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Shohei Ohtani's of yesterday
mb2005
Posts: 165 ✭✭
When I see people paying over $6k for a card of someone who has little MLB experience, it reminds of other Shohei Ohtani's whose cards never rose above the initial hype:
Gregg Jeffries
Kevin Maas
Brien Taylor
I predict Aaron Judge will be on this list someday too, just because that is the most likely outcome. Of course for every 10,000 or so Aaron Judge's there's a Mike Trout, but even Trout might not turn out as expected (see Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez). Predicting future baseball card value of existing players sure can be tough.
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I 100% agree with your premise that his cards are at astronomically crazy prices right now, but comparisons between Ohtani and anybody else just aren't applicable IMHO because he is obviously doing something that no one has been able to do successfully in basically 80+ years.
The man throws 100 mph, has hit a verified 500+ foot HR in a game before (albeit in Japan), and runs a legit sub 6.6 60 yard dash. That's a once or twice in a lifetime, Bo Jackson-esque type of physical skill set.
I obviously have no clue how his career will shake out, and I wouldnt pay 6K for one of his red inks right now even if I were a billionaire, but as a die hard fan of the game I can appreciate what this kid is doing RIGHT NOW and truly marvel at the level of talent that he possesses.
Always looking for tougher PSA 10's of Nolan Arenado, Alex Bregman, Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout.
Not gonna speak to anyone spending thousands on a card since that's a personal decision.
But, I have a different perspective - living in the "here and now."
Judge spear headed a lot of fun and excitement in the hobby.
Ohtani is doing same this year.
This is just my opinion but collectors just want to have fun.
It seems sometimes that there are just as many players who we wish we had invested in before prices took a logarithmic rise (Tom Brady et.al.), as there are of players we wish we sold off during the unusually high but brief spike of RC values (how about hockey guys like Alexandre Daigle, Jason Bonsignore, Ken Hodge Jr. being added to the list?). Whether the investment market is sports collectibles-related or not, putting down cash is always a risk rather than a sure thing.
That being said, totally agree that excitement over a new hot rookie does wonders for interest in the sport as a whole, spectating and hobby alike.
The three you cited didn’t have high end stuff either but rookie cards every year have some fun craziness
It says so much that nearly every guy you listed was a NY player.
Back in the early to mid 80’s we had a few guys in our neighborhood who would read Baseball America and scout the up and coming prospects while still in the minors, and they would grab 20-30 cards of the top guys for 5-10 cents each. I still remember seeing pages with 9 cards of 83 Boggs, 84 Mattingly, 85 McGwires... and multiples of them. IMO that was the way to collect which does not exist today due to refractors and autos. That was also what made the 83 Traded Strawberry and 84 Gooden so expensive at the time.
KC
I don't follow baseball closely anymore but did see him pictured on the cover of the SMR.
WOW it is pretty awesome to be a slugger and a pitcher at the same time. This will be fun to watch and see how he pans out.
When will they start getting critical and say he should focus on one or the other. Just like being critical of a superstar catcher to move in the field to save their body.
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Oh chit - Please don't remind me of Kevin Maas...a card investment dog with fleas
My family got burnt pretty good on the Brien Taylor and Todd Van Poppel busts.
Are you suggesting that Pujols and Rodriguez don't belong in the HoF?
Alex Relyea
The hobby hall of fame is easier to get into but you can get kicked out at any time. It’s a much more exclusive club when all is said and done.
I think it is great that guys like Judge and Ohtani are creating excitement in baseball (and baseball cards too!).
About Pujols and A-Rod, what I was trying to say was that as a baseball card investment, they looked really good at one point because of their accomplishments (first 10 years of Pujols career compares well to just about any hitter in history; A-Rod was on target to be the all time home run king), but not so much now (Pujols has really dropped off; A-Rod is a steroid guy and not as well-liked). I wasn't saying anything about the HoF for them....
OK, but Dwight Gooden, Daryl Strawberry, Thurman Munson (pre-crash), Jose Canseco, Nomar Garciaparra, etc. are more appropriate for the second group.
Ron Kittle, Joe Charbonneau, Jerome Walton fit well in the first group.
Whats the auto /69 gonna be worth in 12 months????
I will guess $300-$400 lol
Odds are he will hit .275 and win 10 games
No problem with those stats at all
Amazing talent but 6k is nuts
On the #/69 Ohtani?
This is incredible!
Purchased Mar 25th:
and now?
Well, at least you get $100 in eBay bucks!!
The guy who hit his 17/69 jersey number should have done a .99 auction
With all the crazy money across the World and a huge foreign market interested a potential buyer might have paid 20k + lol... no joke it’s a 1/1
https://m.ebay.com/itm/Shohei-Ohtani-2018-Topps-Heritage-Red-Ink-Real-One-Auto-Autograph-17-69-JSY/332615072932?hash=item4d71673ca4:g:BIEAAOSwm-Zayuq~
Exactly how did Pujols "not turn out as expected"? Over .300 career average, over 600 homers. Even as he's dropped off in LA because of injury and age, he's still averaged 30+ homers a year.
I bought five Ohtani Topps Now cards from his signing day last week for $25 each. I saw a few sell for double that over the weekend. I gotta get em slabbed yet. I watched those Judge cards last year and it was a lot of fun as a spectator. Hoping this year I can enjoy that ride. Worst case scenario is I don't think I'll lose money because I got in pretty early.
He's definitely been fun to watch so far. Hope he can keep it up.
There'll be plenty of his RC's to go around - but I couldn't resist these that were sold "direct" from Topps.
I think the card is sweet - it has all the feel of a real 53T - and I don't mind that it's standard size.
Linsanity?