MVP Baseball 2003 Cheats - PC
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Trades
In season mode, the CPU will accept all your trades (at least in rookie mode). You can trade players that you do not use a lot for other players on other teams that are very good. For example it is possible to trade Marcus Thames to the Diamondbacks for Randy Johnson.
Build team easily
In franchise mode, use the following trick to build up your team instantaneously rather than through game play. For example, if you want to get hitting greats such as Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, or Vladimir Guerrero, go to create-a-player in the "Roster" menu. Once there, create a player with whatever visual and physical characteristics desired, then proceed to the attributes screen. Give the player 99 in Contact vs. Lefty and Contact vs. Righty, 99 in Power vs. Righty and Power vs. Lefty, 99 in Throwing Strength, and 99 in Throwing Accuracy. Make the player be born in the oldest possible date allowed by the game, so that he retires after about one season. Also, set his Durability to 36. Thus, he is extraordinarily injury prone. Once you have created this player, sign him but make sure you have the salary cap room as he will be very expensive. Once you have him, deal him off for one of the aforementioned superstars. More often than not, this superstar will have a lower contract than the created player, allowing you to repeat this process as long as you can afford it. If you need to open up cap room, trade away the players that the superstars replace or release unnecessary, high contract, players.
Go to the menu that allows you to make roster changes. Make all of the trades that you desire. The CPU will accept everything. Once you create your team, you can start a franchise with it. Many of the older players like Randy Johnson will not retire as quickly as they would normally. This is a good way to break all of the milestones. After you reset the game, you will have to go back to the roster menu and load the rosters again.
Easy strikeouts
Once you get two strikes on a batter, always throw a low inside curveball or slider. You will almost always get a strikeout.
Get two strikes on a batter. This is easiest done with a curveball. Then, throw a cutter high and away (outside the zone). The batter will swing and miss for strike three. This only works with right-handed pitchers against right-handed batters. If the batter does not swing, use a low and inside curveball to finish him off.
To get easy strikeouts and even a perfect game, get a pitcher with a slider and a curveball. If the batter hits from the same side as the pitcher throws, throw three sliders up and inside. Make sure it is over the edge of the zone slightly. If the batter hits from the opposite side as the pitcher, throw three curveballs up and inside (edge of the zone). Most of the time they will not swing, and you will strikeout almost every batter. Even if they do hit it, it will most likely be a popup.
Make the batter hit two or three foul balls, then throw either a changeup or slider. This will work about 90% of the time.
A good strikeout pitcher must have a curveball, and a four seam fastball (for example, Matt Morris). Start by throwing a curve in the batter's cold zone. Then, throw a fastball in the same or another cold zone. Finish him off with a curveball down and in.
When you have two strikes on a batter (for example, a right-handed player) and you have a right-handed pitcher, throw an up and away (right off the plate) four seam fastball. If you have a left-handed pitcher, throw an up and away two seam fastball. It tends to have a bit of curve to the opposite side. This also works when you change the pitcher. You can also use the low and away area as well; just change up and away to low and away.
Get or create a picther that has a good curveball and/or knuckleball. The four to five pitches you need are a four seam fastball (automatic), cutter, curveball, knuckleball, and a screwball or a slider. When facing any batter, throw a fastball low and inside and make it fast. He will take it for strike one. Next, throw a screwball/slider up and in. It must have some of the pointer out of the strike zone. This should be strike two. Next, throw a curveball on the top-outside corner with some of the pointer out the strike zone again. He should take it for strike three. Make sure you get it in the accuracy zone or he will usually hit it. For the next batter, use a fastball low and inside, followed by a cutter low and outside. Finally, use a knuckleball right down the middle and he will swing early.
When you pitch with Randy Johnson (for example), he has a fastball and slider. Pitch down and away with a slider on the right side on the corner and low. The batter will swing and miss, or watch it almost every time. Pitch a fastball, then a slider, followed by another slider. You can do the same with right-handed pitches by throwing to the opposite side.
