It may be the dead of winter, but before you know it pitchers and catchers will have to report to spring training. In preparation for the upcoming baseball season, videogame developers are currently working their tails off, trying to put the best game on the virtual diamond. Although, lately, 989 Sports has been a bit overshadowed by the likes of EA and Sega/ESPN, MLB 2005, with its many improvements, may bring the developers back to the forefront.

At the heart of any baseball title is the pitching/batting interface; this is, after all, where the majority of the time is spent playing. There aren't too many games that truly take advantage of the pressure sensitive analog buttons on the Dual Shock 2, but MLB 2005 does just that. On the mound, hitting the "X" button hard may give your pitcher that needed extra velocity, but you'll be sacrificing accuracy at the same time. As in real life, "fireballers" in baseball often are hindered by their wildness in the zone. The pressure sensitive pitching in MLB 2005 adds to the game's "Total Control" system, which allows you to spot corners and control pitch type and velocity with ease. Much like in the real game, the key to pitching success in MLB 2005 is getting batters to chase your pitch. Another cool feature is the strategic use of mound visits; if used in the right situation, a mound visit from the manager or an infielder can help settle down a pitcher that has lost his groove or is tiring. And for gamers who really want to know everything, MLB 2005's in-game scouting reports can come in handy by providing hitter's tendencies and what has or hasn't worked against them in the past.

When it's time to swing the lumber, MLB 2005's new "Zone Control" should give you a much better chance of accurately hitting the ball. While MLB 2004's "Total Control Batting" (based on guessing pitch type and location) can still be used in MLB 2005 by the more hardcore gamers, "Zone Control" makes things easier by requiring that you recognize only one of four zones in the strike zone -- look for a pitch in your zone and hack away! For the truly inept, MLB 2005 also can be played with an option for timing-based swings only.

To add to the game's realism, MLB 2005 sports several innovative features that will probably become commonplace in other baseball titles that follow. One of the "why didn't they do that before?" features is player-scaled strike zones. How many times have we seen a small batter at the plate with a huge strike zone or vice versa? Now the zone will be proportionate to the individual, as it should be. Another great addition is interactive hot/cold zones. No longer do we have to put up with these static hot/cold zones that should change with performance. Now your ability at the plate or on the mound can directly affect players' zones. Additionally, your skill with the bat can lead to hot and cold streaks. If a particular player can link together three or more hits in a game, his offensive attributes (contact and power) will get a boost. However, if the player can't seem to buy a hit after a few at bats, those same attributes will decrease, possibly causing a slump. And when you do get a hit, it should look more realistic than ever, thanks to the game's "True Trajectory" baseball physics.

On the defensive side, "Total Control" reigns once again. Factors such as momentum, arm strength and accuracy will all affect the outcome of a play. Diving for balls, executing jump throws ( la Derek Jeter), or picking off runners with a catcher's "snap throw" make defense all the more enjoyable. When your fielder obtains the ball, pressure sensitive throwing can be used to gun it to the desired base, or you can choose to hit your cut off/relay man, which is often wiser and will prevent runners from taking extra bases. Of course, the harder you make your fielder throw, the greater chance there is of an error or a wild throw into the stands. Another useful feature in MLB 2005 is individual player positioning -- bravo! Why should you be forced to move the entire infield/outfield if all you desire is for one player to move in or hug the line late in the game?

Besides the standard modes of Exhibition, Season, Home Run Derby, All-Star Game, and Playoffs, MLB 2005 comes equipped with six brand-new gameplay options: All-Time Greats, MLB Online, Franchise Mode, Career Mode, Simulation Mode, and Create A Player. More and more baseball titles have been including some of the all-time greats. MLB 2005 allows you to play as or compete against (if you dare) the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Stan Musial, Cy Young, Satchel Paige and more.

If you tire of playing with the greats of yesteryear, you can see if you have what it takes to become the next George Steinbrenner in Franchise Mode. You can control everything from player deals, television contracts and vendor negotiations to parking, tickets and concessions, promo-nights, player scouting and more. Want to focus on one player's career? You can create a player to your liking and then sign him up for Spring Training. Once you prove yourself worthy for the "bigs," you might have a chance to make it to the Hall of Fame -- if you've got the skills and patience, that is.

One of MLB 2005's more interesting features is Simulation Mode. This mode allows you to track games on a pitch-by-pitch basis, and if things seem to be going awry for your team, you can instantly jump into action to attempt to set things right. You can also set up a head-to-head managerial duel with a friend to prove once and for all who's really got the baseball smarts!

Naturally, many of you will be spending a lot of your time with MLB 2005 online. Via 989SportsOnline you can participate in head-to-head gameplay or enter 32-team tournaments. 989 has included live sports tickers, message boards, chat, headset functionality and more.

MLB 2004's presentation left much to be desired, but the 2005 edition is getting a major facelift. MLB 2005 includes redesigned player models (with face scan technology), authentic ballpark recreations, animated umpires, base coaches and crowds (fans can even reach over railings!), real-time scoreboards, over two dozen motion captured MLB atheletes, and more than 3,500 personalized animations. And it all runs at a wondrous 60fps!

Aurally, MLB 2005 offers a three-man booth consisting of Hall of Famer Vin Scully, ESPN's Dave Campbell and San Diego Padres' Matt Vasgersian. The new "progressive audio" should make the play-by-play sound more realistic, as the commentary from the booth will change to reflect current situations. For example, as stats are tracked throughout a season, you might hear about comparisons of home vs. away, day/night, player streaks and more.

While most of you are probably anticipating ESPN Major League Baseball or some other hardball title, it would be wise to keep MLB 2005 on your radar. If 989 can successfully deliver everything they've promised, they just might connect for a grand slam this March.