Tag Archives: Brett Lawrie

FCB Weekly Hot List – March 2nd 2012 Edition

Posted on by

One of FCB’s finer qualities, in my opinion is it’s ability to keep you in touch with what’s happening in the hobby.  The baseball board is by far the most active but generally that will contain commentary about particularly hot players in other sports as well.  This week was great evidence of that – via reading the boards you found out about Contenders SPs in both baseball and football, a high school pitcher who threw 100 mph, the general trend upwards in almost all prospects and so on and so on.  And speaking of the general trend upwards in prospects and frankly, many other cards, this is a very interesting time of year.

I routinely talk to a couple of FCB members on the phone and in the past couple weeks, we’ve had very similar conversations – EVERYTHING is expensive right now.  Prospect autos have been on the rise for the past two months, rookie autos of guys like A.J. Green, Julio Jones, Andy Dalton, Cam Newton and many others are still selling for crazy money in spite of the fact that the season is over.  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins isn’t cheap on the hockey front and Pikachu rookies are electric in price, forgive me for that last joke.  If you’ve been diligent buying your prospect, your player or just what you like over the winter you are reaping the rewards right now, whether that’s selling for better prices or knowing that you didn’t pay the going rate now – if not, sorry, they are here to stay for a few months.

One of the interesting side effects of this is that although lots of things are getting lots of bids, watchers and selling at all time high prices – the number of things changing dramatically week to week is not as large.  That of course is what this list thrives on and so it is only a thanks to the members on here that make suggestions that we continue to fill the Hot List with good candidates and on that note.

 

1. Lucas Giolito 2011 Topps Perfect Game

Giolito

Comments: This is what I’m talking about being up to date via reading the boards.  I wouldn’t have known about this guy hitting 100 mph in his first outing had I not read a post on it.  The funny thing is, when suggesting him for the Hot List the word “AFLAC” was tossed out and oh that is so 2006 – 2010 it’s Perfect Game now, no more quack attack.  Irregardless, you hit 100 mph in an outing and noticed, you will be.  His Perfect Game cards went from $25 to some sales at $80 recently and that is the kind of pop that will land you a #1 spot on the Hot List and perhaps the same in the draft?

2. Jeremy Evans 2010-11 Contenders Autos

Evans

Comments: Autos of little known basketball players have been featured in a prominent roll on this list over the last month thanks to one Jeremy Lin.  Speaking of Jeremys, we have another one on this list thanks to the NBA All-Star Dunk Contest and in the name of “don’t say anything if you can’t say something nice”, that’s the last comment I’ll make about the dunk contest.  In spite of the fact that there was no Blake Griffin, or Superman there was still a chance to shine on a national stage for guys that otherwise go un-noticed.  Jeremy did just that in winning the contest and his (extraordinarily ugly) Contenders Autos went from $4 to $20 in a week managing to overcome a fake patch and trapped signature design that causes little children to cry upon casting their gaze upon it.

3. Tyron Smith 2011 Contenders Auto SSP /23

Smith

Comments: So the SPs and the SSPs are announced and they go crazy.  So crazy in fact that a base auto SSP /23 recently sold for $700+ and that’s more than a Plate Auto 1/1 sold for just this week in spite of there being 5x as many SSPs out there.  The Contenders SP program is also evidence that creating a brand that people look forward to year in and year out not only means your wax will sell as a producer but it also means collectors busting wax will be able to realize more secondary market value – meaning they’ll bust more wax.

4. Kyrie Irving 2011 Panini National Convention Promos

Irving

Comments: Two things stood out to me from the NBA rookie challenge – #1 is that I thought John Wall’s around the back dunk was better than anything I saw in the dunk contest and #2 – Kyrie Irving’s 8-8 from 3 pt land shooting display was just simply absurd.  I was not a complete believer after the guy played 11 games at Duke but I really am now – he’s playing really good for a team who has very little around him.  I say all this and it frustrates collectors though as they are still limited to the Panini National Convention Promo Cards for Kyrie – those cards, plain as they are moved from $35 up to $6o this week.

5. Nikola Pekovic 2010-11 National Treasures Autos

Pekovic

Comments: Wasn’t I just talking about  autos of previously unknown guys?  Well, here we have another – this isn’t Nikola Tesla, the scientist, this is the center for the T-Wolves who burst upon the scene a week or so ago.  And that brings me to my next point – it is rare where I throw someone on the Hot List because they were a major oversight but Nikola is indeed that.  His cards have been selling at $220ish for the last two weeks but prior to that, they were about $65 and he didn’t make the list, so here he is.

