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Moustache Gang
09-30-2009, 06:19 PM
Members,

I have not collected a baseball card since the early 70's and my sons just never got into them favoring Pokemon cards instead. I just saw a video news story on www.foxnews.com (http://www.foxnews.com) showing the sports card industry has fallen from $1B a year in sales to $200M or an 80% drop. What was also interesting is that the MLB gave exclusivity rights to Topps for all baseball cards. Other companies like Upper Deck must airbrush off the names and logos from the jerseys and batting helmets.

Mark

Always collecting Oakland A's game used jerseys from 1968 to 1980.

godwulf
09-30-2009, 06:44 PM
Too many other things for kids to be distracted and entertained by, I guess.

I collected cards when I was in grade school, in the early '60s, and a lot of kids I knew were into it even in junior high...but even younger kids today have access to so much more stuff than even the well-off kids 40-50 years ago did.

Heck, why collect cards so you can look at the players' photos and read their stats, when you can do a Google image search and get all the stats at the Baseball Cube? Then print out a hard copy, anytime you want one.

The card companies have to bear some of the responsibility, too. They saw their major revenue source - kids, and their nickels - disappearing, and made a conscious decision to gear everything toward the adult collector. I remember five-cent Baseball card packs; even with inflation and higher allowances, what kid is going to want to shell out between three and fifteen dollars for a few baseball cards? Why would an adult?

Enter the "memorabilia card" - a gimmick to keep people buying those single packs, instead of just waiting for the factory set to come out...and now, I believe, more and more folks are losing interest in those monstrosities and frauds - those manufactured and artificial rarities.

cohibasmoker
10-01-2009, 08:30 AM
Too many other things for kids to be distracted and entertained by, I guess.

I collected cards when I was in grade school, in the early '60s, and a lot of kids I knew were into it even in junior high...but even younger kids today have access to so much more stuff than even the well-off kids 40-50 years ago did.

Heck, why collect cards so you can look at the players' photos and read their stats, when you can do a Google image search and get all the stats at the Baseball Cube? Then print out a hard copy, anytime you want one.

The card companies have to bear some of the responsibility, too. They saw their major revenue source - kids, and their nickels - disappearing, and made a conscious decision to gear everything toward the adult collector. I remember five-cent Baseball card packs; even with inflation and higher allowances, what kid is going to want to shell out between three and fifteen dollars for a few baseball cards? Why would an adult?

Enter the "memorabilia card" - a gimmick to keep people buying those single packs, instead of just waiting for the factory set to come out...and now, I believe, more and more folks are losing interest in those monstrosities and frauds - those manufactured and artificial rarities.

This past weekend I went to my first show in years. As I walked around, I noticed a few things:

1) Almost every major auction house was present looking for "consignments";
2) Some dealers were asking way too much for their items but offering way too little to buy stuff; and,
3) the ONLY people I saw looking for cards were collector's looking to complete their team sets and those collectors looked to be in the 40+ age group;
4) The majority of dealers all had "modern" insert cards displayed in display cases and none of those dealers seemed to be doing any business at all.

Of course all of the dealers were complaining about how bad business was but even when they are making money, they complain Right?

Here's a show tip: The best way to enjoy the show is to walk around and see what the dealers are offering. After that, just stand back and look for a collector carrying any sort of large bag. Follow that person around until he stops at a dealer's table and the dealer says, "let's see what you have". Walk beside them and pretend you're examining the dealer's table but pay attention to their conversations. If the collector has something you want but a deal isn't made, follow the collector until he/she goes down the next isle, stop them and make them a offer. Works for me.

Jim

godwulf
10-01-2009, 08:41 AM
There will probably always be a strong, secondary collector's market for cards, especially older ones - but the card companies will not benefit in any way, because they sold those cards many years ago and are out of the loop.

OaklandAsFan
10-01-2009, 09:04 AM
I used to be heavily involved in collecting cards. My mother still collect pre war stuff and has almost 2 full T206 sets, myself I really stick to only buying Bowman at this point so I get the draft guys and get them autographed during Arizona Fall League and spring training.

schubert1970
10-01-2009, 10:48 AM
Card collecting = scratching off a lottery ticket.

It's all about the big $ insert.

I bought a few packs when I was at Target and received a signed card......actually the card wasn't signed, but this transparent sticker was signed, then placed on the card. Why would anyone want one of these is beyond my me.

bigtruck260
10-01-2009, 12:42 PM
Card collecting = scratching off a lottery ticket.

