Now making a triumphant return, Backyard Baseball 97 allows you to assemble a team of young players set on taking the neighborhood by storm, with each of them having their own strengths and obvious weaknesses.
But as a squad only has nine slots, who among the game’s 30 picks can be considered must-haves? Here’s a player-by-player overview of the best Backyard Baseball 97 team, starting, of course, with our pitcher.
Angela Delvecchio (Pitcher)
An often overlooked pick, Angela takes the pitcher position via her mean hooks, reliability, and potential to send the ball flying while at the bat. Her stamina (aka Juice) is on the low side, though, so we will be using a few relief pitchers in case you ever find yourself in trouble.
If you don’t mind losing on her batting potential and instead prefer to go with a more defensively minded player, Kenny Kawaguchi can also work well here, as he pairs his high mobility and almost infinite stamina with the game’s best slowball.
Ashley and Sidney Webber (Catcher and Center Field)
Thanks to their all-around stats and great ball speed when in the field together, Ashley and Sidney Webber are our main picks for the catcher and left field positions. They can also work as excellent relief pitchers via their solid heat balls, so don’t hesitate to let the sisters perform a battery if looking for a change of pace.
Pete Wheeler (First Base / Closer)
Most well known for his ability to send the ball flying at the drop of a hat and cover ground fast, Pete also has in his Heat pitches (fastballs) some of the game’s best. Just don’t overuse them, as spamming the pitch will drain his stamina at record speed. Before you ask, no, his stamina won’t affect his batting power or ability to defend on base.
Achmed and Amir Khan (Shortstop and Second Base)
Much like the Webber sisters, the Khan brothers become unstoppable when put in the field together, as while Achmed is a home-run machine even by himself, Amir’s batting, pitching, and defending gain a huge boost from the presence of his big bro. True to that, we will put Amir in the Shortstop position, while Ahamed will be both our designated second baseman and one of our main hitters.
Luanne Lui (Third Base)
Arguably the game’s fastest player, Luanne can also be considered the perfect first batter, as she is more than capable of getting on base following even weak grounded hits. When in defense, we will then place her at third base to mitigate her inability to catch and throw for long distances.
Kiesha Phillips (Right Field)
A powerhouse at the bat, Kiesha can both build the foundation for something great or seal off a game with a clutch home run. Make sure to also not let her height fool you, as true to her nickname as the Flash, she is more than capable of getting into base in key moments and excels as an outfielder.
Pablo Sanchez (Left Fielder / Relief Pitcher)
Let’s be honest, did you really though we wouldn’t include the Secret Weapon? The game’s best player by a large margin, Pablo is our team’s Ace, capable of turning most pitches into home runs and excelling as a left fielder via his high overall speed and catching ability. Although his weakest stat, his pitching can also come in handy when looking for a reliever capable of shutting batters down fast.
Now that you know which is the best team in Backyard Baseball 97, make sure to also take a look at the coolest-looking Diamond Dynasty Cards ever released in MLB The Show for a welcome dose of nostalgia.
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