The Fantasy Baseball draft season might have reached its conclusion, but keeping your scouting skills properly honed throughout the year is imperative to being an annual league champion.

The video game market has come a long way since Intellivision's Major League Baseball was released more than 20 years ago. This generation's games now feature detailed scouting reports, enhanced player statistics and box scores, franchise modes and even Fantasy drafts -- all designed toward bringing the market closer to the product Major League Baseball puts on the field each year.

The games are also a great way of bringing back the thrill of the preseason draft. Many Fantasy players and sports video game enthusiasts are two in the same. Participating in or simulating a season can only raise the levels of fun and excitement.

Snagging yourself a copy of one of this year's top baseball video games and exploring many of the features can be a helpful tool during the regular season. You can have full control over the schedule -- you can play a regular-season game anytime, conduct a mock draft whenever you like or just play an exhibition game to get a feel for players' skills. And while you might already be content with the Fantasy resources available to you, the video-game market provides one tool owners covet -- a realistic, accurate simulation of the season.

But with so many different games on the shelves, which one offers the best bang for the Fantasy Baseball owner's buck? To help you make an informed decision, our Fantasy baseball experts, Scott Engel and Tristan H. Cockcroft, sat down with Commissioner.COM staffer Walter Tymczyna to test the top baseball titles available for the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Gamecube.

We tested the five top titles on PS2, two of which are available on the Gamecube. Also keep in mind that Xbox owners, who also have similar version of many of these titles available for their system, can soon add another to the lineup, Inside Pitch 2003, which is published by Microsoft.

Acclaim Sports' All-Star Baseball 2004

Engel: This game is the Armando Benitez of this year's video game crop. Everything looks good here until it really counts. The presentation is top-notch, with the music from The Natural putting me in a ballpark mood, and a superb selection of old-time teams and players. You can step to the plate with recent heroes such as Mike Schmidt Don Mattingly or use a full stable of legends rosters from various eras. Stadium Tours include old ballparks, and proposed designs, like "Future" Shea and Yankee Stadiums. There is even a "pickup game" mode, where you can choose players at random for sandlot action. The Franchise Mode is superb, with a complete schedule including spring training and in-depth roster management. There's even an addictive trivia game that challenges seasoned baseball fans.

Once the game starts, that's where the frustration begins. The player models are above average, as are the stadiums. But for the second season in s row, the batting controls are not responsive. Pitching has also become a chore, with perfect placement needed to confuse the computer hitters. This doesn't look as good as MVP Baseball, and it doesn't play as well as World Series Baseball. The All-Star baseball series has been a disappointment on the PS2 since the 2002 version, which still ranks as one of the best cursor-hitting baseball games I have ever played.

Cockcroft: While Scott Engel tested the PS2 version, I took an in-depth look at ASB on the Gamecube. It provides all the scouting depth, full roster control and real-game feel you need from a baseball game. This year's model presents a big step up from the 2003 edition. Rosters are deeper and more detailed, including a 40-man roster for each of the 30 big-league teams, a high minors and low minors system. Roster management is more cumbersome than last year, unfortunately -- certain transactions leave you with holes in the lineup, ones that can't be easily fixed on the dozens of lineup pages available for your perusal.

For those Fantasy owners dying to manage an organization -- not just the major-league squad -- this is your game. Players are broken down by grades for their skills, have detailed statistical information and have a Fox Game of the Week-type scouting analysis when used in game action. In fact, the franchise modes allow you to compile season statistics over an extended number of years. We played out one season to project whether Vladimir Guerrero or Alfonso Soriano would reach the 40-40 club this decade. Guerrero was nearly a perennial .300 hitter with 40-plus homers and 30-plus steals but never pulled off the exclusive feat; while Soriano managed it in 2004, but developed into more of a power hitter with fewer steals as the years passed (the CPU shifted him to the cleanup spot by 2006).

Gameplay isn't the best of the games we've seen, but with bonus features like the All-Time Yankee team, an assortment of stadiums including Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, classic parks and even soon-to-be-built parks like New Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium, and more realistic game outcomes, All-Star Baseball might be the ideal fit if you're looking for the best all-around game for fans and Fantasy owners alike.

EA Sports' MVP Baseball 2003

Engel: Electronic Arts is the new king of the baseball diamond. Finally, they have made a baseball game that matches the superb job they do in other sports. Amazing graphics, addictive gameplay and groundbreaking features erase the memory of a Triple Play series that had been a disappointment since the 1998 title.

Player models are incredibly detailed and lifelike, and stadium models are beautifully rendered and detailed. This game has real personality, with a crowd that "stays in the game" and additional highlights like the Brewers mascot riding down the slide in Miller Park when a home run is hit.

