MLB Showdown was a card game sold by Wizards of the Coast, which was available between 2000 and 2005. Though the game itself is no longer being made or supported, there are people who still play using one of two rule sets: The 2000-2001 rules and the 2002-2005 rules, which are slightly different. Though the rules may differ for you and your preference, creating updated cards can be done relatively easily provided you have a computer with photo editing software.
Instructions
Universal Steps
1. Pick a player and download an image of said player off the Internet.
2. Open Photoshop, then load the image you saved inside of it.
3. Adjust the image size so that it is 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, or 252 pixels wide by 180 pixels tall. If necessary, crop the image after resizing.
4. Type the player's name on the side of the card. Since these are your custom cards, feel free to make any stylistic choices you wish.
Making Batter Cards
5. Enter a number between 1 and 15 somewhere on your image. Underneath the number, type On-Base to label it. Near it, assign a point total for your player as well as clarify if the player is a left-handed hitter, a right-handed hitter or a switch-hitter.
6. Assign a letter grade for your player's speed. Fast players should be rated A and slow should be rated C. Next to that, list the player's field position and assign a number bonus. For instance, in the 2004 version of MLB Showdown then-Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson received a defensive rating of +3.
7. List, near the bottom of the image, the following in this order: SO, GB, FB, BB, 1B, 2B, 3B and HR. Next to each rating, assign numbers starting at 1 and working up to 20. SO will always start with 1 and HR will always end with a 20. In assigning more than one number to a stat, such as the numbers 3, 4, 5 and 6 for FB, write it out as 3-6. If you don't want your player to be able to do a particular thing, such as hitting triples, place a dash next to the item where the number would be.
Making Pitcher Cards
8. Place a number between 1 and 6 on your card. Next to that card, label the number as Control.
9. Clarify if the pitcher is a Starter, Reliever or Closer. Depending on your decision, determine how many innings the pitcher can throw without tiring. Starters can throw between five and seven innings, and relievers and closers can throw one or two.
10. Next to the Starter/Reliever/Closer label, list if the pitcher is right-handed, RHP, or left-handed, LHP. Under it, list a point total.
11. List the following, in order: SO, PU, GB, FB, Walk, Single, Double and Homer. Next to each listing, place a numerical value, making sure that SO always begins with a 1. If you want to assign more than one number to a figure, such as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to SO, type it out as 1-5. Additionally, if you don't want to give a rating for that pitcher, simply place a dash next to the item.
Tips Warnings
Before designing your own MLB Showdown cards, be sure that you fully understand the rules of the game. Not doing so could result in a card that simply cannot be used.
Since these are your cards, the style and placement of the statistics on the cards are wholly up to you.
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