T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10

T206 baseball cards are my favorite piece of baseball memorabilia. My collection is still only about 40-50 cards but I have sprinkled in a couple of Hall of Famers. I think the T206 baseball card series is so appealing because of their antiquity. Due to age alone they have some inherent value. Baseball is a sport steeped in tradition and T206 cards are a great way to connect with the heritage of the game.

In my opinion holy trinity of T206 Hall of Famers consists of Ty Cobb, Cy Young and Walter Johnson. There are dozens of other HOFers but these are three absolute legends. Ty Cobb has 4 cards - green portrait, red portrait, bat off shoulder (shown) and bat on shoulder. Cy Young has 3 cards in the T206 set - portrait, bare hand and glove. Walter Johnson has two cards in the set - his portrait (essentially "The Big Train's" rookie card) and throwing.

Add a T206 Hall of Famer baseball card from eBay to your memorabilia collection!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Joey Devine (shown 2006 Topps Heritage rookie card) was once a prized pitching prospect in the incomparable Braves system. After battling some minor injuries and control problems the hard throwing right hander finally made an impact at the big league level last year with a move to Oakland.

One of the main reasons that I like Joey Devine this year is that Billy Bean is as sharp as the come. He buys low on talented players like Devine, runs them into the ground and then sells high right before their arms fall off - which for fantasy baseball purposes works fine for me.

Here are the facts - in 45 innings last year Devine had better than 9 Ks per 9 racking up a total of 49. At the same time he limited his walks to just 15 netting out a command ratio of better than 3. He had a minecule ERA of .60 which no one expects to hold up but the 3+ command says he's for real.

Joey Devine is in the mix to close for Oakland so watch his progress this spring. If he wins the job as Oakland's closer it's entirely possible that he cracks the top 5 at the position in fantasy baseball making him a great sleeper pick - he may have the tools to make a run at the top 5!

Add a Joey Devine baseball card to your collection today with help from eBay - click here!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12

Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10

This autographed Alex Rodriguez game used bat comes from his 520th career home run which he hit off of Hideo Nomo. It's asking price is well into the 5 figures on eBay but there are many options for collectors that want to add games used bats to their memorabilia collection.

Aside from the Alex Rodriguez piece I found several other games used bats from other notable ballplayers like Dave Parker and Dave Winfield. It looks like many of these players from the 70s and 80s are going for a relative discount.

Baseball card manufacturers like Topps and Upper Deck routinely include cards with pieces of game used bats as well. The pricing of these cards will vary based on the print run and who the player is. Some of the least expensive baseball cards with game used bats will go for only a few dollars with rarities going for hundreds and even thousands.

Enjoy a piece of history by adding a game used bat to your baseball memorabilia collection - find them now on eBay!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10

I love the idea of owning a piece of history like actual seats from Shea Stadium. The Mets have been in the process of selling Shea Stadium seats for the past several months and some are starting to make their way to eBay.

The seats I've been able to find come in orange, blue, green, red and picnic benches. I never realized there where this may options at Shea even though I've been to the stadium many times over the years. I've also spotted backs for sale presented in framed shadow boxes on the Mets' website.

Add Shea Stadium Seats from eBay to your baseball memorabilia collection!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12

Ok so Jeff Clement was a complete fantasy baseball disaster last year once he got call up (pictured
2008 Upper Deck Sweet Spot autographed rookie card), and I was dead wrong to Clement an 'elite rookie' in one of my posts last June. That said, in deep leagues and/or leagues that require 2 catchers (like the NFBC), Clement is one to watch this spring.

The Mariners have nothing to loose right now so Jeff Clement may be assured playing time as they look to develop their younger players. Although he only hit 226 with 5 home runs in 200 or so at bats, Clements minor league numbers show a ton of upside. In AAA last year he hit 14 home runs in 173 at bats and maintained a batting average of 335. The year before Jeff Clement hit 20 home runs in a full season at AAA. Granted these were all achieved in the hitter friendly Pacific Coast League, but even if we revise them down he's still a solid #2 catcher with sick upside. Let's say he levels off at 280 with 20 homers - he'd crack the top 10 for fantasy baseball catchers. Watch Jeff Clement this spring and if he's starting don't be afraid to take a late round flier on him if you need some help at catcher.

