Christian: I said it last year, and I'll say it again for this year's releases, 2K's MLB Today presentation and commentary has raised the bar for video baseball games. Whether it's the in-depth split stats that are displayed after every pitch, the lifelike banter between Kruk, Phillips and Thorne, or the slick stat banners and overlays, MLB 2K11 makes you feel like you are actually interacting with a television broadcast. MLB 11: The Show's robotic commentary and bland presentation does not even come close to giving the sense of presentational immersion that 2K has pulled off.

On the field is another story entirely, and it's where MLB 11 really shines. Players interact with one another in cutscenes as you would expect in real life, the crack of the bat is eerily realistic and watching any one of the stadium-specific home run celebrations (or planes flying through the sky at Petco) had this baseball elitist giddy. For all of its shortcomings regarding broadcast presentation, MLB 11 is unmatched in the on-field atmosphere -- it oozes everything that is great about baseball.

Winner: Tie

Caley: Christian puts it very nicely. In terms of broadcast elements, 2K11 takes the crown. Really, 2K has been pushing the presentation elements for a long time in all of their series. It is too bad the on-field stuff does not hold up as well as MLB 11. The little stuff is what makes MLB 11 so good: mascots, player interaction, beach balls, etc. Even the commentary, which most would argue is beginning to feel a bit stale, is good if not great. The knock against it is for predictability, not quality. I've even added in most of the local broadcast music using the enhanced custom soundtrack options.

So, I'll give the edge to MLB 11 for the total package, but I'd love to see the developers ramp up the broadcast stuff.

Winner: The Show

Dustin: I'm with Caley on this one. Though Christian does make a very strong, and correct, argument for MLB 2K11's presentation, The Show still takes the cake. The on-field presentation is fascinating; the lifelike interactions between players make me feel like I'm at Safeco Field drinking a cold one; and just like Caley, I've taken advantage of the custom soundtracks and added in my local broadcast's music -- it really enhances your gaming experience.

The one knock against The Show's presentation would be the commentary. It's stale and recycled. But in the end, it's always about how the game plays on the field.

Winner: The Show

Dustin: To be honest, the hitting in The Show and MLB 2K11 really draws even in my eyes. The analog controls are a nice touch in The Show, and it signifies that the developers are finally ready to make their game better rather than keeping it the same most every year. And the fact that 2K puts a lot of their focus into the pitching mechanics in their game (which are amazing), really makes the hitting look a little weaker than it really is in reality. In the end, it's just you swinging a bat.

Winner: Tie

Caley: I can go either way here. I like 2K's batting camera, pitch speed and use of the "defensive" swing mechanic. The tip-off system is okay, but, again, a little contrived and not implemented as well as older games. I also like the addition of analog controls in MLB 11, but the rest of the batting seems a bit clunky. I don't like having to push a button to change swing types -- it's unnatural and pretty dated. I still struggle with a camera fit for my play style, but the addition of the camera editor alleviates this problem.

Like Dustin, I'll call it a push...

Winner: Tie

Christian: I said it last year and I'll say it again, certain aspects of 2K's approach to hitting are superior to The Show's. From the default camera angle to the pitch speed, batting in 2K11 conveys a sense of battling against a pitcher that is seldom found in MLB video games. In no other game have I ever been able to work the count as effectively and take as many pitches as I have in 2K11. Add in some of the best hit windows this generation, leading to a great variety of hits, and you arguably have MLB 2K11's strongest aspect.

Where MLB 11 shines is in its analog implementation. Properly timing each player's "load" prior to unleashing a swing keeps every game feeling new and exciting. Where the game still fails in my eyes is that pitch speed (even at the lowest slider setting) is a bit too fast for this old man, CPU pitchers without proper slider tweaks are too aggressive when approaching hitters, and the trajectory on breaking pitches is still too flat, which makes it very difficult to pick these pitches up. Yes, I give the developers props for integrating the new customizable camera angles -- and hitting is definitely more fun this year because of the analog controls -- I just find the level of frustration associated with hitting on higher difficulties makes me walk away from this game more than I should.

