My grandpa had a baseball card shop on the other side of the janitorial supply that he ran with granny. My own forays into collecting centered around NHL players - I had a $5 Pavel Bure that I was quite fond of, and an $8 Eric Lindros that my friend assured me would go down in value. I was like no way, Lindros is awesome and this is a nice looking card, and sure enough, it eventually went down to being worth $7. I learned a hard lesson about investments from that.
Clearly you don't collect cards Joe 🤣 Those of us in the hobby don't say cards are rated, we say they are graded. I've only gotten a handful graded over the years, most notably my Seaver and Ryan/Koosman (Jerry was too good of a pitcher to overlook that he's on the same card) rookie cards. Neither graded all that well which is fine, I just wanted them protected in their slabs.
glad Witt Jr is showing out, your beloved Royals sure need some good news!
Arozarena was certainly a joy when playing against the Giants last time TB visited, joking w/nearby fans when 2 consecutive foul balls were hit their way, Randy leaping into the crowd to nab 1...
anytime the Yankees or Dodgers self-implode, i feel deliciously sweet schadenfreude, as i do when the Plowgirls, Lambs or Chiefs (our Niners' newest enemy) have problems in NFL
On Witt: Yesterday, right before reading the article I was seeing what the guys on afantasy team with OBP as a category had done in the last 30 days. Witt's OBP over the 30 day period was .505. That is pretty impressive, especially in this era.
As a Royals fan, he has a chance to have the highest rWAR ever (#fWAR sucks) for a Royals position player this year as Brett leads with 9.4 (though he did that in only 117 games. That 1980 season was special. Only Ruth, Bonds, and Rogers Hornsby had seasons with more WAR per game.) He is on pace to hit double digits, which has only happened 8 times this century (One Sosa, 3 Bonds, 2 Trouts, a Betts and a Judge)
Heck, his batting average in July was .508 yesterday. ( a 1-4 tonight took it just below .500) It has been fun to watch.
The Yankee lineup the other day, according to Jomboy, may have been a cry for help. You want us to use these guys? Here you go: Jamai (career 49 OPS+) leading off at DH. JD Davis, DFA'ed by the A's a month ago, hitting cleanup. A rookie catcher making his first career start. BAM! You think we can win with this lineup? Let's give it a try!
And it was close, too! They lost by one run! The next night, when they got blown out with their regulars in the lineup and their ace on the hill, may have been even more effective in lighting a fire under Hal Steinbrenner's butt.
Hey! Looks like the Rays are sellers, are aren't afraid to trade within their division! Maybe we can pry Isaac Paredes away from them! He's not expensive yet, but he's having a great year and is arb-eligible, so he's about to be, and that is anathema to the Tampa management. They've already traded away the 1st, 3rd and 6th highest paid players on the roster (Eflin, Arozarena and Aaron Civale). How about packaging #2 (Brandon Lowe, $8.75M, plus two ~$11M team options) and #4 (Yandy Diaz, $8M, plus $10M in 2025 and a $12M team option for 2026) for a bunch of prospects, any of which would be an improvement on whoever we've got playing first, third, DH or second base!
I know, it's asking too much, but c'mon! Do SOMETHING!!!
Very appreciative of the Kentucky Derby reference at the end of the Witt section. An occasional horse racing post from you would be very welcome by this long time reader.
I voted buy the baseball card in the poll cuz baseball cards, but what I would really do is forget the idea of the 56 Koufax. Rookie cards are always overpriced, and Koufax didn't become a legend until the 60s anyway.
His '62 topps, for example, is a great looking and nicely available low number, and one in really good shape with some gloss might set you back the same amount as a '56 that had been dipped in paraffin and been used on some Flatbush kid's bicycle spokes during the last years of the Eisenhower administration.
Then, if you still wanted a '56 card go and find Karl Spooner's. Better story and a better prospect, at the time.
