The Many Baseball Stars We Have Lost So Far In 2020

Hi Friends,

   I hope everyone has been keeping as safe as can possibly be during this absolutely crazy year of 2020.

   Between the Coronavirus/Covid-19, the economy, and the social/racial justice movements going on all over our great Nation this year, sometimes, you wake up wondering, "what will this day hold?"!

   The world of Sports is a fantastic diversion that many of us enjoy watching, debating with other fans, and cheering for our on-field favorites! However, even the sports world has had a very difficult year, with some very untimely losses, such as that of NBA Superstar Kobe Bryant back in January, which almost feels like it was 2 years ago!

 
  The world of baseball was not immune to losses, and I started to realize after waking up today and find out that HOF Superstar Joe Morgan has passed away! Just this weekend, HOF Yankee pitching Ace Whitey Ford passed away. A week before that, both HOF Ace Bob Gibson and Ron Perranoski passed away. During the summer, we lost one of my personal favorites, HOF New York Mets pitching Ace, Tom Seaver, and a week before Seaver, it was Lou Brock!

   The year began...on January 1st... with the passing of Don Larsen, the pitcher who threw a perfect World Series game for the Yankees! Then, on through the Spring, it was Tony Fernandez, Jimmy Wynn, Al Kaline, and Bob Watson! Is this year for real?

   All of the losses are huge for the sport of baseball, and of course, the families of these players, to whom we send our most sincere condolences. However, as I mentioned, growing up in Queens, New York, as a lifetime New York Mets fan, I can identify with and feel the loss of Tom Seaver, "Tom Terrific", for several reasons, beyond the most obvious ones.

   When I was born (1971), I had missed out on the Miracle Mets of 1969, and was not "conscious" of the Mets until the late 1970's, when I began attending games at Shea Stadium, and by that time, Seaver was traded away and most of his "hey days" were behind him. However, when he pitched for the Mets on Opening Day in 1983, I was there with my best friend at the time, as well as my Dad. Ironically, Tom Seaver passed away from Dementia, which is the same illness that my Dad passed from, just last year!

   We can all just imagine these great players, assembled on a big field in the sky, striking each other out and battling it out every day from now on until the end of time! All we can do is hope that the remainder of 2020 is a little more merciful to the rest of us, and to leave our favorite sports stars with us just a little bit longer!

Thanks, be safe, be healthy, and be well!

   

Many thanks and Regards,

Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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Coronavirus, COVID19, Justice, Sports, NBA, Kobe Bryant, Joe Morgan, Whitey Ford, Yankees, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Mets, New York, Baseball, Shea Stadium, World Series, Baseball Cards, MLB, Collecting, Sports Cards, Hobby, Rookies, Collect, Invest, Collectibles, Memorabilia, Sets, Singles, Trading Cards

 

New MLB Baseball Expansion Teams: Omaha? Cuba? Japan? Where? Why? How?

Hi Folks,

   I hope your favorite baseball team is doing as great as you hoped they would, thus far, and so early in the season still!!

   Sometimes, we take it for granted if we have a favorite team within visiting distance, and I don't mean "day-trip" visiting, rather, I mean locally (30-60 minutes away, maximum). Personally, I grew up visiting Shea Stadium as a kid to see the New York Mets, and now it's Citi Field. So for me, I think sometimes I take it for granted that my team is "right here".

   Some folks have gone through the grieving process for teams that were "right here", for example, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, and then there are the folks in Montreal, a big baseball city, that bid farewell to their Expos. Did Montreal Expo fans roll their allegiance behind the Washington Nationals? Did they start flying down to DC to watch their Nationals play? Maybe some of them, but for the most part, it had to hurt. Growing up in New York, I heard stories from folks that were die-hard Dodgers fans in the 1940's and 1950's, and when the team relocated to Los Angeles, these fans went through a very sad period of time that only a true Baseball fan can "get" and understand. Many of the former Brooklyn Dodger fans refused to move their allegiance to the new L.A. team, but many of the same folks refused to become Yankee fans, due to the intense rivalry that existed for so many years (some of these rivalries split families in half!).

   However, in 1962, when the MLB expansion brought baseball to Queens with the New York Mets, a large amount of old Brooklyn Dodgers fans found some love once again for the game of baseball, no matter how hapless the Mets were in those first few years.

