Bad Wax

Player’s Name: Alfonso Soriano

Player’s Nickname: Fonzie

Player’s Position: OF

Player’s Current Team: Chicago Cubs (Pictured with the Nationals)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this card off of eBay for $1.00

Set it’s from: 2007 SPX

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $10.00.

Why I like this card: I loved him when he was on the Yankees.  It was definitely worth trading him to the Rangers to get A-Rod, but I was definitely sorry to see him go.  This is one of those oddball cards.  He wasn’t with the Nationals a long time, but I’ve seen several game used cards of him in a Nats uniform.  He looks like he is back on track for another 0.280/30/80/15 season.  It’s hard to believe he is only 32, it feels like he’s been in the league forever (10 years so far). He may never put up another 40-40 season like he did in 2006 but who knows, stranger thngs have happened.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: There haven’t been too many 40-40 guys in this league so when you can find a piece of one of his jerseys, you go for it.  Let alone finding it for a dollar!  I know that the market is absolutely flooded with Soriano jersey cards, but still, a dollar for a piece of a 40-40 man’s jersey doesn’t seem so bad.I don’t think he is going to be a HOF guy, but you never know, he’s half way there in homers and hits.

Will if ever be worth more? This is a tricky one, he would have to start putting up some monster numbers for them to gain in value.. Personally I don’t think it’s going to happen.  What do you think?

Player’s Name: Greg Maddux

Player’s Nickname: Mad Dog

Player’s Position: P - Starter

Player’s Current Team: San Diego Padres

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this card off of eBay for $1.25.

Set it’s from: 2007 Bowman Sterling

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $15.00.

Why I like this card: This was actually my first Greg Maddux game used card.  I had been searching for one on eBay to drop for under $2.  I had come close several times, but it always went over my $2.25 limit.  I saw this one by accident while looking at someone’s inventory, it didn’t have the tag game used so it’s view count was low.  I sniped it with 4 seconds left and got it for $1.25.  What really brought me in though was the unique design of the card.  I had never seen a Bowman Sterling game used before and I really think it’s one of the more elegant cards out there.  As far as Maddux goes, the guy is a Hall of Famer, whenever he decides to retire.  He is probably the best pitcher of the 90’s, and when it’s all said and done he might end up as the number 5 all time in wins (14 away from that).

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: I know I might be setting myself up for some serious arguments here, but he may very well be the best pitcher to ever pitch in the game.  I don’t take into account anything before 1910.  Think about it, his fastball tops out in the high 80s.  When that happens to most pitchers, their career is over.  He may be the foremost expert of the strike zone, his pitch placement is amazing even now that he is 42 years old.  He has won 350 games in an era when pitchers aren’t supposed to win more than 250.  He won four straight Cy Young awards, how many times has that been done?  I’ll default on someone to check on that stat.  I think once, by Randy Johnson, but it was after Maddux did it.  I’m curious what other people think about Maddux.

Will if ever be worth more? It should be, but sadly it probably won’t be.  This is one of the sad parts of our hobby, where someone like Joba can have a card like this worth hundreds while Maddux’s is worth $15. Let’s face it Jaba may not even win 100 games let alone 350 (and I’m a Yankee fan).

Player’s Name: Bruce Sutter

Player’s Position: P - Closer

Player’s Current Team: Retired (pictured with the St. Louis Cardinals)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this off ebay for $2.25.

Set it’s from: 2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $10.00.