Get an autographed baseball card of Jeff Clement on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10

This Babe Ruth autographed baseball card is an intriguing piece of baseball memorabilia. Autographed baseball cards of long gone legends like this one are readily found on eBay and great way to add an incredible piece of history to your baseball collection. The card shown is from the 2008 SP Legendary Cuts. This Babe Ruth autographed baseball card is card 10 of 10 from this short run.

There's no question in my mind that Babe Ruth is the greatest baseball player of all time - if not the greatest athlete period. No one dominated a sport more than Babe Ruth dominated baseball. Aside from the home runs let's not forget that Ruth was also an elite pitcher as well early in his career. If you're a baseball fan it's easy to see why a piece of Babe Ruth memorabilia is essential to any collector's stash.

Find Babe Ruth autographed baseball cards on eBay - click here!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

Jose Reyes Beckett Baseball Magazine Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 1 of 10

While treasure hunting on eBay I found this cool Jose Reyes printing plate from Beckett Baseball Magazine. The plate is available at the Beckett Media Store and comes from the July 2007 issue featuring the Mets Jose Reyes. It is a single black plate so apparently the cyan, magenta and yellow are already sold.

After autographs I think printing plates are among the coolest pieces of baseball memorabilia. Aside from the magazine printing plates I found many Jose Reyes plates from various baseball card runs. The reason why I like them so much is that the printing plates are usually one of a kind - making them a unique piece of baseball history.

Check out Jose Reyes printing plates on eBay to add one to your baseball memorabilia collection!

Also See,
Stadium Dirt, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 10 of 10
Baseball Card Printing Plate, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 9 of 10
Vintage Baseball Glove, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 8 of 10
Game Used Baseball Jerseys, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 7 of 10
Baseball DVD by Ken Burns, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 6 of 10
T206 Hall of Famer Baseball Cards, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 5 of 10
Alex Rodriquez Game Used Bat - Baseball Memorabilia - Part 4 of 10
Shea Stadium Seats, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 3 of 10
Babe Ruth Autographed Baseball Card, Baseball Memorabilia - Part 2 of 10

Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12

Just when Juan Rivera (shown 2002 Bowman Heritage autographed baseball card) was getting his career on track a broken leg stole the majority of his 2007 fantasy season. Last year with the Angles he was in a platoon/rotation role which greatly limited his at bats. This year however, Juan Rivera should be a full time starter batting in the heart of the lineup - making Juan Rivera an excellent fantasy baseball sleeper.

From 2004-2006 Rivera averaged 400 at bats with an average north of 290. In a full 600 at bat season he would have blasted something in the neighborhood of 25 HRs. Since he turns just 31 mid season Juan Rivera is still in his prime and poised for a comeback.

He's not a guy to build your team around but Juan Rivera is worth an end game flier and should bring a nice combination of batting average and power.

You can get your own Juan Rivera autographed baseball card on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Rare Broad Leaf T206 Baseball Card Fetches Big Bucks Despite Condition

Broad Leaf backs are among the rarest of all the T206 baseball cards. A Rube Marquard Portrait in pretty poor condition went for $179.50 back on 1/19 on eBay. The catch is that this baseball card was graded PSA "Authentic". Not even poor, merely "authentic".

I'm fortunate to have one Broad Leaf in my T206 baseball card collection. I'm even more proud of it now that I've seen one in this poor condition push $200 on eBay.

Visit eBay to add a Broad Leaf card to your T206 baseball card collection.

Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster 2009 is Here!

Once I started getting serious about fantasy baseball I needed some alternative resources to typical fantasy baseball magazines. When I got my first copy of Ron Shandler's Baseball Forecaster a few years ago it was a little tough to follow but eventually it started to click. I now view the Baseball Forecaster as perhaps the most essential fantasy baseball publication.

Over the past several weeks I've been pouring over the pitchers in the Forecaster. The Command Ratio, hit rate, strand rate and expected ERA are all key stats that help to measure a pitcher's true value. The Baseball Forecaster allows you to separate luck from true trends. On draft day you'll be able to value pitchers much more accurately than the other league owners.

For 2009 forget the fantasy baseball magazines and pick up a copy of Baseball Forecaster - it will give you a huge advantage in winning your fantasy baseball league.

Ron Shandler's 2009 Baseball Forecaster is on sale now at Amazon.com!

