Pennant Chase goes back to the dugout

When Nintendo chose David Ortiz as the cover athlete of Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball, the thought was that it meant to showcase Ortiz's power and clutch-hitting, which have earned him legions of fans from the Red Sox nation. But with news of yet another possible delay to the game, it appears gamers are merely getting a glimpse of the portly designated hitter's speed (or lack thereof).

Initially, Nintendo optimistically aimed for a release to coincide with the Major League's Opening Day in early April, before delaying the game to June. At this year's E3, official word was that GameCube owners would be taking their hacks July 5. The game was playable on the show floor.

On Nintendo's official Web site, the game's release date status has been changed to "Announced." Online retailers seem split on Pennant Chase's future. GameStop's product page for the game has an August 1 date for release, while EB Games has removed its product page altogether.

Pennant Chase Baseball, in development by Exile Interactive and Nintendo, is a GameCube exclusive. The game was revealed shortly after Take-Two Interactive announced that it had acquired the third-party rights to Major League Baseball. Under the agreement, console makers can develop and publish "second-party" baseball titles.

Until the third base coach waves Nintendo Pennant Chase Baseball home, slide into GameSpot's previous coverage of the game.

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