Why I like this card: The first thing that drew me to this card was the soft blue jersey.  When it comes to jersey cards, you don’t get much variation between white and gray.  So it’s always refreshing to see something different.  Bruce didn’t have a very long career (just 12 years) but in those years he saved 300 games.  By today’s standards, that isn’t too much, but think about how rare saves were in the early 80s.  Plus you were usually working 2 innings to get them.  For example in 1984 he saved 45 games, he threw almost 123 innings in 71 games.  Almost an inning and a half per outing.  Let’s see Mariano do that.  The truth is, there was a lot of dissension when he was elected to the Hall, but the truth is for 9 years, he was the most dominant closer in baseball.  I like the card because it’s classy looking.  I have always loved the Legendary Cuts series but could never afford to buy the packs.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: In truth, I might have over paid for this card.  You might be thinking, you got the card for $2.25 and you think you over paid?  Yes I do, I should have gotten it for $1.50, but I liked the look of the card and decided to pay the premium.  You can keep all your superfractors, and rookie autographs, give me a jersey card of a Hall of Famer and I’m all set.  There isn’t a person on earth that can defend why a Joba game used card is worth more than 10 times what I paid for this.  Sutter is a HOFer, Joba can’t get out of the 3rd inning.

Will if ever be worth more? Nope.  He may be in the Hall of Fame, but overall his cards are unlisted stars.

Player’s Name: Tim “Rock” Raines

Player’s Position: OF

Player’s Current Team: Retired (pictured with the Montreal Expos)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this off ebay for $0.85.

Set it’s from: 2007 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $8.00.

Why I like this card: Let me tell you something, back in the mid 80s, there were two guys in that Expos outfield that in 1986 I would have told you that they were both going to the Hall of Fame.  Unfortunately Hawk and Rock have not entered the hall.  Dawson deserves it, but Raines lots his way, mid way through his career.  Nothing too shocking, he just lost his speed.  There were six years where he stole 70 or more bases, he was a speed demon, but when that left him, he was reduced to a hitting specialist.  I like this card, because when he was with the Expos, he was an absolute speed demon and I always liked the stolen base guys.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: This was another one of those cards, where I had to decide whether it was a cheap or bad hit.  I called it a cheap hit, but it really could have gone the other way.  I look at it like this, for a solid decade he was one of the best lead off guys in the game (behind Ricky Henderson and Vince Coleman).  There were very few guys that could disrupt a pitcher like Rock could and for that reason alone, I made this a cheap hit.  Sire he’ll never make his way to the Hall of Fame, but he should be in the Hall of Very Good.  Anyone who was as productive as he was for as long a time as he was, deserves consideration.  His numbers though weren’t prolific and that’s why He’ll never make it in.

Will if ever be worth more? Nope.  It is what it is a game used common.

Player’s Name: Carlton Fisk

Player’s Position: C

Player’s Current Team: retired (pictured with the Chicago White Sox)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this off ebay for $2.25.

Set it’s from: 2007 SP Signature Cut

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $15.00.

Why I like this card: I needed a pinstripe jersey of Fisk.  I never had one before and the only other jersey card I had for Fisk was his Boston gray.  It’s just a bonus that this was from the Cuts set.  What I find appalling is that this is essentially a throw away card from a pack.  I mean when you are dropping $150+, and you get a jersey card (even if it was Fisk), it’s just not exciting.  I guess that’s why I found it on eBay for so cheap. I also think it’s very cool how the pinstripe is aligned (sort of) with the border of the card.  Anyway you shake it, this card is a pleasure to have, of a player who might very well be the best or top 3 (including Bench and possibly Piazza) best catchers to ever play the game.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: A Hall of Famer’s home game used jersey for $2.25?  Are you kidding?  I’ll snap those up all week long.  Fisk finished his career with 0.269/24/88 season average (that’s over 24 seasons!), he was 45 and still catching games.  Any way you shake it the guy was a legend, you don’t have to even be a Sox (Red and White) fan to appreciate what he brought to the game.  His numbers are prolific for a catcher and he was a 10 time All Star (back before ballot stuffing).  Also he may be one of the few catchers ever to record a 8-6-2 double play.

Will if ever be worth more? Nope, he’s in the HOF and there is nothing he can do or award he can get to push his cards any higher then they are.

Player’s Name: Scott Rolen

Player’s Position: 3B

Player’s Current Team:Toronto Blue Jays (Pictured with the Cardinals)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this off of eBay for $0.35

Set it’s from: 2007 Upper Deck Sweet Spot

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $10.00.

