Q&A: MLB 2K10 cover athlete Evan Longoria

Lately, 2K Sports has taken an interesting approach with its Major League Baseball franchise. Rather than adorning its box art with household names in the twilight of their careers--knee braces and all--2K has taken to using up-and-coming players on the cover of its games. Last year it was San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum, a fireballer only a couple years removed from his collegiate career at the University of Washington. Playing for a West Coast team, not a lot of people know Lincecum, but after two Cy Youngs in his first three seasons, it's time they start learning about this kid.

For MLB 2K10, the publisher is following up on that act with Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria. After only two seasons playing for what was once the laughingstock of the AL East, Longoria is a lot like Lincecum--a young phenom with tremendous talent but not someone that your uncle in South Dakota knows much about just yet. And like Tim, it's time that starts changing. As a third baseman capable of launching 30-plus home runs and playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, Longoria is a terrific all-around player who, having just turned 24, is only going to get better. Last week we had the opportunity to chat with Longoria over the phone to see how he's handling this newfound stardom.

GameSpot: So, two all-star games, Rookie of the Year, Gold Glove, and now you’re on the cover of MLB 2K10. How does it feel to achieve so much success so early in your career?

Evan Longoria: It’s a huge honor. Obviously, the on-field accolades are the coolest thing, but I think everybody...since they, you know, grow up and play video games...wants to be on the cover of a video game. So, to be able to be on it now...I mean, it’s an awesome feeling and, you know, the other stuff is very fun and amazing for me and very humbling.

GS: Can you tell us how you got involved with 2K? How does the process compare with some of the other, say, magazine covers and sponsorships you’ve done in the past?

EL: I first got involved probably about two months into the year this year, you know, kind of just shooting some ideas back and forth. And I actually...when I met with them first...had mentioned to them that I didn’t like the way that their last commercial ended up because they had my likeness hitting a home run and being robbed by Torii Hunter in the game. I don’t know if you remember that from the last game, but we started talking and shooting ideas back and forth, and I had actually met all of the guys at All Star weekend in St. Louis. And that was kind of the first formal meeting with all the 2K Sports guys, and it kind of just went from there and we developed a good relationship. I put, you know, more than my two cents in for this game, and we’ve had a lot of good times together, so I mean it’s been a good experience.

GS: Did you realize going into the deal that you’d eventually have to dress up in one of those weird Spandex motion capture suits?

EL: Yeah, I mean, I think that’s the cool part, you know...they actually give all the guys...all the major league got the opportunity to do that. It’s not just me. I mean, anybody that, you know, thinks that their swing or their, you know, whatever doesn’t look like them. I mean, they give everybody the opportunity to go and put on the suit and make it as realistic as possible.

GS: What sort of feedback did you put into the game? You had mentioned what you thought about that commercial they did, but what sort of feedback did you bring up in terms of previous games and what you would like to see moving forward with this next one?

EL: I think the biggest thing that this new game...with Tim being on the cover last year and me this year, you know...he’s a pitcher and I’m a hitter. And I think that’s kind of the biggest thing that MLB 2K10 is trying to get across now...is the kind of a rivalry between the pitchers and the hitters. And it was cool for me because the first shoot that we did for this game, I was able to, kind of, give them my input on what pitchers do and what their tendencies are, and I think that this game is far and above more advanced than previous games because of the input the guys have had. You know, what guys have put into it and the data that these guys have accrued and the time that they’ve spent making this game.

GS: What sort of background do you have with video games?

EL: I’ve been playing video games since I was a kid, you know...pretty much all types. Mainly growing up, I played all baseball games. That was, you know...I live, breathe, and eat, and sleep baseball, so, I mean, any time I had a chance to play a video baseball game...whatever the new one was, I was playing it. Now, it’s fun to be kind of on the flip side of it. I get to use my input to make these games better.

GS: If I’m not mistaken, you grew up in sort of the general LA area. Did you have a favorite team growing up that you would always play as in those games?

