Tag Archives: Jurickson Profar

Sports Card Hotlist for March 18th 2013

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Cgilmo: The Las Vegas Industry Summit is on the way, and I am at home sick following along like all of you are.  Twitter has been a really effective tool in tracking this event as news hits there before anywhere else.  Thanks to Sooz, Sports Card Radio and company for keeping the tweets up.

Big news from the event has come from UD in the form of a MLBPA license.  While I think that it cuts out a lot of leg work for them in that they don’t have to sign individual contracts anymore I don’t think it does much else that they couldn’t already do.  I see products like last years SP Signature and I’m confused why they didn’t use images of athletes at all.  That led to a highly anticipated product being one of the weakest sets in recent years.

What is certain is that there will be a 2013 Fleer Retro baseball in the works as they has a side show about it during the industry summit.  The football and basketball versions have been among the strongest products of this past card season.  Strong enough to secure yet another #1 slot in Corry Gross’s hot list.

Russell Wilson2012 Fleer Retro Precious Metal Gems Football

Fleer is starting to party like it’s 1997 with its Retro Precious Metal Gems release. They brought back the set with parallels of red (/100), blue (/50) and green (/10) that are selling for big money. Out of the 100 cards in the set, 60 of them are rookies, and they are selling for premium prices, especially if they are of RG3, Doug Martin or Russell Wilson.

RG3′s red gems are selling for $125 and Wilson’s are up to $93. Pretty premium stuff considering that these are not even autographed. Maybe nostalgia is kicking in and people are really kicking it back old school.

Javier Baez2011 Javier Baez Bowman Sterling Autographs

Baez, the Cubs’ top prospect has held his own in Spring Training, especially in the late innings. He has come up clutch recently by hitting walk-off home runs and hitting multiple in a couple games. He has hit 4 home runs in only 14 games and has shown the raw power that he has that the scouts see in him. He may strike out a lot, but he was also hit many home runs.

With Baez showing his power, his cards have shown promise. His Bowman Sterling autographs are up to $36 this week after selling for only $15-$17 last week. His power trip has given prospectors the chance to unload their Baez stash.

Jackie BradleyJackie Bradley Jr. Autographs

Many people are excited to see what JBJ can do with the Red Sox, but they may have to wait a bit longer. Although he has impressed this spring by batting .457, he may have to wait until Jacoby Ellsbury is out the door. The South Carolina product has succeeded at every level and continues to impress.

Bradley Jr.’s cards have been on the rise this whole month. His autographs first came out in 2010 with Team USA, and they were a hot sell then, but have risen based on his prospect status. Even his 2011 Panini Prime Cuts autographs are up to the $25 mark and his low-end 2011 Leaf Metal Draft autographs are up to $15. 2012 Bowman Chrome autographs are also $60 plus. His autographs will continue to climb as he progresses towards the big leagues.

gerritt coleGerrit Cole Autographs

Another USA Baseball product, Gerrit Cole has been on a Spring Training hot streak. Many scouts seem impressed by his maturity and say that he could start the season with the Pirates, but he will most likely start in Triple-A. Once a number one pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Cole consistently hits high 90s on the radar gun, and even touches 100 at times.

Cole’s autographs are selling for pretty decent prices even though he is a Pirates prospect. A 2012 Bowman Chrome Blue Refractor autograph BGS 9.5/10 sold for a hefty $200. Base autographs sell for between $35 and $50. Non-autographed parallels are also selling. A blue refractor sold for $20. Even his over-produced USA autographs sell for a solid $15.

Julio TeheranJulio Teheran Chrome Autographs

We’ve seen this before. Julio Teheran puts up great Minor League and Spring Training numbers, but it hasn’t translated in the big leagues. He is off to a great start again, posting a 1.29 ERA through four starts. Teheran seems to be a streaky player either doing really hot or really cold.

Because of his hot streak, his cards have heated up. His 2010 Bowman Chrome autographed refractors are up to $55 when they were around the $35 mark the last couple of weeks. His base ITG autos are up to $10, which is considered the low, low end. Hopefully his success can translate in the Braves’ rotation.