   Recently, the Baseball Commissioner, spoke about the next wave of cities that the MLB will be expanding into. There are a few places that make a lot of sense, as far as locations of new teams, but it makes me wonder about the mind-set of some folks that grew up without a local team.

   For example, can you imagine growing up somewhere like Omaha, Nebraska, which is an All-American city like any other Metropolis in our great country. Who would you be a fan of when you are growing up? Well, you have the Kansas City Royals, about 200 Miles and a state away, or the Colorado Rockies, 500+ Miles Away. Who do you choose? Well, if you grew up before the MLB Expansion put the Colorado Rockies team on the Baseball Map, then I guess it would have been the Royals?

   Here's my first point; from the standpoint of the actual structure of two leagues and 3 divisions each, you need to have 6 new Expansion teams. Mathematically, there is no other fair way to do it, because the way it works now, an extra team in your division makes achieving one of the wild cards that much more difficult. We're not going back to just an East and West division per league, so 4 teams will not suffice. We need 6, but where can they be? Better yet, where should they be?

   #1 Well, my first pick is Omaha. It's prime for a team, and even though there is not a population explosive region surrounding Omaha, it will lure folks from Lincoln, Des Moines, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and other mid-size cities surrounding it by a stretch of Interstate. The stadium may not require 50,000 seats, but as far as playing in the heart of the country, you cannot get much more "central" than Nebraska on the map.

   #2 How about New Orleans? You can argue "why?", with Houston a few hours down I-10. But, hey, there are the NBA Basketball New Orleans Pelicans...and the Houston Rockets. There are the New Orleans Saints of the NFL...and the Houston Texans. Why not MLB Baseball? Perhaps they can be called the New Orleans Cajuns? I am getting hungry just thinking of the potential ballpark fare....clams, oysters, garlic crab....Yum!

   #3 Aloha. How about Honolulu, Hawaii? As a gateway to the Far East, Honolulu would be a great place for a team. Aside from a large enough local population, scores of folks would catch games when on vacation in Hawaii. It might also be the next jumping point for the next big stars from Japan or Korea, who are trending towards the West Coast (Shohei Ohtani went to the Angels & Yusei Kikuchi went to the Mariners). What would the team be called? Maybe the Honolulu Hulas? Scratch that. Perhaps the Honolulu Polynesians? The New York Mets are the New York Metropolitans. Perhaps the Honolulu Polynesians can be called the Polys?

   #4 Next Stop, Montreal. Montreal is a huge market with a ready-built fan base. Like I mentioned earlier, I sincerely believe that Expos fans did not decide to stay with the franchise chain and become Washington Nationals Fans. Maybe a few, but not the majority. Baseball has a rich history in Montreal, and there is a big drive going on now and discussions regarding where the new stadium would be located. This one already seems to be in motion. I wonder if the old Expos mascot, Youppi! would split time between the Montreal Canadiens NHL team games and Montreal baseball games? He/She/It was a huge part of the fan experience at Olympic Stadium during the time of the Montreal Expos.

   The next two may be a stretch, but remember, baseball is becoming global, and these two cities are inevitable.

   #5 on my list would be Havana, Cuba. Just 90 Miles from Miami, the love that the Cuban people have for the game of baseball rivals the love that we have for the game. It was meant to be for an MLB team to be based in Cuba, and the time has come for this major step forward to happen. It does not have to be political...it's all about baseball!

   #6 on my list may be outlandish, but follow me here. Tokyo, Japan. Another city in another country that eats, sleeps, and dreams baseball. They already have the infrastructure, and would have an MLB team. I know it is far away. But, for example, an East Coast team can head out West, play the California teams and Seattle, then, play the Honolulu team, then the Japanese team, or the same in reverse. These would be long road trips, of course. Then Team Tokyo would have a longer road trip, hitting multiple cities before heading back. They would have 3 major road trips per season, followed by 3 long stretches playing at home, hosting the other teams, one after another.

   Honorable mention teams were Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, which are also huge baseball countries, as well as Korea and Australia. However, this is just my thoughts on where I'd like to see new teams, and these countries could also be interchangeable.

   What are your thoughts? Where do you think the new teams will be located?
   Better Question: What do you think their Baseball Cards would look like?

REMINDER:

   Use Code SPRING20 at checkout for 20% off and FREE SHIPPING on all

   items at www.CardboardandCoins.comHave a great week, enjoy, and be safe!!

Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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Phillies Prospect Scott Kingery Might Truly Be "Mike Trout 2.0" (Re-Post with Footnote)

Hi Folks,

   Welcome Back!!
 
