What do Mets shortstop Jose Reyes and Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard have in common? Both were key players in the Mets' notorious meltdown last season: Reyes couldn't buy a hit in September, while Howard led the Phils past the Mets and into the playoffs.

And each has landed a sweet side gig as cover model for a video game. The presence of Reyes and Howard on, respectively, "Major League Baseball 2K8" and "MLB 08: The Show" is like a knife in the gut for Mets fans who are still bitter over last season's implosion.

But, hey, it's opening week, time to let go of the past and look forward to this year's pennant races.

• "MLB 08: The Show" (Sony, PlayStation 3, $59.99; PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, $49.99)

Appropriately, the game featuring the Phillie has a slight edge. And it's thanks to "Road to the Show," a sort of role-playing challenge in which you create a character from scratch and try to build him up, from class A ball to the major leagues.

Sony introduced this feature last season, but it has ironed out the kinks and turned it into the most addictive career mode in any sports game. You simulate only the parts of the game that involve your guy, like his at-bats or defensive plays where the ball comes his way. Success earns points that you can spend to improve your player's skills with the bat or glove. Every step up the ladder feels completely earned, and it's immensely gratifying when you're finally welcomed to The Show.

Of course, "MLB 08" offers the more traditional gameplay model where you control every man on the field. The basics of the game haven't changed much since last year, but they generally feel tighter and more realistic.

If you have a Sony console, "MLB 08" is your best bet. Three-and-a-half stars out of four.

• "Major League Baseball 2K8" (2K Sports, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, $59.99; Wii, $49.99; PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, $29.99)

If you're an Xbox or Wii gamer, alas, you're pretty much stuck with 2K's take on the national pastime. It's not a bad deal, particularly if you want a game that looks awfully close to what you would see on a network broadcast.

This edition introduces "total pitch control," in which you have to trace a pattern with an analog stick to choose a pitch. You also use the analog sticks to control batting and fielding. While all three skills take practice, they feel more natural once you get used to them.

Players look more like their real-life counterparts, with more individualized animations for most of the pros, but unfortunately, the game's performance doesn't always live up to its ambition. Overall, "2K8" will please baseball geeks with its solid action and wealth of stats. Three stars.