6. Taijuan Walker 2010 Bowman Sterlings

Walker

Comments: It is with mixed emotion I put Taijuan on this Hot List.  Taijuan has been compared to the good part of Doc Gooden (pitching) and is on the top of nearly ever prospect list this offseason.  The reason there is a little bitterness is that Taijuan was a guy I prospected, doubled my money on and now get to watch the same Gold Refractor Autos which I had 5 of sell for about $150…anyway, Taijuan continues to set new highs and Sterling autos broke $20 this week up another 33% or so from last week.

7. Anthony Rendon 2011 Elite Autos

Rendon

Comments: If you were to harken back to say 1.5 years ago – the top draft prospect was Anthony Rendon bar none.  Bauer pfffft, Cole pfffft, Starling – isn’t that a bird or something?  Rendon was the guy but then suffered an injury that kind of took the wind out of the sails – not just his draft status but cards as well.  However, Anthony Rendon sneezed and someone saw his muscles flex and wow, they were impressed and as a result Elite Autos are up in the $50s as opposed to the $40ish they were selling at previously.  You get it right, I’m kidding but sometimes the spring training hype isn’t too different than that…

8. Bryce Harper 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Autos

Harper

Comments: Emm guess what, he’ll sign these and boom, up 20% we go.  Soon the note card and elmer’s glue creation above will turn into a real live Bryce Harper Auto and that will sell for near $300.

9. Brett Lawrie 2010 Bowman Chrome Auto

Lawrie

Comments: Speaking of Chrome Autos that sell for $300…Mr. Lawrie’s are now selling for even more than that.  There was a good deal of drama that surrounded these autos, whether they would ever be signed or not but now, they are live and selling for absolutely crazy dollars.

10. Eric Hosmer USA Autos

Hosmer

Comments: Eric had a fantastic rookie season and people are expecting just that much more from him this year.  One of the interesting things that happens is when a guy gets scorching hot, the first things to go up are the mainstream cards like Chrome Autos and Sterling Autos and then the secondary stuff starts to move as people look for more affordable options – this is exactly what’s happening as Eric’s USA autos, even the trapped beauties /249 started selling for $50+ this week.

 

FCB Weekly Hot List – December 16th 2011 Edition

Posted on by

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Unless you’ve been spending your time under rocks, you’ve probably heard someone say this and you’ve probably heard it uttered recently.  It’s an oft said phrase that is true more often that you might like to believe.  I do believe it applies to the sports world this week too.

In spite of all of us desiring to believe that we were rid of steroids in baseball, the most recent NL MVP tests positive.  When Bobby Huggins left the U of Cincinnati basketball so did all the thuggery?  Right?  Tonight in spite of his team getting totally slaughtered with a very afraid looking rookie QB at the helm, MJD once again peels off over 100 yards and for the third year in a row has over 1200.  Whose good in the NFL this year?  Brees, Brady, Rodgers and the Packers, Saints and the Patriots.  Last week, in spite of a totally different set of circumstances Tebow engineers another comeback victory.  Heck, I feel like I’m repeating myself just writing this, even though it is the first time I’ve written any of these words in this order.

So can you tell where I’m going?  I’m feeling repetitive, so is the sports world and thus so are many of the subjects on the Hot List, people keep showing up, kind of like this list, week after week after week.

1. Rob Gronkowski 2010 UD Autos

Gronkowski

Comments: I’m unaware of Rob’s cultural heritage but none the less, his last name brings fond memories.  I grew up in Illinois and if you weren’t aware, outside of Warsaw, the largest number of people in any given city of Polish heritage is….that’s right, you guessed it, Chicago.  Growing up in Illinois adding the phrase “ski” to almost anything was sure to get you a laugh or a smile, like “I’m going to grab a brewski.”  Even a fonder memory was that we got Casmir Pulaski day off school.  If you are wondering who Casmir (nearly everyone pronounced it Cashmere) was, no, he didn’t invent the sweater.  He was a Polish general in the Revolutionary War which was an irrelevant fact to most children who only cared that they got his birthday off of school.  So for the moment, lets assume that Gronkowski is indeed Polish or at least of some Eastern European decent and that now, a new state has a whole new appreciation for words ending in ski (Massachusetts that is).  Gronkowski has somehow outpaced Wes Welker in become Tom Brady’s new favorite red zone target and this past week set the record for TDs in a season by a tight-end, 15.  Gronkowski’s UD Autos both SP Authentic and Exquisite are on fire and in fact some SP Authentics sold for well over $100 this week in spite of selling for only $40 last week.

