If card values were tied strictly to player performance, historical pricing would look a lot different across the board. There are so many intangibles that come into play, determining which players and cards become popular. I mean, Eddie Plank doesn't come to mind as a top 3 pitcher of all time, yet his t206 card is among the most expensive across all grades in the hobby. Also, some players had high peaks, that created enduring fan love, others had more longevity. So performance itself can be viewed in different ways, in terms of what makes a Top 10 player to each person. There are names like Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial and Yogi Berra whose performances statistically would seem to demand greater card values, but collectors just have yet to fight enough over those cards at auction to raise the prices.
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