OT: Home Run Derby
 

Did anyone watch this?
First round Bour vs Aaron Judge was impressive!
And then Judge winning with multiple 500+ foot shots. So much power. Incredible. Always a favorite event for me and my kids to watch.
The home run ball is alive and well in MLB!

My Minnesota boy Sano made the finals, can't complain.

When is a RC not a RC?

Loved the home run contest, and Judge is in another world. He swings easy and hits home runs, he mis-hits balls and hits home runs, and when he connects it goes a mile. Plus he seems like a really great guy too. As a Yankee fan, i am so glad he is a Yankee!!!!!

Judge toyed with the best homerun hitters in the game tonight.

Effortless oppo power. 513 foot bomb. A roof shot.

Kid has got serious star quality. Love this kid.

You can call that a rookie if you like; define your own terms ;)

Don't care about the HR Derby myself. It's just fancy batting practice. :D

Couldn't agree more. The flashiness of this event is everything that's wrong with pro sports, IMO.

I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. I think it is good for the game and highlights all the young star power dudes. And kids love it. But personally I couldnt watch more than a few minutes of it before getting bored.

I enjoy it typically. And I have watched it with my wife and kids for years. It's kind of an event for our family. But it is getting to be more and more of a carnival side show or WWF type event with all the hype and the DJ. But there's just something about the home run ball!

Stanton's round was the most exciting for me. It was my first time watching Judge hit besides highlights and he is crazy strong. Seemed like he was hitting in a video game the way the ball was carrying.

I really like the new derby format. When the bonus time comes on and a guy only has 30 seconds to hit 2 or 3 home runs it was genuinely exciting. I also enjoy seeing all the players pump each other up rather than show each other up like is so often the case during games.

Still like to watch the derby, it was the announcers that I had a tough time handling.

I was impressed with Jessica Mendoza's patience as an announcer. She would make points and then either Tex or Ravech would just repeat what she said like it was their idea. Couldn't have been easy to sit through.

It's not for purists but still, it's pretty good theater, like the slam dunk contest. What the hell.

Cards match the RC limits set by MLB

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info...egulations.jsp


So if the player hasn't had a RC season as defined by MLB the card is considered a pre-rookie or prospect card.
This is obviously a change since the 80's and 90's (even then the term XRC was used arbitrarily) and I believe it was implemented when MLB tightened the reigns on licensing for cards.

So if you wanted to buy a Judge RC which one would y'all recommend?

I agree. Unfortunately, life and society in general have become more like a carnival side show or WWF type event with hype.

Here's mine:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m...psjpkicpbs.jpg

So why wasn't Judge a rookie in 2016? He had not had a prior season that would disqualify him.

A player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list).

Right, but he didn't exceed RC limits in 2016 either. So Topps couldn't consider that 2016 card his rookie. Not until he exceeded RC status for the season are they allowed to use the "RC" logo.

I see your point, but this is just the answer as I understand it not my opinion. Some collectors, myself included, will include any card that was put out in conjunction with other major leaguers within a set (as opposed to a set that was only MiLB and prospects). That just isn't the technically defined status as determined by MLB and Topps.

So? You obviously can't wait for a season to be over before assigning an RC designation. By the definition you quoted someone could have multiple rookie seasons. That definition makes sense in voting for rookie of the year (that is, Judge is STILL a rookie for 2017 because he didn't previously exceed limits), not for cards.

Aaron Judge
 

Total BEAST!!!!!!!!looks like the real deal...left everyone with their jaws dropping...I broke down and picked up his 2013 bowman chrome raw for $60.00 at a card show....I love the bowman chrome and they are always their "true rookie"..... id rarely buy new "shiney " stuff, but this guy is ridiculous!! I had to do it...id love the auto refractor 2013 bowman chrome, but I could not bear to spend more than the $60.00 I did spend....