 

Lamar MillerLamar Miller Autographs

Since Reggie Bush was shipped out of Miami, there seems to be a new hot name in town. Lamar Miller played at the University of Miami and was drafted in the 4th round last year. Miller looks to be the frontrunner in taking over for Bush. Miller is expected to share the majority of the carries with Daniel Thomas.

Miller’s Topps Chome autographs were selling for $10 or less last week, but with Reggie Bush’s departure made more evident, they jumped to around the $20 mark. His refractor autographs /178 are up to the $40 mark. This still could be considered a bargain if he has a breakout season this year.

Jurickson Profar2011 Leaf Valiant Jurickson Profar Autographs

Profar has gotten a lot of attention recently being the top prospect in Major League Baseball. Not only that, but he was on the World Baseball Classic Kingdom of the Netherlands team, then off again, and now back on again. We will see if he can lead the team to victory. Another question looming is can he can make the Rangers team out of Spring Training? He has all the tools, but Andrus and Kinsler are blocking him in the middle infield.

Profar’s Leaf Valiant autos have seen a jump recently, moving from $32 to $45 in a short week. These will continue to rise if he can show the promise that the scouts see.

wheeler

FCB Prospect Hot List, Issue #1

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Greetings, fellow prospectors.

Every other week, I will be releasing my list of baseball prospects who are either receiving a significant amount of hype, have had excellent performances recently, or both.

Recently, I created a “prototype” version of a Hot List, which you can find here. Afterwards, FCB owner Chris Gilmore asked if I could make this a bi-weekly column to supplement the FCB weekly Hot List. Unlike that list, this will cover baseball prospects exclusively.

It’s already a busy time of year where prospects are concerned, and Spring Training hasn’t even started yet.

Bottom line – the anticipation and hype are what’s fueling prices right now. In addition, the college baseball season began this past weekend, for those who prospect amateur players. And finally, there’s Baseball America’s annual Top 100 prospects list, which fans the flame even higher where prospect card values are concerned.

As a bonus, I will also include a “sleeper” on each list, i.e., a prospect whose card values have yet to reach their potential, but have the possibility to do so.

1) Oscar Taveras. There really is no serious competition right now for the top spot. The Cards’ GM compared Taveras’ hitting skills to that of Albert Pujols recently, and people are pouncing all over his cards. His base autographed Bowman Chromes are now fetching as much as $147 each, and his Refractor autos are getting up to $275.

2) Dylan Bundy. If Taveras is the top hitting prospect where card values are concerned, Bundy is the top pitcher. People are speculating as to whether or not this ace-in-waiting could break camp with the O’s, and his cards are steadily increasing. A base Chrome auto just sold for triple digits.

3) Xander Bogaerts. Being a great hitting prospect is a good thing. Being a power hitter helps his stock even more. And playing for the Red Sox’s organization just blows up his cards even further. A base Chrome just brought in $100, and a Blue Refractor auto brought over $250 recently, up from $175.

4) Jurickson Profar. While it’s looking increasingly likely he’ll start the year in AAA, the fact he topped Keith Law’s, Jonathan Mayo’s and Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects lists means his cards won’t be slowing down anytime soon. A Refractor auto sold for $190 recently.

5) Zack Wheeler. The top pitching prospect in the Mets’ system by far, like Bundy his cards are also steadily increasing, as a base Chrome auto sold for $70.

6) Christian Yelich. Another product of the recently released Top 100 lists, his hitting ability is finally being recognized where values are concerned. A lot of two of his base Chrome autos sold for $85 recently.

7) Gerrit Cole. He has arguably the top velocity in the minors, and isn’t far from Pittsburgh. People are already anticipating him becoming the ace they’ve sorely needed, as a Blue Refractor auto sold for $150 recently, up from the $105-125 range.

