The newest member of the 3,000 Hit Club has new autographs.
Adrian Beltre became just the 31st player in MLB history to reach that plateau and his Topps Now cards today are documenting the feat on cardboard — with and without ink.
He’s just the third third baseman to join the club and is the first born in the Dominican Republic — and the 38-year-old Texas Rangers star also hasn’t been much of a signer in the past, either, helping give these new autos a bit more life than you might expect.
A new baseball season is nearly here with the first spring training games set to air later this month and that’s when we’ll see the newest players on their new teams.
And many of them will be wearing new uniforms — well, at least new caps.
A new year of Topps #TBT is here and it’s bringing to us the newest Hall of Fame class and a few other stars of yesteryear all on a design from the past.
Tim Raines, Ivan Rodriguez and Jeff Bagwell are paired with one other Hall of Famer from their primary franchise’s past to round out the first pack in a weekly series.
MLB’s postseason begins tonight … and we simply want to know who you think wins it all.
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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
Call it Topps Now With a Twist … Part II.
With the Texas Rangers clinching the American League West last night, Topps has unveiled a new take on its real-time baseball card program with its second team set offering.
He’s not only overlooked on the field, he’s overlooked on cardboard, too.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks took a no-hitter into the ninth last night in St. Louis but lost it when Jeremy Hazelbaker took him yard.
The result was still the same, though, as it was a one-hitter for his 15th win of the season, upping his record to 15-7 with a MLB-leading 2.07 ERA — impressive stats for a guy who has just a single Rookie Card.
It might be the biggest (Papi) day in Topps Now history.
For the first time, Today’s Topps Now lineup includes autographs that can be purchased outright — David Ortiz — and Relics for the hard-hitting New York Yankees rookie Gary Sanchez on the same day as part of a 14-card offering.
Ortiz autos start at $199.99 for his card limited to 99 copies all the way up to a $999.99 1/1 card that is already sold out.
Alex Rodriguez‘s playing time with the New York Yankees is coming to an end on Friday.
How many games he might play between now and then is up in the air with a road trip to Boston, but the end as a player is definitely at home on Friday with an advisory role signed through next season if he wants it. However, he insisted that he’s “not a coach” and stopped short of saying he’d never play again. Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he’d have an open door if he wanted to play elsewhere.
It’s been a long journey with cardboard that looks back to his high school days, time with USA Baseball and throughout his years with Seattle, Texas and New York.
A-Rod is four home runs short of 700 — and that makes one wonder if it’s not a possibility. What do you think? Tell us in our poll, with a comment below or on Twitter.
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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
The mystery is over.
Topps revealed the three Mystery Redemption Autograph subjects in 2016 Topps Finest on Tuesday night and they’re three rookies you might have heard of.
And there’s a pretty sweet twist.
Colby Lewis flirted with throwing a no-hitter and the 24th perfect game in MLB history on Thursday in Oakland, but settled for a complete-game two-hit victory as his Texas Rangers beat the Athletics 5-1.
He struck out four in the game. The last gem was Kenny Rogers‘ perfect game back in 1994.
For collectors, and particularly Texas Rangers fans, an uptick in his play could be an interesting development as the 36-year-old right-hander has got very little cardboard.
Twelve years ago, Matt Bush was the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft — a hometown pick of the San Diego Padres — but tonight he’s a member of the Texas Rangers and a big-leaguer for the first time.
For years, it seemed like Bush would be one of baseball’s rare answers to a dubious trivia question: Which No. 1 overall picks never played a major-league game?
Why? Everything that happened between 2004 and tonight. That tale leads Buzz to ask this question …
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Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.
Topps‘ new program creating real baseball cards in real time documenting the highlights of the here and now have caught on with some collectors as this season has begun with some historic starts and impressive debuts for MLB rookies.
It’s 2016 Topps Now and the cards are only available for a 24-hour window. After that, the population reports are released and the next day’s cards are unveiled — all in made-to-order, real-time fashion.
Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it’s to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it’s to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.
Here’s the second Grading Diary here on The Buzz …
Mike Moynihan
Also known as: Moyni
Website: None
Email: gonzaleznut@hotmail.com
Location: Texas
Work away from cards: Financial planner
Collecting since: 1981
Main focuses: I collect Hall of Famer autos and Hall of Famer game-used cards. I also have big Josh Hamilton (almost 2,000 different and more than 100 1/1s) and Ivan Rodriguez (more than 2,500 different with 60 1/1s) player collections. I also have every Topps base set from 1973 to present as well as a bunch of Topps Heritage sets.
Favorite players/teams: Texas Rangers are my favorite team, and I am a big Josh Hamilton and Ivan Rodriguez fan.
Current collecting projects: I am trying to complete the 2015 Panini Immaculate Accolades Materials set. I only need one more card — the Babe Ruth /5.
Robert Morris
Also known as: @dalsubfan on Twitter and most other places
Website: http://sportscardalbum.com/u/dalsubfan
Email: dalsubfan@gmail.com
Location: Texas
Work away from cards: Manufacturing
Collecting since: 1970-80, 1992-95, 2005-current
Main focuses: My collecting focus is Mark Teixeira cards and whatever else interests me. Hall of Famers, 1/1s, memorabilia …
Favorite players/teams: Mark Teixeira and Texas Rangers
Current collecting projects: In addition to chasing at least one of every Mark Teixeira card made (at 5,700 or 81 percent), I am completing th 2013 Historic Autographs Originals 1933 set. Also working on a bat with Hall of Famer autographs — at 65 so far.
Game-used collecting has changed immensely in the last 20 years or so with the memorabilia card — you know, those little swatches embedded into cards that can still get us going if it’s the right player or an impressively designed piece of cardboard.
Relics may not always be expensive these days, but they can add some definite variety and surprise into packs of cards — and partly because of the need for game-used items for cards it seems memorabilia has become more available than ever.
It’s not always expensive. In fact, it can be downright enticing to chase jerseys of players who you might not see all that often on cardboard (or even like!) simply because there are game-used bargains to be found.
Russell Wilson was a fourth-round pick of the Colorado Rockies back in the 2010 MLB Draft and he spent two summers in A-ball where he hit .229 with five homers and 26 RBI and 118 strikeouts in 93 games.
Despite that, or thanks to his NFL credentials as a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, in 2013 the Texas Rangers claimed him in the December Rule 5 Draft. He has not played an official game since 2011.
Now, he’ll have autographed Relics in one of Topps‘ priciest baseball card brands.
The Chicago Cubs are the one to watch on cardboard so far this postseason as their powerful pack of rookies helped knock off the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals. They had four newcomers on the field in their NLDS clincher but aren’t the only team bolstered by youth. Here are 11 key rookies from postseason squads who you can find in wax boxes or sets on BlowoutCards.com.
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