To strike out the opposing team's batter, you will first need a right or left handed pitcher that has a good four seam fastball, and a very good slider. Play a game, and if the pitcher throws right-handed, start off by throwing a fastball to the opposite side the pitcher throws on the bottom corner. Try to get as far down in the corner as you can without it being called a ball. Then, throw a slider in the top corner on the same side as the pitcher throws. Again, try and throw it as far in the corner as you can; this goes for all pitches. Finally, throw another slider on the same side as the pitcher throws, only in the lower part of the zone in the corner. If the pitcher is left-handed, just reverse the sides where you throw the ball. Usually, the batter will not swing at any of the pitches. If he does and he hits one, it will be a ground ball. In the event that the batter hits the ball and fouls it out, just throw the same pitch in the exact same location. Chances are, he will miss it. Also, as the pitcher gets more tired, his pitches will be easier to hit; use a pitcher with good stamina. Always try to go as far down on the throw meter as you can so the pitch will be more effective. This trick works well under the pro difficulty setting, and when used under the rookie difficulty setting you are but almost guaranteed a perfect game.
When you have two strikes on a bad hitter, throw a fastball slightly higher than where the strike zone ends. He will probably swing. This will usually work on all of the players, especially if they have a low plate discipline. You can also throw a breaking ball (curveball or slider) to the top corner of the strike zone opposite to the pitching hand of the pitcher. For example, if using a right-handed pitcher, go to the upper-left hand corner and vice-versa. If it is a screwball, do the opposite because it breaks the opposite way. This works about 99.9% of the time.
When pitching against the CPU, get two strikes and one or less balls. Try using a slider or two seam fastball. Throw him a high heat (four seamer) out of the strike zone. It must be straight up. This will work best with a pitcher with a 89+ fastball. Alternately, try to use a low and away curveball with two or less strikes. By doing this you can easily strike out over twenty batters. If your pitcher does not last very long, try throwing sliders as slow as possible and the four seamer about half the way on the pitching meter.
Easy double plays
When you are playing against the CPU and it has players on base, wait until the next batter is up. If the batter hits a ball to the outfield and it is not a line drive, get off the player that is suppose to catch the ball and wait until the very last moment to catch the ball. Then, take control of the outfielder to make the out. The CPU's baserunners will already be running to the next base because they thought the ball would not have been caught. After you make the catch, you can throw out the baserunners who forgot to tag up. This is an easy way to make double and even triple plays
Easy hits
While at bat, take a look at where the outfield is playing you. They play according to the hitter's spray chart. If they play you straight up, try to hit the ball into the gaps. If they shade you to either side, hit the ball the other way to the opposite field. Timing is important. This should improve your batting average.
Easy run
If you have a man on first and third base, have the player on first steal. Once you see the catcher's arm go up, send your player on third base home.
Easy homeruns with pitchers
Add a pitcher to your team that has a low stamina, but has a screwball or knuckleball. Pinch hit for your starter with this pitcher and he should have a high power rating.
Perfect game
Use Barry Zito or create a player that has a good slider and curveball. Throw the slider two times to the opposite side that the pitcher throws. For example, Zito is left-handed, so throw it to the right side (inside of a left-handed batter). This will cause the batter to think it is either to the inside or to the outside. The pitch must be at the edge of the strike zone. After that, throw a curveball in the upper inside or outside corner. He should strike out, pop out, or ground out.
Get a left handed pitcher with a curveball and four seam fastball. Start the batter off with a curveball on the lower-inside corner of the strike zone. The second pitch should be a four seamer to the lower-outside corner of the plate. The second should be the curveball again. Usually the batter will strike out, but if he does not he will pop out or hit the ball weakly to someone. There is a chance that the batter will bloop the ball for a single -- bring your outfielders in on every batter. All bloops will be caught and the batters will not be able to hit a fly ball over your fielders' heads. Recommended pitchers are Andy Pettitte and David Wells.
