The video-game Joey Gallo, the player created for MLB The Show, has prodigious power but doesn’t make a ton of contact. And he doesn’t have very good vision.
“He’s pretty frustrating to hit with, just like in real life,” the real Gallo said Friday.
The Texas Rangers All-Star is one of 30 baseball players who will take part in the MLB The Show Players League. Each player will play 29 three-inning games as his team, with multiple streaming options available for games. The top eight will advance to the playoffs.
Gallo said the Rangers’ roster doesn’t have many highly rated players, so he anticipates some problems in his virtual season. He’s not a Show junkie, either, but also doesn’t think he’s going to embarrass himself.
Even if he does, it’s for a good cause.
“If I win, I win, that’s great,” Gallo said. “I would say I’m middle-of-the-pack. I’m mediocre. I’m good enough to maybe win some games, but I don’t think I’m going to be lights out in the tournament. We’ll see.”
MLB, the MLB Players Association and Sony Interactive Entertainment are donating $150,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America — $5,000 for each player to a Boys & Girls Club affiliate in his team’s area. The champion’s Boys & Girls Club will receive an extra $25,000.
Though Gallo didn’t realize the idea would garner the attention it has, it fits with the model he and other Rangers players have discussed in reaching out to the fans during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s great to be able to help any way we can,” Gallo said. “We’ve been talking about it. We want to do more stuff online and try to find ways to get the fans involved and interact with them and try to let them see our personalities and what we like to do off the field.”
The Rangers are also reaching out to the community. They are teaming with the United Way of Tarrant County to raise money for the United Way Emergency Relief fund, which benefits people affected by COVID-19.
Donations to the Emergency Relief Fund can be made at www.texasrangers.com/giveunitedway.
Gallo, meanwhile, will be debuting in his virtual season in the coming days.
“Those kids watch us play every day on the baseball field, and now they don’t get to,” Gallo said. “They get to watch us do something else and something they like to do as well, so I think it’s pretty cool.”
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