All Star Baseball 2004
Nintendo GameCube
Scenario FAQ/Guide
Version 1.01
Written by Kev715
superkg9@yahoo.com
Completed First on July 11, 2004
Last Updated on July 20, 2004
Table of Contents
1) Legal Disclaimer
2) Version History
3) Scenario Introduction
4) The Scenarios
4.1) Brewing Trouble
4.2) Piazza's Collar
4.3) Rich to the Rescue
4.4) Run for the Rockies
4.5) Rivera's Reprieve
4.6) Tampa Bay's Last Gasp
4.7) Griffey's Revenge
4.8) All-Star Game, Part 1
4.9) Denying Colon
4.10) All-Star Game, Part 2
4.11) Cameron's Explosion
4.12) Salmon's Run
4.13) Twins Killing
4.14) Bernie's Barrage
4.15) Si, Si, Pedro
4.16) Kenny Rogers' Perfect Game
4.17) Klesko Hangs Ten
4.18) Braves' Late Night
4.19) Extending the Streak
4.20) Bonds Market
4.21) The Miracle
5) FAQs
6) Closing Remarks
7) Credits
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Legal Disclaimer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This FAQ/Guide is a presentation from me, Kev715. It is okay to print out this
FAQ/Guide, but it is not to be copied, plagiarized, posted, linked to, sold for
profit, or edited in any way without my written permission. Any attempt to do
so is strictly prohibited. If you are to excerpt from it or use it in any way,
please give me credit for my work. The only websites that are allowed to view
my FAQ are:
www.gamefaqs.com
www.gamespot.com
www.ign.com
That's it for now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) Version History
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.0- the original copy.
1.01- Added more websites on who should view my FAQ.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) Scenario Introduction
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In All-Star Baseball 2004, there is the new Scenario Mode, where you can take
control in 21 different game situations from the 2002 Major League Baseball
season. Thom Brennaman, Cal Ripken, Jr., Steve Lyons, and Derek Jeter are the
four people who tell you what happened in a certain scenario. Your job is to
complete a scenario by accomplishing a certain task that one of the
aforementioned people tell you to do, like coming back to win a game, or
hitting a home run with a certain person. Can you rewrite the history books?
The first time you do it, there will be a Bronze Medal over the selected
scenario. After that, the Silver Medal and then the Gold Medal. The
difficulty of the scenarios gets harder as you go up the pyramid. The first
time you play a scenario, the difficulty will be on Rookie. After you complete
Rookie mode, you will win one bonus card and you can play the same scenario on
Veteran mode. After you beat Veteran, you will win two bonus cards and you can
play on All-Star mode. After you win on All-Star mode, you win three bonus
cards.
The scenarios will be in this format on the game:
21
19 20
16 17 18
12 13 14 15
7 8 9 10 11
1 2 3 4 5 6
When you start playing, the bottom six will be available. In order to unlock
Scenario 7, you will have to beat Scenarios 1 and 2; to get Scenario 8, you
will have to have beaten 2 and 3, and the pattern continues all the way to the
top.
By the way, I have the Nintendo GameCube version of the game, so if there are
any differences in scenarios in the game, then, this must be for the GameCube
users. If not, then this is for every console. There are some small
differences in the versions, though, like the shape of the power-hitting
cursor. I might say "the square" because on the GameCube version, it's a
square and not a triangle.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4) The Scenarios
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Below, there are 21 scenarios that happened during the 2002 MLB season. For
some reason, none of them take place at night (even though some of them
actually happened at night). Here they are:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1) Brewing Trouble
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal: On June 8, 2002, the Brewers and the Pirates were tied at 8 in the top of
the 11th inning. After a Geoff Jenkins single, Riche Sexson was up, and
Milwaukee was brewing trouble. A strike 'em out-throw 'em out double play
ended the Brewers threat, and they went on to lose that game in the bottom of
the 11th. Here's your chance to turn this game around, and put a win on the
board for Sexson and the Brewers.
Objective: Win the game for the Brewers.
About this scenario: You are Richie Sexson facing Brian Boehringer. Boehringer
is not what you would call an overpowering pitcher, so you shouldn't have too
much trouble doing this. There are no outs when you come in, and if you can
get Sexson on (or hit a two-run shot off Boehringer), then you would still have
to pitch to win since you are the away team. When Ray King comes up, you could
choose to keep him in the game and finish it, or pinch-hit for him and choose
from the all-righty bullpen with John Rigdon, Ben Sheets, Nick Neugebauer, and
Ruben Quevedo. My recommendation would be Ben Sheets because he stands the
best chance against Pittsburgh's 2-3-4 hitters (Jack Wilson, Jason Kendall,
Brian Giles). The computer would probably sub in Warren Morris for Wilson.
Sheets has a good fastball, a sick curveball and a changeup. After you retire
the side with the lead, you win the scenario.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.2) Piazza's Collar
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal: Mike Piazza was having a tough day on August 10, 2002. He struck out
twice, and fouled out to the catcher, leaving him 0-3. His Mets were
deadlocked in a 4-4 tie with the St. Louis Cardinals, though, and in the top of
the sixth, Piazza came to the plate with a chance to redeem himself. With one
out, and Robbie Alomar on first, Piazza would foul out to first, and the Mets
would eventually lose 5-4. Help Mike shake the collar, and pull out a Mets
victory.
Objective: Win the game for the Mets.
About this scenario: When you come in, Mike Piazza is up against reliever Dave
Veres with one out and Roberto Alomar on first. It shouldn't be so hard to hit
a home run with Piazza. Then, you can do some more damage with Mo Vaughn and
others after Piazza. When you go to pitch in the bottom of the remaining
innings, you would have to put up with some pretty good hitters like Scott
Rolen, Albert Pujols, and others. In the ninth, when you need the win, warm up
Armando Benitez and hold on to the lead with him, providing that you hold that
lead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.3) Rich to the Rescue
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve: The Phillies and Giants were locked in a seesaw battle on July 31, 2002.
