Q : What was it like to be chosen as the cover athlete of a videogame?

DM : I was pretty excited when I first got the call and was told that I might be on the cover. Ever since high school, I've wanted to make it to the next level and play college baseball at Texas. When I finally got there, all the players wanted to know where our videogame was. NCAA Football and Basketball had them, so it was about time that college baseball was recognized as well. But never in my wildest dreams did I think that when the first game finally hit the market, that I would be on the cover. It’s pretty cool.

Q : You played at UT and have now been drafted by the Giants. For those aren’t familiar with college baseball, what are some of the differences from the MLB that they can expect to see in MVP 06 NCAA Baseball?

DM : The most notable difference is of course the ping of the aluminum bat! Other than that, the rivalries are huge in college baseball. These rivalries really drive the intensity in the stadium where the fans go nuts, and you can recreate them in Dynasty mode with college-specific things like recruiting which is cool. Another difference is that the pro game is more of a 162 game grind where players tend to lose their hustle. In college we play like every game could be our last. I love that part about it. It has an amazing spirit.

Q : What do you think of the new features of MVP 06?

DM : I’m starting to really like Load and Fire Batting. It took a while to get used to at first because I was so used to hitting a button to swing. It has everything to do with timing and execution, just like on the field. What you do is “Load” your swing, by pulling down on the right stick. And then to “Fire” you push the stick forward. If the pitch is coming outside you intuitively move the stick towards it to make contact. It really makes the game more fun. It’s a pretty good simulation of actually batting

Q : What about the ESPN Integration?

DM : That part is awesome! For a sports fan, I can’t think of anything better than being able to keep up to date with what’s up in the world of sports by watching the ESPN ticker while I’m playing a game. I couldn’t believe it when I first loaded the game and heard the Sportscenter jingle and the ESPN Radio update chime in.

Q : The goal of the MVP 06 is to make it to the College World Series. What was that atmosphere like last season when you guys won it all last season?

DM : It was totally unbelievable. The atmosphere was so perfect. The fans are awesome and so full of energy, and the guys were so pumped. But just going out there and playing to win, playing to earn a National Championship for my school was one of the greatest moments of my life. And being named the MVP on top of that was just surreal. It's funny, I just played MVP 06 and played as Texas in Rosenblatt Stadium, where the College World Series is played, and it looks exactly like it. I just can't believe how realistic the game is, especially the stadiums. It will be pretty sweet to try and win the championship again, but this time in a videogame. I’m still really nostalgic about college baseball and this is a great way to get my fix.