Sometimes things just go your way: the planets align, fate smiles, and the ball takes a lucky bounce. Such was the case for me last week. The combination of a government stimulus check, a sweet deal from Walmart , approval for a Sony credit card, and catching my wife on a good day allowed me to purchase a PS3. I wasn't looking for a new system: I've owned the Xbox 360 since launch, and we got a Wii for Christmas. Mainly, since the format war ended, I've been itching for a Blu-Ray player. My wife mocks my self-given title of "early adopter."

Anyway, with the plans in place to purchase a PS3 primarily as a Blu-Ray device, being able to play exclusive games was something of a bonus. Immediately, I thought of MLB 08: The Show. I actually purchased it before I had the PS3 in hand, and I used MLB2k8 (for the 360) as a trade in down payment.

This actually was a fairly easy decision. Since my annual baseball fever died down a few weeks after opening day, MLB2k8 did nothing for me but collect dust. In fact, I ended up playing The Bigs more often than 2k8, even with its out-of-date rosters and the over-the-top gameplay. During this time, I began to realize that the baseball simulation I preordered for $60 was being superseded by an arcade title I found in the bargain bin at $15. I asked myself "How did I get to this point?"

I probably have owned every version of 2k/World Series Baseball dating back to the Dreamcast. In fact, the first World Series on the Xbox was a "system seller" for me. But in the past 3 years, the game finally started to feel stale to me. Despite innovations like the new pitching scheme, card collecting (which I actually liked), and the World Baseball Classic mode, I felt like I was paying for an annual roster and bug update. Recycled commentary, a GM mode that only got a front end face lift each year, and numerous sloppy glitches turned this series from a reason to buy a system to an expensive coaster in a fancy box. Additionally, I think many would agree that 2k8 is the worst game of 2k's baseball line up (leaving out the DS-only version). Top all of this off with MLB exclusivity, and as an Xbox/Wii owner, I had no other choice for a true baseball sim. Power Pros was a great title, and The Bigs was a lot of fun, but neithersatisfied my itch for realistic baseball.

All of this led me to the purchase of MLB 08:The Show. I have absolutely no experience with this series, other than what information I've gathered from the forums and reviews. It's heralded as the best console baseball game of this generation, and after "playing the hell out of it" (that phrase needs to seriously be put on OS t-shirts) for the past week, I don't feel like I'm being hasty in agreeing with that sentiment.

Where 2k8 fell flat, The Show shines. Despite not having the big names from Fox or ESPN, the commentary feels much more natural and is certainly less repetitive. I can't tell you how many times in the first week of playing 2k8 that I heard about PFP , pitcher's fielding practice. The presentation is slick and polished--no skipping when cutting to a replay. The joy of playing Road to the Show offers much more replay that trying to collect cards; it's like an entire second game unto itself. Even minor things, like the inclusion of 2007 highlights as both the opening movie and menu sounds, beat the pants off of 2k8's static picture of Reyes and strange indie-rock soundtrack (which is fine by itself, but doesn't make me think baseball.) I like that I can download sliders from other users; too bad 2k8 didn't have 2kshare. In fact, I was surprised that, without messing with the sliders, I was able to draw a walk in The Show.

MLB '08: The Show features some impressive realistic touches.

Some may argue that 2k8 has features The Show is missing. So I can't import stadium music--2k8's custom music caused my system to lock up on numerous occasions anyway. I'm not much of an online player, so the differences there don't matter that much to me. And though I like the card collecting, after a few months of playing, I wasn't able to put together a team while staying under the "salary cap." 2k8's pitching mechanic is pretty cool, but can be inconsistent and eventually gets as repetitive as a meter. Pressing a button may not be as flashy or as innovative as the trendy analogue-only controls, but it gets the job done.

Finally, I can't describe this very well, but The Show just feels more like baseball. The atmosphere of the entire game, not just while playing, exudes baseball much better than any "next gen" 2k baseball game. It's apparent the developers have a profound appreciation of baseball--the same way I feel when I hear Harry Kalas call a game on the radio or go to the park in person.

So where does that leave the PS3 in my house, a place that's always been home to Xbox's and Nintendos, never Sony gaming systems? Well, it's primary function will still be to play Blu-Rays. If a game comes out on more than one system, I probably will still grab the 360 version for the achievements and because most of my friends are on Live. But unless something significant happens in the MLB 2k camp, I can only see myself buying The Show from now on.

Will The Show's cracks start to show after a few months of gameplay? Probably, but if they do, at least it's because I'm still playing it. There was nothing drawing me back to 2k8. If you are a true baseball fan and owner of a 360, now's the time to consider making The Show sell you a PS3. The government wants you to spend this "free" money, there are some great deals out there, and the pennant races are starting to heat up as we move toward the All-star break. Sometimes things just go your way and the baseball takes a lucky bounce.