It's all about the big $ insert.

I bought a few packs when I was at Target and received a signed card......actually the card wasn't signed, but this transparent sticker was signed, then placed on the card. Why would anyone want one of these is beyond my me.


Very true. And ESPECIALLY at my local Target, I still see these losers leafing through each and every retail back, bending them, and in one case WEIGHING packs to find the "super secret" crap card.

I still collect the Allen and Ginter (Topps) set every year because it's actually fun to complete. No relics, No autographs, just the regular set and short prints. It's a great item if you buy the sealed hobby box and still enjoy putting the set together. Plus the cards are designed after a set from the 1880's, so it's kinda throwback.

None of this hologrammed, numbered, jersey/autograph, smothered, covered and chunked garbage. That stuff created more problems than anything for collectors because it drove the price of the packs up to ridiculous amounts.

I was in a local store last year and noticed that some packs (yes, packs) of 3-5 cards were going for hundreds of dollars. Lottery tickets indeed. Most of those cards are not kept in collections. They are immediately sold on eBay for a profit (if they make a profit from a $500 pack of cards).

Vent over.

David
10-01-2009, 01:00 PM
I think you can differentiate between current cards and vintage cards. T206s and Old Judges are essentially antiques with eternally limited populations.

David
10-01-2009, 01:13 PM
Except for prospect and rookie card prospecting, the modern card hobby and it's spending $$ is always focused on the current, the now, this year's issue. The problem with this is that in a year this year's cards are last year's cards, and priced accordingly (lower). Anyone who collects modern cards will soon realize this is the way it works.

Compare that to a 1933 Goudey which you bought specifically because it's out old fashioned and out of date.

joelsabi
10-01-2009, 01:24 PM
This past weekend I went to my first show in years. As I walked around, I noticed a few things:

1) Almost every major auction house was present looking for "consignments";
2) Some dealers were asking way too much for their items but offering way too little to buy stuff; and,
3) the ONLY people I saw looking for cards were collector's looking to complete their team sets and those collectors looked to be in the 40+ age group;
4) The majority of dealers all had "modern" insert cards displayed in display cases and none of those dealers seemed to be doing any business at all.

Of course all of the dealers were complaining about how bad business was but even when they are making money, they complain Right?

Here's a show tip: The best way to enjoy the show is to walk around and see what the dealers are offering. After that, just stand back and look for a collector carrying any sort of large bag. Follow that person around until he stops at a dealer's table and the dealer says, "let's see what you have". Walk beside them and pretend you're examining the dealer's table but pay attention to their conversations. If the collector has something you want but a deal isn't made, follow the collector until he/she goes down the next isle, stop them and make them a offer. Works for me.

Jim

you described to the T on how it was when i went to cards shows in the early 90s. i guess nothing has changed.

i too noticed collectors trying to sell stuff to dealers. just be discreet because at most shows i think its prohibited for collectors to try to sell to nondealers.

David
10-01-2009, 01:26 PM
I should add that I sometimes see the marketing of modern game used as not so far different than modern cards (Steiner/Yankees prices only the insane rich could afford, Rafael Palmeiro wearing a different jersey each inning when going for 500, etc).

There's nothing wrong with collecting the stuff-- and I mean that--, but an eye should be kept on valuation.

joelsabi
10-01-2009, 01:30 PM
Members,

I have not collected a baseball card since the early 70's and my sons just never got into them favoring Pokemon cards instead. I just saw a video news story on www.foxnews.com (http://www.foxnews.com) showing the sports card industry has fallen from $1B a year in sales to $200M or an 80% drop. What was also interesting is that the MLB gave exclusivity rights to Topps for all baseball cards. Other companies like Upper Deck must airbrush off the names and logos from the jerseys and batting helmets.

Mark

Always collecting Oakland A's game used jerseys from 1968 to 1980.

its very prudent of the MLB and NBA to create a bidding war for rights from the card companies, similar to tv networks getting rights to the NBA Final or the Superbowl.

Half the fun is the collector's identification to team logo and names. Also in basketball Upperdeck has exclusive rights with kobe and lebron so it will be interesting to see how Panini will handle this.

godwulf
10-01-2009, 03:24 PM
I used to be heavily involved in collecting cards. My mother still collect pre war stuff and has almost 2 full T206 sets, myself I really stick to only buying Bowman at this point so I get the draft guys and get them autographed during Arizona Fall League and spring training.

