I know we are less than two weeks away from the Super Bowl, but we are also less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training (a Super Bowl of sorts for baseball fans). In preparation for spring training, I had the chance to check out MLB 2K11 and play a hands on demo of the latest entry in 2KSports’ baseball franchise.

In this year’s version, the team at 2KSports wanted to amp up the authenticity of the franchise, and from what I saw, they succeeded. The first thing players will notice is the broadcast-style presentation. 2K took the time and effort to create a unique experience for every single ballpark. What I mean is that depending upon which stadium you play in, you will have to pitch from a different camera angle, which was designed to mirror the home team’s broadcast view. Speaking of camera angles, while the hitter’s perspective is the same, once a player makes contact, the camera tracks the ball from more of a pulled-back angle, allowing the player to more easily decipher if a ball is hit in the gap and make decisions as a baserunner.

Aside from the camera changes, 2K11 also made a conscious effort to increase the realism of the player ratings and make them hold more weight than in previous titles. For example, if you have a team with a load of DH-type players, your fielding and defense will take a sharp hit. In the outfield, the ball marker isn’t immediately visible, rather it appears while the ball is descending and depending upon what your player’s defensive rating is, you will be able to see the marker earlier or later than others. The same goes for throwing and nearly ever other aspect.

Another change that has been made is that 2K11 has polished and tuned the pitching system. This year they will be bringing back the old system of pitching, based on the right thumbstick, and they have fine-tuned the control system. Now if you continuously miss a pitch, you will not be able to know where it will wind up, just like in real life, if you miss badly, the pitch may end up anywhere in the zone.

As for the other improvements, the game’s cover athlete, Roy Halladay (I’ve heard he knows a thing or two about pitching), was brought in to have his brain picked and give input on the game. One of the improvements he suggested was to have the batters’ hot and cold zones displayed throughout the entire at-bat, rather than only for the first pitch. The reasoning behind this was that Halladay and Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz memorize every hitter’s hot and cold zone before each start and they pitch to the hitter’s weaknesses, so players should get that benefit when playing 2K11 as well.

MLB 2K11 is also bringing back the Million Dollar Challenge for the first person to throw a perfect game. The return is fitting considering last year was dubbed the “Year of the Pitcher” and Roy Halladay, who threw a perfect game and a no hitter last season, is the game’s star. This year’s challenge is a little different as it will be open for anyone age 12 and up, will begin on Opening Day and players will have to use current rosters based on the MLB Today feature. Remember, practice makes perfect!

MLB 2K11 is slated to hit stores on March 8th.