Winner: MLB 2K

One thing our writers can agree on: MLB 2K's Pitching Mechanics are darned good.

Caley: I really like the new analog pitching in The Show. It works well, is very efficient and allows for diversity in each pitcher's delivery and skill. However, given a choice, I'd take MLB 2K's refined system, which makes each pitch feel a little more important. You can't "sleepwalk" through at bats using repetitive motion, nor can you automatically count on a weak pitch, especially in a crucial situation. I've liked this system in the past, and I think it is still a blast to use this year.

Winner: MLB 2K

Christian:I am with Caley on this 100 percent. While I enjoy MLB 11's jump to analog pitching, I just do not get the same sense of accomplishment when throwing a pitch as I do in 2K11. Yes, 2K's pitching system is a bit on the arcade side of things, but it is still pretty darn fun, especially when executing in pressure-packed situations. I also like that breaking pitches in 2K11 seem to have more movement on them than in MLB 11. This makes using players with devastating curves like Justin Verlander feel more untouchable. I know it's a small gripe, I just have never been a huge fan of Sony's pitching trajectories when hitting or pitching.

Winner: MLB 2K

Dustin: It looks like all three of us are actually going to agree on something. As much as I love The Show, its pitching just is not anything to rave about. As Caley said, you can sleepwalk through the pitching system in The Show at times -- I know I've been that guy waking up on the couch wondering where I am at. MLB 2K really understands what the sports gamer wants from a pitching perspective. You have to plan around who is pitching in each game, watch the breaks and be prepared for the unexpected.

Winner: MLB 2K

Christian: This is probably the toughest category for me. MLB 11 played it safe again this year with a fielding system that may feel stale, yet is still incredibly functional. Fielding in MLB 11 just is not very much fun after spending so much time with the '08-'11 versions of the game, even when using the touchy analog controls. Even so, it's difficult to knock a game when its fielding aspect is undeniably solid. I'm just finding myself sleepwalking in the field this year, and I have yet to play a game where I've really had any excitement on defense.

On the other hand, MLB 2K mixed things up this year, giving us what is possibly the first baseball game to accurately portray the differences between great, good, average and poor fielders. The system, while not perfect, at times borders on the brink of being frustrating because it makes you actually think about a player's fielding abilities when setting a lineup instead of relying solely on user skill. This aspect forces you to make those hard managerial lineup decisions, possibly sacrificing a power bat in your lineup for an outfielder who is not a three-ring circus when a ball is hit his way.

Winner: MLB 2K

Dustin: I respectfully disagree with Christian. I felt like 2K's system was pretty boring this year. However, I feel like The Show was able to showcase the different talent levels of players on defense. Multiple times I have made the mistake of playing a fatigued Chone Figgins (perhaps the real mistake was playing him at all), which has resulted in a couple errors coming from the hot corner. Sure, it may be a very simplistic system to throw someone out, but sometimes simplicity is the best way to go.

Winner: The Show

Caley: This is a tough one. On one had, MLB 11 has made great strides in representing the differences in player ability. Yet, there is still too many pre-canned "take over" animations. On the other, MLB 2K has a great new throwing meter and, as Christian points out, goes even further when showing player skill. While the gameplay is not nearly as smooth, I like what what 2K tries in order to make fielding more authentic.

Winner: MLB 2K

Just another Cubs/Cardinals game in MLB: The Show.

Dustin:If there is one thing that The Show does better than any other sports game in production, it's the revolutionary Road to the Show mode. RttS is the first and only "career" mode I prefer to play over a typical season. Unlike other modes, you have to earn your way to the MLB. It may take you two or three seasons before you even see a single promotion, let alone a starting spot with your favorite ball club. Like I stated earlier, sometimes simplicity rules all, but when it comes to RttS, realism is where it's at.