8) Austin Meadows. It’s never too early to speculate on potential 5-tool prospects, and he fits the bill. Many still don’t realize his base Chrome USA autos are in shorter supply than his Refractor autos, which are numbered to 199. One just sold for $90, and if the hype continues, they won’t be under $100 for long. In addition, a Purple Refractor auto sold for over $730.

My Weekly Sleeper – Shelby Miller. No, he’s obviously not a sleeper as a prospect, but the fact that Chris Carpenter won’t be pitching again anytime soon opens the door for him to win a rotation spot. You can still find his base Chrome autos in the $20-$25 range (as of now). Get ‘em while you can.

FCB Weekly Hot List – January 27th 2012 Edition

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I have many interests in life but two of the largest ones are sports and politics.  I follow them both with a mix of enthusiasm, optimism and all out frustration.  Almost any time that you ask me my opinion on one of these subjects, you will find that I’m somewhere within that range of emotions.  So, that said, you would have to think that with the election of 2012 coming up, the State of the Union this week and the Super Bowl next week that I would be on cloud nine – lots of interesting things happening with my interests – right?  Right.  So I’m super excited about all that, right?  Wrong.

If one were to talk about sports and politics within the same breath – something that may come to mind, is the effect on both as it relates to the evolution of the news cycle and thereby analysis, analysis, talking, yapping, speculation, speculation about insignificant facts, rehashing the same opinions, bringing in different people to issue the same opinions and so on and so forth.  My point is, even a guy (me!) that loves the analysis of nearly everything in life can become exhausted of the countless hours spent by talking heads analyzing things like Mitt Romney’s hair, replaying David Tyree’s catch, talking about if Tom Brady can turn water into wine and if so would it be Merlot or a Pinot Noir and so on h.  We are at that stage, both with the Super Bowl and with the 2012 election.  It always reminds me of a similar time in college football – the period that seems like forever prior to a National Championship football game.  It just drags on and on and on and I always feel like Keith Jackson prior to the USC-Texas National Championship game in 2006 when he said, it’s finally here, the talk is over, “whoopee, lets play football!”

So with that said, lets play, the beauty of the Hot List is it is ever changing and even guys on from week to week might make it for different reasons and thereby I hopefully do not turn into just another talking head.

1. Anderw Luck 2012 Leaf Metal Army Prismatic /?? /39

Luck

Comments: Speaking of analysis, any Leaf product that hits these boards is certainly analyze with a critical eye.  I honestly believe we’ve been close before to having members say that it isn’t Brian Gray running Leaf, it was a shooter on the grassy knoll.  However, critical eyes can be a good thing, especially when they catch critical errors.  At this point, what, why is this on the Hot List?  Well hears the deal, the error was caught, the presses were stopped and the cards were shipped but just the first 39, thereby massively limiting Andrew Luck’s first card and immediately creating scarcity.  As economics does, prices skyrocketed and these cards that were a buy it now for $14.99 are now seeing prices of $200-$300

2. Jason Pierre Paul National Treasures Autos /99

Pierre Paul

Comments: Another D Lineman at the top of the Hot List, who says these big lugs don’t get any hobby love!  I’ve read lots of scouting reports that say Jason is operating on pure talent and when he really learns football, well then he’s going to be really good.  Well let me tell you the beauty of that, Jason is already REALLY good and if he happens to get better, well that’s going to be scary for opposing offensive lineman and quarterbacks alike, really scary.  Tom Brady has a super quick release often and it is going to be a speed versus speed match up in the Super Bowl.  This year was a breakout season for JPP and the Giants performance in the playoffs continues to drive his cards higher, this week National Treasures autos doubled from $30 to $60.

3. Victor Cruz 2010 Playoff Contenders Autos

Cruz

Comments: If you watched the Giants Niners game, you know exactly why Victor is on this list.  You know that his Contenders Autos went up AGAIN this week from $60 to $90 right?  No, you know that Victor’s first half in that game was as impressive a half as I’ve ever seen put together by a wide receiver in the playoffs, against a good D to boot.  This performance continues to build on what has already been an incredible and unexpected season for Victor.  You could have had all the Contenders Autos you wanted in the offseason for $5 bucks.

