Man, I’ve been itching to share this with you guys. So, I finally got around to diving into this whole Paul Skenes thing in MLB The Show. You know, the number one overall pick, the pitching phenom, all that jazz. I’ve been hearing about this guy non-stop, and I wanted to see what the hype was about in the game.
First, I booted up the game and went straight to the rosters. Found Skenes in the Pirates’ organization, naturally. His overall rating wasn’t anything crazy, but his potential was off the charts. Figured I’d start a new Franchise mode and see if I could develop him into the monster everyone’s predicting.
Started him off in Double-A, just to get his feet wet. And let me tell you, even at that level, the dude was dealing. Fastball touching 100, a slider that just disappeared. It was almost unfair. I simulated a few games, checked his stats, and the guy was racking up strikeouts like it was nothing.
- Fastball: It’s electric, no question about it. You see him wind up, and it’s a blur.
- Slider: Nasty. Batters were swinging at air half the time.
- Control: Still a bit raw, but that’s to be expected. He’s young.
After a couple of months, I decided to call him up to Triple-A. The competition was tougher, but Skenes just kept on dominating. I was playing some of the games myself, and it was a blast pitching with him. You could just feel the power and the potential in every throw.
Finally, I took the plunge and brought him up to the big leagues. His debut was against the Dodgers, no less. Talk about a trial by fire. He was nervous, I was nervous, but he settled in nicely. Gave up a couple of runs, but he also struck out eight in six innings. Not too shabby for a rookie.
I’m still in the middle of the season, but Skenes is quickly becoming one of my favorite pitchers to use. He’s got that “it” factor, you know? The kind of player that makes you want to keep playing, just to see how good he can get.
My Verdict
So, is Paul Skenes worth the hype in MLB The Show? Absolutely. He’s a blast to play with, and if you’re a fan of Franchise mode, he’s the perfect guy to build your team around. Just be prepared to deal with some growing pains along the way. He’s not a finished product yet, but the potential is there for him to become something truly special.