After four lead changes and two ties, the Giants were down 8-6 heading into the
ninth inning. Jose Mesa got a quick out, but then gave up an infield hit to
Kenny Lofton and a double to Tom Goodwin. Jeff Kent would strike out, and the
Phils would intentionally walk Barry Bonds to load the bases for Rich Aurilia.
Now, that day, Aurilia would fly out to shallow left, but today, it's Rich to
the Rescue. See if you can pull out a Giants victory in this one.
Objective: Win the game for the Giants.
About this scenario: You come into this scenario at bat with Rich Aurilia with
the bases loaded and two out. Tom Goodwin and Kenny Lofton are on second and
third, and Shawon Dunston is on first. Goodwin and Lofton both have great
speed while Dunston has average speed. You are facing Phillies closer Jose
Mesa, who has a four-seam fastball, a splitter, and a curve. This one is a
little bit harder than the first two, but it shouldn't take too much hassle to
get past it. I wouldn't try to hit it out of the park with him because with
Mesa's arsenal, you would probably miss it or end up popping it up. I would
try to get a base hit and score Lofton and maybe Goodwin also, and then get a
hit with J.T. Snow to score Goodwin (if not already) and Dunston. Try to score
as many as possible.
After the inning ends, you could keep with Worrell, or, at the beginning of the
scenario, you could warm up Robb Nen so he can close the deal. If it is tied,
keep with Worrell and save Nen for when you get the lead. When Bobby Abreu
comes on in a tie game, put in Aaron Fultz, the left-hander because Abreu isn't
very good against left-handed pitching. Robb Nen is recommended against all
hitters because he has a blazing fastball and a slider with great movement.
After you retire the side, you win. Go into extra innings if you have to. It
will make it much easier.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.4) Run for the Rockies
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: Interleague play came to Toronto on June 7, 2002 as the Rockies visited
the SkyDome. The Blue Jays' Roy Halladay would go on to spin a gem that day,
shutting out the Rockies on a pristine two-hitter. Today's game will be
different. You don't have to win this one, but there needs to be at least one
blemish on Halladay's record. Score a run with Colorado and break up the
shutout.
Objective: Score a run for the Rockies.
About this scenario: This should be easy. You have three innings to try and
break the shutout. Of course, you don't have to come back from a 7-0 deficit
because as soon as you score a run, the scenario will just stop and you
complete the scenario. You are in a good position because Larry Walker is on
deck when you start the scenario and you can end it right there with a home
run. If you happen to not RBI in Juan Uribe (if you get him on) or Walker, you
have Todd Helton next, a better home run threat. After that, you should have
won the scenario. If not, you have two more innings to do it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.5) Rivera's Reprieve
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: Mariano Rivera is arguably the most dominating closer in the game today.
That's why it was such a shock to him and to the Yankees, when on July 14,
2002, the Indians scored six times in the ninth off the Yankee closer. Bill
Selby hit a grand slam to cap the six-run frame, and send the Jacobs Field
crowd home happy. Today, though, it's going to be status quo. Take Rivera and
shut down the Indians in the ninth, and preserve the Bronx Bombers' victory.
Objective: Use Rivera to win the game for the Yankees.
About this scenario: You have to win this game in regulation; in other words,
you cannot let the Indians tie the score and then try to win the game in extra
innings because the scenario doesn't work that way, so you have to save it with
Rivera. Also, putting in Clemens (or any other pitcher) will also make you
fail the scenario. But anyway, the first hitter you should face is John
McDonald, but he is pinch-hit for by Matt Lawton. Rivera has an advantage on
all of the Indian hitters with a blazing four-seamer, a cutter that is almost
equally fast, and a good slider. Get Lawton out and the next hitter is Eddie
Perez, another hitter that shouldn't be so difficult to get out. If you don't
get Perez out, try to get Chris Magruder to ground out into a double play and
end the inning. Otherwise, there is Omar Vizquel, Ellis Burks, Jim Thome, and
Lee Stevens. If you don't get those guys out, you fail the scenario. Get
three men out and you win.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.6) Tampa Bay's Last Gasp
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: Derek Lowe's no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on April 27th
was one of the highlights of the 2002 season. He allowed just a walk while
striking out six Devil Rays, completely dominating their lineup. Your mission
today is to take the bottom portion of the D-Rays lineup, and scratch out a hit
against Lowe in the ninth.
Objective: Get a hit for the Devil Rays.
About this scenario: This one should be easy. Russ Johnson is first when you
take over. If you tilt the cursor up and to the right a little, and make good
contact with it, you can get a hit with him and ta-da, you win the scenario.
If all else fails, you got Felix Escalona and Jason Tyner (or even Randy Winn
if Lowe walks or hits someone with the pitch). If you wish, you could put some
better contact hitters in the game, like Damian Rolls, John Flaherty, Chris
Gomez and Aubrey Huff.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.7) Griffey's Revenge
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal: It's been a disappointing couple of seasons for Ken Griffey, Jr. in
Cincinnati. After tearing his hamstring, and watching the 2001 Mariners put up
one of the greatest single regular seasons in history, Griffey's chance for
revenge came on June 18, 2002. Interleague play brought the Mariners to
Cinergy Field, and Seattle would go on to win the game handily, 8-1. The game
was under control until the sixth, and that's where you come in. Take the Reds
in the bottom of the fifth, and win the game. While you're at it, hit a home
run with Griffey, and exact some measure of revenge for the kid.
Objectives: Hit a home run with Ken Griffey, Jr.; win the game for the Reds.
About this scenario: OK, so you have two things to do; hit a home run with
Griffey, and win the game. You come in down 2-1 and Griffey up at the plate.