   How many of you have heard of a fella by the name of Mike Trout? He's just the best player on the planet! Do you have any of his early Rookie cards, Baseball Cards, autos, etc, or did you miss the boat? What if you had a second chance with someone revving up to be just as good or maybe even better than Trout?

   Before I get too far ahead of myself, I'd like to take a look at one of the brightest stars in the Minor Leagues right now, and then see how he ranks vs. the Game's greatest.

   First we'll do numbers. Then, the name.

   2016 A+ and AA .281 BA, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 30 SB.
   He slapped 149 hits, with 36 doubles, 3 triples, and an On Base % of .335

   The most recent season stands out and shows hard work results in improvement;

   2017 AA + AAA .304 BA, 26 HR, 65 RBI, 29 SB.
   He also scored 103 Runs, smashed 165 hits, including 29 doubles and 8 triples,
   on his way to a .530 Slugging % and an On Base % of .359

NOT BAD, RIGHT?!

   Before I give you his name, he plays a hard-nosed 2nd Base, with 11 errors in 2016, but down to 6 Errors in 2017, along with some dazzling plays. Overall, a formidable batter, runner, defender.

   The Mystery Prospect (In case you didn't read the Title of this Post)? Scott Kingery of the Philadelphia Phillies farm system. Kingery just jumped 18 spaces in the latest Top 100 MLB prospects, with him coming in at #35, and #31 with Baseball America. Not too shabby, considering Aaron Judge was much further down the list at this stage.





   I have watched countless videos of this kid playing ball and I've seen some truly mature hitting, staying away from some dirty pitches that others may swing at, and watched him launch some powerful home runs. His patience at the plate reminds me of Michael Conforto, of the New York Mets. In April of 2016, I wrote in an article on Conforto, one of the Bright Young stars of the New York Mets ("Conforto Factor")

   "... there is one factor that simply awes me, and it is not the power and consistency that we want in our hitters, both of which Conforto has. It is the "no fear" mentality with eyes always open watching and observing. Mike Trout has this. Bryce Harper has it. Going further back, Tony Gwynn certainly had it as well. It's almost as if an older, wiser soul resides within him. Pull up some of his at-bats online. How can he take pitches like that and know they are not strikes? He's a tough out, and he makes each pitcher earn their pay. Let me be clear. He's 23. What 23 year old has an eye like that?"

   So, after almost 2 years have passed, we know the potential of Confortos patience and power, barring the freak accident he had swinging the bat.

   There is that common thread among good hitters, really good hitters, and it's like they have a few spare seconds more "mentally" than the next guy, and when the pitch comes, it's a beach ball they see sailing over the plate.

   I can't help it when I watch Kingery play to think to myself this is the next Mike Trout. This is the next version of Mike Trout. I put my money where my mouth is and stocked up big on Kingery. They are already going up since recently, the MLB Top 100 Prospects for 2018 were released, and Kingery jumped about 18 slots to #35 of 100 and #31 of 100 for Baseball America. That's higher than Aaron Judge was ranked before being called up.

   Another factor contributing to his increasing popularity is that the MLB named him the Top 2nd Base Prospect in all of Baseball.

   Every interview that's been done with him shows a well-spoken, humble guy with a desire to play the game and just be happy. This positive attitude reminds me of Ken Griffey Jr. Between Trout and Griffey Jr., he's in good conversation company.

   Earlier, I was wondering if I had a conflict of interest because I bought so many Kingery cards, but then I realized I don't need to write a story to make his card value increase, because it's driving itself on it's own. Second, I'm not even selling one of these cards until he fully develops in the Major Leagues, so you can rest assured this is truly a post from the heart. I did feel that it is my responsibility with the volume of readership I have, to inform everyone of the opportunity so they, too, could get in while the prices are still reasonable.

Why Mike Trout ?

   An interesting article was written in May 2017 titled, "Reading’s Scott Kingery Battling With Mike Trout For Baseball’s Home Run Lead, Game by Game" in which it said, "It seems with almost a third of the Eastern League season in the books, the Phillies have a budding superstar in their minor league midst in Scott Kingery.  All he is doing is matching the best player in baseball, Mike Trout, for the home run lead almost “game by game!"

