The First Card of 2019

I got a bit of an early start on the 2019 set this year. Why? Because I actually finished off the 2018 set in a reasonable time. Yup, three whole days before the 2019 set was released.  I happened to be in Target the other day so I picked up a fat pack and ripped it open. Here is the first card that greeted me:

Ahh Pedro Strop. The only player still standing from the infamous Jake Arrieta deal. Yup, five years after Strop and Jake Arrieta were shipped to Chicago for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger, only Strop remains with the team he was traded to. Arrieta had a few decent years in Chicago before absconding to Philadelphia as a free agent. Feldman made all of 15 appearances as an Oriole before going to Houston. Clevenger hung around a little longer, playing in parts of three seasons with Baltimore before being traded to Seattle in the Mark Trumbo deal.

Strop and his lopsided cap have been a fixture in the Cubs bullpen for six seasons now. He's been a set-up guy and a closer.  He's been a workhorse for Chicago, appearing in 361 games during his tenure there.

What does this mean for the Cubs? Probably nothing. The last two years a Phillie has been my first card of the season and it didn't mean anything for them. What does it mean for me? Well, that's simple. The release of 2019 Series One means that baseball is almost here! In just a few weeks pitchers and catchers will report for Spring Training and then the fun is under way.

Speaking of fun, here is the first Orioles card of the year.

Hey Dylan Bundy. It's one of the three starters that the Orioles have on their roster. That's cool. After some speculation he may be moved in the off-season, Bundy looks like he'll be the anchor of the rotation that is still in the process of being decided. After him, the only locks are Andrew Cashner and Alex Cobb. Spring Training will be an open audition for the remaining two spots. That's going to be fun, right? {Insert Krusty the Clown groan here}

It might be bad baseball in Baltimore this year, but it's still baseball! 

As for the design of this year's set. I like it. It's not one of my favorites of recent releases, but I'm glad they toned down the white on the front of the card. The border along the right and bottom of the card do give it a bit of a reverse-1982 look. The back of the card isn't bad, but the border and use of a gray background kind of makes the card look like it was cut off or off center.

Not a bad look for a base set. As for the inserts...yeah, ok. They're fine. My usual complaint of their being way too many stands. The 1984 set is a fine set to update with current players, but doesn't hold the same nostalgia as the 1983 set.

Orioles Victory Card Number 25

Orioles Victory Number 25: 5-4 over the New York Yankees

1985 Topps Mike Boddicker


The Orioles snapped another lengthy losing streak on the backs of home runs by Mark Trumbo and Danny Valencia. For once, there were actual runners on base when the balls cleared the fence and provided enough runs for the Os to edge out the one-run victory.

Yea.  Twenty-five wins. On July 9th. That's so very, very bad. Sadly it might get worse. How? Well, the trades should start happening any day now. That means players that have been good enough to warrant attention from other teams will soon be playing for those other teams leaving holes in the Orioles line-up that will presumably be not as good as those that they are replacing.

One of those players is, of course, Manny Machado. The widely talented shortstop is the most sought after asset on the trade market this summer. There are reports that seven teams have made former offers for Machado and that the deal could come down this week.

That would lead to yet another wonderful slap in the face for the 2018 Baltimore Orioles. Their lone all-star representative, Manny Machado who was voted in by the fans on Sunday, could be playing for another organization by the time the game rolled around. A game taking place just down the interstate in Washington, D.C. none the less.  Great times.

This has happened in recent memory. In 2014 Jeff Samardzija was traded from the Cubs to Oakland after he had been named to the team but before the game was played. For the game Samardzija was deemed ineligible and wore a generic uniform and hat.

Photo by Jesse Johnson USA Today Sports

With the Dodgers as one of the leading contenders for Machado's services, history could repeat itself. As the game no longer determines home field advantage as it did in 2014, the league may let him play for the either team. In fact, they should lean into it and play it up. Maybe the winner of the home run derby gets to pick which team he plays for or there is a pre-game coin toss for his services.

The Cubs were still represented at the Mid-Summer Classic in 2014 as Anthony Rizzo made the squad. Will the Orioles be so lucky? Probably not, there really isn't a healthy player on the roster that has earned that distinction. So they could theoretically not have a player in the game.  That would be awesome.