While rosters aren't as detailed as Sega's, the Franchise mode actually has "goals," with points earned for winning two titles with the Braves or making the playoffs with a lesser team. A momentum meter gauges the current state of your team and can affect the outcome of your games.

Gameplay sets this title apart from all the others. A unique pitching "meter" makes you put the proper amount of velocity and control on your pitches, and the CPU will jump on your "mistakes." Hitting is timed, but you must also pick the proper location. Gameplay is simple, user-friendly and quick but realistic. Slow-motion replays from various angles in TV-style presentation make MVP Baseball the "must-buy" title of 2003.

Cockcroft: This game will draw you in if you're into good-looking games that play well, but it's not the ideal selection for the Fantasy owner. There aren't the glitzy features like a Fantasy draft mode, and scouting doesn't quite have the depth of the other games. Franchise goals, in which teams are given a set of goals to reach within a 10-year period, are an interesting feature. (The Brewers, for instance, have a goal of three years with at least a .500 record.) From a projection standpoint, numbers were fairly accurate: In the season we played, the Giants beat the Yankees in six games in the World Series and Ichiro Suzuki stole 69 bases, and Damian Moss' 20 wins might have been the only out-of-place performance. The three-tiered pitching system -- separate clicks to select the pitch type, speed and control -- is a nice feature but difficult to pick up. MVP Baseball is probably the best game from a pure gameplay perspective, but don't expect to expand your knowledge.

Tymczyna: The graphics are top-notch, edging out Sega’s World Series 2K3. The gameplay is classic EA style with “one button” ability to perform multiple actions. The pitching has been redone. Fielding is a breeze and easy to pick up. One great feature are the windows over the diamond on the fielding screen. You can see what each base runner is doing. What this game lacks in features (if you want features, try Sega or 3DO’s titles) is made up in graphics, gameplay and detail.. It’s easy to learn, plus it has all the qualities that EA is known for. Pick this game up without hesitation.

3DO's High Heat Major League Baseball 2004

Engel: This is one of two titles also available on the Gamecube. Last season, 3D0 overcame mediocre graphics and delivered one of the best baseball simulations ever. This year, they attempted to upgrade gameplay, and that might have been a big mistake.

Instead of improving on last year's zombie-looking player models and ho-hum stadiums, this year's High Heat looks like it belongs on a Nintendo 64. Alfonso Soriano and Miguel Tejada look like the same person, and the scoreboard in Shea Stadium looks like an Eggo waffle on a griddle. Lots of blurred images and choppy animations take some of the fun out here.

The gameplay is still promising, but it’s more flawed than last season. There are many more pitch selections, such as palmballs, forkballs and tailing fastballs. But they aren't easy to control and don't feel as user-friendly as they did in High Heat 2003. The ball also doesn't come off the bat very well graphically, and the pace of the game, especially when the CPU is making an infinite amount of pickoff throws, can be frustrating. The artificial intelligence is very good. You won't easily confuse hitters,and you must mix your locations to keep the CPU off-balance. You can also adjust the gameplay to your liking, and while this year's High Heat is still challenging and features all standard gameplay modes, the graphics and slight falloff in playability make it a big disappointment after High Heat 2003 was such a tight, smart baseball simulation.

Cockcroft: Scouting reports are virtually non-existent in this year's High Heat, a major drawback for Fantasy owners seeking an edge. In addition, painfully slow game simulations make it rather frustrating when trying to gain a full year's worth of stats. Gameplay makes this a comfortable game for the casual baseball fan, but those looking for an insider's edge aren't going to find it. Navigating the menus is unnecessarily complicated, and the Fantasy Draft isn't remotely realistic. We ran one draft in which Jon Lieber, who is out for the season, Cliff Politte and Denny Stark were all second-round picks. That suggests weakness in the scouting department. Full-season projections aren't entirely realistic, either: In one season we ran out, by Aug. 6, Cleveland was 62-50 and Desi Relaford had 32 stolen bases; by season's end, Terry Adams had 47 saves and Denny Stark had 46.

Tymczyna: I've heard of nothing but good reviews for 3DO's baseball game from other video game fanatics. What I got was a decent game, but had I purchased it, I would have felt some buyer's remorse.

High Heat's graphics seemed dated, but the players and their uniforms looked pretty good. They are certainly an improvement over MLB 2004, but nothing that will knock your socks off. The stadiums and animation are adequate. If you are a fan of this series, then go out and get it. Newcomers should stay away from this title only because it's tougher to play, and overall, the game seems dated for a PlayStation 2 title. Still if you get your hands on it, you won't be disappointed if it's the only baseball game you play this year.