Winner: The Show

Christian: Sorry Dustin, I totally disagree with you. The Show may have invented the brilliant RttS mode, but 2K's My Player mode has streamlined the experience. Developing your player feels like a chore in MLB 11, even with the improved points system, and the entire process begins to drag after a week or so. My Player has struck the perfect balance between time investment and rewarding your created player for playing good baseball. I'd be lucky to crack my AAA roster in MLB 11 after batting .347 with 15 home runs halfway through a season -- in 2K11 I'd be the top stud prospect in my respective organization. That's what these modes are all about: becoming a superstar. I just don't have the time, nor the patience to spend the 2-3 full years in the minors that Dustin mentioned before I get a shot in the bigs.

On the Franchise front, both games have their pros and cons. I'm a bigger fan of the presentation of 2K11's franchise, but it simply lacks the incredible depth of MLB 11. (Plus, MLB 2K is still buggy even after the patch, which really downgrades it.) However, I feel so strongly about My Player mode that I still like what MLB 2K offers here.

Winner: MLB 2K

Caley: It seems we are really looking at two separate modes here, and each game has a strength in each. For the career mode, despite the changes implemented in RttS, I'll agree with Christian in preferring the streamlined approach 2K uses. As for franchise, I think The Show is starting to feel a little dry. Still, it is tremendously deep, probably more so than any other mode of this type out there.

I'll cop out and call it a tie.

Winner: Tie

Caley: Hard to argue here, since intangibles are just that, but, I have to give this one to The Show, and not for the reason you may think. My biggest intangibles might be overall polish and an underlying passion for the sport, two things The Show has a surplus of every single year. 2K is just full of too many little quirks, and I don't get that same "baseball is awesome!" vibe from 2K11.

Winner: The Show

Dustin: Caley is right, MLB 2K has too many little quirks. The Show focuses on presenting a baseball game, not a video game. In no way am I saying that MLB 2K11 is not a fun game, but when you compare it to a better overall product, it won't stand a chance.

Winner: The Show

Christian: I love me some baseball, and MLB 11 is baseball. From the player models to realistic gear to in-game rituals to the stadium models and atmosphere, no sports game better replicates a sport than MLB 11 does with baseball. As Caley said, from the minute you boot the game up, you are enveloped with a sense of complete baseball euphoria.

But just like last year, I have to at least give 2K love for giving us a dedicated playoff mode. I still can not believe Sony refuses to integrate this mode into the game as I honestly think it would be a huge hit for all of us gamers who enjoy playing through the Fall Classic with different teams.

Winner: The Show

MLB 2K is perhaps a few graphical upgrades and bug glitches away at this point...but the Show is still on top.

Caley: If we look at this mathematically, it may be closer than it should be. MLB 11: The Show, for me, is one of the deepest, most realistic and fun sports games out there. It oozes baseball and is simply the pinnacle of hardball games.

As for MLB 2K11, it's not as dramatic a jump as 2K10 was, and it still has too many issues to be a true competitor at this point.

Christian: As Caley mentioned, if you were to add up my arbitrary preference scores, 2K11 would run away with my baseball game of the year. Here's the problem, the game is filled with so many odd quirks and bugs that it is almost impossible to play more than a few games in a row without shelving the game for a week. Regardless, there are a lot of core gameplay aspects in the MLB 2K series that have had a very positive impact on baseball gaming as a whole, and the game deserves credit for these.

Sony's MLB series is the benchmark for all sports games when it comes to total baseball immersion, and the little nuances that make the sport great. I'd be crazy to not vote MLB 11 my baseball game of the year, even with its perceived shortcomings in my eyes. 2K11 wins the conceptual battle, but MLB 11 is still king of the diamond.

Dustin: As much as I love some good competition, not enough of it is found when pitting The Show and MLB 2K against one another. MLB 2K has made some great strides the past two years, but it has yet to get close to what The Show can offer a gamer. But one thing I know for certain is that The Show needs to keep changing year to year. Just because The Show is the better game right now does not mean it can stay on top every year without continuing to progress.

For now The Show is safe atop its throne, but if it doesn't start worrying about MLB 2K a bit more, we could eventually see a new king.