Things could also come full circle if the Cubs end up snatching Machado. One of the players that is rumored to be on the way to the Orioles would be Addison Russell. The Cubs shortstop was one of the key players that went to Chicago in the 2014 Samardzija deal.  That would make me smile. 

We'll see what happens.

An Open Letter To Joe Maddon

Dear Joe,

Welcome to Chicago! Ever since you opted out of your contract with the Rays, rumors have run rampant that next year would be sitting on the bench in Wrigley come next spring.  Even though it hasn’t been confirmed yet, seeing how Rick Renteria is now looking for employment, it looks like those rumors are actually coming to fruition.

So I figured I’d take this chance to reach out to you, one former Tampa Bay-area resident to another, to let you know a little about your new city. Things are going to be different, way, way different now that you’re coming to the Midwest. For instance, no more “Florida residents are so weird” jokes from the late night comedians. Instead you get, “Chicago politicians are so corrupt” jokes!

You're going to need that hoodie, and a hat, and some gloves, maybe a scarf, too.

Let us get the main issue out of the way first - the weather.  Dont' forget to pack your favorite hoodie. Yeah, winters in Chicago are a bit brutal.  As a matter of fact, as I type this, it is, in fact snowing outside.  The good news is that except for April, possibly a few weeks in May, ok maybe a day or so in June, the weather is pretty sweet during the summer.  Dining al freso at a local farm-to-table restaurant, enjoying a nice glass of wine after a day game victory against the Reds on a perfect July 72 degree night is one of the underappreciated joys of living in this town.  Not something you can really do in the middle of a sweltering St. Pete summer.

Speaking of weather - how about getting a chance to manage 81 games in Wrigley Field?  Kind of an upgrade from “The Pit”, huh?  (I’m kind of bummed your nickname for Tropicana Field never caught on).  Sure the friendly confines are a bit of a mess right now with the first phase of renovations going on, but trust me, watching baseball in one of the true historic fields in the league. You appreciate the fact that it is a true neighborhood park (even if the neighbors get a bit grumpy from time to time).

As far as the neighborhood itself, it is quite different than St. Pete.  While there is no Fergs to enjoy pre-game there are plenty of other options.  I’ve read that before your wife introduced you to the wine world you were a bit of a beer and whiskey guy.  Well welcome to Beer and Whiskey town!  On those nights that Castro boots an easy ground ball and costs you a game skip all of those bro-joints right around Wrigley and join me a couple of blocks south at a couple of true dives.

Just pop into Monsignor Murphey’s and put the first round on my buddy Dan’s tab…I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t even notice. Plus you can get a Flubby special from downstairs.  With Hot Doug’s (RIP) out of business, it’s better to go with the regular Chicago style dog than a gourmet encased meat dog. Just don’t put ketchup on it.  Some guy might lose an election because he made that mistake.

If you are looking for places with a bit of a better wine list we have that covered as well. Personally I’m a fan of the Purple Pig downtown.  Great wine, food is pretty good.  If you’re looking for steak, Del Frisco’s has you covered as well.  I understand they’re saving a very special bottle of wine for that moment you’ve been brought into town for - winning a World Series (no pressure, though). If you’re looking for something more “Chicago” then Gene & Georgetti has that old-school, rat-pack vibe to it.

Kudos to you for not backing out of the Italian restaurant you’re opening in Tampa. Nothing says sound investment like a restaurant! If you need menu ideas you are in luck because every other restaurant that’s opening in this city is an Italian joint.  While I haven’t had a chance to sample them all I can say that we have everything that you could need from family-owned neighborhood joint (Volare) to sports-celebrity-themed (Harry Carry’s) to super fancy (Spiaggia). And don’t forget about Eataly - the downtown temple that worships all things Italian.

We might be losing a Michelin-starred restaurant in L2O, but there is still plenty of fine dining options around.  If you put your name in now, you might get a reservation for Alinea by the time the season starts. Top Chef alums Fabio Viviani and Stephanie Izzard run pretty popular restaurants while Rick Bayless has built an empire of Mexican eateries downtown.