989 Sports' MLB 2004

Engel: Much like All-Star Baseball, this game is very promising until you start playing. There are several unique modes, including spring training, where you must create your own player and try to make a major-league roster. You can also manage a team without playing the games, an option that might appeal to a Roto owner. Two-player seasons are innovative as well. Vin Scully and Dave Campbell provide the commentary, which is promising, but sometimes make obviously wrong calls, On a diving stab as second base, Scully will call a "routine grab."

Player models are respectable, as are the graphics, but there are many flaws here. First, when playing the spring mode, someone should point out to the developers of this game that the Braves don't train in Arizona. Hitting is a major chore, because you must not only guess the pitch, but its location and time it properly. The batting interface is designed to be challenging, but it becomes impossible to hit for even an experienced user. Pitching is a redundant chore, as the computer will seemingly swing at anything, as will the user, and the results will always be the same, no matter placement or selection. It's tough to score and not challenging to pitch. You can throw two dozen consecutive meatballs over the plate and surrender possibly two hits. Artificial intelligence is lacking, as is the lure to play this game more than once or twice.

Cockcroft: There isn't much of anything to excite the Fantasy owner here. Scouting and player background is the weakest of the five games reviewed, and the Fantasy Draft leaves a lot to be desired. It's the only one which utilizes a timer, which is more of a hindrance than a fun feature -- scrolling through to see who has been taken and who is left is very time-consuming, wasting valuable seconds on the clock. Running one mock draft, we managed to land, in order, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Piazza, Eric Chavez, Magglio Ordonez, Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, Frank Thomas and Todd Helton with our first 10 picks, while pitching was hoarded in an unrealistic manner. Argue all you want that Fantasy drafts use a different approach than a video game draft, but in no draft should Matt Lawton be taken before Sosa, Desi Relaford before Bobby Abreu and Scott Sauerbeck selected in the third round.

Tymczyna: It seemed MLB 2004 was playing catch-up in every aspect. The the graphics were poor and the game controls were horrible. I couldn't believe we were playing a PlayStation 2 game. The crowd and the announcers seemed equally bored with the game. You could hardly hear them. Next generation games should include tiny details that make the sport great. For instance, when I hit a foul ball toward the first-base line, it hit the base coach. He didn't move or even flinch. MLB 2004 struggles in creating a baseball title people will want to play. Avoid this game at all costs.

Sega's World Series Baseball 2K3

Engel: For the Fantasy player and fan looking for an in-depth title with tons of statistics, player information and easy, complete rosters, this is the standard for all other games to match. An incredible franchise mode, in which you have to draft your front office and coaches, with access to real minor-leaguers and complete scouting reports, make this a true baseball fan's dream.

Player cards include career stats, actual scouting reports and player ratings. Rosters are easily managed, players can be easily edited, and you can even take more than one team through the franchise mode. Gameplay can be customized, as can your franchise options. Classic stadiums and a wide selection of classic uniforms add to the superb presntation. While the graphics aren't quite as crisp as EA's title, the player models move very realistically, and gameplay is very nicely paced. Trash-talk from the crowd, such as "Mondesi, go back to Canada" only add to the fun.

You can select between cursor-based or timed hitting, and fielders are very easy to control. This a great two-player game, but the artificial intelligence is slightly flawed when pitching against the CPU, resulting in a lot of strikeouts. But the gameplay and feel are so smooth, looking for any negatives would be nitpicking. This is easily one of the best two titles available.

Cockroft: Here's a game that knows what the die-hard baseball fan wants, complete with ESPN's Baseball Tonight theme music and SportsCenter-like graphics plastered throughout. The depth in player information, statistics and scouting trumps the competition by a huge margin, and this might be the best game for Fantasy owners to get. Player pages are in-depth, and the Fantasy draft is easily the most accurate tool if you're preparing for your league's draft. Sure, the draft we ran tabbed Eric Gagne as the first overall pick, but closers are generally overrated in every baseball video game, and it's not unconceivable someone in your league might feel as strongly about closers. The same could be said for other out-of-place picks like Steve Finley and Octavio Dotel (both second-rounders), and guys like Scott Rolen, Carlos Beltran and Troy Glaus, who all slipped a round or two too far. In the season mode, results were perhaps the most realistic of any of the games we reviewed. CPU trade offers were slightly off-kilter, but the Giants-Red Sox World Series matchup, John Smoltz's 50 saves and Travis Hafner winning the AL rookie of the year award weren't big surprises.

Tymczyna: Only a few minutes into the game, I said "wow." Everything about the game made it look sharp. It was easy to navigate with their TV-style menu system. The graphics were sharp and the gameplay stunning. I loved the dives and robbing my opponent with wall jumps. The developers for this game knew that details were needed to make it great. You can see it with the player builds, the stadiums and overall gameplay. The sounds, graphics and gameplay will impress anyone who takes a chance on this title. It's a baseball game I would play over and over again.