   He's got the power, speed, fielding agility, intelligence, and a profound love of the game, so not only was the author correct in comparing Kingery to Trout, I take it a step further and I see Kingery emerging as big or even a bigger star than Trout. It is not a shot in the dark. I have chewed up his stats and spoke with many others in the industry that are thinking the same thing about Kingery and his future.

  Scott Kingery was invited to 2018 Spring Training, and that should make for another show like the one he put on last year for Spring Training. This Rookie is a crowd-pleaser, hustles, and can make or break a game. That's Power!! Mike Trout 2.0 Power!

FOOTNOTE ADDED 7/29/2018:

   First of all, I am still a huge fan of Scott Kingery, even though he did turn a blind eye at Citi Field when I was trying to get his attention by yelling out his Twitter handle!

   Look, I think he might need the "Conforto Crunch", as I call it, named after Michael Conforto, who came to the Mets from the Minors and was on a mega roll. Somewhere along the line, he lost his usually perfect knowledge of the strike zone. After a while, he got sent down, hit everything they threw at him, and came back after 2 weeks like a brand new Conforto!

   I think the solution is the combination of a dose of reality, nerves, and re-adjustment, and I think it's something Gabe & the GM should consider. With Kingerys natural talent, it would do a world of wonders for him.

Have a great week, enjoy, and be safe!!

Many thanks and Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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#ScottKingery #Philadelphia #Phillies #Prospect #Rookie #MLB #MikeTrout #KenGriffeyJr #Reading #Philadelphia #AaronJudge #Conforto #Mets

Update - Scott Kingery, New Mega Star for the Phillies......

Hi Folks,

   Just before Spring Training, I pinned my reputation on Scott Kingery as a superstar (http://blog.cardboardandcoins.com/2018/02/phillies-prospect-scott-kingery-might.html)

I UNDERESTIMATED him!

   He did SO WELL, he got an unprecedented contract offer to stay on for 6 years! (http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/scott-kingery-philadelphia-phillies-mlb-prospect-contract-best-position-to-win-20180326.html)

Next Prediction?
Kingery wins '18 NL ROY 

Is this "Mike Trout 2.0" unfolding right in front of our eyes?

Our Next Blog Post is coming up soon....stay tuned!

Regards,
Rob
http://www.CardboardandCoins.com

IMPORTANT: 12 Serious Phobias of Baseball Card Collectors and MLB Fans

Hi Folks,
    A little something for your Friday, before you head into the weekend.

IMPORTANT: 12 Serious Phobias of Baseball Card Collectors and MLB Fans

1.  SuspiciousSigneraPhobia - The fear that a player's auto you got through the mail (TTM) was actually done by the Star's Mom.

2.  OMGFinallySPSSPWowaPhobia - The fear of how you will react if you ever pull an SSP. Condition worsens when thoughts stray to /1 or /5 Serial-Numbered SP and SSP cards.

3.  GradeMeGemaPhobia - The fear of getting anything less than 10's on the cards you sent for grading.

4.  GottaGoByeBlackBordersaPhobia - The fear of being at a card show table surrounded by NM-Mint 1971 Topps Baseball cards on sale for 10c per card (Stars included), while regretting you drank a 40 ounce of coffee and 3 bottles of water before you arrived at the show and realizing the bathrooms are all out of order

5.  WhichBoxConfusionaPhobia - The fear of not being able to decide between a Blaster or a Hobby Box. Further worsened by lack of information on how many Autos or Game-Used Jersey cards are in either of these boxes.

6.  NoRefractorHereaPhobia - The fear of not getting a refractor in your Blaster/Hobby Box, or getting a refractor, but it being the only off-center card in the entire box.

7.  InsertsAbsentaPhobia - The fear of not getting an insert in your Blaster/Hobby Box, not even bottom-of-the-outside-box cards you can cut out.

8.  HeyWhyNotMeaPhobia - The fear of your friend pulling the SSP that you were supposed to get. Made worse when you realize he also wound up with more refractors and serial #'d cards than you.

9.  WhichShowManiaPhobia - The fear of not being able to decide which of two long distance card shows to attend, while your car is in the shop, and a blizzard is paralyzing everything but the two shows.

10. PreShowHustleaPhobia - The fear that you will not be able to put in enough overtime before the show so you can go there flowing with Pesos. Also, the fear of traveling a long distance to a show, only to realize once you get there that you forgot your wallet. Also, the fear of traveling a long distance to a show, only to realize the show is next week, not this week.

