Month: July 2016

Happy Birthday To The Great Satchel Paige

Baseball legend Satchel Paige was born on this day in 1906. Forty-five years ago this month, Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announced that former Negro League players will have a separate wing in the Hall of Fame. Not surprisingly, Kuhn’s separate, but equal Hall of Fame policy did not set well with the American public, particularly baseball players from the pre-segregation era.

Paige and Ted Williams were among the most vocal former players. Paige was famously quoted: “I was just as good as the white boys. I ain’t going in the back door of the Hall of Fame.”

Williams, in his 1966 HOF acceptance speech, urged Major League Baseball and the Hall to open the doors to Negro League stars, referencing Paige, Willie Mays and Josh Gibson among others.

On July 6, 1971 — five months after Kuhn’s backward-thinking-policy was announced — MLB and the HOF succumbed to public pressure and opened the doors to Paige with full HOF membership, which cleared the way other Negro League stars in the years to follow.

Paige’s 2004 Leaf Certified Materials Game Used Jersey cards are some of the most overlooked memorabilia cards ever produced.  He spent 22 seasons dominating the Negro Leagues and six years in the majors before being enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1971. There were several versions of Paige’s first memorabilia cards issued in Leaf Certified’s “Mirror Materials” parallel set and the tiered “Fabric of the Game” insert set — all limited to a production run of 100 and selling for over $100.

Paige threw a remarkable 55 no-hitters during his Negro League career, becoming the league’s most popular and recognizable player, not to mention its largest gate attraction. He joined the major leagues in 1948, helping the Cleveland Indians win the World Series as a “rookie.”

In 1965, at the age of 59, nearly 12 years since he last pitched in the majors, Paige pitched one game for the Kansas City A’s, pitching three shutout innings. Three years later, he was a coach for the Atlanta Braves, where he wore the jersey Donruss officials used to incorporate into 2004 Leaf Certified Materials.

Known for longevity and age as a major leaguer, Paige was a Negro League legend in his younger days. At a time when African-Americans were barred from the majors, Paige drew huge crowds of black and white baseball fans. He led the Pittsburgh Crawfords to top billing in the Negro Leagues as a fireballer in the early ’30s and did the same for the Kansas City Monarchs in the early ’40s as finesse pitcher.

Barred from the majors, Paige was often tempted to jump from team to team to earn a decent wage. In 1937, he joined a large group of Negro Leaguers traveling to the Dominican Republic to play for a team owned by Dominican president Rafael L. Trujillo. The following season, Paige hurt his arm pitching in the Mexican League, but quickly transformed from a “thrower“ to a “pitcher.” He returned to the states using guile and control in leading the Monarchs to four consecutive pennants before entering the majors.

The first of just a few Paige baseball cards was issued by Topps in 1953 (#220). A headshot captured the 47-year-old reliever in his St. Louis Browns uniform. Unfortunately, the Topps spelling of “Satchell” was incorrect and never corrected. The card was issued following a 12-10 season with a 3.07 ERA. Paige’s ’53 Topps card is selling for $350 online in decent condition.

The Mystery Surrounding David Ortiz (Arias) Rookie Baseball Cards

When David Ortiz joined the Red Sox in 2003, there was considerable confusion surrounding his rookie baseball cards. Prior to signing with the Red Sox, Ortiz played several seasons in the Seattle and Minnesota systems. Signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Mariners in 1994 just days after his 17th birthday, Ortiz, who gradually established himself as a power-hitting prospect, was traded to the Twins as the player to be named later for Dave Hollins prior to the 1997 season.

AriasUltra
David “Arias” Ortiz 1997 old-style, matte-finish Fleer Rookie.

After joining the Twins system, Ortiz decided to change his baseball name. His legal name had always been David Americo Ortiz Arias. While playing with the Mariners, he went by his maternal family name (Arias) rather than his paternal family name (Ortiz). As a result, his earliest baseball cards are listed as David Arias. With the Twins, he requested to be called Ortiz, which has stuck ever since.

Ortiz joined the Red Sox as a platoon player in 2003, so many collectors didn’t connect the dots between David Arias and David Ortiz, meaning the Arias rookie cards were readily available for under $1 during the first half of the season. With more playing time came more home runs and a knack for late-inning heroics. By season’s end Ortiz slugged 30 homers in just 128 games, boasting the David Arias cards to $10-$15.

One of only two Ortiz rookie cards, the 1997 Fleer “David Arias” card could be found in 1997 Fleer Series 2 packs. The base version of the card, sporting a throwback matte finish during an era of high-gloss cards, currently sells for $30. The far more limited “Tiffany” parallel version — one of the more valuable Oriz cards in the market — features a high-gloss look and feel while selling for $400 .