With the restaurant and your ties to the Tampa community I’m not sure if you’re looking to permanently relocate up here (state taxes are a bitch). If you do I hear there is some property available.  Johnny Toews has a sweet bachelor pad he’s looking to unload on the Gold Coast. If you want something a little more historic, a little fixer up that used to house Al Capone is looking for a buyer as well.  You might even be able to talk them down from their asking point.

Hipster Joe Maddon 

I know you like to bike so you might be tempted to buy a place in Wicker Park/ Bucktown and hang out with the rest of those kids.  While the greatest pizza place in the city is there (Piece) I don’t think you’ll like it.  First off - not enough tattoos, second - it looks like your bike has gears.  Not cool, man. Plus there is a 67% chance you’ll be run over by an enraged driver on Milwaukee Ave.

Lakeview wouldn’t be bad for you.  Walking distance to work, close to the lakefront trail and excellent dining options. You like your diners and Broadway has plenty of them. Melrose Diner, Stella’s, The Bagel and Yolk are all in the neighborhood.  All of them are nice places to grab a bite to eat on the way to the park.

But, hey, if you’re in town for a few years, feel free to move around and try a couple of different neighborhoods. The transit system is pretty great (when people aren’t getting attacked by machetes) and despite the occasional delay gets you from one part of the city to another in a quick fashion. I even have an extra Ventra card laying about that you can have (saves you the $5.00 sign up fee!)

As for your actual job, let me warn you, expectations are going to be a bit higher for you. While Chicago sports fans aren’t as insane as New York fans they are a bit more loyal than your typical Florida sports fan. For one thing, they pretty much all grew up here. Luckily there are approximately 164 professional sports teams in this city (165 if you include the MLS) so some of the loyalties are a bit divided.

 If you can keep the Cubs competitive from May to September you should be fine.  After that attention starts to drift to the Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks. The press is a bit more jaded than what you’re used to dealing with down south, but what would you expect if you had to cover a team that hasn’t won since Roosevelt was in office? And if you do struggle, at least the White Sox fans will like you more than whoever is coaching their team.

Your are coming into a pretty good situation. There is some considerable young talent on the team. Although it might be a bit odd for you to have young offensive talent as opposed to young pitching talent.  Pitching is a bit thin in the prospect department, but guest what - you have an ownership group that can actually spend money on high end free agents.  No more dumpster diving for players like James Loney and Roberto Hernandez!

See, they weren't always at odds with each other!

Remember how much fun you had with BJ Upton and his occasional “lack of hustle” and “mental breakdowns”? Luckily for you Starlin Castro is still a Cub.  You’ll get to bench him at least once or twice this season for not running out a ground ball or forgetting how many outs there are in an inning.  That way you can earn some street cred with the press while still being a friend to the players.

Of course, there is the outside chance that Castro is moved to some other team this off-season to help out with the pitching situation.  If that happens, Javy Baez can step in. Don’t be worried about his strike-outs.  The kid hits wherever he goes. He’ll figure it out.  Jorge Soler has the best bat speed I’ve seen since a kid named Sheffield.  Not a bid duo to build a playoff team around - and we haven’t even mentioned Kris Bryant or Anthony Rizzo yet.

You’ve already done what a lot of people didn’t think was possible - take a team that was a laughing stock because they had never won anything in the Tampa Bay Rays and make them respectable. Now you get to take a team that is a laughingstock because they are the Cubs and hopefully make them respectable as well.  Good luck with that.

See you at the Convention in January.

Good Luck,

Justin G.

P.S. It’s tradition that when you move to Chicago you crash on someone’s couch for 3-6 months.  If you need a couch to crash on, just hit me up.

P.P.S - If you could hook me up with tickets for the Foo Fighters when they play Wrigley this summer, that would be great!

Top Five Chicago Cubs Rookie Cards

You’re headed to Chicago for the National because it seems like the perfect family vacation. You can look at stuff for your man cave while the wife enjoys the sites. Or the reverse. I don’t judge. You know you want to pick up something to remind yourself of your excellent trip to the Windy City. Why not stock up on your Cubs cards?

