because of the risk of runners getting
doubled off. I'm not a big fan of squeeze bunts, either.
------------------------------------Lineups------------------------------------
In this game, any player can play any position, so feel free to swap weak
hitters (like Damon Berryhill for the Cubs) for a bench player with a spiffier
bat. The differences among hitters isn't huge, but someone like George Bell for
the Cubs has a much better chance of hitting the ball out of the park than a
pitcher. Feel free to tinker with the lineup to your heart's content, but
remember that after every game the lineups will return to their default
configurations.
In my experience, all the players in this game are of fairly similar speed,
although speed demons like Vince Coleman are going to win out over someone like
Frank Thomas in a footrace.
The game won't let you start a pitcher every day in season mode; he'll require
two days' rest before he can return to the mound. Your rotation should consist
of your three best pitchers, although in my experience there's very little
difference with pitchers.
------------------------------------Pitching-----------------------------------
In Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball, the game is primarily won at the plate, with
the glove, and on the basepaths. Regardless, against the computer, the best way
to pitch is by switching between sides of the mound after every pitch, and
throwing balls that curve to the opposite side of the plate. Be very careful
when throwing slow pitches that curve inside; these often hit batters, giving
your opponent a base the easy (yet painful) way. Also, when you're playing a
real person, you'd be wise to throw some balls to keep opponents on their toes.
Regardless of who you're playing, make sure to press Y every once in a while to
check your pitcher's current energy level. If the P.E. (Pitcher Energy) dips
below 70% or so, or you start giving up a lot of hard hits, it may be time to
bring in a new hurler. The longer a pitcher pitches, the more his velocity will
decline, and if you make up for the loss in speed by throwing more fastballs,
you won't be able to get as much movement on your pitches.
An intentional walk may be worth considering if first base is empty and a
particularly dangerous hitter is up, especially if the rest of the lineup is
weak.
===============================================================================
Frequently Asked Questions [QUEST]
===============================================================================
Q: What team should I use?
A: The differences among the players (especially the pitchers) isn't huge, but
some teams are marginally better than others. Boston (with Roger Clemens) is
one of the best teams in the game, but you might want to go ahead and pick your
favorite team.
Q: What do the letters "J," "M," and "F" next to the names of your pitchers
mean?
A: I don't know. They don't seem to have any significance, but if they do,
please write in and tell me.
Q: Does anything special happen if you throw a no-hitter?
A: No. You don't unlock any hidden teams or see images of fireworks, flowers,
or bikinis, nor will Barack Obama mention you in his next speech.
Q: What's a good password to enter to take me to the World Series?
A: Actually, I haven't gotten that far - I got bored with the game about one-
third (after 11 games) through the game's regular season. But
QZWFBX-KLZPN4-LT7W9C-VJBBPF will take you to as far as I got. You'll be
controlling the Cubs with a perfect record thus far.
Q: What other miscellaneous notes do you have?
A: A few random notes:
* All statistics are based (sometimes loosely) on 1991 numbers. Lineups do not
reflect trades executed just before the season; for example, George Bell plays
for the Cubs, not the White Sox.
* Unlike some baseball games, Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball doesn't have a
"mercy rule" that ends the game when you take a 10-run lead over the computer.
I don't know if human players can lose by the mercy rule, though, since I've
never dropped that far behind.
* The field image shown between innings is, of course, Wrigley Field of
Chicago (no matter what team you choose). Notice how the Budweiser deck is
censored.
* When the home team hits a home run, a zany graphic will appear on the
scoreboard. When a homer is hit by a visiting player, however, the fans will
throw the ball back, like they do at Wrigley Field.
* The "Rocket Talk" advice that appears after each game is best ignored. There
aren't many different messages, either.
* My game has frozen up (forcing me to reset) a couple of times. I think both
crashes occurred on line outs to the first baseman with a runner on first.
===============================================================================
Comparing to Reality [REALL]
===============================================================================
The 1992 Major League Baseball season featured the first world championship for
a team outside the United States. The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Atlanta Braves
in the World Series, where Dave Winfield made a memorable hit in extra innings
in Game 7 to lead the Blue Jays to their first title.
In August, rumors surfaced that the San Francisco Giants would be sold and
would then move to St. Petersburg. This did not happen, as we know.
In September, commissioner Fay Vincent was forced to resign after introducing
many unpopular plans, especially his proposition of realigning the Cubs and
Cardinals into the National League West division.
Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg was the highest-paid player in baseball,
earning a contract worth $7,000,000 per season. Nowadays, middle relievers
often get paid that much!
Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux began his streak of four consecutive Cy Young Awards,
while Dennis Eckersley won both the A.L. Cy Young and MVP. As for more obscure
feats, Mickey Morandini turned a rare unassisted triple play in September.
1992 wasn't a great year for young talent, where utility man Pat Listach and
longtime Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros won Rookie of the Year Awards. It
was even worse for pitchers; one could argue that the period from 1990-1997
was the driest time for rookie pitchers in baseball history.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a side note, Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball doesn't include any real team
nicknames, but here they are for those of you who are stupid or don't know
anything about baseball:
---A.L. West---
Seattle Pioneers (Mariners)
Kansas City Kings (Royals)
Minnesota Hounds (Twins)
Chicago Red Birds (White Sox)
Texas Cowboys (Rangers)
Oakland Cobras (Athletics)
California Waves (Angels)
---A.L. East---
Toronto Bears (Blue Jays)
Detroit Dawgs (Tigers)
New York Rebels (Yankees)
Baltimore Eagles (Orioles)
Cleveland Tomahawks (Indians)
Milwaukee Marshals (Brewers)
Boston Crabs (Red Sox)
---N.L. West---
Atlanta Condors (Braves)
San Francisco Quakes (Giants)
Houston Mustangs (Astros)
Cincinnati Big Cats (Reds)
Los Angeles Thrashers (Dodgers)
San Diego Suns (Padres)
---N.L. East---
Philadelphia Generals (Phillies)
Montreal Lumberjacks (Expos)
St. Louis Dragons (Cardinals)
Chicago Swords (Cubs)
Pittsburgh Black Cats (Pirates)
New York Buffalos (Mets)
===============================================================================
Version History [VERSN]
===============================================================================
Date | Version | Size |
--------|---------|------|-----------------------------------------------------
3-24-09 | 0.6 | 18KB | Began guide.
3-25-09 | 0.99 | 23KB | Finished guide.
3-28-09 | 1.0 | 23KB | Gave proper credit for introductory song.
5-11-09 | 1.1 | 23KB | Made a small correction.
===============================================================================
Copyright [COPYR]
===============================================================================
(c) 2009-2010 Vinny Hamilton. All rights reserved.
All trademarks mentioned in this guide are copyrights of their respective
holders.
You can print this guide out for your personal use.
You can download this guide to your computer for your personal use.
You can post this guide on your Web site as long as you give proper credit AND
you don't change a single letter, number, or symbol (not even an ampersand).
Remember that the latest version will always be available at GameFAQs.com, but
don't count on there being frequent (if any) updates.
You can translate this guide into a foreign language as long as you ask
permission first.
You can't post this guide on your Web site and then say you wrote the guide
yourself.
You can't post this guide on Web sites that contain (or have links to sites
that contain) explicit depictions of unclothed humans (also known as
pornography), racism, gambling, or flattery of totalitarian regimes.
You can't post this guide on your Web site if you're going to change anything
in this guide that took me so many hours to write.
If you don't comply with these guidelines, your hard drive will be reformatted
inexplicably and you will suffer from constipation for the rest of your life.
Heed this warning.
===============================================================================
Contact Information [CONTC]
===============================================================================
If you have any questions or comments about this guide, please send an e-mail
to VHamilton002@gmail.com. That's zero-zero-two, by the way. Remember that not
all e-mail messages will be read. Please follow these guidelines:
Do include "Roger Clemens" in the subject line.
Do send polite suggestions for ways to make this walkthrough better.
Do tell me about any errors or omissions you find in this guide.
Do send information about any glitches, tricks, or codes you discover.
Do ask any questions you have about Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball gameplay. I
will respond eventually if you follow all of these rules.
Do make a reasonable effort to use decent spelling, grammar, usage,
punctuation, and capitalization so I can understand what you're trying to say.
Do use patience. I check my e-mail quite sporadically.
Do not send spam, pornography, chain letters, "flaming," or anything that
contains profanity or vulgarity. Again, violating this rule will result in
deletion of the message and permanent constipation.
And lastly, a public service message: Fight for and affirm the rights of all
humans, regardless of race, age, or creed! And... Please don't use steroids or
cheat on your spouse. No one's likely going to read this, anyway.
For Leslie Lafayette Poe