Hit a home run with him and then come back to win. If you don't hit a homer
immediately, don't worry; you have another at-bat with him. Usually, I would
simply restart the scenario until I hit a homer with him the first time so I
can get that out of the way. Then, try to string a rally with the Reds and
hold on to the lead with the pitching and defense and you will complete the
scenario. You would want to pitch carefully to Ichiro Suzuki, Bret Boone, John
Olerud, and Mike Cameron, even though there's a bigger margin for error with
Cameron. Go into extra innings if needed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.8) All-Star Game, Part 1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: In 2002, Vicente Padilla made the most of his first season as a starter,
including an All-Star appearance. In the bottom of the 11th at the 2002 All-
Star Game, he had a chance to give himself the win and prevent the All-Star
Game tie. With Mike Lowell on second, take Padilla and show the American
Leaguers that pitchers do know how to hit. Win the All-Star Game for the
National League.
Objective: Win the game for the National League.
About this scenario: The thing here is, you have to hit with Padilla's bad
contact rating because there are no players left on the bench for either team
(which is the reason the All-Star game ended in a tie). Try to bunt with
Padilla because there's one out and try to move Lowell to third. If you fail
to get a good bunt down and there are two strikes, swing away and just pray
that the ball goes where you want to swing. You will be facing Freddy Garcia
of the Seattle Mariners all the way, so chances are, he's gonna get tired and
walk a few batters later on. Unlike real life, the game will go beyond the
11th inning and you can take as much innings as possible to get the win.
Everyone in the lineup (except Padilla, of course) has power potential, but try
not to hit it out of the park with everyone, as the power varies between
hitters. The NL is the home team and has the last at-bat, so you win as soon
as you take the lead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.9) Denying Colon
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: The interleague deal that brought Bartolo Colon to the Expos happened at
an opportune time for Montreal. His first start was July 2 against the
eventual division-winning Braves. On that day, Bartolo would show that no one
in either league can hit him very well, and the Expos would go on to beat the
Braves 5-2 after exploding for five runs in the sixth. Your job here is to
prevent that five-run outburst, and deny the Expos and Bartolo his first ever
National League win.
Objective: Win the game for the Braves.
About this scenario: You come in when it's the top of the sixth with the bases
loaded with Fernando Tatis at bat against your southpaw Damian Moss with two
out. A ground ball, strikeout or pop-up would be good in this situation. I
suggest you to warm up a couple in the 'pen, because Moss shouldn't be pitching
after this inning. After you get out of the jam, it's up to you to hold on, or
add on to, the lead.
If you do not hold on to the lead and manage get out of the inning, don't worry
too much; you still have four innings to make it up (Of course, it depends on
the severity of your deficit). You have Chipper and Andruw Jones, two pretty
good power hitters, along with the third due up that inning, Vinny Castilla,
who is an OK hitter (and can show a little power as well). If you can take the
lead back (and hold on to it), you win. I strongly recommend you use John
Smoltz to close the deal in the ninth because he has some great stuff (high 90s
4-seamer, slider, splitter).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.10) All-Star Game, Part 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: The 2002 All-Star Game will long be remembered as a day when everybody
got to play, but nobody was allowed to win. Tied at 7 after 11 innings, the
game was officially called a tie. Here in All-Star Baseball 2004, nobody ties.
Win the game with the American League starting at top of the 12th inning.
Objective: Win the game for the American League.
About this scenario: This part of the game did not exist in real life. It's
almost the same concept with Scenario 8; the only thing is, you're playing as
the American League, there is no runner on base, and there's a better hitter
than your Freddy Garcia. So, at the start of the scenario, Nomar Garciaparra
is up against Vicente Padilla. Everyone else in the lineup either has good
power (Garciaparra, Sweeney, Anderson) or good contact (Pierzynski, Damon,
Vizquel), so with the right things, you can string up a couple of hits and take
the lead. But since the AL is away at Milwaukee's Miller Park, you have to
hold on to that lead in the bottom of the inning (provided that you have a
lead). Do that, the scenario is yours.
Players to watch out for: Andruw Jones, Lance Berkman, Adam Dunn, and Shawn
Green
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.11) Cameron's Explosion
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve: Mike Cameron's career day came on May 2, 2002, when he hit four homers
against the Chicago White Sox in a 15-4 Mariner victory. He and Bret Boone
would hit back-to-back homers twice in that first inning to ignite the rout.
Cameron had a chance to do something that no one had ever done; hit five homers
in one game. Now, you've got four innings to do it here. Hit Cameron's fifth
home run without going into extra innings.
Objective: Hit Cameron's fifth home run. Don't try to go into extra innings.
About this scenario: It's the top of the sixth inning, and Jim Parque and
Ugueto have given up four home runs to Mike Cameron, and chances are, after
Parque faces Ruben Sierra, he would give way to Lorenzo Barcelo. I would
suggest you to get as many men on base as possible so Cameron will have more
chances to hit his fifth home run. Cameron has more power when he faces left-
handed pitching, but he does have power against righties. Hit the home run and
you complete the scenario. As Steve Lyons said in the intro, you cannot go
into extra innings to do this (that means, don't try to intentionally walk
everyone in the bottom of the ninth and then get the final out with the score
tied).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.12) Salmon's Run
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thom: On July 23, 2002, the Oakland A's and the eventual World Series-winning
Anaheim Angels locked up in a classic pitcher's duel. American League Cy Young
award winner Barry Zito and Kevin Appier dueled to a 2-1 Oakland advantage
before four relievers, ending with Billy Koch, closed the door for an A's win.
The Angels had a chance in the ninth, though, with Adam Kennedy at second, and
Tim salmon up with two outs. Your job here is to turn this game around and pin
Koch with the loss. Win the game with the Angels without going to extra
innings.
Objective: Win the game for the Angels. Don't go into extra innings.
About this scenario: You heard Thom. Don't go into extra innings. You read
what I said: don't go into extra innings. I know, this would be easier if you
were allowed to. But because you can't, and the scenario would fail if it gets
tied, it's a bit harder. OK, your facing fireballer Billy Koch with two out.