Team USA World Baseball Classic Fitted Hats by New Era

Baseball season is around the corner but before MLB starts up we have the World Baseball Classic - WBC. Japan won the inaugural tournament in 2007 and I think the event will garner more interest this go around - especially since the USA didn't win.

I'm a little concerned about the WBC's impact on fantasy baseball. Back in 2007 a lot of pitchers got off to rocky starts after pitching in the WBC. I'll definitely have updates throughout the tournament.

I found some cool World Baseball Classic gear on the web today and since I'm a big hat guy wanted to talk about the Team USA hats. Official New Era 5950 Team USA on field fitted hats are now available on eBay. For $25 they seem reasonably priced for an authentic fitted hat.

You can purchase Official Team USA New Era hats on Amazon - click here!

Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12

The Mets Jonathon Niese (pictured Binghamton Mets minor league baseball card) cruised through 2 levels in the minors last year and at times looked good in the bigs. He's likely to start out in AAA but has a shot to earn the 5th rotation spot headed into spring. Where Niese lands will dictate whether he's a draft day target or a sleeper to watch during the fantasy baseball season.

The bulk of Niese's work came at AA where he posted an ERA of just over 3.00 and a whip of 1.30. He did K 112 batters in 124 innings which looks like it could translate to a solid K rate in the majors. Niese walked 44 batters which isn't great but not terrible either. His command ratio in AA would net out a around 2.5.

If you factor in some growth, believe the Mets will be a contender and like the much improved bullpen then Jonathon Niese is someone to watch this spring as a potential quality spot starter in fantasy baseball leagues.

You can find autographed Jonathon Niese baseball cards on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12

Jeff Francis (pictured in 2008 autographed Allen and Ginter baseball card), kind of sucks, was injured last year and pitches in a tough park - but it's sleeper time! Francis isn't the guy to build around but if you need a back of the rotation guy that can get better than league-average fantasy baseball stats with good matchups then he's something to look at.

Even with last year's struggles his 3 year average is 4.40 ERA and 1.38 WHIP and nice K rate in the 6 per 9 neighborhood. I look for him to rebound better than this average but not by a whole lot. Jeff Francis doesn't have extreme home/road splits but does fair slightly better on the road. Oddly Francis has been significantly more effective in day games than pitching at night - something to watch in 2009.

I could see Jeff Francis turning into an average version of Barry Zito back in the Oakland As day. Francis won't win a Cy Young or 20 games but is a nice innings eating option that won't hurt - there's something to be said for that in deeper fantasy baseball leagues.

Find autographed Jeff Francis baseball cards on eBay!!!
More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12

Alexi Casilla (pictured Bowman 2007 rookie baseball card) turns 25 mid-season and is primed for a breakout - of sorts. He's the starting 2nd baseman for the Twins and middle infield is generally thin. As such he's a strong recommend in deep fantasy leagues like the NFBC.

In the minors he consistently displayed 50+ stolen base potential, but his nearly 600 big league ABs over three seasons have only netted 18 SBs. I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle so in his prime bank on 30 or so. Out of no where he hit 7 HRs in a little more than half a season - some see this trend continuing but according to his minor league numbers it looks like a ceiling. Castilla also looks like he's capable of pushing a 300 BA at some point but I'd temper expectations at around 280 this year.

Alexi Casilla could bat 2nd (meaning tons of runs), hit near 300 and combine for roughly 40 HRs+SBs (mostly stolen bases). These are great numbers at a light position and he should cost next to nothing in fantasy baseball drafts.

Score an Alexi Casilla rookie baseball card on eBay now!!!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12

Carlos Guillen (1996 Bowman rookie baseball card) is a solid veteran and fantasy baseball staple but he seems to be getting forgotten. He just turned 33 so he's a little long in the tooth but Guillen should still have a few productive years left. Plus, he should qualify at 3B and 1B - I like a little versatility.

Guillen is a career 290 hitter and has averaged 302 over the past 3 seasons - it seems like something north of 280 is a lock. Over a full compliment of 600 ABs he projects to something like 20/15. He always seems to miss 100-150 ABs so expect the same. Guillen has also averaged 165 runs + RBIs over the past 3 years in only 509 average at bats - when he's in there he's a productive fantasy baseball corner infielder.

Carlos Guillen may not make a run at MVP but he can help your fantasy baseball team. He's inexpensive, puts up a nice balance of productive stats and has position versatility. Guillen will be a nice addition to one of my teams.