I liked the format(time on clock,ect), but I don't think "pitbull" was appropriate for kids, bad TASTE:eek:......it was not great at all, I enjoyed the dancers, but singing about taking off your clothes and smacking the dancers ass in front of little kids was bad taste:o imho.....pitbull is a loser imho:D should have saved that for his backstage and not in front of little kids..

:)

I have been into collecting Judge for a while now, along with Sanchez, Frazier, Bird, and other young Yankees.

Here is a good list of Judge's— let's just call them Top Tier— cards, for you or anyone interested. Would have been helpful had I seen a list like this when I began, so as my recently departed nana said, "Do unto others..."

I won't rank them since they are all in the premiere bucket, so to speak:

- Topps Heritage Real One Auto Red and Blue

- Topps Heritage SP 'action variation.'

- Topps Archives Bazooka Auto, FFA Auto, and Rookie Stars Auto, these come in a base white border, with very rare colored parallels.

- Topps Heritage "dual" card with Tyler Austin - rare variations (Heritage makes special Gold Refractors/5, Blue Refractors/68, Chrome Refractors/568, as well as Flip Stock variation/5, Gray Back/10, Yellow Back/25, and Blue Border/50.)
The Refractors are quite attractive IMO in hand, and the Blue Border as well. The Flip Stock is very cool in hand, perhaps my favorite.

- 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Auto, and its various colored parallels.

- 1987 style Topps Series 1 (2017) Auto

- Topps Now also does some very cool and noteworthy collector-driven cards to commemorate specific highlights.

Hope that helps.

I would feel neutral about the derby except that these days every game is already seems like a home run and strikeout derby. I like field action, which is missing more and more in baseball, instead of just power hitting and pitching.

Lets face it....
 

baseball has taken a back seat to football....we need some excitement to keep it relevant .....although I love the history, these hr monsters are the future of baseball....

football is much easier to play than baseball imho.....and im sick of all the losers in football.....too "hyped" and ever idiot talking about football...:D

ok, let the bashing begin:)

People just have a different opinion of what constitutes excitement. I like good fielding, plays at the plate, base running and stealing. I also enjoy home runs when there are a moderate number. A long solo home run and three strikeouts in an inning is not exciting to me put clearly is to others.

By the time Lou Piniella won Rookie of the Year in 1969, he had been on four Topps Rookie Stars cards.

1964 w/Washington
1965 w/Baltimore
1968 w/Cleveland
1969 w/Seattle

Bill

Hope Judge doesn't turn out to be juiced. Amazing.

Rob M

btw....
 

did I mention pitbull sucks!!!:D

I am in a bitching mood today:eek:

somebody was feeding this kid hgh in his gerber!lol.....I think he is just a freak and not juiced....a rare talent as multi sport....just a beast!

get the bowman 2013 chrome :D

double post

I don't understand it. In early 2017 when his first cards of the year came out how would anyone know he would exceed rookie card status in 2017, he could have played 5 games and got hurt, in which case he still would have been a rookie in 2018. Ex ante, a 2016 card after he was called up is the same as a 2017 -- at the time it's printed and either receives a designation or doesn't, you can't know what his numbers are going to be for the year.

The problem as I see it with your analysis is that you are using hindsight but a card has to be either designated or not at the time it's printed.

Didn't we find Bill Davis was on 6 or something like that LOL.

Yeah but the masses love the long ball. Witness McGwire and Sosa. People don't have patience to appreciate an intense, chessmatch of a 12 pitch at bat.

When we were all 12 year old kids we dreamed of hitting the grandslam farther than anyone else to win the game. No kid dreams about working out a 12 pitch walk or laying down a drag bunt.

And Fernando Tatis- a name I had not heard for a long time, throwing to Sano I believe. Tatis notoriety comes from 2 grand slams in one inning. Absolutely crazy. Lots of cool story lines. Stanton as the favorite getting knocked off in 1st round, Bellinger's dad pitching to him, lots of players with their kids on the field, just good stuff. I had never watched the celebrity all-star game, but it was neat to see guys like Rickey Henderson, Andre Dawson, Livan Hernandez, Fred Lynn, Tim "Rock" Raines, and others just tattooing the softball. It was cheesy but entertaining.

