Welcome to The Show!

This week I had a chance to demo MLB The Show ’11, Sony’s wildly-popular baseball simulation game, and from what I saw, this game is definitely ready for the big leagues.

In addition to getting a chance to spend some hands-on time with The Show, I also had a chance to speak with cover-athlete and former AL MVP, Joe Mauer.

This year’s game features a slew of improvements, including implementing the PlayStation Move, 3D technology and added realism and authenticity fans of The Show have become accustomed to.

The Show ’11 is aiming to further its position as the premiere baseball simulation game on the market and have really stepped up to the plate in terms of recreating the entire Major League experience.

As far as the player and stadium models, The Show looked to have hit it right on the sweet spot. As I played the game and watched Mauer take some hacks in Home Run Derby (the only mode with PlayStation Move support), it felt as if I was sitting behind home plate at Target Field.

Mauer felt equally at home and was impressed with how the developers nailed his home ballpark.

“They did a great job just throughout the game, I’m sitting here watching the sight lines, and little things like looking into the box. They did a great job paying attention to detail, it really makes you feel like you’re right there on the field,” Mauer said.

While I only saw Target Field, the game looks flat out amazing both with and without the all-new 3D technology and is shaping up to have the best visuals I have ever seen in a baseball video game.

The team developing The Show even had Joe Mauer and other major league players to do some motion-capture work, which paid off because the player models and animations have been nailed with pinpoint accuracy.

“I was out there doing a bunch of different moves, and I was a little uncomfortable because a skin-tight suit is not too flattering, but it’s fun to see yourself on the screen and in the game,” Mauer said.

To put into persepective how realistic The Show is, some Major League pitchers use the game as a scouting tool to look at lineups of opposing teams they will be facing.

“A lot of out pitchers, they like to get a visual of the next team that we play and they set the lineup the way they think it’s going to be and just go and face them (in the game),” Mauer said.

As mentioned before, the PlayStation Move has been integrated into the game’s Home Run Derby mode, which is a part of the MLB All-Star Break. Using the Move to swing the bat brought another dynamic to an already deep baseball experience. After being given a quick tutorial, Mauer got right into the batter’s box and started blasting homers.

“This is the first time I’ve used the Move but you need to get things right like the bat timing and you can adjust the bat angle. It’s fun to play around with,” Mauer said.

The Move isn’t the only control adjustment that has been made this year, as The Show will feature the Pure Analog Control System. Now gamers will be able to utilize the right thumbstick as the main tool for hitting, pitching and throwing. This feature will add a new timing and accuracy wrinkle into the game that hasn’t been seen in years past.

As for game modes, all of the standard ones will be returning, with improvements made to the Road to the Show and an all-new Co-Op mode for both online and offline gaming.

The fifth version of the Road to the Show will allow users to create a player using the new interactive sliders, hone your skills using the Player Performance Evaluator and will even feature a new advancement system that will evaluate your stats and compare them to your organizational competition.

Aside from those changes, Road to the Show will also allow for gamers to assume complete control of the fielding. With the no-assist fielding option, gamers will be forced to react to the ball right when a hitter makes contact, so if you miss a beat, don’t expect to get to that ball in the gap.

Other new features for catchers, such as calling the game and defensive positioning, will be a welcome addition to this year’s Road to the Show, especially for catchers like Mauer.

“It’s nice that they are showing us some love, we tend to get forgotten about quite a bit. It’s neat, it gives another aspect of the game that people might overlook,” Mauer said.

Even though Mauer is one of the best to ever play the position, the three-time batting champion said he wouldn’t want to be a backstop in his own Road to the Show.

“I’ve always wanted to play shortstop, I think everyone in the big leagues has played shortstop at one point coming up, I think playing shortstop in a big league game would be pretty cool,” Mauer said.

Aside from the improved Road to the Show, gamers will be able to team up with one another in the game’s Co-Op mode. Co-Op mode will allow users to take control of up to four players per team (two each) and will allow for 2v2 gameplay either online or on a single console.

As for who Mauer would want to team up with online in The Show, he chose the Twins’ best gamer, Jason Kubel.

“He (Kubel) plays this game a lot, he’s a big gamer and he’s definitely the one to beat in our clubhouse,” Mauer said.

Needless to say, the baseball and gaming worlds will both be looking forward to getting the call up to the big leagues when MLB The Show ’11 hits stores next month.