Do both and you'll still have money to spend at the Pen convention
I'm a Mets fan, missed the Wednesday game but saw all of Tuesday (the game in the screenshot). And I hate the intentional walk as much as Joe and the rest of you, but EVERY time Judge came to bat (well, first three times), I was literally screaming at the TV: "Walk him! WALK HIM! JD DAVIS IS HITTING NEXT!!" And I guess they sorta did, unintentionally (he had four walks in five plate appearances, the last being an improbable 9th inning strikeout), and Davis promptly struck out twice and grounded into a double play the other time. I haven't followed the Yankees much this year, aside from these posts by Joe, but if JD Davis and the like is the best they can come up with to protect Soto/Judge, I think the Bombers are cooked. When the Mets played them at Citi a few weeks ago, they basically walked those guys a lot and neutralized the Yankees offense, outscoring them 21-9.
Please come to Phoenix if you’re still deciding book tour dates!!! I would love to come to one of the book signings but most of the places are too far or I can’t get away because of school.
Joe : Buy the Koufax card. Best condition that you can swallow. I suspect as a best selling author, you can do that. It's nice to see your humility and upbringing on display. On the other hand, if you are spending like a drunken sailor (I was one; I can say it.) on fountain pens, perhaps the $5 limit applies!
I picked me up a 65 Koufax today. Ungraded but it looks vg. I don’t care I’m happy!
My grandpa had a baseball card shop on the other side of the janitorial supply that he ran with granny. My own forays into collecting centered around NHL players - I had a $5 Pavel Bure that I was quite fond of, and an $8 Eric Lindros that my friend assured me would go down in value. I was like no way, Lindros is awesome and this is a nice looking card, and sure enough, it eventually went down to being worth $7. I learned a hard lesson about investments from that.
Clearly you don't collect cards Joe 🤣 Those of us in the hobby don't say cards are rated, we say they are graded. I've only gotten a handful graded over the years, most notably my Seaver and Ryan/Koosman (Jerry was too good of a pitcher to overlook that he's on the same card) rookie cards. Neither graded all that well which is fine, I just wanted them protected in their slabs.
save your money and skip the Koufax, Joe...
glad Witt Jr is showing out, your beloved Royals sure need some good news!
Arozarena was certainly a joy when playing against the Giants last time TB visited, joking w/nearby fans when 2 consecutive foul balls were hit their way, Randy leaping into the crowd to nab 1...
anytime the Yankees or Dodgers self-implode, i feel deliciously sweet schadenfreude, as i do when the Plowgirls, Lambs or Chiefs (our Niners' newest enemy) have problems in NFL
On Witt: Yesterday, right before reading the article I was seeing what the guys on afantasy team with OBP as a category had done in the last 30 days. Witt's OBP over the 30 day period was .505. That is pretty impressive, especially in this era.
As a Royals fan, he has a chance to have the highest rWAR ever (#fWAR sucks) for a Royals position player this year as Brett leads with 9.4 (though he did that in only 117 games. That 1980 season was special. Only Ruth, Bonds, and Rogers Hornsby had seasons with more WAR per game.) He is on pace to hit double digits, which has only happened 8 times this century (One Sosa, 3 Bonds, 2 Trouts, a Betts and a Judge)
Heck, his batting average in July was .508 yesterday. ( a 1-4 tonight took it just below .500) It has been fun to watch.
The Yankee lineup the other day, according to Jomboy, may have been a cry for help. You want us to use these guys? Here you go: Jamai (career 49 OPS+) leading off at DH. JD Davis, DFA'ed by the A's a month ago, hitting cleanup. A rookie catcher making his first career start. BAM! You think we can win with this lineup? Let's give it a try!
And it was close, too! They lost by one run! The next night, when they got blown out with their regulars in the lineup and their ace on the hill, may have been even more effective in lighting a fire under Hal Steinbrenner's butt.
