Month: March 2017

Andrew Benintendi Is A Hit

Drawing comparisons to Red Sox greats past and present, Andrew Benintendi enters the 2017 season as baseball’s top prospect and a hobby treasure.  The 22-year-old outfielder arrived in the majors just a year after being taken with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. He instantly impressed with spectacular all-around play and remarkable poise during the Red
Sox run to the AL East Division Title.

After dominating every level of the minor leagues and forcing his way onto the Red Sox everyday lineup, Benintendi became an instant hit with baseball card collectors.  His first big-time baseball card, the 2015 Bowman Chrome card issued just months after the draft, sells for $6.  Rare purple refractor versions, limited to a production run of 250, sell for $80 and are on the rise.

Benintendi’s timely hitting and outstanding defense quickly caught the attention of collectors throughout the country. Certified autographed versions of the Bowman Chrome purple refractor card gained momentum over the winter and are currently selling for $405.  Because the full-bled, high, gloss photos are susceptible to dings and damaged corners, PSA-10 versions (the highest possible grade) are extremely rare and have sold for $1,400. The paper, smudge-free, non-chrome versions — ideal for in-person autographs — are readily available for $3.

Benintendi looked like a major leaguer from day one, batting .295 with a .835 OPS in limited play cut short by a knee injury.  With his rookie status still intact after a 34-game introduction to the majors last season, Benintendi looks to become the first Red Sox Rookie of the Year since Dustin Pedroia in 2007.   Benintendi’s true rookie card is from 2017 Topps Series 1,which is selling for $3.  Because the 2015 Bowman Chrome card is part of a Prospects subset, it is not considered a rookie card.

Small in FredLynn75Toppsstature like Pedroia and Mookie Betts, Benintendi fits perfectly on the Red Sox undersized, overpowering lineup. The Red Sox are hopeful Benintendi takes a similar career path as Betts by adding strength and home runs to his repertoire in year two.  Collectors crave game-used memorabilia cards of baseball’s top sluggers. Playing in Boston heightens Benintendi’s popularity. His 2016 Elite Extra Gold Triple Jersey card is available for $15 for the time being.

Benintendi reminds veteran Red Sox fans of Fred Lynn circa 1975.  He has the same smooth, graceful lefthanded swing as Lynn, the first player to take AL Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same season.  Like Lynn, Benintendi has the ability to wrap the ball around Pesky’s Pole and drive the ball off and over the leftfield wall.  The Red Sox would be thrilled if Benintendi approaches Lynn’s rookie season production when the 23-year-old centerfielder hit .331 with 21 homers, 105 RBI and slugged .566.  Lynn’s rookie card is a highlight of the 1975 Topps set.  The not-so-pleasant on the eyes orange and yellow framed card is a nice addition to a
ny Red Sox collection for under $10.

Benintendi put himself on the baseball map by hitting .564 with 12 homers and 57 RBI in his senior year at Madeira High School (Ohio).  After being named the ABCA/Rawlings National High School Player of the Year, Benintendi  was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 31st round of the 2013 MLB Draft, but opted to refine his baseball skills at the University of Arkansas.  As sophomore with the Razorbacks, Benintendi led the Southeast Conference in batting (.380), home runs (19), and slugging (.715) en route to being named the Baseball America College Player of the Year and receiving the Golden Spikes Award as college baseball’s most valuable player.

Highlights from Benintendi’s college career are captured in the 2015 Panini Contenders set.  Action shots of Benintendi in his Razorbacks uniform are available for under $4 with game-used jersey cards selling for $15 and are on the  rise.  Certified autographed Panini Contenders cards of Benintendi in his college uniform is selling for $60, while limited versions serial numbered to 23 sell for $190 on eBay.

 

 

1959 Fleer Ted Williams Baseball Card Set: As Splendid As The Splinter

When Fleer entered the baseball card business 58 years ago, the first-year sports card manufacturer turned to the greatest hitter who ever lived.  Ted Williams not only established new slugging standards, he also changed the way the sports collectibles hobby was marketed.

During this era, Topps was the exclusive baseball card manufacturer, so Fleer — the only other major trading card producer at the time — had to take a more creative approach with its products. Facing the daunting task of going head to head with the mighty Topps Co., Fleer, a longtime bublegum manufacturer, signed Ted Williams away from Topps. The result was 1959 Fleer “Life of Ted Williams” — an 80-card series capturing a medley of snippets detailing Williams’s legendary career.

One of the more popular cards of the set (#2) pictures Ted in his Red Sox uniform gripping a bat with his idol, Babe Ruth. The card back chronicles Ted’s time at Horace Mann Junior High School in California. Card #5 details Ted’s brilliant high school career for Herbert Hoover High School (San Diego, California). He was considered one of the top amateur players in California, drawing the attention of big league scouts.

Card #14 highlights his amazing rookie season (1939) in which he became the first AL rookie to lead the league in total bases. A favorite among collectors is card #41, which displays a head shot of Williams above the title “1941 — How Ted Hit .400”. The card back discusses how Ted played both games of a doubleheader on the last day of the season to raise his average from .400 to .406.