11. YankeesPleaseNoaPhobia - Specific to us NY Mets Fans, the fear of the Yankees making the playoffs and not the Mets. Another variation is when a Yankee makes the Hall of Fame (HOF) instead of a Met.

12. Withdrawal - Experienced daily by fanatic Baseball fans, starting from the end of the World Series and lasting until the First day of Spring Training.


If you experience any one of these, we suggest that you immediately check out an online vendor, for example, http://www.CardboardandCoins.com


Ahhhh....Baseball Cards !


;)

Have a great weekend!!

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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Tags: Baseball Card, Collectors, MLB, Auto, TTM, SSP, SP, Serial, Grade, Gem, Mint, Topps, Blaster, Hobby, Game-Used, Refractor, Mets, Yankees, HOF, World Series, Spring Training

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The 3 Game-Used Cards I'll Never Sell Anywhere, Even on CardboardandCoins.com

Hi Folks,
   Welcome back.

   After being surrounded by sports memorabilia for more than a quarter of a century at that time (a few years back), it struck me....."GAME USED" CARDS....this stuff has certifiably been used in real MLB baseball games! The bug for baseball cards was strong, but once the bug for authentic/vintage/original memorabilia and collectibles hit me, I began to stock up...it's how I buy! Well, with the cat out of the bag, here are my Top 3 Favorite Game-Used Cards that I'll never sell anywhere, even on CardboardandCoins.com

#1: 2004 Topps Series Stitches Relics #SSR-HK Harmon Killebrew Minnesota Twins Card

                        


   Sometimes, it all comes down to sentimental value. This is the card that drew me in to the Game-Used, or "GU" market. I've always collected Harmon Killebrew cards, so when I saw a piece of his actual bat on a card, I was mesmerized. Not wanting to buy simulated relics, I flipped over the card and saw the guarantee by Topps that this was truly game used by Killebrew. The price was reasonable, and earned a place in my permanent collection. My fire was lit and now I couldn't be stopped from buying up more GU cards!


#2: 2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Swatch Tony Gwynn Jersey Card #SS-TG

   What more can I say but this; I am in awe of what Tony Gwynn accomplished. Each time I look at his stats I am left scratching my head. How does someone strikeout only about 20 times during an entire season. He must have seen a beach-ball instead of a tiny baseball. He was to hitting as Greg Maddux was to pitching; a clairvoyant scholar of the game with superior intelligence. I'm honored to have his Jersey card and wish he never touched chewing tobacco, which sadly ended his life way too early.

   I picked up this card in Cooperstown when visiting the Hall of Fame with my son last year. What could be a more fitting purchase in "Baseball City" than a GU Tony Gwynn Jersey card?


#3: 2015 Mike Trout Topps Update ALL STAR GAME STITCHES WORKOUT JERSEY LA Angels

   Mike Trout has already been dubbed, "the best player the game of baseball has ever seen", and is on track to surpass Mickey Mantles lifetime figures in all of the major power offense categories. Add in his over-the-top fielding ability and the kid-like role-model way he carries himself, and they just might have nailed the description of Trout's place in Baseball history.

   When a player like this emerges, it's time to stockpile, and every true stockpile should have a GU item (or many GU items). I won this particular card at an auction, and by auction, I don't mean eBay. I mean a real Auction with a hammer, gavel, and a super-sonic speaking barker running the auction. For those of you out of the New York Metro area.....if you think we speak fast, then check out one of these real auctions. If you can understand them after while (it took me time...there is a learning curve), then us fast talking New Yorkers will be a piece of cake for you!


   Next on my list? Even though I am a die-hard Mets fan, I definitely will be adding some GU Aaron Judge items to my collection. I'm also interested in GU Ty Cobb items, so that fun shopping plan will come into action in the next month or so. What an awesome hobby we have, folks!

What are some of your favorite GU cards? We'd love to hear!

Regards,
Your friends at CardboardandCoins.com

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to Wheat Cents, and everything in-between.
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Tags: game used, mlb, baseball, memorabilia, jersey card, bat card, relic, killebrew, gwynn, trout, aaron judge, ty cobb, stitches, upper deck, topps, baseball cards, authentic, vintage, original, hobby, GU

 #gameused #mlb #baseball #memorabilia #collectibles #jerseycard #batcard #relic #killebrew #gwynn #trout #aaronjudge #tycobb #stitches #upperdeck #topps #baseballcards #authentic #vintage #original #hobby #GU