I remember the days of McGwire vs Sosa. 1998. Such a battle. That was my favorite year of baseball. Their home run chase was epic, although significantly tainted now.

Yeah, but the squeeze play in Major League (if I have my movies right) was a thing of beauty.

Precisely. We all know baseball fans and the general public became intensely interested in baseball again during the 1998 season.

Then the fact of PEDS became apparent, and we were let down, disappointed, and disillusioned.

Now we have Aaron Judge, an elderly rookie, but a rookie by the standards of MLB today. In only 83 games, he breaks Joe DiMaggio's 81-year old record for home runs by a Yankee rookie. He is unusual for today---a nice guy in the swirling hysteria of THE BRONX ZOO. His attitude and approach to the game leaves everyone with the highest respect for him---except the assholes who never have anything good to say about anybody.

He put on a sterling performance at the Home Run Derby.

He's got collectors buying out ANY new product that might contain a Judge.
Topps had better put their best card designer, and the one with the best taste in selecting the finest photos, in charge of his cards, 'cause some of them are not that appealing. Rarity is swell, but if the card does not have a compelling WOW photo, it's a piece of "so what". Too many bells and whistles have ruined otherwise nice cards. Just sayin'.........

Aaron Judge is good for baseball, the Yankees, collectors, and America.

There's the matter of the second half of the season.....

Hey, let's just keep enjoying the journey and rooting for the kid.

I'm nobody, but I bought my first modern card of this millennium the night Aaron busted DiMag's record. It's just an ungraded Topps Heritage Bazooka, but the card looked terrific---won it.

Nobody can know for certain what the rest of 2017 holds for Mr. Judge, but he's got a great organization behind him to help him, along with his teammates, and I hope he continues to excel. May God continue to bless him!

---Brian Powell

Here, here!

https://www.collectorfocus.com/image...oka-judge-auto

Judge
 

As a Yankee fan I have to be happy with Both Judge and Sanchez. I cannot keep up with requests from friends and Family for anything Judge. I bought a 50 card lot of his 2013 Rookie cards (Rookie cards?) and passed them out but they were gone by end of June. . I always wonder do young stars help the hobby or take $ out of the pockets of mostly vintage collectors? Either way lots of fun at the Stadium these days.

I think there already are probably 5 Judge cards for every person on the planet. :)

John Sterling? Radio announcer John Sterling???

Rookie card Status
 

When you are on the opening day Roster then you qualify for RC status. The late season call ups do not get that designation. But Judge has been on Bowman cards since 2013 and Topps since 2014. His first Topps card 2014 Heritage Minor League . He is in 2 Topps Pro debut sets 2015 and 2016. Gary Sanchez was on Bowman cards since 2010 and is in Pro Debut sets from 2011 till 2015. That said this years Topps Chrome with the RC will be, (based on recent star on the rise history) very highly collected. Like a couple other folks that posted Judge's rise coupled with birth of my First Grandchild (a Boy) has had me pre ordering lots of product this year. With a Full case of Topps chrome jumbo's being my largest purchase.

Ah. Finally, a clear explanation, although not necessarily one I agree with. Thanks Jon.

But ... Cody Bellinger wasn't on the opening day roster was he?

holy moly the asking prices!!!!!!!

https://www.topps.com/collectibles/t...HRDerbyYankees

NOT Asking prices. That is what they got. Sdold out in about 10 minutes.. There goes the Judge..

Manufactured scarcity, Exhibit A.

..

Fact us most of the Topps now autographed cards can be bought on secondary market like ebay for less than original price. Many just buy to flip and find they wait weeks some times months for card and a lot if things can happen to a hot rookie in a couple months... like Trevor Story's story from last year. Or Kris Bryant ROY, MVP, dose not make All star team ...Market for hero's always has been about what have you done lately..I hope Judge and Sanchez have long productive careers. But for their cards to sell and fame used equipment sell for Thousands...that I will never understand.