Jacoby Ellsbury. That's how I knew I had the MLB 2K8 disk in my PSP and not the 2K7 disk. That's it. The fact that rookie phenom and pretty-boy World Series hero Ellsbury -- and not Julio Lugo -- was leading off for the Red Sox was about the only way I knew I had the latest version of 2K Sports' release in my handheld. I could understand -- though I still wouldn't tolerate it as a reviewer -- if 2K had decided to stand pat with a stellar product and just offer a roster update under the guise of a brand new game, but the 2K game has been beaten like a dog by Sony's offering, MLB: The Show, for the past two years. Sony continues to improve, develop, and deepen its handheld baseball game, while 2K does nothing. For handheld baseball fans, this year's choice is easier than ever.

In its defense, 2K Sports ripped apart and rebuilt the big console versions of its baseball franchise in order to give Xbox 360 owners a better way to go deep and to give PlayStation 3 owners an alternative to Sony's game. Unfortunately, the majority of the major innovations it came up with had to do with the right stick and -- whoops! -- that's the stick the PSP doesn't have. Apparently, with the focus on the next-gen machines as well as the debut of the franchise on the Wii, something had to suffer -- and if you happen to have a slim case in your hands with Jose Reyes on the cover, you're holding it.

Just in case you didn't play last year's game, it was solid and challenging when it came to the pitcher-batter interface, but it couldn't stand up to the competition when it came to overall gameplay and presentation. Once again -- as it is across the board with 2K's games -- the most interesting action happens when you're on the mound. I would have liked to have seen last year's interface evolve slightly. It's still a matter of placing the ball and then making sure it ends up there. This is often easier said than done. First, you have to figure out how your pitch is going to break. Thankfully, hitting the left trigger will bring up an on-screen tip sheet that shows the direction in which a curve or slider will break. Next, you have to do a two-step timing deal that will determine the intensity and effectiveness of your pitch. In one of the few noticeable differences between 2K7 and 2K8, the default pitching view this time around is from behind the pitcher. I found that having the catcher in view and calling where he wants the pitch made spotting the ball a tad easier. If you want to go to a behind-the-batter view, that's an option, as well.

The game could have adopted some aspects of the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 games by using the left stick as the right stick is used in the next-gen games. After spotting the ball with the left stick, for example, you could lock the location with a face button and then use the left stick to deliver the pitch using the funky two-move system of the large console games. Just a thought.

At the plate and in the field, things are unchanged from last year. Hitting is a one-button affair and throwing it around from base to base is mapped to the face buttons. The large console versions now have the default fielder throwing done with the right stick.

As far as ways to play, nothing has changed from last year. Sadly, the game didn't get the cool collectable baseball card feature from the other 2K8 releases. Instead of being able to earn, collect and trade player cards, you're left with the VIP Skybox deal from last year that lets you unlock classic teams, vintage uniforms and bonus stadiums with tokens that you accumulate during gameplay. It's cool to be able to take the field in the ugly-as-sin Padres uniform from the '70s, but it was also cool to do it last season. While there are no new gameplay modes, 2K8 remains the only way to play through a multi-season life in a franchise mode. The online game is also solid and it once again lets you take on a buddy ad hoc-style or attempt to go deep on a total stranger in infrastructure mode.

I've checked out just about every version of 2K8 and it's been a mixed bag. The next-gen versions were very bold in what they were attempting and probably only need some fine-tuning before they make analog-stick-only baseball a reality. Next year's games could really kick some ass. I loved the Wii version of the game, despite some occasional pitching glitches. For my money, it's the best take on baseball that's available for that system. The common denominator is that all of the above versions have been new, daring and innovative. All that makes this year's PSP game so disappointing. There are virtually no new tweaks or features to talk about. In fact, if -- mid-game -- you can tell the difference between MLB 2K8 and MLB 2K7, I'll buy you a drink.

That said, if for some reason you're not into The Show and you really dug last year's 2K game and can't wait to play it again this year with updated rosters, then MLB 2K8 is the game for you. To its credit, it's got a solid pitcher-batter interface, the only franchise mode available for the system, and a sticker price 10 bucks lower than that of the competition. If you're looking for the best way to take the field with your PSP, though, you're better off grabbing MLB 08: The Show.

This review was based on a retail copy of MLB 2K8 that was supplied by the publisher.