But with the right pitch, Tim Salmon could end the game with one swing. The
thing is, what kind of swing would he end it on? He has a good power rating
and an OK contact rating. You could just hit a homer to end the game, or if
you think you won't do that, you could try and string base hits together with
someone with a better contact rating, Brad Fullmer. Or, you could also try to
draw a bunch of walks. I've tried that before, and it worked one time. Just
as long as you score a run with Salmon or whoever was hitting in his spot, you
complete the scenario.
Players to watch out for: Billy Koch (of course)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.13) Twins Killing
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thom: So many games turn within the course of one at-bat. The Twins and Royals
played such a game on August 5, 2002. After the Royals put up a five-spot in
the sixth inning to go ahead 9-1, the Twins quickly answered with a run in the
sixth and two more in the seventh. Down 9-4, Torii Hunter drew a walk with
Cristian Guzman at first. With runners on first and second and two out, David
Ortiz came to the plate with a chance to draw the Twins within two. Instead,
he grounded into a double play to end the Minnesota threat. The Twins went on
to lose that game 12-4. Turn the tables in that one at-bat and win the game
with the Twins.
Objective: Win the game for the Twins.
About this scenario: Thom Brennaman got one thing wrong here. He said there
were two outs and David Ortiz grounded into a double play. This is impossible.
There is actually one out and he grounds into a double play. Anyways, Ortiz is
up, a power threat. Avoid the double play ball (and maybe drive in Guzman) and
Bobby Kielty comes up, another guy who can do some damage. You could try and
advance the runners with a fly ball or even a sac fly (if Guzman or anyone else
is on third with less than two out) or any other option. Following him is Doug
Meintkiewicz and Denny Hocking, people who are good contact hitters but you
wouldn't expect these guys to hit them out of the park all the time. With the
cursor Hocking has, it would be better for him to push the ball into right
field. Jacque Jones, who usually is a good power hitter, is shown to suck
against left-handed pitching, but he, like Guzman, is a good baserunner and can
steal some bases. Corey Koskie, an average hitter, can also do some damage if
you have a good opportunity, even though you have a sucky hitter at the plate.
After the seventh, you would have to try to preserve the lead by warming up
someone in the pen (what should have been done at the beginning if the
scenario), or if you don't have a lead, keep the Royals where they are. I
would recommend warming up LaTroy Hawkins and Travis Miller, people who can
come in if Kevin Frederick has trouble. I would keep Eddie Guardado until the
ninth, if you have the lead, so he can close it out.
Players to watch out for: Carlos Beltran, Joe Randa, Raul Ibanez
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.14) Bernie's Barrage
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve: During a three-day stretch of the 2002 season, Bernie Williams racked up
an amazing 11 hits in 11 consecutive at-bats. His streak fell one short of the
record when he grounded to third against the Mariners' Ryan Franklin on August
17. Your job here is to get hits with Bernie Williams in this at-bat and his
next to set the record for most consecutive hits. And while you're at it,
protect the Yankees' 1-0 lead and get out of Seattle with the win.
Objectives: Get two consecutive hits for Bernie Williams; win the game for the
Yankees.
About this scenario: Winning this game is something that you shouldn't worry
about that much, as there's practically no way to lose with the Yankees and
their power-hitting lineup (Bernie himself, Jeter, Soriano, Giambi, Posada,
Ventura, just about all of them have some sort of power). You can hit homers
and string a bunch of base hits together with the team, but if you don't get
those two straight hits with him, it doesn't count. If you happened to get
stumped by the pitching, pitch craptacularly enough to lose, and still get
Bernie's two hits, j00 still r teh phaillyer. I would try and play it safe and
bloop the hit between the infielders and outfielders each time that you need to
get a hit, or if you're lucky, you could shoot the gaps with him.
If you get walked, hit by a pitch, get a sac fly, or a sac bunt, don't worry;
those instances do not count as at-bats. You can try again the next at-bat.
Ryan Franklin is not that good a pitcher that you would get shut down by. You
won't get any sacrifice anything on the first attempt, as there's no one on
base. If you can concentrate on Bernie's hits and get them over with, you
probably would already be in good position to complete the scenario, if you can
shut the Mariners down. That won't be so hard, will it? We'll see about that.
>:-D
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.15) Si, Si, Pedro
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal: On April 25, Pedro Martinez was bidding to be the first pitcher to pitch a
no-hitter in 2002. Little did he know, this would be his last chance, as
teammate Derek Lowe would no-hit the Tampa Bay Devil Rays two days later.
Unfortunately for Pedro, Gary Matthews, Jr. would single in the sixth, bringing
the no-hit bid to an end. Help Pedro finish the no-hitter, and the Red Sox
collect the victory.
Objective: Finish Pedro Martinez's no-hitter for the Red Sox.
About this scenario: So you have 12 more outs to go. Looks like a long way
without getting a hit, and Pedro is tiring every step of the way. It is 7-0
BoSox at the start of the bottom of the sixth. You don't have to do anything
on offense; you could just pop out or strike out a bunch of times as far as I'm
concerned. Your first hitter you have to face is Brook Fordyce. Now one thing
that you must understand about completing this is the hitter's hot and cold
areas in the strike zone. To see this, first press Z (again, I'm using a
Nintendo GameCube in this; Xbox and PS2's controls are different). You will
see the "INT WALK" and "HOT-COLD" options available, as the "HIT CHART" and
"PIT HIST" options are grayed out. Hit A for an intentional walk, and Y for
the hot and cold areas in a hitter's strike zone. Since this is a no-hitter
that you're working for, it is okay to walk someone who you feel is going to
break up a no-hitter.
Brook Fordyce's cold area in his zone is near the top (where the blue is; the
red signifies the "warmer" areas). But just because you know that, it doesn't
mean you can just throw three four-seam fastballs by him there without picking
one up. Be aware that Fordyce is somewhat of a power threat, so if you hang a
changeup in the upper part of the zone, it might get taken for a ride. If you
discard of him, the next hitter is Chris Singleton, someone who has a bigger
cold spot. Get him out, and Jerry Hairston Jr. is the next one up. The hot-
cold indicator would tell you to pitch him outside. Retire him and the next
inning (if you didn't commit an error, walk or hit batsman) you'll face Gary
Matthews Jr.