I just got a postcard today, about an AFL Rising Stars pre-season "family cookout" in Mesa, at HoHoKam Stadium, on October 12th. "Hot dogs and refreshments, Baseball memorabilia silent auction, Special baseball guest speaker", etc. $12 admission for charity. I believe I will try to be there.

jake33
10-01-2009, 03:52 PM
back when i was growing up in the 80's it was clear and simple tog et your favorite players best cards/rookie cards. for me getting the 3 matting rc's donruss,topps and fleer were a delight. I remember in 1993 when the finest refractors came out and mattingly's card ahd a book value around $300!

I couldn't believe that any card would be mroe valuable than his rc or even his 82 tcma card. I was done after that.

However, I am currently and continously collecting 1 autograph of everone who ever played for the tampa bay devil rays/rays. and getting the auto signed on a card takes up the least amount of space. Also, i will get a few jersey or abt cards to get signed which looks neat with an auto. I recently got a jumbo patch card (the jersey takes up 80% of the card) of carl crawford and got him to autograph the jersey part of the card at a recent game it it looks real neat. Right after I got the auto, some guy saw it and said " wow! how much is that worth now" -- I replied, "maybe $5.00"

NEFAN
10-01-2009, 05:29 PM
I don't know much about Baseball, but Football seemed to start it's decline in 1993 . I miss the days of one set of topps, bowman etc... per year and that's it. The card companies got greedy and are paying dearly for it now.

godwulf
10-01-2009, 05:36 PM
I recently got a jumbo patch card (the jersey takes up 80% of the card) of carl crawford and got him to autograph the jersey part of the card at a recent game it it looks real neat. Right after I got the auto, some guy saw it and said " wow! how much is that worth now" -- I replied, "maybe $5.00"

I think I can pretty reliably trace the beginnings of my skepticism regarding card collecting, generally, to the time I heard someone trying to explain how a card could actually be devalued by getting the player, whose card it was, to sign it. :rolleyes:

joelsabi
10-01-2009, 06:03 PM
I think I can pretty reliably trace the beginnings of my skepticism regarding card collecting, generally, to the time I heard someone trying to explain how a card could actually be devalued by getting the player, whose card it was, to sign it. :rolleyes:

I have a run of autographed concepcion topps card from 1971 - 1988. I think its one of the cooler stuff in my concepcion collection. card purist would say i devalued the cards too. would i rather have a rc or a signed rc? id rather have one that is signed.

sox83cubs84
10-01-2009, 09:13 PM
I think I can pretty reliably trace the beginnings of my skepticism regarding card collecting, generally, to the time I heard someone trying to explain how a card could actually be devalued by getting the player, whose card it was, to sign it. :rolleyes:


Two different animals here...the card IS worth more signed, but the potential market for it is diminished, as far more people collect as-issued baseball cards than autographed ones. I agree with your preference, though...I love autographed cards as well.:o

Dave M.
Chicago area

OaklandAsFan
10-01-2009, 09:49 PM
I just got a postcard today, about an AFL Rising Stars pre-season "family cookout" in Mesa, at HoHoKam Stadium, on October 12th. "Hot dogs and refreshments, Baseball memorabilia silent auction, Special baseball guest speaker", etc. $12 admission for charity. I believe I will try to be there.


yeah we got that postcard as well. We plan on going. Maybe we can finally meet ;)

Each table at the dinner will also have an AFL player sitting.

OaklandAsFan
10-01-2009, 09:52 PM
I think I can pretty reliably trace the beginnings of my skepticism regarding card collecting, generally, to the time I heard someone trying to explain how a card could actually be devalued by getting the player, whose card it was, to sign it. :rolleyes:


Back in the late 80's early 90's I had a Reggie Jackson rookie that basically looked like someone had taken it in their hand and crushed it into a ball. At the time he was my idol (I was young what can I say) and I bought it real cheap because of the condition. I got him to sign it one day while he was visiting the A's during spring training and he lectured me about keeping my cards in good condition to keep their value high and even questioned whether I really wanted him to sign that card cause it might make the card worth less money.

whatupyos
10-01-2009, 10:14 PM
I remember when I was a kid, I lived for baseball cards. I couldn't wait to do chores around the house or recycle cans to save up to buy a pack of cards. Money would literally burn a whole in my pocket. I collected cards from the time I can remember in 1985 all the way through the beginning of college. I remember my dad sending me a pack or two of cards when I was away at college. I seemed to notice the decline of the baseball card frenzy around the late 90's to early 2000's. Seemed to be a baseball card show a weekend in the early to mid 90's. I miss those days. I can't stand all those game used jersey and bat piece cards. I think card companies started doing that to gain interest in cards since it was starting to decline in interest. I prefer game used now that I'm older, but its sad to see the decline.