EL: More so favorite players. My team growing up was probably the Angels. But I was never a kid...I was never like a, you know...I never knew what players made what and what their stats were and all that. I was never a numbers guy like that. I just liked players for what they did on the field.

GS: Now, hypothetically speaking, if you were able to make your own video game without any restrictions whatsoever, who would you put in the announcer’s booth?

EL: Who would I put in the announcer’s booth? I would probably...I don’t know. I mean, there’s a lot...I probably would put Vin Scully by himself in the announcer’s booth.

GS: That's a good choice. That's probably the best choice!

EL: I love listening to Vin Scully.

GS: Yeah, he’s a great guy. The stories that guy can tell are just amazing.

EL: Oh, I mean, just the depth and his knowledge of the game and the players is, you know...he’s a living museum and bank of baseball.

GS: Yeah, absolutely. So, on the subject of making your own game. Out of curiosity, on a 1 to 100 scale, if you had to give your own character ratings in the game, what would you assign to your defense, hitting for contact and hitting for power skills?

EL: Defense I’d probably be 95. I would say hitting for contact, probably an 80. Hitting for power, somewhere in the mid 90s, mid-to-high 90s, hopefully.

GS: How about your teammates? What about, say, Carl Crawford’s speed skills, or maybe Ben Zobrist’s plate discipline?

EL: I think Carl...it’s got to be a 98, 99 speed. He’s one of the most electric players that I’ve ever played with, not to mention all of this, you know...his other stuff. His defense is great. He hits for power. He hits for average. And Ben, I mean...just what Ben did this year also. He actually got voted 8th in the MVP voting, which I was really happy for him about. But I think he is probably the most rounded player of me and Carl. I think I’m more of a power-driving guy, and Carl’s a...gets on base, steals, you know... high on-base percentage. I think Ben is probably...he does it all fairly well, so I would say he’s probably a 90 across the board with everything.

GS: Now, if you were making your own game, would your game be able to accurately capture the magic of Joe Maddon’s glasses?

EL: Ha-ha! I don’t know what Joe sees through his glasses. I mean, I think it’s different every day. But it’d be fun to actually be, you know, inside of his brain looking out and see what he’s thinking because some of the things that he comes up with are, you know...I don’t know where he gets them. But hopefully, that would be a big part of the game is seeing into his mind and trying to understand it.

GS: So, a lot of the awards have been coming out for the 2009 season. Do you have any particular thoughts on some of those winners? I know that you just won a Gold Glove for the first time. How does that feel?

EL: Good. I mean, that was obviously--the other awards are great--but when I was at Long Beach, I prided myself and we prided ourselves on defense there. So, I know me and Troy Tulowitzki have been having this ongoing battle with who’s better defensively, and I think he was second in the voting last year and the Gold Glove. So, it’s kind of a point of pride. It’s definitely been my favorite award to win. I would say just in front of the Rookie of the Year because you only get one chance to win the Rookie of the Year. But the Gold Glove is definitely something I’m very proud of.

GS: Looking forward to the 2010 season, how are you feeling about the Rays’ chances? I know the Yankees are going to be tough again this year. The Red Sox, you never know about them. It’s an absolutely killer division you guys are in. How are you feeling this year?

EL: Good. I mean, I love our team. I’m really happy that the Rays made the decision to re-sign Carl. That was a big move for them. They had to pay him a lot of money and, you know...Carl, if there’s anybody worth it. I mean, he’s number one on my list. So, they’re making the right moves. I love camp. I love playing. I love being on the team. So, I don’t really worry about what the other teams in the division are doing. We understand that we’re not the Yankees, we’re not the Red Sox, we don’t have those kinds of payrolls, but we do have that kind of players and we do have the personnel to develop our players. So, I think that’s the one thing that we lean on and we’re proud of.

GS: Thanks a lot, Evan.