Matthews was the one who broke up the no-hitter in real life. On these four
hitters, it would help to throw cutters or fastballs up in the strike zone
every once in a while to get them to pop up. David Segui is the next hitter.
He has a bigger warm spot, and might be able to break up your bid for a no-no.
You could just walk him, but if you do, you would have to face Jeff Conine. If
you get him out, Conine is the fourth hitter in the lineup and a big threat to
say good-bye to the scenario early. If you walk him, Jay Gibbons is up. If
you get him out by pitching him inside, the inning is over. Gibbons is another
very good hitter that you MUST NOT PITCH TO ON THE INSIDE PART OF THE PLATE TO.
If you somehow get him to pop or fly out, then Tony Batista is up. He is more
of a power threat than a simple base hit threat. You might get him to pop one
up, but keep your outfield back just in case. Next is Mike Bordick, someone
who, like Batista, would swing at a pitch that is high and inside.
If you do away with everyone else in order (without walking anyone), then you
have one more inning left to go, and you will probably face the three that came
up at the start of the scenario. But it will be a bit harder this time around
because at this time, Pedro would be a bit weary and will have a tendency to
miss the strike zone at times or leave pitches hanging over the plate. If you
retire the side in order, you win the scenario.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.16) Kenny Rogers' Perfect Game
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal: On August 9, Kenny Rogers was cruising along in Cleveland with a perfect
game through seven innings. 21 hitters had come to the plate, and 21 had
recorded an out. Trying to protect a 2-0 lead, the game quickly careened out
of control. Jim Thome led off the eighth with a walk, and Milton Bradley
drilled a double to right. After striking out Travis Fryman, Ricky Gutierrez
hit a two-run double to deep left, and just like that, it was a new ball game.
Rogers would get the win after a Rafael Palmeiro homer in the ninth, but would
lose his shot at history. Keep the game out of the hands of the Texas bullpen,
and finish the perfect game with Kenny Rogers.
Objective: Retire the last six hitters in the Indians lineup IN ORDER.
About this scenario: This is a similar one to the previous scenario with Pedro,
but different. This time, you have to get everyone out without anyone getting
on bases. That means, no hits, no homers, no walks, no hit batsmen, no errors,
no nothing. If someone gets on base, you've left the building before you want
to. So it's your job to take every challenge by the horns and retire the side
1-2-3 in order.
First is Jim Thome. One wrong pitch in the wrong location can send you
packing. As Rogers is a left-handed pitcher, it would help to pitch down and
away from him. The next hitter is Milton Bradley (wow, I didn't know you could
play board games on video games). His weaker spots are up in the strike zone.
I would recommend a fastball or two in that area, but vary your pitches;
throwing the same pitch over and over in the same spot when you have other
options is not good, as the other hitter will eventually pick it up and take
advantage. Do away with him and the next hitter will be Bill Selby. WTF?
Bill Selby? But Cal Ripken said Travis Fryman was after Bradley. How come he
isn't in this scenario? IIRC, he retired after the 2002 season, and if he's
not in ASB 2004, he will not show up in any scenario.
Now Selby will be pinch-hit for by John McDonald, or so happens in my game.
McDonald's (mmm, now I'm getting hungry) weak spots in his zone are high as
well. Sit him down, and the side is retired. You have one more inning to go,
and it's against the bottom of the Indians lineup. (Once again, you do not
have to do anything offensively.) Wil Cordero will probably be the pinch
hitter for Ricky Gutierrez. The hot-cold indicator would lead you to pitch him
to the outside. Karim Garcia is next. Who is Karim Garcia? </Pedro Martinez>
Someone you must pwn in order to get to the last hitter you face before being
crowned Scenario 16 completer. Einar Diaz. There's a reason why he's in the
9-hole; because he isn't as good as the other hitters in the lineup. If you
can pull together and sit Diaz down, you complete the scenario.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.17) Klesko Hangs Ten
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve: One of the better nights of Ryan Klesko's career came on August 27, 2002
against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Field. Klesko hit a two-run double
in the first to help move San Diego into a 4-4 tie. The Padres would then
explode for seven runs in the top of the seventh, capped by a Klesko grand slam
on their way to an 11-6 win. Help Ryan make this a career night and record
double-digit RBIs. You'll win this scenario by helping Klesko hang ten on the
Astros.
Objective: Get ten RBIs for Ryan Klesko. Go into extra innings if you have to.
About this scenario: Now, it is the top of the seventh, and Ryan Klesko has
just come back to the dugout after hitting the grand slam. The next hitter is
Ron Gant, who has a pretty good power rating, but it is barely relevant. I
would recommend getting one of the following people on: Gant, whoever's hitting
in Trenidad Hubbard's spot, and whoever is in Deivi Cruz's spot before the
inning is over. But if you are trying to stretch the rally so Klesko will have
a chance in the same inning, be aware that Klesko will not get his tenth RBI in
his next at-bat if the inning ends after Mark Kotsay, Julius Matos, or Phil
Nevin (or whoever hit in their spots) have hit. I would recommend the next
inning starting with the 9th spot in the lineup (the pitcher, whoever he is)
just for good measures. I would try to string a bunch of singles or walks
together and keep the bases loaded for Ryan Klesko, so he will have a chance to
get 10 RBIs on the day. Hitting a homer shouldn't be much of a problem, as his
power square is pretty big, even on All-Star mode.