Aaron

godwulf
10-02-2009, 03:47 AM
yeah we got that postcard as well. We plan on going. Maybe we can finally meet ;)

Each table at the dinner will also have an AFL player sitting.

I hope the players and coaches don't get swamped with autograph requests at the cookout, to the extent that it ruins the event for them and becomes embarassing. I would guess that a couple of the better known prospects would be targets for that, if they're there. It would be different if they weren't about to play a six-week schedule, during which anyone going to even one or two games will be able to get all the autographs they could hope for. Me, I've got my season pass, and have plans to get to about 25 games this year, including fifteen days when I'll be on vacation from work and doing nothing but watching Baseball, Mon-Sat.

I saw Rusty Ryal the other day, btw, and he let me hold his 2008 AFL Championship ring; it had a pretty nice stone in it.

pietraynor
10-02-2009, 04:00 AM
Reading these posts brings back a lot of memories...As a teen in the early '80s I went to the weekend baseball cards shows at least once a month, miss those a alot..never knew what was going to walk in the door, made a lot of great buys as a dealer setting up a shows..Remember meeting Greg Pruitt (Browns) & Bob Feller back then..While I haven't collected cards since '85 or so, I do enjoy going to a show every now and then. Awhile back I bought a hoard of early '70s football cards & made sets because they were relatively inexpensive & easy to find (either online or at shows)..Finding myself drawn to sets I knew as a kid (Hostess, Kelloggs, etc)..That's about the only interest I have in cards now. Jay.

WadeInBmore
10-02-2009, 07:20 AM
I absolutley love the old cards. If and when I collect cards I only go after HOFer RC...all the cards I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford. I agree that the newer cards are garbage. I would rather sift through and look at cards from the 50's with a crease or two and rounded corners then play with the cards of today. I remember picking up my Jackie Robinson RC about two years ago and feelings like I was 12 again...except I was 26 :) I love looking at my collection and appreciate what the vintage cards went through to get into my collection. Today people open the packs and protect the cards immediately. The hobby is all about the "Grade"...i don't like that, for me its about the love and pursuit.

Happy collecting

wade

ps inevitably it was by getting back into card collecting that I learned of game used collecting...now my primary focus is game used as I don't think I've added any new card of substantial impact since the Robinson RC.

commando
10-02-2009, 10:08 AM
Right now I'm in the middle of building a website that features and gives information on sportscard sets produced during the 1980s (the days of my innocent youth). The bottom line is that most of these sets have little value, but in a way, makes them even MORE fun to collect. I've gone on eBay and purchased bundled lots of small sets (remember those little boxed sets sold at K-Mart, Walgreen's, etc?) for a few cents each. Police and Safety sets cost a fraction of what they did years ago. Even the famous 1984 Donruss Baseball set, with the Mattingly rookie, was picked up by me for $42 dollars postpaid.

Cards from the 1980s were WAY overproduced, but they make me happy. You know? And that's what its all about... I can't tell you much about cards produced after the mid-1990s, because my head started to hurt right around then, every time I opened Sports Collectors Digest. It was becoming impossible to keep track of everything being produced at that point, not to mention the expense involved.

I've been looking at 1980s baseball card magazines while doing research for my new website. Some creep named Dave Miedema keeps popping up with a variety of articles. :D

both-teams-played-hard
10-02-2009, 10:48 AM
The bottom line is that most of these sets have little value, but in a way, makes them even MORE fun to collect. I've gone on eBay and purchased bundled lots of small sets (remember those little boxed sets sold at K-Mart, Walgreen's, etc?) for a few cents each.

So true. I hope everyone on this forum would still collect, even if there was no monetary value. Wonder if Yankees flannels and 60s NFL durenes were worth less than 10 bucks? Our friends and family would really believe we were weirdos.
K-Mart cards were worthless in 1982 and worth even less now. But damn, they're beautiful.
No one has mentioned flat, powdery, cardboardish bubble gum. I recently opened a 30-year-old waxpack and chewed the gum. Nasty, but tasted just like 1979.