Why I like this card: I really went back and forth on this one, as a player, I thinkn he has had a fairly good career.  As a person, I think he is an @$$h013.  I’ve met him twice, once at a grand opening for a store in Philly where he was supposed to sign from 12-3 but instead showed up an hour late and left 45 mins early, and left at least 50 who had waited for 4 hours, without an autograph.  The second time, was after a Phillies game as he was getting his car.  All the other players stopped to sign autographs, even the player Scott was talking to, so while this guy was signing autos Scott waited and wouldn’t even address the crowd.  I like the card because it’s pretty colorful and I didn’t have any Sweet Spot game used that looked like that.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: He is definitely a good player, I won’t say he is a good guy, but talent wise, he is very good.  That is when he’s not injured and let’s face facts in his career, he has missed over 22% of his team’s games.  That is a very high number.  To put that in perspective Griffey has missed 21% of his team’s games over his career.  But when he is in the lineup, you can pencil him in for a 0.284/28/108/11 season and I’d take that for my team any day.  So in the end, it’s a cheap hit for the caliber player he is (when healthy).

Will if ever be worth more? No, he’ll never win an MVP award and he won’t be going to the Hall of Fame, so this card shouldn’t expect to increase in value.

Player’s Name: Wade Boggs

Player’s Position: 3B

Player’s Current Team:Retired (Pictured with the Red Sox)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this off of eBay for $1.25

Set it’s from: 2007 Upper Deck Sweet Spot

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $12.00.

Why I like this card: Someone once asked me why I root for Wade Boggs?  Well it’s because of his Hair club for Men ads of course!  Truthfully, I do like Wade Boggs, even though he was a Red Sox.  The guy was about as pure a hitter as they come.  In his 18 year career, only three times did he hit under 0.300.  His career average is 0.328, which is just ridiculous when you think about it.I like this card though because it has the Sox away jersey swatch and I already had the home one, so I figured why not try to get both.  Also how funny is the placement of the patch, it’s almost like they are trying to hide something.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: Let’s see, he had 12 All Star appearances, 8 Silver Slugger awards, led the league in batting 5 times, and is ranked 36th overall in lifetime average.  If you look at the ten closest stat-wise to him in Baseball-Reference, 8 are Hall of Famers. Yet you too can have this card for $1.25.  That just seems wrong to me.  How is one of the best hitters in our generation worth only a $1.25.  He was even on a popular team, he just never really became a top shelf collectible.  It’s not like he wasn’t a personable guy, I remember once he was signing autographs at Yankee stadium.  He just didn’t have the charisma of a Ripken or a Gwynn.  Maybe it was because he became a mercenary at the end of his career, who knows, he just never became that had to get player.

Will if ever be worth more? What more can he do?  He’s already in the Hall of Fame.  I think his card prices are set in stone.

Player’s Name: Dennis Eckersley

Player’s Position: P - Starter / Closer

Player’s Current Team: Retired (Pictured with the A’s)

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this off eBay for $1.25.

Set it’s from: 2007 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic.

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $10.00.

Why I like this card: Here is what I like about the Eck, not only was he an amazing closer with 390 saves in 11 seasons, but he was a very good starter with 151 wins in 12 seasons.  When you stop to think about the fact that he had a 20 wins season and a 50+ save season, that seems ridiculous.  He won the MVP and the Cy Young in the same year.  In 1990, one of his best seasons, and maybe the best single season of any closer he had an ERA of 0.61 and a WHIP of 0.614, that’s insane!  Of course a lot of people remember him for one thing, letting up the homer to Kirk Gibson, in game one of the 1988 World Series.  If I were picking a team and had my choice of any closer at the peak of their talent, I wouldn’t even hesitate, Eck in 1990.  Just to even make it more special, he was 35 when he did that.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: It is what I card of who I consider to be the best closer of the late 90s/early 00s.  Sure Mariano in his prime might give him a run for his money, but I think overall Eck is the best hands down.  Mariano never put together a 0.61 ERA or 0.61 WHIP, and he played on better teams that the Eck.  To get this card of a Hall of Famer for $1.25 is a steal and what makes it better is that it’s the road uniform, which is one I didn’t have for him.

