MLBPA Sports Talk Baseball

Sega breaks the sports sound barrier again. Like Joe Montana Sports Talk Football, this cart's 200 plus phrases make it sound like you're listening to the radio, but you're really dictating the on-field action! The voice belongs to Lon Simmons, who San Francisco Bay Area residents will recognize as the one-time voice of the San Francisco Giants, the Oakland A's, and the San Francisco 49ers.

You're in the "Bigs"!

A "smart" mouth isn't the only thing this cart has going for it. This game's licensed by the Major League Ball Players Association (MLBPA). That means, you get players from all the major league teams in both the American and the National Leagues! The cart features 520 players from the 1991 league rosters. Each team has 20 players, including 8 pitchers.

You can play three nifty game modes. For one-time practices, choose the Exhibition Game. This is the only spot for multi-player match-ups, but you can set up 2 to 6 team round robin games.

When you're ready for the Bigs, go to the Pennant Race, where you can set 15-, 30-, 81-, or 162-game seasons on your way to the World Series. The CPU sets up a schedule of a 3-game series, and you can save your standings.

If you're a fantasy fan, All Pro Game enables you to put together a "dream" team of players from both Leagues, or you can play one star at several positions simultaneously.

Sports Talk does more than talk a good baseball game. Video ballplayers get a solid contest, and managers earn their pay. Pitchers tire, so you have to go to your relievers. In the Pennant Race, pitcher fatigue carries over several games. The infielders can play Up, Back, or Normal, and the outfielders adjust accordingly. Batters are rated according to their ability versus right-handed and left-handed pitching. Pitchers are rated according to their ability to throw four pitches -- curves, sliders, fast balls, and change-ups. Each fielder is rated for speed, hitting power, range on defense, and throwing arm strength.

During a game, individual players can dive and leap for hit balls. Pitchers can also vary the speed of their pitches. With men on base, you can adjust your lead, steal, double steal, delay steal, hit and run, and even pull a suicide squeeze.

The stats nuts will have to do their own arithmetic. Individual player stats and team stats don't accumulate over a season. However, you do get postgame analysis and, of course, commentary.

The graphics hit a solid .300. Using actual team colors makes the uniforms look cool, and the batters have different stances. The sound, naturally, is impressive. However, sometimes the announcer's calls lag noticeably behind the plays.

It's Outta Here!

This is a no-brainer for Genesis ballplayers. Sports Talk is definitely your next baseball challenge. It'll open your eyes, and ears.

In case you were wondering if Sega was ever going to release another baseball game for the Genesis, wonder no more. Next in a line-up of Sports Talk games, Sega's going to bat with a baseball game that features an announcer for play-by-play a la Joe Montana Football II. The game also sports all of the Major League baseball players and teams based on the 1991 stats. Even the playing styles and likenesses match the real life players! Play ball!