| Imagine watching your son or daughter "choosing | | | | what pitches to hit or when to try for a double |
| up sides" from the neighborhood kids for a | | | | play." |
| baseball game and the first pick is reigning National | | | | Players select lineups, team logos and backyard |
| League Most Valuable Player, Albert Pujols. Such a | | | | fields and control every pitch, choosing from the |
| "dream team" moment can come a lot closer to | | | | standard fastball to specialty pitches such as the |
| reality than fantasy thanks to the latest version | | | | screwball and curveball. Players can select from |
| of a popular children's video game that lets kids | | | | multiple camera views and use the instant replay |
| experience what it's like to play with current | | | | feature. They can also play single baseball games |
| Major League heroes. | | | | or engage in seasonlong competition. |
| The game, "Backyard Baseball 2007," lets children | | | | In its fifth iteration, "Backyard Baseball" is the |
| play ball with an animated kids' team including | | | | best-selling children's baseball game of all time and |
| young versions of Pujols and other professional | | | | the only kids' game to hold the coveted Major |
| baseball stars of today, such as Alex Rodriguez, | | | | League Baseball (MLB) and Major League Baseball |
| Derek Jeter, Paul Konerko and David Ortiz. Best | | | | Players Association (MLBPA) licenses. Its multilevel |
| of all, it brings into play all the strategy and stats | | | | design is said to make it easy enough for |
| of real baseball along with the humor and fantasy | | | | beginners yet challenging enough for veteran |
| kids love. | | | | players. This, some say, increases the chance that |
| Pujols was introduced to a previous version of | | | | both parents and kids can find playing it fun. |
| "Backyard Baseball" by his 6-year-old son AJ, who | | | | Plus, the "handicapping" feature can be used to |
| is already an avid baseball fan. Playing "Backyard | | | | level the playing field when parents and kids play |
| Baseball" has become a favorite activity that | | | | together. |
| Pujols and AJ enjoy doing together. | | | | "Backyard Baseball 2007" is rated "E" for |
| In a recent interview, Pujols said that one of the | | | | Everyone and is available for the Sony PlayStation |
| reasons he likes the game-he's featured on the | | | | 2, Game Boy(R), Nintendo GameCube™ |
| cover of the 2007 version-is that it actually | | | | and Windows PC. With over 2 million "Backyard |
| teaches kids the rules of baseball so they can | | | | Baseball" games sold, it continues to be extremely |
| understand the game better when they watch it | | | | popular with both kids and adults, thanks to its |
| on television or play it with friends. | | | | entertaining graphics, message of good |
| Said Pujols, "It helps kids understand real baseball | | | | sportsmanship and nonviolent format. |
| strategies, like when's the right time to steal, | | | | |