Will if ever be worth more? No, he’s done all he can do at this point.  His card prices are set in stone.

Player’s Name: Justin Verlander

Player’s Position: P - Starter

Player’s Current Team: Detroit Tigers

Price I Paid for the Card: I got this card in a pack of 2008 Topps Series 1.

Set it’s from: 2008 Topps Series 1.

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $10.00.

Why I like this card: In his first two years as a full time starter, Justin has won 35 games and lost just 15. Before the season started I would have put him as a front runner for the Cy Young award this year, now that Santana is in the NL. However he is off to a horrible start (1-6). I have seen him pitch and it appears that his mechanics are off. His velocity is down and he just looks uncomfortable on the mound. Now it is still very early in the season and things could very well turn around for him (and they probably will), but this will not be a Cy Young type year for him. I do think since he is still quite young (25) that he will turn this all around and get back to the mountain top he was on after the 2007 season. The card is actually a highlight card, which glorifies his June 12^th no hitter. Throwing a no hitter is impressive and you can’t do it unless you are a good pitcher. This may be a one year aberration for Verlander, but I guess we will have to see.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: I tossed and turned on this one, in the end though I classify it as a cheap hit. The truth is that he had two of the best seasons you could have to start off a career and he is so young, there is no reason why he can’t bounce back. I’ve reviewed hundreds of pitchers and I can see this going the other way as well, one where he becomes a reliever because he can’t handle the pressures of starting. I’ve also seen one year anomalies, where pitchers have one bad seas sandwiched between many good seasons. I think Justin is going to fall into the category. He’s having a rough start but he can overcome it over time.

Will if ever be worth more? He needs a few Cy Youngs (which I think he’s capable of) before his cards are going to go up. Let’s see if he can do it.

Player’s Name: Lance Berkman

Player’s Position: 1B

Player’s Current Team: Houston Astros

Price I Paid for the Card: I bought this card on eBay for $2.25.

Set it’s from: 2004 Donruss Diamond Kings

What it’s Worth: Beckett has it listed for $15.00.

Why I like this card: It’s funny how the Astros seem to produce one monster hitter just as one retires. In the 1990s Glen Davis retired and Jeff Bagwell stepped up to be the man. Then just 2 years ago, Bagwell retired just as Berkman started to become a monster hitter. Lance has evolved into an amazing hitter his career average is 0.303/35/116, that is over the course of 10 seasons. At the age of 32 he is sitting on 271 home runs, it is very believable to see him getting to 500 homers. I do think that he has at least 8 years left and at an average of 30 per year, we are looking at 240 more homers, which would put him at 511. That would put him in the Hall of Fame. Also, sitting at over 1300 hits, he has a shot (albeit an outside shot) of hitting 3000 total hits. The part of the card I like best is that it’s dual game used (jersey and bat). Plus I love the Diamond Kings portraits, something I have always loved about the Donruss product.

Why it’s a Cheap Hit: Since I really believe that he will be a Hall of Famer, this is a no brainer as far as picking it up for the price I paid. This is truly a buyer’s market in the world of eBay. You can usually get very good player’s game used cards for fairly cheap. If you are a devoted reader of my blog, you already know there are plenty of deals to be had on eBay. As a result, I have noticed that it has become harder to land these gems. I know that my little blog has very little to do with this, But I will have to wait a few more weeks for the activity to die down.

Will if ever be worth more? I don’t know, I think the closer he gets to the 500 HR and 3000 hit milestones, the price will go up. But it is very difficult to believe that it is going to up go much more than what it is worth.