MLB 12 The Show Cover Athlete is Adrian Gonzalez

[Mr. Franchise]

Terrible choice -_-

[Woodweaver]

Quote: Originally Posted by truintellectplaya

Lies, and skewing of statistics they are not the #1 rated sports game 4 years in a row.

No lies. No skewing.

"The Show has been and continues to be the market leading and highest ranked officially licensed baseball title of this console generation (according to MetaCritic.com) and the number-one rated sports video game over the past four years (according to GameRankings.com), "

[cardsfan2222]

I don't care much about the cover athlete, but I do get tired of seeing Boston players on the cover. There were a lot of great names in the playoffs this year, but they pick another Red Sox player, after a historic collapse. Very disappointing choice in my opinion.

[Russell_SCEA]

Quote: Originally Posted by truintellectplaya

Lies, and skewing of statistics they are not the #1 rated sports game 4 years in a row.

Check Metacritic and do the math.

[Marino]

Quote: Originally Posted by Footballforever

I mean really, its just a cover and for some guys to say they wont buy it or now just rent because of the cover, get real... The guy put up *Regular Season .338 27 117* Whats wrong with that. Now a screen shot would have been nice.

Matt Kemp put up .324 with 39 HRs and 126 RBIs and 40 SBs

Here are Kemp's NL Rankings:

• 1st in NL in HR (39)
• 1st in NL in RBI (126)
• 1st in NL in R (115)
• 8th in NL in BB (74)
• 2nd in NL in SB (40)
• 2nd in NL in SLG (.586)
• 2nd in NL in OPS (.986)

Should have been cover boy. Tired of all these Red Sox on the cover.

[Marino]

Quote: Originally Posted by EnigmaNemesis

Halladay and Verlander were picked up by 2K, they are off limits. Kershaw... Who? Now us hardcore baseball fans know this guy. But your average gamer/sports gamer... Kemp or Kershaw are unrecognizable. And with the Dodgers sad state of affairs with the team and owner... not too marketable at this time. Remember, it is all about marketing, etc. I am sure Adrian was in consideration long before he was traded... him having a great season, in a hugely popular market team now, being Latino and having a great community off field presence are all factors. This has nothing to do with 'Red Sox bias' (if he was in Mets/Yankees/or other big market uniforms he would still have been chosen I bet)... just luck of the draw. Also the fact that he was in San Deigo for so long, where the studio resides, probably affords them more interaction as well. People on here put way too much stake in the cover athlete, and let it bother them way too much. It does not take away from the game, and it is not marketed to YOU! Since we are outside the norm for average gamers. This should honestly be a non-issue to us on OS. We have custom cover threads (and I never even see the cover outside when I first purchase the game). Our purchasing decision does not reside in the cover athlete.

Dodgers market a lot more than you think even with the down turn in the organization. Dodgers are big from Texas on West and a good bit of fans still in the Northeast.

So, Kemp should have been on the cover. Oh well, custom cover here I come.

[catch212]

I'm sick of players from the northeast. Believe me, ESPN gives us enough of New York, Boston, and Philly, so I don't need more from the show.


All of this is just semantics though, since I'm expecting a fantastic game.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Quote: Originally Posted by Marino

Dodgers market a lot more than you think even with the down turn in the organization. Dodgers are big from Texas on West and a good bit of fans still in the Northeast. So, Kemp should have been on the cover. Oh well, custom cover here I come.

It is not about who makes what... it is about marketing. And Yankees/Red Sox as much as you like to think otherwise, and the most highly marketable teams in almost all of professional sports. They are the Dallas Cowboys of baseball.

It is about recognition. Your average Midwest gamer is going to know a Red Sox or Yankee player over a dodger... especially Kemp or Kershaw.

Not saying their statistics do not deserve the cover... but here is MUCH more to it than "statistics".

There is team recognition, player's off field accessibility and contributions, race, etc.

Who is to say all the players us armchair analysts "think" should "have been" on the cover were even accessible to the marketing needs by Sony?

That is a huge factor we fail to take into consideration. And I bet if Adrian was still in the San Diego uniform, he still would have graced the cover... it just so happens he was traded to one of the most highly marketed teams.