If you happen not to get the right circumstances for Klesko, you can try to hit
a homer and add to what he already has, inching yourself a bit closer to
completing the scenario. If you feel that he isn't gonna get another at-bat,
try to make it an extra-inning game by getting two outs in the bottom of the
ninth, and then intentionally walking everyone so that the game is tied with
the bases loaded. If you do this, you might want to warm up Trevor Hoffman in
the 'pen, as you would want to shut them down and keep the 'Stros from winning
and making j00 ph4il. Then, in the extra inning(s), you can get what's left to
get for Klesko and complete the scenario.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.18) Braves' Late Night
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thom: Playing deep into the Atlanta night on May 7, 2002, the Braves and
Dodgers were deadlocked in a 5-5 game at the end of 15 innings. With both
bullpens running thin, the Dodgers were able to scratch across a run in the top
of the 16th to take a 6-5 lead. Closer Eric Gagne had his first blown save of
the year, and the Dodgers called on 45-year-old journeyman Jesse Orosco, who
would earn his first and only save of the season. Help the Braves come back
against the veteran. Unfortunately, you'll have to do it with the bottom of
the lineup.
Objective: Win the game for the Braves.
About this scenario: I wonder why all of the scenarios whose games were
supposed to happen at night don't? Why is it always daytime even if it's late
into the next morning?
OK, Jesse Orosco is a soft-tosser; he won't be blazing any 100-mph stuff right
by you. But he has a wide-breaking slurve, along with a sinker and a slider,
so if you see the pitch location when the ball is released, it won't be in the
same place when it reaches the catcher's mitt. Your only people on the bench
are Henry Blanco, someone who is a D+ power hitter but an OK contact hitter,
and a bunch of pitchers; one of which is Jason Marquis, a hitter whose contact
is bad and his power is one grade point higher than the typical pitcher. If
you are able to scratch across a run, I would suggest warming up Greg Maddux
for some long relief just in case the game goes longer than it is already.
Then, warm up Kevin Millwood or Jason Marquis, if he's still available.
First off is Javy Lopez, someone who can hit for power. If he can't tie the
score, you have Julio Franco next. He is a good-enough contact hitter to bloop
it over the first baseman's head. After that is the pitcher's spot (I would
recommend Blanco as the first candidate and Marquis next if it goes around that
far). Because Orosco has a slow delivery from the stretch, I would recommend
stealing people from first as soon as they get on base. After that is Marcus
Giles, someone who can get a base hit as well. String some hits together with
smart baserunning, and you have yourself a tie game, or if not, a win. The
last remaining players in the lineup are Gary Sheffield (great power, good
contact), Chipper Jones (great power and contact), Andruw Jones (great power,
average contact), Vinny Castilla (OK contact and power) and Wes Helms (OK
contact and power). You might see Mike Trombley or Guillermo Mota or others on
the way.
Players to watch out for (if it goes this far): Marquis Grissom, Shawn Green,
Paul Lo Duca, Eric Karros (maybe), Brian Jordan, Adrian Beltre (maybe)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.19) Extending the Streak
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve: One of the truly amazing feats of 2002 was Luis Castillo's 35-game
hitting streak, the longest ever by a second baseman. In the game that could
have been 36, Castillo was in the on-deck circle when pinch-hitter Tim Raines
Sr. hit a sacrifice fly to win the game for the Marlins. While we don't want
to take anything away from a Marlins win, Castillo deserved a chance to extend
his streak. Win this game with the Marlins and extend Castillo's hitting
streak to 36 games.
Objective: Get a hit with Luis Castillo; win the game for the Marlins.
About this scenario: It's not as easy as I once thought it was. First of all,
coming into the scenario, the hitter right behind Castillo in the lineup (that
would be Eric Owens) is up to bat, meaning that you have to get some kind of
rally going to get Castillo another chance to hit. Second, you're down 4-1 and
have to make up at least three runs in two innings to stay alive in the
scenario. Third, it is the bottom of the eighth inning, and going down 1-2-3
in the eighth and ninth will not get Castillo a chance to bat. If you end up
taking the lead in this eighth inning, and Castillo did not get a hit, use the
same tactic that I put in the "Klesko Hangs Ten" subtitle to tie the score and
prolong the game so Castillo will get another chance to hit. Also, like Travis
Fryman was in the Rangers-Indians scenario, Tim Raines Sr. is not available to
pinch hit due to the sheer fact that he retired. He therefore is on the game.
Now Eric Owens is a very good contact hitter, good enough to get a rally
started if you can hit it just over the infield (my technique). But even
though Jose Paniagua is in the Low Minors in the start of a Franchise, he does
have some pretty good stuff (2 and 4 seam Fastballs, Forkball and Slider).
Following is Mike Lowell, who's not quite up there in the contact rate, but a
better power bat. If you can hit the gaps with him or even a home run, Cliff
Floyd comes up with the Fish down three, two or even one, if everyone crossed
the plate. Floyd's contact sucks, but his power is much better. Get him on
somehow.
Next is Derrek Lee, someone who's more balanced in the contact/power category.
He might end up making the first or second out in the inning if you played it
well enough. Preston Wilson is up next. You can waste an out (if less than
two) on him with a sac fly or just about anything, even though he hits for
decent power. If the inning ends tragically, the game is not over. But it is
imperative that you not allow another run if you're behind.
In the bottom of the 9th, the first hitter is Charles Johnson, if that's where
your inning ended. Johnson is not much of a contact hitter as much as he is a
decent power hitter. But it would be good if you got him on and avoid the
double play so that Castillo would get a chance to hit. Don't try to win the
game if you're only down one or tied, or it'll be just be another failure, as
Castillo didn't get a hit. Get him on, and the shortstop Andy Fox comes up. A
good contact hitter, but not whom you would call a power threat. Get a string
of hits and -- if you're in this situation -- don't forget to HOLD THE RUNNER
AT THIRD IF YOU'RE TIED! Then, maybe waste an out or hope for a walk to the
pitcher's spot. If you need runs, put in Mike Redmond, a grade-A contact
hitter. If not, then waste an out with a pitcher.
