Name: Robb Nen
Position: Closer
Team: Retired, Florida Marlins / San Francisco Giants
Age: 38 years old
Best Season: 2000 he went 4-3/1.50/0.85 with 41 saves and finished 4th in NL Cy Young voting.
Set it’s from: 2007 Tri Star Signa Cuts
How obtained: eBay auction
Why this Card?: Robb Nen was in the bigs for 10 seasons, his first season he was a little used middle reliever for the Rangers, he was then traded to the Marlins as part of the Cris Carpenter deal. He instantly became one of the most effective closers in the game. Over the next 9 seasons he racked up an amazing 314 saves. In 2002 while pitching in the World Series, he had some issues with his shoulder. He knew if he continued to pitch he would tear it. However, that’s just what he did in order to try and win the World Series. The Giants came up short versus the Angels, Nen completely tore his rotator cuff, he then spent the next two years trying to rehab it. Unfortunately he was unable to do so. He officially retired in 2005. He is 16th All time in saves, and I have no doubt he would have risen as high as 3rd all time had he not tore his rotator cuff. My point is, that he has more saves than both Sutter and Gossage. I think he’s a Hall of Famer. He is among the very best who ever played that position. Had the Giants won the World Series in 2002, who he be a no-brainer shoe in? Overall I actually like the idea of a cut picture, it may go against the what other people feel, but I think it’s a very interesting idea.
But What About the Set?: 2007 Tri Star Signa Cuts boxes run about a 100 bucks. They contain 4 packs with one cut signature per pack. Not a bad deal, but you know these signatures are not going to be worth 25 bucks a pop. The set is just autographs, there is no base set, just a set of players.
Beckett’s Value: $12.00
eBay Value: I got it for $2.00
I don’t mean to disrespect Robb Nen, but I don’t see how you can seriously compare him to Goose Gossage and Bruce Sutter.
Yes, Nen has more saves… but he pitched in an era were closers generally came in to start the ninth inning. Sutter and Gossage had a lot more multi-inning saves and primarily pitched in an era where they weren’t “closers” so much as “firemen” — guys who were called on to put out fires by stopping rallies.