MLB 10 The Show: Joe Mauer – Cover Athlete | Atleta de portada

FOSTER CITY, Calif., Dec. 17 Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. (SCEA) announced today the North American release of the #1 selling and rated baseball game this generation, MLB® 10 The Show™.  Gracing the cover for The Show is a ballplayer who needs no introduction—2-time Gold Glove winner, 3-time Silver Slugger, 3-time American League (AL) batting champion, and newly crowned 2009 American League Most Valuable Player (MVP), Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins will be the cover athlete for the latest installment of the best-selling Major League Baseball® (MLB®) franchise.  

Available for PlayStation®3 (PS3™), PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) go, and PlayStation®2 systems, MLB 10 The Show is due to arrive in stores in March 2010, just in time for Spring Training.  The Show has been the highest ranked officially licensed baseball title of this console generation (according to Metacritic), delivering true-to-life gameplay, authentic franchise and season modes, and incredible detail not found in any other game.

“I’m truly humbled to be chosen for the cover of MLB 10 The Show, a honor that has only added to a special year for me,” said Joe Mauer, catcher, Minnesota Twins.  “It’s a dream of every sports fan to be on the cover a video game, so to have the chance to work with a leading franchise like The Show is really a thrill.”

“Over the past four years we’ve seen the greatest offensive output from a catcher in the history of baseball.  Joe is already in truly rarefied air with his three batting titles, an unprecedented feat for a catcher.  With both The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated naming Mauer to their ‘All-Decade Team,’ he is destined to be an all-time great, and he’s only 26,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President, Product Marketing, SCEA.  “Similarly, The Show has become the highest rated, best selling baseball video game franchise of all time.  So, as we look to add upon the richest and most immersive baseball experience, we could not ask for a more perfect ambassador to represent MLB 10 The Show.”

In his breakout 2006 season, Mauer became the first catcher in Major League history to lead both leagues in batting average and the first American League catcher to win the batting title, finishing with a .347 average.  In 2008, he showed off his versatility by winning his first Gold Glove Award, but still impressed at the plate becoming the first American League catcher to win the batting title twice, leading the AL with an average of .328.  

In 2009, Mauer became the first catcher to lead the Major Leagues in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage in a single year—his .365 average was the all-time highest mark among catchers in MLB history.  Mauer also won his second consecutive Gold Glove in 2009, followed by a near-unanimous win (27 out of 28 first place votes) for the American League MVP crown, only the second catcher in 33 years to win the AL MVP.

MLB 10 The Show is the first baseball game cover for Mauer, who joins an elite cast of MLB cover athletes and spokespersons to represent the franchise including Red Sox second baseman and 2008 AL MVP Dustin Pedroia, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard, and New York Mets third baseman David Wright.  As the newest representative of SCEA’s baseball series and face of MLB 10 The Show, Mauer’s duties include participation in the game’s motion capture process, A.I. consultation, integration into all facets of the marketing campaign, and spokesperson for the franchise.  

As Mauer continues to establish himself as one of the most talented individuals to play the game,   MLB 10 The Show is also building upon an already stellar reputation for immersion and unparalleled delivery of the baseball experience.  With several new key features and enhancements to the critically acclaimed title,MLB 10 The Show is poised to continue the franchise’s reign as the premier MLB licensed game on any platform.

The long awaited Home Run Derby® leads the deep features list in MLB 10 The Show for the PS3 system.  Fully implemented in the season modes and available as a stand alone feature, Home Run Derby follows the MLB rules and flow.  The MLB®Futures Game™ will also be available within season modes in its correct timeframe (just before the HR Derby), as well as fully functional online leagues.  The new online season leagues will save and display MLB player stats, track player energy, allow for trades/injuries, and offer 40-man roster functionality.

Additional new features for the PS3 game include “Catcher Mode,” the ability to call the game as the catcher, select pitches, and be the ultimate field general, just like Joe Mauer.  MLB 10 The Show will also offer daytime transitional lighting, user controlled pick-offs, a newly added “Movie Maker” menu giving the user the ability to select multiple replays to add to and edit a single movie, and 11 new stadiums.  Five new Minor League stadiums will be introduced, as well as a selection of classic parks available on the PS3 system for the first time including Forbes Field, Crosley Field, The Polo Grounds, Shibe Park, Sportsman Park, and Griffith Stadium.

The popular “Road to The Show” mode returns with version 4.0 featuring the addition of two new interactive training modes, new settings, and new presentations.  Interactive training will consist of a set of mini-games designed to improve a player’s fielding and pitching ability, adding to last year’s introduction of batting and base running training.  “Franchise Mode” also returns to the game, including the 40-man roster, salary arbitration, waiver transactions and September call-ups.  

For fans who want to take The Show on the go, MLB 10 The Show for the PSP and PSPgo systems delivers big baseball action in the palm of your hand by utilizing core gameplay features found on the PS3 system version.  

Exclusive for PlayStation 2 system is the unrivaled “Player Creator,” providing users with endless possibilities for creating players, including everything down to their player’s face with EyeToy® USB Camera.  Users can also adjust their personal rituals, swings, and even emotions as they create and place themselves in the heat of a pennant race.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating for MLB 10 The Show is “RP” for “Rating Pending.”  For more information about the ESRB visit http://http://www.esrb.org/.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation and PS one® game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable)go handheld entertainment systems, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3™) computer entertainment system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP and PS3 systems for the North American market.  Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com.

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