Buy Carlos Guillen baseball memorabilia on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12

I've never been a huge Clint Barmes guy (pictured 2003 Upper Deck rookie baseball card) but recently did a mock draft in preparation for the NFBC (National Fantasy Baseball Championship) and was stuck for a 2nd baseman. In desperation I picked up Barmes and decided to research further.

Here's what I've got - he turns 30 this year so he's still in his prime and he has a chance to be the everyday 2nd baseman for the Rockies so plays a thin position with a nice home ballpark - two things fantasy baseball players like. He might be able to maintain a batting average above 280 and looks like a 15/15 guy - In deep leagues I start getting very interested in players that can combine for 30 HRs+steals.

Don't know if he'll win your league for you but if you're stuck for a 2nd baseman in a deep league I think Clint Barmes is worth a shot.

Look for Clint Barmes rookie cards on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12

I still think Ian Kennedy (pictured in autographed 2008 Ultimate Collection baseball card) is the best young pitcher in the Yankees organization and although he may not go into 2009 in the rotation I think he'll get there and have a lot of value in fantasy baseball. I know he got absolutely hammered in the big leagues last year but I'm willing to toss out those 40 innings as an adjustment period.

In over 150 innings at AA and AAA between 2007 and 2008 Ian Kennedy had a sub 2.50 ERA, roughly a 1.00 WHIP and 9 Ks per 9 and a walk rate of less than 3 per 9. This yields a Command Ratio of better than 3 which is stellar - 2 is when pitchers start to become very solid for fantasy purposes. Part of his undoing were 27 walks which looks to me like more of an outlier than what we can expect from Kennedy when he's more of a finished product.

Command and control pitchers sometimes take a little longer to adjust than the flame throwers and I think that's what we've seen so far with Ian Kennedy. I love his K rate considering it's not really his specialty. I could see Ian Kennedy turn into an AL East version of Kevin Slowey - solid innings eater with generally good stats all around. I think Kennedy is worth a late round sleeper pick on draft day.

Pick up an Ian Kennedy autographed baseball card on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12

Delmon Young (pictured Don Russ rookie baseball card) looks like a classic post-hype-sleeper for fantasy baseball in 2009. After tearing up the minors Young was suspended in 2007 after he threw a bat at a minor league umpire. Young's career took a surprise turn when the highly coveted prospect was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Matt Garza.

1,300 at bats later and Delmon Young has yet to dominate the majors and is way under the radar. Here are the facts - turned 23 in September, 292 career batting average, minor league numbers project to 300+ hiiter with 30/30 (maybe 40/40) type home run and stolen base skills. So the reason Delmon Young is not one of the top 200 players taken is that although he's been good he hasn't dominated the bigs at age 21 or 22 - when most prized prospects should still be in AA or AAA.

The bottom line is that Delmon Young was rushed, still posses sick skills, has a career BA over 290 and is practically free. If you're willing to role the dice and reach a round or 2 higher for a sleeper in your fantasy baseball draft I think Delmon Young is your guy - expect to see Young on all of my fantasy teams!

Check out eBay for Delmon Young autographed baseball cards!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12

Anibal Sanchez was a big time pitching prospect with the Marlins just a few years ago and after a stellar rookie effort in 06 was sidelined with shoulder problems in 07 and much of 08. I like him as a sleeper because I think he has more or less been written off. Sure Sanchez's shoulder may not hold up and who's to say if he'll ever be the same again but for an end game fantasy baseball sleeper he costs nothing and offers a ton - and I love cheap pitching, and I love Venezuelan pitchers.

Anibal Sanchez was pretty dominant at most minor league stops with a better than 9k per 9 innings pitched. His ERA and WHIP were excellent as well. Base on balls could have been better but that's typical for 22 year olds that get rushed to the majors. In 2006 he dominated Major League hitters as well with a sub 3.00 ERA and sub 1.20 WHIP.

Sanchez turns 25 during Spring Training and a full year and a half removed from shoulder problems I'm optimistic. In 51 innings in the bigs last year he struck out 50 but walked 27. He also gave up 54 hits which helped lead to a 5.62 ERA and horrendous 1.58 WHIP. The K rate is a great sign and I think the hits are probably more bad luck than anything. I think the ERA and WHIP will scare most owners but the skills may return which makes Anibal Sanchez an awesome fantasy baseball sleeper for 2009.

