MLB 2018

elcaro1101 said:

And another with some other random graded and auto'd stuff.

Spoiler

Click to expand...

Super badass. Buying singles I am guessing? Or do you just hobby box your money away lol?

elcaro1101 said:

Mostly singles yea. Did open a decent amount of Optic, Topps Chrome, Finest, Chronicles this year. That's why there are so many of those there, but did still buy some of them. The A&G & A&GX rookies I have a good amount of, just because I like the standing portrait. Gives it a vintage card feel.

Click to expand...

Just recently got back into the "hobby" although I was never really huge into it. Definitely drawn to the Topps/Bowman Chrome, A&G, Optic lines etc. Always loved Gold Label back in the day also. I just recently bought into the "Topps Living Set" as well. Picked up a PSA 10: Judge, Acuna, Ohtani, Torres, Soto, Albies, Harper etc. I love the old vintage portrait cards. Those 1952/1953 sets etc have just aged so damn well.

It's too damn easy to spend too much money though lol. Trying to hold myself to just this year's rookies for now: Ohtani, Torres, Acuna, Andujar etc. I'll push for some Luka Doncic's once NBA stuff releases. Nothing major, nothing close to your quality, but it''s been fun to get the "feet wet".

Dodgers on a roll so far.

Holy shit. Jansen trying to let the Rockies back in

AL MVP: Mookie Betts (Trout still had a better offensive year).
AL Cy: Blake Snell, in a razor thin vote over Verlander.
AL RoY: As a Yankees fan with two great rookies... Has to be Shohei Ohtani.

NL MVP: Christian Yelich
NL Cy: Jacob deGrom hands down, this shouldn't be close.
NL Cy: Ronald Acuna (very tight with Juan Soto).

The "How the fuck did you not make the playoffs team of 2018": Nats

The fact he can DH for most of 2019 makes that a lot more palatable for us fans.

Harper seems like the obvious target for the Cubs this off-season. Russell is probably gone, shift Baez to SS and have Zobrist play 2B. Solid chance two of Schwarber, Almora, and Happ get moved for back-end pitching upgrades/bullpen. Even before a potential Harper signing, that '19 team is going to sit at $175-185 million, and I am curious to see what they think of that rotation. Lester is getting older, we've probably seen the best of Hendricks, Quintana has not been what they expected after giving up massive prospect talent, and Darvish is... Darvish. Hamels on a 2 year / $22-24 million deal seems like a possible plug-in.

The analytical-centric deals of Heyward, Darvish, and Chatwood have just been plain bad. Still a great situation, but I don't think they are quite in the position the Yankees, Astros, Red Sox are going forward. Tons of depth, but it just seems they need another premier piece. A good off-season to go get that piece, though!