4. Jurickson Profar 2011 Bowman Chrome Autos

Profar

Comments: Someone discussing Jurickson on the boards said it best, he pretty much was a middle of the top 50 prospect entering the season who attained or exceed most of what people expected of him and now is rising towards the top of the list at a premium position.  In less words, people are jazzed about Jurickson’s upcoming 2012 season and decided that his Chrome Autos at $35 were a steal, because of this, they’ve now risen to $50.

5. Mason Williams 2011 Bowman Chrome Autos

Williams

Comments: I knew several prospectors who were really buying Mason upon the release of the chrome product, they must be happy now.  Mason had some really kind words said about him when he was mentioned in trades and anytime you combine the idea of a 5 tool prospect and the Yankees card prices start rising.  And rise they have throughout the offseason, not quickly but surely.  A refractor autograph hit $40 this week and as all the new product that has released continues to dry up and people look elsewhere for their purchases, Mason may continue to rise.

6. Eli Manning 2004 SP Authentic Auto Patches

Manning

Comments: Last week in this spot, an SP Authentic Auto Patch, this week, an SP Authentic Auto Patch. Eli’s Giants are absolutely on a roll right now and so is he, I thought I was going to watch some sports commentators bend down on one knee and propose to him last week, the lovefest was in all its glory. In spite of the fact that his brother is revered as one of the all time greats, Eli is one win away from having more Super Bowl rings than the elder brother and you know what, he better send a thank you card again to David Tyree and also to Kyle Williams.  Eli’s premium autos are on fire, just like the SP Authentic Auto Patch that moved to $400 this week from a previous $300.

7. Tom Brady 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractor

Brady

Comments: Every once in a while when a football player just gets stupidly hot, one of the phrases that comes to my mind is that those prices are Brady-esque, except, often they aren’t.  Brady’s Chrome Refractors were selling for $550 this week up from $400 last week.  When I say that, it is easy to assume that these cards are autographed but they aren’t, this is just a plain old Chrome Refractor that sells for $550 dollars, if you are looking for something autographed you better bust out ten Benjamins at least and pay up.

8. Prince Fielder 2002 Prospect Premieres Auto

Fielder

Comments: As a Cubs fan, I love it, both Pujols and Fielder no longer play the Cubs 18 times a year, that collective sigh of relief you heard this week is from the North Side of Chicago, after Prince signed his deal with the Tigers.  Honestly, when you think about it, having the 1-2 punch of Fielder and Cabrera in a lineup and then having Verlander on the mound. I do not believe there is a team in the MLB with 3 players of that caliber in the lineup.  Any time there’s big news like this prices are likely to spike and Fielders 2002 Prospect Premieres Auto moved to $110 this week up from the  mid-$70s the previous week as he is now on Tiger collectors radars.

9. Bubba Starling 2011 Bowman Chrome Draft Autos

Bubba

Comments: Reading the sub-titles in many eBay auctions is often good for a laugh, however, one of them on a Bubba Chrome Auto said “compared to Josh Hamilton.”  Well, let me see, hits for all sorts of power, throws 95, runs like a deer (youtube some of the guy’s football videos, umm, wow) and we’ll hope that he diverges from Josh when it comes to off the field struggles.  If Bubba becomes a huge star in Kansas City, his hometown, that will be the best pick the Royals ever made at number five.  eBayers continue to drive up prices on Bubba’s rare cards and this week Gold Refractor Autos hit over $400 and an Orange over $500.

10. 2010 Totally Certified Basketball Boxes

Certified

Comments: As I’ve mentioned before, basketball cards seem to have more potential for insanity, when it comes to prices, than almost any other sport.  I guess this includes boxes, collectors have decided that last year’s Certified is to be the next round of Leaf Metal Precious Gem type price craziness and therefore, the remaining unopened wax is going absolutely bananas.  Boxes are up to $150 when just last week they were in the $120s.