Collect Anibal Sanchez baseball cards on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

Elijah Dukes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 1 of 12

I had high hopes for Elijah Dukes as an up and coming fantasy baseball stud when I wrote about him last June - Elijah Dukes, Troubled Fantasy Baseball Star in the Making. While he showed flashes at times he never fully put it together due to injuries. The big question that last season answered for me is where his head was at. Dukes claimed to have rededicated himself to baseball and apparently has turned his life around - so far.

Upside - Dukes turns 25 this season so he's still very young which potentially gives him a very high ceiling. He went 13/13 last year in 276 ABs with a 265 batting average. That easily projects to high 20s in HRs and SBs over the course of a full season which is in line with his minor league numbers. 30/30 is not out of the question for Dukes either. His career batting average in the big leagues is only .235 in 460 ABs but he did hit 265 last year and he was consistently between 287 and 331 in the minors.

Elijah Dukes has a shot to put up Grady Sizemore-light type numbers this year - allowing him to far exceed his fantasy baseball value on draft day. It has been stated that he'll battle Lasting Milledge for center field and with the addition of Josh Willingham the Washington Nationals are loaded in the outfield. Dukes is probably the best of the bunch right now and as a fantasy keeper other than Milledge but watch playing time this spring.

Elijah Dukes is pictured in a Topps 2007 rookie card.

Pick up Elijah Dukes baseball cards and other gear on eBay!

More fantasy baseball sleepers,
Anibal Sanchez - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 2 of 12
Delmon Young - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 3 of 12
Ian Kennedy - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 4 of 12
Clint Barmes - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 5 of 12
Carlos Guillen - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 6 of 12
Alexi Casilla - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 7 of 12
Jeff Francis - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 8 of 12
Jonathon Niese - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 9 of 12
Juan Rivera - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 10 of 12
Jeff Clement - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 11 of 12
Joey Devine - 2009 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers , Part 12 of 12

T206 Baseball Card Pricing Formula

Valuing T206 baseball cards is a fairly complex mater. Aside from the vast condition and grading systems the numerous backs and Hall of Famers add up to three complex variables when estimating the price of these vintage baseball cards.

The T206 Museum has a T206 Baseball Card Pricing Formula that is pretty helpful. I use it as a guide when I'm thinking of bidding on a card in eBay. Simply take the base price base on the player and then apply the two multipliers for condition and back.

Let's say I have a Walter Johnson T206 portrait that is PSA 4 with a Tolstoi back. That would be $300 base price for the Big Train, PSA 4 yields x2 and Tolstoi would be x1.3 for a Hall of Famer - 300x2x1.3=$780 and I'd be very happy to have that card in my collection!

Get Vintage T206 Baseball Cards from Trusted Sellers on eBay!

Don't Forget About Raul Ibanez for Your 2009 Fantasy Baseball Season

Even though Raul Ibanez (pictured Topps 1996 rookie baseball card) is a little long in the tooth I still think he represents excellent fantasy baseball value heading into the 2009 season. Ibanez turns 37 this season but I like the move to Philly and Citizens Bank Ballpark to help mitigate falloff in his production. Over the past 3 seasons he's averaged 26 HRs, 200+ runs+RBIs with a .290 batting average. Even if we revise these down and say 24 HRs, .285 BA and 175 runs+RBIs Raul Ibanez would still be useful in any format - factor in some upside from there and I'm sold - provided he's cheap enough.

Let's talk value. Presently he looks like an 8th-9th round pick in the 15 team NFBC format. This could push him to mid-teen rounds in 10 and 12 team leagues. To me that's minimal cost but Graphical Player 2009's WOW Factors for 2008 have his value comparable to Vladimir Guerrero, Magglio Ordonez, Corey Hart and Andre Either. If we assume all of these players will put up the same fantasy numbers in 2009 Ibanez is the best deal of the bunch. All of these other players are top 5 to 6 round picks in the NFBC.

In fantasy baseball it's always exciting to search for 'the next big thing'. What I find more exciting is winning my league and getting paid! Don't forget about steady veterans like Raul Ibanez - take advantage of the fact that most people will!

Find Raul Ibanez Autographed Baseball Memorabilia on eBay!

The Great Fantasy Debate is on in 2009!