The Hopeful Chase is here to provide you with a handy-dandy guide to the top five Cubs rookie cards that should be in your collection (and alternative cheaper priced options for those lacking in money). For financial sake I’m keeping it to modern era (post WWII) cards.

If you’ve already knocked off these five players, feel free to take a gander at some Cap Anson cards. Maybe you brought enough cash to put together a nice Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance collection. If that’s the case, don’t worry - there will be plenty of vintage dealers at the show to help you.

All of the prices were pulled from e-Bay from auctions that closed with bids in the last 30 days. Shipping costs are not included

With that in mind lets get rolling!

5. Fergie Jenkins - It came down to Jenkins and Greg Maddux. Both are Hall of Fame pitchers (well Maddux will be soon) who spent a significant portion of their career in the Friendly Confines. Jenkins gets the edge because he’s Canadian (hey it’s my list).




1966 Topps. The only non-Cubs uniformed card in the collection, Jenkins collectors (or Bill Sorrell collectors!) will usually have to pony over about $30 for a decent copy of this card. For about a third of that price you might be able to pick up this card:




A 2011 Topps Tribute Bat Relic/Auto numbered to 99. A lucky e-bayer picked up this card for $11 last week. Not too shabby for a card with a Hall of Famer’s signature on it.

4. Ryne Sandberg - Another Hall of Famer who began his career with the Phillies, Sandberg is the guy I remember as the face of the Cubs when I was growing up. To me he seemed like a National League version of Cal Ripken - a power-hitting middle infielder who played solid defense.




1983 Topps. Despite getting a cup of coffee with the Phillies in 1981 he didn’t get his face on cardboard until 1983 where he joined Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn in a pretty good set for the 80s. This card can be had for as little as $2 on e-Bay so there is really no reason not to get one.

So in addition not instead of, pick up his Donruss and Fleer rookies from that year as well. You should be able to pick up the trifecta for $10-$15.

3. Ron Santo - If Ernie Banks is “Mr. Cub” then Santo has to be “Mr. Cub Fan”. The younger generation of fans probably know him best as the radio color man for the Cubs on WGN, a position he held for over 20 years. He never hid his love for the team, yet never came across as off-putting as his south side counterpart “Hawk” Harrelson.

Cubs fans and sabermetricians argue for his inclusion into the Hall of Fame based on his numbers, which were better than most people outside of the Chicago area realize. He was a nine-time All-Star who hit 342 home runs and collected five Gold Gloves (back when that award actually meant something).




1961 Topps. Another one that isn’t that expensive. His rookie will set you back anywhere between $8 and $12. However, if that’s a little too pricey for you I offer you this alternative.




His 1974 Topps. You shouldn’t be hard pressed to find this card for around the $1.50 mark. It’s a hot mess of what the heck is going on. Honestly, if you told me this was taken at a Sunday rec league softball game, I wouldn’t argue with you. If I’m not mistaken this is also his last card in a Cubs uniform as he was traded to the Cubs that season.

2. Starlin Castro - The youngest player on the list, Castro is the cornerstone for the next wave of Cubs rebuilding. One of the few players on the roster that’s branded as “untouchable” is matching his rookie year almost stat-for-stat. No sophomore slump here!




2010 Bowman Chrome Auto. This card can be had on the internet for between $50 and $80. Based on collectors love for young prospects (and Bowman Chrome) it’s actually a rather decent price for a higher-end rookie card.






2010 Topps Chrome. For those of us stuck in a lower-end rookie card price range this is a decent alternative. At a $1.00 his Topps Chrome rookie is a must for any Cubs fan. Keep an eye out for the Topps Debut version which his a similar design, but features him hitting. Heck, pick that one up as well while you’re at it. They make a nice pair.

1. Ernie Banks - Could it have been anyone else?





1954 Topps. Mr. Cub will set you back anywhere from $300-$800 for a decent version of this card. The occasional beat-to-hell copy shows up online from time to time as well, but even those go for $25-$40.


If that’s out of your league take a gander at his 1969 Topps. Again, condition can have a huge effect on the price, but a card with sharp corners and good centering can be had for less than $10. Look at that smile, we can assume someone had just told him that they were gonna play two that day.

Hope you enjoyed this quick recap. If you have any other suggestion, feel free to let me know in the comment field.