I'm writing this in absolute frustration at the moment, but I wanted to write it while the sensation is still fresh.
 
I'm very, very hesitant to call MLB 09 a good game.  A proficient simulator, perhaps...I'm not even sure about that, though.  There is a point in time where attempts at realism can get hindered by the inherent flaws in simulation.  MLB 09 The Show is the perfect example of this.  Its qualities as a simulator are undeniable, but there is a dynamic that is not there which can make for a very, very, very, very frustrating experience.
 
Baseball is a game of stats...maybe moreso than any other major North American sport.  While this may be the case, there are considerations involved in the decisions that MLB 09 makes in its simulations that should go beyond.  On a day when I go 0-5 in Road to the Show, where every single out was a line drive...I should not be chewed out by my manager.  When the game is set in Rookie mode, my goals assigned by the game should not be "Do not strike out more than 6 times in the next 6 series" with a nice little "Have an on-base-percentage of .390 or higher in the next 6 series."  It also frustrates me that I can be on a 24 game hitting streak, hitting .350, and still get benched for my "Struggles" because I struck out 8 times over the course of a month, and my OBP was .379.  It also really frustrates me that when I miss a hit-and-run opportunity on a pitch that's near-impossible to hit, I lose points.  It also really frustrates me that the game forces you to dive in order to field balls that could otherwise be easily reached by simply moving sideways.  It also really frustrates me that the coaches give signs for hit-and-run, but the sign isn't listed in the possible choices.  It also really frustrates me that I purposely swing underneath a ball, knowing that every single time I get out with a runner on first it's a double play, and the ball still grounds weakly to a fielder, and upon reviewing the swing feedback it says "Wheelhouse, perfect timing." 
 
It also REALLY bothers me when sports games simulate player transations that would NEVER occur in real life.  
 
I have a really hard time believing that Ichiro Suzuki is going to retire after the 09 season due to old age.  That's just me though.