The Fleer set also features Ted’s distinguished military career. Card #24 titled “1945 — Sharpshooter” shows a concerned, but anxious Williams taking the Naval eye test. According to the card back, “Navy doctors said that eyesight like Ted’s occurred only six times per thousand persons.”This set includes three of the hobby’s hardest-to-find All-Star cards. Card #34 pictures Williams sliding into second base in the 1947 All-Star Game. The card back details the new runs scored record established by Williams that year.

Card #40 shows Williams crashing against the wall to make a spectacular catch in the 1950 All-Star Game at Comiskey Park. The card back tells the story of how the catch destroyed the Red Sox Pennant hopes and nearly ended Ted’s career. Williams didn’t realize that he had broken his elbow and gamely played for 8 more innings, hitting a single and driving in a run.

Williams52F#68

Card #48 features Marine Captain Ted Williams throwing out the first ball and serving as an honora

ry member of the AL team at the 1953 All-Star Game in Cincinnati while still serving on military duty. The card back expressively reads, “Not only was he a baseball hero of the finest magnitude, but he was in two wars within the short span of one decade.”

The Williams set successfully put Fleer on the sports collectibles map, but not without incident. Card #68 pictures Ted preparing to sign a contract with Red Sox general manager Bucky Harris, who was one of the handful of baseball executives under contract with Topps at the time. Rather than face a lawsuit from T

opps, Fleer withdrew card #68 by defacing the lower right corner of the card on the printing sheet, and then destroying the cards after they were cut from the sheet. A very limited amount of mint #68 cards were packaged before Fleer started its disfiguring process, making this one of the most sought-after Williams cards.
The back of the Harris card reveals just how much times have changed: “Ted signed his 1959 contract in Boston for a reported $125,000. He has been baseball’s highest paid player for several years.”

This affordable set details the extraordinary career of the legendary Ted Williams. Much of the history written about the Splendid Splinter came directly from the backs of these cards. Every card — except the Harris card, which commands $1,000 — can be found on eBay in decent condition
for under $25.

Red Sox Roll The Dice With Chris Sale and David Price

When I first heard that an ace Red Sox lefthander was heading to see Dr. James Andrews, I assumed the  absolute worse: Chris Sale’s left elbow had succumbed to the violent, herky-jerky motion that causes so many swings and misses, but appears to put tremendous stress on the elbow.  The trade that depleted the once fertile Red Sox farm system all for naught.

Fortunately, Sale’s elbow was not in question. It was David Price’s elbow that was cause for concern following a two-inning simulated game.  Fortunately, Price’s pain appears to be — as of now — muscular in nature, not structural.

Why did I assume it was Sale with the bum elbow?  The whipping side-arm delivery combined with a slender frame is often cause for concern. The high-elbow, low shoulder mechanics that make Sale so effective puts tremendous stress on the elbow, which can cause a torn ligament, which leads to visits to Dr. Andrews’ office, which often leads to season-ending Tommy John surgery.

The White Sox were always aware of the warning signs, but never tampered with Sale’s unconventional pitching mechanics. White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper observed that most pitchers with pitching styles comparable to Sale stood more upright, causing the elbow to take the brunt of the stress.  Sale comes down a bit lower with his entire body, putting added pressure on the legs while relieving stress from the elbow.

The White Sox projection has been on the money to date.  Their former ace has landed on the disabled list only once in his seven-year career with a strained flexor muscle in his left arm.  The injury came one start after throwing 127 pitches, coincidentally, against the Red Sox in 2014.  An MRI revealed no ligament damage.

After sacrificing Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech, two of baseball’s top prospects, among others to land Sale, the Red Sox have obviously bought into the White Sox prognosis.  Deception is a key ingredient to Sale’s success, so the Red Sox have no plans to change Sale’s arm slot.  He has proved to be durable throughout his career, so the Red Sox are willing to take a calculated risk.

As for Price, health has never been an issue and durability has always been a strength.  A smooth, flawless pitching motion seems to put minimal stress on his elbow, but a heavy workload may be catching up to Price.  The 31-year-old southpaw has logged 200+ inning in six of the last seven seasons.  He has thrown 698 ⅔ innings over the past three seasons, more than any other pitcher in baseball and mind boggling considering bullpen use in today’s baseball.  Perhaps an ailing arm has be been in the offing for the last few years, before he arrived in Boston.

The Red Sox are hopeful that Price’s elbow remains structurally sound.  Hopeful that rest and medication to reduce the swelling are the cure with no long-lasting effects.  Hopeful that he continues to be the workhorse that championship-driven teams crave.  Hopeful that he is past the first-season in Boston jitters.  In what was arguably Price’s worse season, he won 17 games while leading the league in strikeouts (230) and innings pitched (35).  He played a key role in the Red Sox first place American League East finish.

The Red Sox are taking calculated risks on two left-handed aces who came to Boston at a high price in terms of money and future holdings.  A calculated roll of the dice in what should prove to be a fascinating season.