MLB 06: The Show is a baseball video game for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The game was produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, primarily by SCE's San Diego Studio, which was formerly known as 989 Sports. It is the first game in the MLB: The Show franchise. Marketing The game's marketing campaign consisted primarily of an extensive television advertising campaign with humorous 'spots' featuring MLB players with actors. David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox was featured on the game cover. Ortiz, Don Zimmer, and Dave Campbell also appeared in TV spots advertising the game. Gameplay In-game rosters The game does not feature any MLB player who is not a member of the Major League Baseball Players Association. However, there are some fictional players in the game that are similar to these missing players, most notably 'Reggie Stocker', a fictional player standing in for Barry Bonds, a play on the name Bonds, as in security bonds, and Stocker, as in stock broker, two money related names. Game modes "The Show" mode MLB 06: The Show features a career mode which is one of the game's unique features. This is known as "The Show" mode, giving the game its name. In this mode, the user creates a player and attempts to take him to Major League stardom. The game features officially licensed Double-A and Triple-A baseball leagues and teams from the 2006 season. By performing well, users can eventually guide their player to the major leagues. A unique aspect of the game mode is the user's controlling only one chosen player during gameplay, as opposed to the entire team. For example, if a player is pitching in a certain game, the gameplay will simulate half-innings in which the user's team is hitting. Also, a user-controlled starting pitcher's schedule will be simulated for all games in which the user does not pitch. Season mode MLB 06: The Show also features a Season mode in which users can carry one team through an entire 162-game season, and into the playoffs if the team performs well enough. Users can pick from the thirty current Major League Baseball teams and have the options to change team rosters, review scouting reports for opposing teams, and view statistics and standings. In this setting, all players on a team are user-controlled during gameplay, unlike "The Show" mode. Franchise mode Also featured in MLB 06: The Show is Franchise