The Fantasy Pros 911 has an awesome contest for aspiring fantasy baseball writers (and presumably half-witted fantasy baseball blogs like myself). The Great Fantasy Debate will be a weekly head to head blogging/writing contest between a 'league' of 12 contestants. The winner gets to be part of the writing staff in 2010.

The 12 bloggers get divided into 2 divisions and will compete head to head against a different writer each week. The editors of Fantasy Pros 911 will be a new topic each week with the 'home' team taking the pro side and the 'away' team will take con. The weekly winner will be based on page views, positive comments and the editors grading.

I think this is an excellent blog marketing idea and given the fantasy baseball slant I've already sent in my application. It's a creative way for the Fantasy Pros 911 to generate content for their site, create some additional stickiness, and get some grass roots promotion for their blog - presumably The Great Fantasy Debate contestants will want to promote their blog post on their favorite social media sites. Wish me luck!

Get the 2009 Minor League Baseball Analyst today on Amazon.com!

Graphical Player 2009 Takes Fantasy Baseball Analysis to a New Level

I was a big fan of Graphical Player's 2008 edition and have been subscribed to John Burnson's weekly publication Heater Magazine for the past 2 seasons. Graphical Player 2009 is a full evolutionary step forward in fantasy baseball analysis and baseball statistics.

One of the biggest enhancements is that they now show 3 full season for each players. The career MINER projections for over 100 players call out some obvious veteran steals for draft day. WOW factors show true fantasy baseball production which again uncovers some big time bargains.

I've been doing fantasy baseball for 14 years and am entering my third year in the NFBC - National Fantasy Baseball Championship and I can honestly say this may be the best fantasy baseball book on the market. The graphical representation of the data shows trends and opportunities that are utterly impossible to glean from stats - even sabermetrics which I'm a big fan of. I believe this will give you a killer edge in your fantasy baseball league so be sure to check out Graphical Player 2009.

I'll breakdown some of the enhancements and comment on specific players as we prep for the upcoming fantasy baseball season so be sure to check back often!

Pick up your copy of Graphical Player 2009 on Amazon.com today!

Fantasy Baseball Dugout Ready for 2009 Season

Bob over at Fantasy Baseball Dugout suggested I check out their site for fantasy baseball coverage and breaking baseball news. They blog gets updated frequently and they have great resources for fantasy baseball players including:
2009 Player Rankings
Fantasy League Winning Tips
Fantasy Baseball Draft Tips

One of their most popular sections is Baseball's Hottest Wives. Pictured is Heidi DeRosa now of the Chicago Cubs.

Be sure to check the Fantasy Baseball Dugout frequently to help prep for your draft and throughout the fantasy baseball season to stay ahead of the competition.

Graphical Player 2009 is here! Pick up your copy of Graphical Player 2009 at Amazon.com.

New Las Vegas 51s Baseball Cap

Found a great Las Vegas 51s baseball cap at New Era's website. I'm not a fan of the Dodger's triple A affiliate due to the fact that I'm a Mets fan but I love the LGM (little green man logo) since I'm a science fiction fan. So I couldn't resist blowing some holiday cash to set myself up with one.

This is a new alternate home hat is all black with a silver alien guy with bright neon green highlights. The baseball cap is an official MILB hat from the 59FIFTY collection. New Era looks like they have several other new caps for other minor league teams that are black with some highlights.

These fitted baseball caps are 100% wool so be sure to know your hat size and add just a little room for shrinkage as it breaks in.

You can find other Las Vegas 51s gear on eBay - click here!

The Fantasy Baseball Roundtable Offers Free Weekly Podcas

I was checking out Blog Talk Radio in search of some fantasy baseball podcasts and came across the Fantasy Baseball Roundtable. They have anywhere from 3-5 experts and cover the latest breaking news, discuss fantasy baseball strategy and breakdown and compare tons of players. Personally I like the format because everyone has a slightly different take so it's helpful in allowing me to formulate my own opinion.

They also have a blog dedicated to fantasy baseball, Fantasy Pros 911, FantasyPros911.com. I believe they just relaunched it and they have lots of content as well as money leagues to join. It's definitely worth checking out if you're looking to prep for the upcoming fantasy baseball season.

Order The Hardball Times Season Preview 2009 from Amazon.com

Rickie Weeks - Breakout Coming in 2009!