And now...for the moment you've been waiting for...FINALLY...Luis Castillo will
get a chance to hit! (cheers and applause) He has great contact hitting skill,
and no kind of power, unless he somehow gets lucky once. Pick a pitch to hit,
and use that bloop method and hopefully, you'll get a hit. Now, you're
finished with that part. Just one thing now: win the game. Unless you just
won the game with a Castillo hit, you'll have Eric Owens up next, and you know
the deal. Keep it tied if you got hit by a pitch or if you didn't get the hit
at all. If you're really lucky and get everything in the eighth, all you need
to do is bring in the closer (Looper) and win/save this thing.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.20) Bonds Market
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Derek: In the continuation of one of the most bitter rivalries in baseball, the
Dodgers and Giants hooked up in an early season tussle at Dodger Stadium. The
Giants quickly put this one out of reach with 12 early runs, including two
mammoth home runs by National League MVP Barry Bonds. There wasn't any more
scoring the rest of the way and the Giants cruised to a 12-0 win behind seven
scoreless innings by Russ Ortiz. Your job here is to turn the momentum around,
and come back from 12 runs down for the Dodgers' win. Good luck.
Objective: Win the game for the Dodgers.
About this scenario: If it weren't for Scenario 21 (see below), this would be,
by far, the hardest scenario in the game. You have to come back all the way
from down 12 runs to win the game, no matter how long it takes you. Not only
do you have to concentrate on chipping away at the Giants' lead, but you also
have to keep them from scoring to widen their already substantial lead. In
order to shut down the Giants, I would recommend warming up a starting pitcher
up in the bullpen (preferably Andy Ashby because he has better stuff and a
better rating than Ishii and Daal). Ishii would be the next best thing.
Now, on the offensive side, the first hitter you control is Mark Grudzielanek
against an average Russ Ortiz. He has a tendency to hang a curveball and leave
a changeup right over the plate. If you can pick one of these pitches up and
drive them the other way, you should have success against him. I would, like
always with a right-handed hitter, bloop it over the first and second baseman's
head. Or if it's closer to the square on the cursor, I would drive it into the
right-center gap. For left-handed hitters, I would do the opposite.
Grudzielanek and the next hitters Alex Cora and Dave Roberts have good contact
ratings. But both Cora and Roberts are left-handed hitters, so you would have
to do the reverse of what you did with Grudzy. If you get the right pitch, you
could try and use the power square and hit it over the outfielder's head. But
if you get under it too much, you might end up flying out.
Next is the pitcher's spot, and there are a lot of options to go to in this
situation. You can choose a good contact hitter in Jeff Reboulet, or you could
get a better power hitter, like Hiram Bocachica or Marquis Grissom, a better
contact hitter. There would be no real place to put Grissom, as Roberts is a
good contact hitter, and both Brian Jordan and Shawn Green (the other two
outfielders) have good power. But third base is a possibility, as Adrian
Beltre may have power-hitting potential, but not much of a reliable contact
hitter. Because there is a better place for Grissom, depending on whether you
want to knock past a run or get them all at once, pick your pinch hitter.
Paul Lo Duca is the next hitter, a very good contact hitter and has some power
as well. After Lo Duca hit, the next hitter is the best power hitter in the
lineup, Shawn Green. Any pitch that he can pick up (slider, change, hanging
curve), he can take to the house. He may be able to take a four-seam fastball
out if he's on top of it enough, because if he gets under it, chances are it's
gonna be a pop-up. But his contact rate is not that good, so the power cursor
would work best. Another thing: if you have anyone at first, I would recommend
stealing second on the pitcher, no matter who is stealing. But one thing to
remember: If the pitcher is in a high-leg kick from the stretch, it would be
easier to get a good jump on the pitcher. If it is a stride step, it will be
just about impossible to steal. But if there's someone with good speed on
second, and third base is open, I would steal it. You would get more RBIs
sooner this way.
If you can get six runs on Ortiz, or something to that severity, you'll
probably see Felix Rodriguez, who has a very good fastball and slider. He will
probably pitch the inning that he comes into, and the next. The thing is,
almost every middle reliever/closer has a D- stamina rating, so it'll take a
decent rally to wear them out. Rodriguez has some good stuff, so try and pick
a pitch and stick it. After Green are the following with average power but not
that great contact: Jordan (the other outfielder), Beltre (might be Grissom if
you choose), and Eric Karros (first baseman). If you can wear Felix out, you
might either see Jay Witasick or Tim Worrell, both right-handed pitchers. If
you hit these people hard, and Shawn Green is up to hit, you might see the
left-hander Jason Christiansen to face Green and whoever else is in the lineup.
The other left-hander in the 'pen for them is Scott Eyre, not as good as the
rest of the pitchers.
Robb Nen is the best reliever on the team (which is why he is the closer) and
you might see him in the eighth if the Giants' lead is threatened. At first,
Nen has an almost impossible-to-hit fastball and a wide-breaking slider. If
you're lucky, you might hit the ball. But if Nen comes in the game in the
eighth, he might tire himself in the ninth, leading to velocity and control
problems. But the bottom line is, if you can win the game for the Dodgers by
any means, whether it means a bunch of errors, walks, homers, whatever, you win
the scenario.
Players to watch out for: Barry Bonds, Reggie Sanders, Pedro Feliz (maybe),
Rich Aurilia (maybe), Felix Rodriguez, Robb Nen
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.21) The Miracle
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cal: There are a lot worse things than being down 7-0. You could be facing
National League Cy Young award winner Randy Johnson down 7-0 with one out in
the ninth. That's the situation the Cubs found themselves in on August 25,
2002. There are a couple of bright points, though. Alex Gonzalez is on third,
and sluggers Sammy Sosa, Fred McGriff, and Todd Hundley are on the bench at
your disposal. You need to pull off this miracle comeback with the Cubbies.
Objective: Win the game for the Cubs.
About this scenario: Well, the ride's almost over. All you need is to get at
least seven runs with two outs to work with, and, after your first triumph, you
can do everything all over again at the next difficulty level. But seriously,
this is gonna take some skill, and maybe some luck too.
Randy Johnson is tiring, but he is still going strong in the ninth against Chad
Hermansen. Johnson has fastballs of both varieties, and he has a very good
slider. You will need to be patient and try and draw a walk or get a base hit
to tire Johnson some more, since he still has some juice in the stamina meter.