The other Ortiz (Arias) rookie is from the 1997 Fleer Ultra series, a slightly more upscale version of the Fleer set, sells for $35. The full-bleed, glossy look was a popular alternative to the high-priced Tiffany parallel set. Gold Medallion parallel versions display a different picture and gold-foil lettering. Limited to just 200 copies, the popular parallel version sells for $49.

The Topps Bowman brand, known as the “Home of the Rookie Card”, somehow bypassed Ortiz in its 1997 set. Sometimes wrongly advertised as a rookie, the 1998 Bowman Ortiz is readily available for under $4. Far more limited chrome and International refractor parallel versions sell for $18 and $15 respectively.

For oddball baseball card collectors, there is a handful of Ortiz minor league pre-rookie cards that have become quite popular in the slugger’s final season. The Ortiz (Arias) 1996 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Midwest League All-Star card, is an overlooked gem selling for $48. His 1998 New Britain Red Cats Best minor league card is selling for $15. Both cards feature a relatively elementary design with simple white borders — a far cry from the the glitzy, full-bleed photos popular with major league sets in the late ‘90s. The more mainstream Upper Deck 1998 SP minor league Ortiz card — featuring a portrait of a svelte, smiling Ortiz inside a silver foil border — sells for $5.

Ortiz made his Topps debut in the 1998 edition where he was featured in a prospect card with future All-Star slugger Richie Sexson. Ortiz made his first appearance in a Red Sox jersey in the more obscure 2003 Fleer Update Series and the 2003 Upper Deck 40-Man set. All three cards can be had for $3.

All-Star Shortstop Xander Bogaerts Heats Hobby

Xander Bogaerts entered the 2016 season as an emerging star. Three months into the season, he’s become baseball’s finest shortstop, arguably the game’s top hitter, and a viable American League MVP candidate. Being compared to big-time stars such as Mike Trout, Manny Machado, and Bryce Harper, Bogaerts has become a top star in the collectibles world as well.

The diversity of Bogaerts’ skills have been on full display since the start of the season. Spraying the ball to all fields, while also finding the gaps, Bogaerts has exploited defensive shifts by hitting to the open areas. The result has been a higher batting average and increased production — more hits with runners on base while anchoring a potent Red Sox offense from the third spot in the lineup. Wade Boggs’ Red Sox single-season hit record (240) is well within his sights.

Taking baseball and the hobby by surprise, Bogaerts game-used memorabilia and certified autographed cards are few and far between for the time being. His limited 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen Red Framed Jersey card is a hot item selling for $12, while his popular 2015 Topps Career Highlights Game Used Jersey card sells for as much as $10. A 26-game hitting streak earlier in the season put Bogaerts in the national spotlight, increasing the the interest and value of his memorabilia cards.

Bogaerts has led the league in hits and batting for most of the season, while also placing among the league best in runs, RBI, doubles, and OPS. Most defensive metrics rank him among baseball’s best fielding shortstops. He also excels on the basepaths, stealing bases at opportune times while taking extra bases with regularity.

With an All-Star appearance in the offing, Bogaerts will be a focal point of many mid- and late-season baseball card releases. Expect to see a wide assortment of new Bogaerts game used and autographed cards in the coming months. For now, his 2012 Rize Prodigy Gold Autographed insert limited to a pr
oduction run of 100 is selling for $40

Just 23 years old, Bogaerts has become the best all-around shortstop to wear a Red Sox uniform since Nomar Garciaparra’s prime years of 1998-2000. Like Garciaparra rookie cards in the late ‘90s, Bogaerts’ earliest cards have become “must haves” for Red Sox collectors. His 2012 Bowman Chrome Rookie — a mere common card less than a year ago — is selling for $5. Limited autographed Bowman Chrome rookies are selling for $124, with “Blue Refractor” autographed versions limited to a production run of 50 approaching $1,000.

Impressed by his athletic ability and live bat, the Red Sox signed Bogaerts at the age of 17 out of his native Aruba for $410,000. As a teenager, Bogaerts represented the Netherlands in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, opening eyes with his play on the field and his maturity off the field. Bumped to third base to accommodate slick-fielding fellow countryman Andrelton Simmons, Bogaerts looked like a seasoned veteran, hitting .263 with a .364 on base percentage.

Off the field he impressed with advanced people skills and speaking fluently to reporters in four different languages (English, Spanish, Dutch and Papiamento). One of his rarest baseball cards is the 2013 Topps Tribute World Baseball Classic Game Worn Jersey, which is limited to a production run of 67 and is becoming increasingly popular, selling for $80. The Bogaerts base card from the WBC set can be had for $3.

With his baseball IQ on par with his on-the-field proficiency, Bogaerts looks to be a pillar in the Red Sox lineup for many years to come. An increasing international following will heighten the demand and value of his cards, so buy early and often. With David Ortiz in the twilight of his career, Bogaerts is quickly becoming the face of the Red Sox.