2. T.J. Yates 2011 Leaf Certified Autos /100

Yates

Comments: Speaking of repetitiveness, how many times have I stated on this list that guys who get the bump from backup to starter receive lots of love as NFL QBs.  Yates received a battlefield promotion after both Matts went down in front of him and he’s performed amazingly well.  His cards continue to get love as Leaf Certified Autos rose from in the tens to over $30 this week.

3. Todd Marinovich Rookie Cards

Marinovich

Comments: Do you remember when Chris Herren was on this list?  You might, as it was fairly recently but you might have forgotten already.  Props to the member who commented on the fact that the 30 for 30 series on ESPN was bringing former players into the limelight that hadn’t seen that kind of brightness in quite some time.    Like Herren, Marinovich is a guy who everyone expected the world of from a young age, only to see that crumble at the hands of drug abuse among many other things.  Marinovich early 90s Upper Deck rookie cards are now selling for $5 or more (ask yourself what other early 90s UD cards, or any cards that applies to for that matter, yeah, that’s Hot List material).  The question to ponder might be “why do stories about near miss stars with drugs and other issues cause these kinds of reactions?”  I know I don’t often pose deep questions on the Hot List but two answers that come to mind are A. no one turns away from a train wreck and B. some level of humanity and mess ups among people who were supposed to have it all humanizes sports somewhat for us.  So whose next?  Read up on Sean Burroughs….

4. Yu Darvish 2009 Bowman Chrome & Sterling Parallels

Yu

Comments: I Yused up my Pink Floyd jokes but the way teams are pursuing Yu, Yu would believe that they thought no other pitchers had anything on Yu (horrible B.o.B. reference there for….that’s right, Yu.)  Seriously though, what Japanese league signing outside of Ichiro has gone really well in your opinion?  Maybe I’m just missing all of them and maybe my opinion is based on the fact that I had to watch Fukudome play RF for the Cubs for several years but seriously, what’s the success rate on these guys?  None of my bitterness or anger is stopping people from bidding wildly on the Whirling Darvish’s cards though as Gold Refractors that lack a signature now sell for over $300.

5. Mason Williams 2011 Bowman Chrome Autos

Williams
Comments: What’s that?  There were other autos that came out in 2011 Bowman products outside of Bryce Harper?  Wow, that’s kind of amazing!  Sometimes for random reasons a player can get real hot even when they aren’t playing?  However, I think Williams names were mentioned in trade rumors, therefore causing scouts and other bloggers to write about him, words like 5 tool were used and as you know, that’s pretty much all it takes.  Mason’s chrome autos moved from $10 to $18 this week.

6. Aaron Rodgers 2005 Rookie Autos

Rodgers

Comments: Repetitive I know, deal with it.  Rodgers is having an unbelievable season on a team that’s also having an unbelievable season and that’s an unbelievable combo that leads to unbelievable prices (see how I repeated..yeah).  The card above sold for over $1400, that’s right $1400!  That’s insanity and honestly it represents a place and a price where very few have gone before, namely only Brady and perhaps Peyton.  I often watch the efficiency of Rodgers within the Packers offense in awe…and you can do the same for the card prices.

7. Brett Lawrie 2011 Bowman Chrome Autos

Lawrie

Comments: This card being on the Hot List is somewhat interesting.  Upon hearing news that Lawrie was in the upcoming 2011 Bowman Chrome release there was general joy from collectors.  However, upon finding out that he was a mega-sp, many case rippers were disturbed, they’d been baited in by whispers of Hosmer and Lawrie only to find out that it would take many cases to just find one.  Now that, that has passed we are back to the fact that Lawrie is a mega-SP and that means mega bucks.  The most recent Lawrie auto to end went for $150, a new high and up from a recent sale of $115.
8. Tim Tebow 2010 Auto Rookies

Tebow

Comments: I really don’t have any reason to like Tebow.  He’s a Bronco, I’m a Chargers fan, I have no affiliation with Florida or the SEC but as a football fan, it is hard not to marvel at what he seems to do consistently week in and week out.  But that’s just it, watch the games, he doesn’t do lots of things – complete passes in the first half, rush for 150 yards a game, make Michael Vick like highlights and a whole bunch of other things.  All he does is win and when it counts he does the right things.  He’s a bit of a lightning rod at the moment from the cultural  perspective what Tim has done on the football field is undeniable and it seems appropriate that Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmay is playing in the city where Southpark was invented.  Autos continue to climb right along with the Broncos

The Not So Hot List

#1 – The Cadre of Posters Suggesting Ryan Braun

Calls for the not so hot list increased this week when news of Ryan Braun’s positive test came out.  “Show us how much Braun has gone down” they yelled as they tried to clumsily light their torches – ok, so I’m being a bit harsh but you get the idea.  Here’s the thing, key cards like 2005 Bowman Chrome Draft Autos…..wait for it………haven’t gone down.