With 4 partial disappointing seasons under his belt most fantasy baseball owners have all but given up on Rickie Weeks (pictured in 2003 Leaf rookie baseball card), the former #2 overall pick. I got off his bandwagon prior to last season but now that Rickie Week's value is at an all time low I'm back on. I think he makes a tremendous middle infield option in all leagues but especially deep leagues like the NFBC.

Over the past 4 years Rickie Weeks has battled injury and inconsistency. If you prorate his last three season averages you end up with a 20/30 guy. By no means am I guaranteeing that Rickie Weeks will finally turn in a 600 at bat season but if he can 20/30 with some serious upside from there is worth a late round pick. Weeks also turns 27 in September so he's at the right age too.

If Weeks puts it all together I think Brandon Philips is a great comp but at 120 picks later. And what about Howie Kendrick? He has yet to turn in a full season but after the nice batting average he only projects at about 10 home runs and stolen bases. In the mock drafts I've seen Weeks is coming in some 70 picks later. I'd rather assume the risk of Rickie Weeks on a speculative pick in later drafts.

Get autographed Rickie Weeks baseball cards on eBay - click here!

Big Papi Offers Huge Upside in Fantasy Baseball

Disclosure - I hate jamming my utility spot early in fantasy baseball drafts. It really can hurt some opportunities to maximize value later in the draft or during the fantasy baseball season.

That said I think David Ortiz (pictured in 1997 Fleer Ultra rookie card) has huge upside this season. Mock Draft Central currently has him going 49th which is a late 5th round pick in 10 team leagues and an early 4th in the NFBC format.

Ortiz struggled through a wrist injury for most of last season which killed his stats across the board. He just turned 33 in November so many believe that this is the beginning of the end for Big Papi. The prognosis through the winter is that the wrist is feeling fine and he's expected to be 100% for the start of the season. Also, since he only DH's I like his chance to stay moderately healthy.

I think it's obvious that David Ortiz's best days are behind him but even if we look at 2007 and revise his stats down slightly we could be looking at a stat line of ~35 HRs, 200 runs+RBIs and a batting average of 290+. These are basically Mark Teixeira numbers more than 30 picks later. I think Big Papi is a great buy low for fantasy baseball in 2009.

To add a David Ortiz baseball card to you collection click here get one on eBay!

Super Mario Sluggers is a Great Baseball Game for the Wii

My family got a Wii this Christmas from Visa Clause and Super Mario Sluggers is a blast if you're looking for a baseball video game.

The basic plan is to go through different baseball stadiums that Bowser's army has taken over and unlock secrets, chase out the bad guys and sign up new players for your all star baseball team. You'll need to pass a special baseball challenge at each interaction but these focus on helping you to develop your in game skills. So the video game has a great built in way to help you work up the learning curve.

The arcade feel and special moves in the actual games make it a blast. Players have special moves like Donkey Kong climbing the outfield walls and special pitches like Luigi's tornado ball. Many baseball purists that are more accustomed to EA Sports type baseball games won't care for Mario's take on America's pass time. I think it depends what people want in sports games, realism or entertainment - I prefer the later.

Aside from the campaign mode and the individual baseball games you can play at any time, there are loads of extras. There are tons of mini games, practice modes and a toy stadium game.

You can find a copy of Super Mario Sluggers on eBay by clicking here!

2009 Baseball Approaches

Some quick updates on Bloop Single as the 2009 baseball season approaches.

First, no new T206 baseball cards lately - due primarily to lack of winning my fantasy baseball and football leagues this year - bummer.

Second, I had started to log eBay results for T206 rare backed cards - American Beauty, Hindu, Cycle, etc. I found it to be a significant amount of work for the value that it was providing to Bloop Single's audience. I still think it's neat to track over time so I'll probably just report on the super rare backs from time to time - Drum, Broad Leaf, Carolina Brights, and Lenox.

I plan on doing 3 fantasy baseball leagues this year - my beer league for the 12th straight year, the NFBC for my third year, and a satellite NFBC league with a $125 buy in. Start looking for player updates and fantasy baseball analysis soon!

I will also continue to do work on my website www.BaseballCardDisplayCase.com and wiki Safe at Home - safeathome.wikidot.com. I have a lot of great content for Safe at Home and think it will really add a lot of value. Safe at Home's focus is on how best to safely display vintage and valuable baseball cards like T206s.

Get ready for the 2009 Season with Baseball Prospectus 2009 from Amazon.com