MLB the Show 16 promises the ability to play as legends ... and now, just four days away from the highly-anticipated game, we know just how many.
On Friday, Forbes, which reviewed an advanced copy of the game, reported that the title will include 55 legends when the game hits stores Tuesday, while adding five more to bring the total to 60 during post-release. During a two-hour-plus live stream of MLB the Show 16 on Thursday, Forbes took a look at the list of legends, and just like their names suggest, they're some of greatest players to ever step foot on a Major League Baseball diamond, period, with some already-Hall of Famers and others being on the brink of being enshrined.
Interestingly enough, though, only five of the legends received a top overall player rating of 99. Can you guess who they are? According to Forbes, they are: Ted Williams, Tom Seaver, Mike Schmidt, Jackie Robinson and Joe Morgan. Hard to argue with them receiving 99s, right? Rounding out the top 10 of highest-rated legends are: Johnny Bench (98), Al Kaline (97), Nolan Ryan (96), Jeff Bagwell (96) and Cal Ripken Jr. (95).
Some of the other legends included in the game are Tony Gwynn, Andre Dawson, Yogi Berra, Dave Winfield, Ryne Sandberg, Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal. The lowest-rated legends of them all? Well, that would be Toronto Blue Jays World Series hero Joe Carter (87), Carlton Fisk (86), Dante Bichette (85), Rod Carew (84) and Fred McGriff (83).
As Forbes pointed out, some of the legends' ratings are absolute head-scratchers, especially McGriff's. The "Crime Dog" is on the ballot to be voted into the Hall of Fame, touting a career batting average of .284 with 484 home runs, 1,550 RBI and five All-Star selections over the course of his 19 years in the MLB. Meanwhile, Cliff Floyd had lower power numbers across the board (.278 batting average, 233 home runs and 865 RBI) with one All-Star appearance, yet has a rating of 92.
As I'm old enough to have seen both play, there's no way that McGriff wasn't a better MLB player than Cliff Floyd. Sorry. By the way, McGriff's power numbers are mostly better than Edgar Martinez's, too, yet the latter legend carries a rating of 93. MLB the Show 16 has some explaining to do about these ratings.
Forbes also reports that this year's edition is returning classic stadiums such as the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field and Crosley Field, while allowing the legends to participate in different game modes, such as the Home Run Derby, Diamond Dynasty, exhibition and franchise mode.
Check out Forbes' full gameplay video, which covers the legends and more of MLB the Show 16, below.
