Cal Ripken Jr. And The Hobby

[Tomi]

Always been a fan of his on and off the field. 3,000+ hits, 400+ home runs, 1600+ runs scored, almost 1,700 RBI's, and 35th all-time in WAR and a game streak that will probably never be broken, yet his rookie cards sell for a fraction of modern unproven players. Even his rare minor league cards are so much cheaper than these modern players. Just can't wrap my head around the current state of the hobby. The fact that someone would spend seven figures on a guy just starting out is just insane. Wondering what a Ripken Superfractor would go for if he had one.
Just ranting.
Happy collecting everyone.

[G1911]

I’m not a fan of modern prospecting, but there are a ton more people interested in 2022 baseball than there are 1982 baseball. There are more Ripken rookies than collectors looking for Ripken rookies. 80’s stuff is never going to have much value outside some of some manhood measuring competitions over the top grading recognized examples. The cycle repeats.

[philliesfan]

Yup I agree. I wonder how it's working out for those that bought Ben Simmons rookies. Especially the high end cards.

[packs]

His autographed cards do well but he wasn't really an exciting player. Other than his streak-breaking game I can't think of any Cal Ripken Jr highlights or other major moments of his career.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by packs

His autographed cards do well but he wasn't really an exciting player. Other than his streak-breaking game I can't think of any Cal Ripken Jr highlights or other major moments of his career.

Tony Fernandez, Trammel, Ripken and Larkin..

[packs]

Tony Fernandez is not in the HOF. What does he have in common with Ripken?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

His autographed cards do well but he wasn't really an exciting player. Other than his streak-breaking game I can't think of any Cal Ripken Jr highlights or other major moments of his career.

At least he had the streak. There are many greats you would be hard pressed to name great moments. The only thing I remember Gwynn doing was grounding out against Maddux in the 9th. Tris Speaker highlights, anyone? Jimmie Foxx's greatest hits?

[packs]

I think Tony Gwynn is a bad comparison. He had instantly recognizable qualities, like his laugh and the smile on his face all the time. I'll also never forget him because he had to do battle with the greatest team in history, the 1998 Yankees in the World Series. I watched that series like I watched all Yankees games that year and I do remember the home run Gwynn hit in game 1 with a tied game. It was his only postseason home run.

But I guess that's a personal memory more than an around the game moment. Everyone did see it though. It was the World Series.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Jimmie Foxx's greatest hits?

Wasn't it Foxx that broke a seat pretty far back in Yankee Stadiums upper deck?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Tomi

Always been a fan of his on and off the field. 3,000+ hits, 400+ home runs, 1600+ runs scored, almost 1,700 RBI's, and 35th all-time in WAR and a game streak that will probably never be broken, yet his rookie cards sell for a fraction of modern unproven players. Even his rare minor league cards are so much cheaper than these modern players. Just can't wrap my head around the current state of the hobby. The fact that someone would spend seven figures on a guy just starting out is just insane. Wondering what a Ripken Superfractor would go for if he had one.
Just ranting.
Happy collecting everyone.

The crazy prices on new complete nobody cards has been around a very long time now. I remember back in the late 90s when the super rare cards started getting made. I would buy the 1/1 Wade Boggs cards in the $300-$400 range and people that never played a single MLB game would sell in the $3000-$4000 range.

[BCauley]

I recently sold a couple of raw Ripken RCs over on Reddit. They've been in my pile of cards I want to get rid of and I figured I'd give that site a shot to see what happens. I hadn't been tracking how much they typically sell for and was surprised to see how low they actually go. It seems most of what is posted/listed over there are cards within the past three years but luckily someone came along within a couple of days and bought both Ripkens. I'm hoping to eventually pick up an '82 Topps Traded Ripken for my collection.

The first pro game I ever attended was the Orioles and Red Sox up at Fenway Park. Ripken hit a three run homer into the net that used to be atop the Green Monster. Mussina started the game for the Os and they blew out the Red Sox 16-4.

[Harliduck]

I think Ripken's HR at the 2001 All Star Game in my home town in Seattle was a pretty special moment. Served up or not, he hit it out. It was even cool for the most hated man in Seattle at the time, Arod, to offer respect to Cal and switch places with him.

[gonefishin]

Nothing to do with his RC, although I do have a couple, I took my daughter and Father/Mother In Law to Ripkin's last game in Anaheim playing the Angels. We sat directly behind the visitor's dug out and enjoyed both the send off and the game. I have never met him, but he appeared to be a class act. We had a great time and a lasting memory.