OaklandAsFan
10-02-2009, 12:27 PM
I hope the players and coaches don't get swamped with autograph requests at the cookout, to the extent that it ruins the event for them and becomes embarassing. I would guess that a couple of the better known prospects would be targets for that, if they're there. It would be different if they weren't about to play a six-week schedule, during which anyone going to even one or two games will be able to get all the autographs they could hope for. Me, I've got my season pass, and have plans to get to about 25 games this year, including fifteen days when I'll be on vacation from work and doing nothing but watching Baseball, Mon-Sat.

I saw Rusty Ryal the other day, btw, and he let me hold his 2008 AFL Championship ring; it had a pretty nice stone in it.


I hear ya on that Godwulf, I actually plan on avoiding asking for autographs during the dinner and trying to treat them as normal individuals. This has worked for me in the past and I have gotten to know several of the Oakland Athletics on a personal level. Not too mention I plan on being at many many games during the AFL season so why bother hitting them up now, in the past there has never been an issue with players signing autographs either before or after games, you can pretty much get the entire team on a ball or whatever before or after every game they play because they are still rookies and haven't been jaded by fame and the constant harassment for autographs that establisted stars get.

godwulf
10-02-2009, 12:38 PM
K-Mart cards were worthless in 1982 and worth even less now. But damn, they're beautiful.

The wall above my desk at work is covered with a couple of hundred '65 Topps cards, in toploaders supported by clear plastic push pins. One of the best-looking sets ever, imo...and I could care less about "condition" when I buy them. I usually pay a buck or two per card for, on average, "G-to-VG" cards, and that's good enough for me. I was eleven when that set came out, and just looking at those cards really takes me back. They'd probably look funny if they were in Mint condition. :rolleyes:


No one has mentioned flat, powdery, cardboardish bubble gum. I recently opened a 30-year-old waxpack and chewed the gum. Nasty, but tasted just like 1979.

About ten years ago, I opened a bunch of packs from the late '80s, which would have made them "only" about ten years old at the time, and I also tried chewing one of those little pink rectangles. I put it in my mouth and it immediately dissolved - I mean, completely dissolved, leaving only a slightly stale, gum-flavored aftertaste. I don't recommend it, but just about every card collector I talk with has done it at least - and usually only - once.

godwulf
10-02-2009, 12:57 PM
I hear ya on that Godwulf, I actually plan on avoiding asking for autographs during the dinner and trying to treat them as normal individuals. This has worked for me in the past and I have gotten to know several of the Oakland Athletics on a personal level. Not too mention I plan on being at many many games during the AFL season so why bother hitting them up now, in the past there has never been an issue with players signing autographs either before or after games, you can pretty much get the entire team on a ball or whatever before or after every game they play because they are still rookies and haven't been jaded by fame and the constant harassment for autographs that establisted stars get.

The Diamondbacks prospects are back in their usual place, with the Scottsdale Scorpions, this year, after playing with the A's, etc, on the Phoenix Desert Dogs last year - so, since I'll mostly be following those guys around, I won't be coming to Phoenix Muni as often as I did last year, of course. I'll still be coming out there when the Scorpions are visiting, or when the Scorpions are playing in Surprise, or some ungodly, out-of-the-way place like that...looking at my schedule, I'll be visiting your ballpark at least eight times during the season.

Of the DBacks guys, Brandon Allen (who has been the big club's everyday First Baseman for a few months now) is gonna get swamped by auto-seekers, I think it's safe to say. There are really no big names on the DBacks roster, other than him.

joelsabi
10-02-2009, 01:30 PM
did anyone flip for baseball cards or was that just a geographic phenomenon in the early 70's, being that my dad was stationed in a military base in Japan. Was flipping cards done over in the 48 contiguous states back then or ever?

joelsabi
10-02-2009, 01:36 PM
did anyone flip for baseball cards or was that just a geographic phenomenon in the early 70's, being that my dad was stationed in a military base in Japan. Was flipping cards done over in the 48 contiguous states back then or ever?

When I look on the internet flipping comes up with what is below, but when we said flipping it was like what you did with pogs awhile back, trying to flip a card with another card. when you flip the card, the card became yours. lots of fun and lots of abuse of the cards as you can imagine.