#2 – David Stern

So I guess David Stern finally got the deal he wanted, listen David, sports fans do not like meddling, period.  Nor do I like the fact that one of my favorite young players – Eric Gordon is now on the Hornets.

#3 – Matt Leinart

For a guy that has had a reputation as a bit of a softie and whiner during his time in the league, getting another opportunity like he had with the Texans had to be a dream come true.  What happened with his opportunity, playing less than a half must have been a nightmare.  A blue chrome refractor auto recently sold for $19.99, a touch less than what they sold for when he was named starter…./sarcasm.

 

FCB Weekly Hot List – September 9th 2011 Edition

Posted on by

1. Randall Cobb 2011 Topps Inception Autos

Cobb

Comments: It almost had to happen, after all sorts of conversation about the kickoff being moved up 5 yards and that resulting in no run-backs, Cobb broke one out in his first NFL game.  Oh yeah, he also caught a TD too, quite the debut on quite the big stage.  As you can imagine, his cards went nuts, Inception Autos /99 were at $20 last week and several BIN or best offers were hit in the $70s last night.

2. Ian Kennedy 2008 SP Authentic Auto

Ian

Comments: I’ve mentioned it before, D-Backs pitchers just don’t get love no matter how good they are (sell all your Jarrod Parker cards now!!!!!) but in the tradition of Brandon Webb and Dan Haren – Ian Kennedy has managed to stay below the hobby radar at 19-4 with a 2.90 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP.  However, his SP Authentic Autos from 2008 did move from $15ish to $30 this week showing some signs of life.

3. Jesus Montero 2008 Bowman Chrome Draft Ref Autos /500

Jesus

Comments: He’s third on the list but probably the most talked about Hot Lister this week.  Jesus has never been known for his Gold Glove fielding skills or his fleet feet.  Instead, he’s known for just what he did the other day, hitting home runs.  Doing that as a highly touted prospect in a Yankees uniform makes for a spike in prices, 2008 Draft Refractors moved from $90 to $140ish this week.

4. Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Parallels

Pill

Comments: In Mr. Pill we have almost the exact opposite of Mr. Montero.  An unknown but a guy who hit a HR in his first big league at bat (first Giant to do that since Will Clark!) and as a result his 2008 Bowman Chrome Parallels go nuts.  I’m going to let you off by not telling you a lame Jagged Little Pill joke…oh wait.

5. Eddie Rosario 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Parallels

Rosario

Comments: In 67 games in the Appy League Cousin Eddie has 21 HRs, 9 doubles, 9 triples and is just all around tearing it up.  His 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft parallels previously sold for very little but are now heating up.  An Orange Ref sold for $56 this week and a Red went for $151.

6. Jordy Nelson 2008 SPX Autos

Jordy

Comments: Having the benefit of playing on a big stage (who doesn’t watch the first NFL game of the year) Jordy picked up right where he left off with catches and TDs for the Packers.  His SPX autos moved from$12 to $35 this week.

7. Brett Lawrie Razor Metal Autos & Parallels

Lawrie

Comments: Mr. Seasoned Salt has played 33 games and his OPS is 1.081, only one other guy like that in the league – his teammate and MVP candidate Jose Bautista.  FCB’s owner Mr. Chris Gilmore always remarks about prospecting that he cares a lot less about the card and a lot more about the player.  This is certainly true in Brett’s case as his “much-loved” Razor cards are on fire – Blue Metal Autos are over $50 per now.

8. Justin Verlander Rookie Autos

Verlander

Comments: He just keeps winning and throwing fabulous games, what a season and its not even over.  Sterling Autos hit a new high this week with the most recent ending at $71.

9. Jermichael Finley Rookie Autos

Finley

Comments: Please see above:  Nelson, Jordy and Cobb, Randall.  Big stage, early in the year and Jermichael looks like the TE everyone drafted prior to getting hurt last year.  His Autos are already climbing and Contenders moved from $38 to $55 this week.

10. 2011 Topps Chrome Rookie Autos – Kimbrel, Beachy, Hosmer

Hosmer

Comments: I cannot say I’m a believe in the merits of busting Topps Chrome products now that they aren’t prospect inclusive.  However, they do provide very nice singles opportunities and already Craig Kimbrel and Brandon Beachy two Braves phenoms are selling well.  Not to mention an Eric Hosmer Atomic Auto /10 Redemption just sold for $700…and yes, that is an actual redemption from Topps although it looks like one of those letters you see in a crime movie where magazine print has been copied and pasted to conceal any handwriting analysis.