Hey! Looks like the Rays are sellers, are aren't afraid to trade within their division! Maybe we can pry Isaac Paredes away from them! He's not expensive yet, but he's having a great year and is arb-eligible, so he's about to be, and that is anathema to the Tampa management. They've already traded away the 1st, 3rd and 6th highest paid players on the roster (Eflin, Arozarena and Aaron Civale). How about packaging #2 (Brandon Lowe, $8.75M, plus two ~$11M team options) and #4 (Yandy Diaz, $8M, plus $10M in 2025 and a $12M team option for 2026) for a bunch of prospects, any of which would be an improvement on whoever we've got playing first, third, DH or second base!
I know, it's asking too much, but c'mon! Do SOMETHING!!!
Very appreciative of the Kentucky Derby reference at the end of the Witt section. An occasional horse racing post from you would be very welcome by this long time reader.
Here’s one for ya:
Secretariat’s 1 1/4 mile split in the Belmont (1:59) is faster than the winning time of EVERY Kentucky Derby.
His mile split in the Belmont (1:34 4/5) broke the existing track record at the distance.
Yes. And I think that split would win more than half of the Breeder’s Cup Miles. With a half mile to go.
That race was…ridiculous.
Yes, and in the Derby he ran each quarter faster than the previous quarter. Never happened before or since.
I voted buy the baseball card in the poll cuz baseball cards, but what I would really do is forget the idea of the 56 Koufax. Rookie cards are always overpriced, and Koufax didn't become a legend until the 60s anyway.
His '62 topps, for example, is a great looking and nicely available low number, and one in really good shape with some gloss might set you back the same amount as a '56 that had been dipped in paraffin and been used on some Flatbush kid's bicycle spokes during the last years of the Eisenhower administration.
Then, if you still wanted a '56 card go and find Karl Spooner's. Better story and a better prospect, at the time.
Do both and you'll still have money to spend at the Pen convention
Joe, Re: Sandy Koufax and the card: Some things-- and some people who do amazing things in baseball and in life--are priceless. Do it!!!
No mention of Mookie as best player in baseball? Am I on the right blog?
The lowest grade 1956 Koufax ("1") on ebay is going for $150.00. Looks like it's been used as a coaster.
If you are going strictly on investment potential, the card is mightier than the pen.
65 years ago I bought a pack of football cards for a nickel at the drugstore, and 4 of the 5 were Johnny Unitas.
Regarding Arozarena: being overrated and being an improvement for the Mariners are not mutually exclusive.
Seems like Jazz is a similar situation for the Yankees. Not that I want the Yankees to do well of course (had to clarify that as a Tigers fan).
Yeah, replacing below average hitters with league average hitters is a shockingly huge lift.
I'm a Mets fan, missed the Wednesday game but saw all of Tuesday (the game in the screenshot). And I hate the intentional walk as much as Joe and the rest of you, but EVERY time Judge came to bat (well, first three times), I was literally screaming at the TV: "Walk him! WALK HIM! JD DAVIS IS HITTING NEXT!!" And I guess they sorta did, unintentionally (he had four walks in five plate appearances, the last being an improbable 9th inning strikeout), and Davis promptly struck out twice and grounded into a double play the other time. I haven't followed the Yankees much this year, aside from these posts by Joe, but if JD Davis and the like is the best they can come up with to protect Soto/Judge, I think the Bombers are cooked. When the Mets played them at Citi a few weeks ago, they basically walked those guys a lot and neutralized the Yankees offense, outscoring them 21-9.
Mr. Posnanski,
Please come to Phoenix if you’re still deciding book tour dates!!! I would love to come to one of the book signings but most of the places are too far or I can’t get away because of school.
Joe : Buy the Koufax card. Best condition that you can swallow. I suspect as a best selling author, you can do that. It's nice to see your humility and upbringing on display. On the other hand, if you are spending like a drunken sailor (I was one; I can say it.) on fountain pens, perhaps the $5 limit applies!