Hermansen is not who you would call a power threat, so you might have to deal
with his small cursor or bring in a pinch hitter.
But before you do anything, put Kerry Wood in the bullpen, just in case you do
pull off the comeback since you have to pitch the bottom of the ninth. I can't
tell you how many times I was able to make it to the bottom of the ninth only
to blow it by the wayside and have to do it all over again because of crappy
pitching. But anyways, I would put in Roosevelt Brown or Delino DeShields to
pinch-hit for Hermansen. What's appalling is that even though one has a decent
or good contact rating, the cursor is still sorta small because one's facing
Randy Johnson. It may be the case with Brown and DeShields because they are
both left-handed hitters facing a left-handed pitcher. The best thing to do
here is to try and pick up his slider or two-seam fastball. And above all, BE
PATIENT. If you can somehow get a hit and a run across or even record an out,
the next hitter will be Joe Girardi.
Depending on what you want, if you want to play small ball and get the runs
slowly, or get runners in scoring position, you can make your move. You could
choose to put in Todd Hundley for more power, or stick with Girardi for
contact. In my first time trying this scenario, I thought (and somehow, still
do think) that getting past the first two hitters is a miracle in itself, as
Johnson still had some accuracy in his pitches.
After Girardi (I would've decided to save Hundley), the pitcher's spot is next.
There are about infinity + 1 possibilities, like putting in the best contact
hitter from the bench, Augie Ojeda. This would be the best one to use, since
he is a switch-hitter hitting right-handed against the lefty hurler.
If you can get a base hit and avoid an out (assuming there's two out), then
finally, a power hitter in Mark Bellhorn steps up to the plate. Try and get an
extra base hit or even a home run with him, or if Randy is still in the game,
try and draw a walk. Like always, if there's a runner on first, get him to
steal second. If Bellhorn is up and there are at least two runs across the
plate, or anything to that effect, you might see a pitching change. I don't
know who, as it's not always the same. It might be Matt Mantei one time, it
might be Mike Myers another, even Greg Swindell.
If you can reach with Bellhorn, Bill Mueller is the next up. He has no kind of
power from the left side of the plate, while he has better power numbers right-
handed. Either way, he has good contact. Mario Encarnacion is the next
hitter, and you NEED to pinch-hit for him here. Preferably Fred McGriff if
it's a right-handed pitcher, or Sammy Sosa if a lefty. Do I need to explain
the hitting talent of these two? Get a base hit and drive in some runs plz.
And next, another regular hitter in the lineup, Moises Alou. He can hit for
power, and has a good hitting rating, so he can hit the ball hard off the bat
and into the right-center gap and he can take it over the wall. Next hitter is
Chris Stynes. Big decision here. If Mantei is on, would you try to get them
all with Sosa/McGriff? (whichever one's still on the bench) Or would you keep
hacking away with Stynes and his good contact hitting? Because contact hitters
would do better against Mantei, Sosa would be ruled out unless you get lucky.
I would stick with Stynes, and hopefully, the perfect pitch comes and I would
get the hit. If this was Greg Swindell on the mound (who sucks at velocity and
control), go for Sosa/McGriff, and you can...put 'em on the board, yes! Repeat
as many times as needed to get a good lead because you're gonna need it. And
if you have people playing out of position, you might want to fix it.
After the inning's over and you are winning or tied, it is your job to shut
this team down from scoring. Kerry Wood was in the 'pen for this very reason.
The ace pitcher of this staff will face Junior Spivey first. You could change
speeds on Spivey using one of the fastballs, and a variety of off-speed pitches
or breaking balls. If you were to vary the speeds, do it on the inside and
outside parts of the plate, but don't serve too much pitches over the heart of
the plate.
Get him out and the next hitter is Luis Gonzalez. Depending on how your lead
is in the ball game, you take your approach to Luis. If you have a one-run
lead, or if you're tied, I would suggest you to play it safe and intentionally
walk him. If you have a bigger lead, go on and pitch to him. If you're lucky,
he'll probably fly out. If not, you'll probably have to turn around and watch
the ball fly the other way. No matter what the result, the next hitter is
Erubiel Durazo.
Durazo is able to turn on any inside pitch and, like Gonzalez, should be
treated with caution because he can also put your mistakes over the wall in the
outfield. This lineup that you have to face is probably the reason why keeping
a lead up to three runs is so hard. Matt Williams is also another good hitter,
and so is Mark Grace, but he's not in the lineup and will most probably be used
as a pinch hitter if the opportunity avails itself. If you're tied and retire
the side, you'll go to extra innings with less worries (the ace pitcher's out
now, your heavy hitters are in the lineup and you can beat up on whichever
relief pitcher you want). Just do what you did in the ninth and hold the D-
Backs' offense to nothing and congratulations, you've completed all of the
Scenarios. Now you can go through them on a more difficult level or just stop
altogether.
Players to watch out for: Randy Johnson, Matt Mantei, Luis Gonzalez, Erubiel
Durazo, Matt Williams (maybe), Steve Finley, Mark Grace
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5) FAQs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This section happens to be empty, as no one asked me about anything.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6) Closing Remarks
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have completed all of the scenarios on all three levels, and most of the
things written on this document were what worked for me. I was having trouble
completing certain scenarios on advanced levels too, but I just kept trying and
one day, eventually completed them. Maybe you have a different way of getting
base hits or pitching effectively. If so, you can e-mail me what kinds of
things that you do differently that work. And also, this is my first ever FAQ,
or any document on a video game. Thanks for reading my FAQ/Guide, and good
luck on your scenario mission, if you haven't done so already.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7) Credits
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to www.gamefaqs.com for accepting my FAQ.
Thanks to All-star Baseball 2004's Scenario Descriptions by Thom Brennaman,
Steve Lyons, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Derek Jeter for information about the
scenarios.
Thanks to you again for reading this FAQ, and peace to you.
--Kev
----------------------------------END OF FILE----------------------------------