Flipping Cards
There are certain skills that you might spend scores of hours perfecting in childhood, which are totally meaningless when you grow up. Flipping cards was once on of the top of the list, a critical childhood skill that has no place in the world of adults. It is an activity that can be done by anyone, but to be done well requires finesse and a truly subtle touch.
Rules are simple; from a standing position, the first player takes a card, holds it along his side and then, with a flip of the wrist, lets it drop to the floor. It lands, with the picture facing up (heads) or the stats facing up (tails). The second player then flips and tries to match the card. If they match (both heads or both tails), player #2 wins the cards, if they did not match, the cards goes to player #1.

sox83cubs84
10-02-2009, 02:21 PM
No one has mentioned flat, powdery, cardboardish bubble gum. I recently opened a 30-year-old waxpack and chewed the gum. Nasty, but tasted just like 1979.[/quote]

Warren, at a show in the early 1990s, my wife won a slew of $1 bets over successfully chewing (and swallowing) a stick of gum from a mid-1970s Topps basketball wax pack. We challenged Mr. Mint to a $100 bet on her doing the same with a stick from his famous 1954 Bowman card find. The Great Mint One declined.

Dave M.
Chicago area

jonincleve
10-02-2009, 08:09 PM
my personal opinion on the decline of baseball cards is the decline in baseball in general. the kids today do not have the attention span for baseball. it is too slow. plus now with computers and the internet plus fantasy leagues. why hold a baseball card and look at the stats when you can get on the net and look up anything. take all that and then over-produce everything in the 80's and 90's and bam, over supply and no demand.

that being said, i love to collect baseball cards from all era's t206 through current. as for current cards i only collect 1 set normally topps heritage. as for value the only cards that i think will hold their value are the autograph cards. my personal collection has hand signed cards vs the 'sticker' cards. if anyone wants to take a look i have a bunch showing on my site jfkcollectibles.net under autographs for viewing.

take care
john

jonincleve@sbcglobal.net

Soonerfan65
10-02-2009, 09:01 PM
I hope the players and coaches don't get swamped with autograph requests at the cookout, to the extent that it ruins the event for them and becomes embarassing. I would guess that a couple of the better known prospects would be targets for that, if they're there. It would be different if they weren't about to play a six-week schedule, during which anyone going to even one or two games will be able to get all the autographs they could hope for. Me, I've got my season pass, and have plans to get to about 25 games this year, including fifteen days when I'll be on vacation from work and doing nothing but watching Baseball, Mon-Sat.

I saw Rusty Ryal the other day, btw, and he let me hold his 2008 AFL Championship ring; it had a pretty nice stone in it.


Rusty Ryal's grandpa was my high school baseball and basketball coach; saw Grandpa today at Wal-Mart and we had a nice chat about Rusty.

GoTigers
10-02-2009, 09:20 PM
I bet we're only a couple years away from seeing insert cards
that award complete game used wrist bands, hats, bats, etc. It's got to be headed that way.

godwulf
10-02-2009, 10:20 PM
Rusty Ryal's grandpa was my high school baseball and basketball coach; saw Grandpa today at Wal-Mart and we had a nice chat about Rusty.

Very cool. Another nice thing about the AFL is that you sometimes run into the parents and grandparents of the players, at the games. I had a nice time chatting with Evan Frey's parents - he's in double-A Mobile now - during the Fall League last year, and they were super nice people. Evan had been playing in South Bend and Visalia, and I warned him about the humidity in Alabama. He said if it meant a promotion, he'd deal with it.

OaklandAsFan
10-03-2009, 02:09 AM
The Diamondbacks prospects are back in their usual place, with the Scottsdale Scorpions, this year, after playing with the A's, etc, on the Phoenix Desert Dogs last year - so, since I'll mostly be following those guys around, I won't be coming to Phoenix Muni as often as I did last year, of course. I'll still be coming out there when the Scorpions are visiting, or when the Scorpions are playing in Surprise, or some ungodly, out-of-the-way place like that...looking at my schedule, I'll be visiting your ballpark at least eight times during the season.

Of the DBacks guys, Brandon Allen (who has been the big club's everyday First Baseman for a few months now) is gonna get swamped by auto-seekers, I think it's safe to say. There are really no big names on the DBacks roster, other than him.


the golden boy Steven Strasburg is gonna get swamped.

chakes89
10-03-2009, 02:44 AM
And from what I have heard about Strasburg, he isn't shy about telling autograph seekers how he feels about them.