Featured Mail Day

2003 Upper Deck Prospects Premier Daric Barton auto #P25 [$36.65 plus $5 s/h off Ebay] - it is always great to hop on some young rookie's bandwagon, even though you plod along in the desert before you finally would pick up a guy's key first-year certified autograph card. This guy plays for a division rival in the American League West, but has local county roots [Orange County California].

1.) I've seen him hit a few times [spring training on TV/some video clips posted online] - while he seems like a roly-poly type, like many lefty hitters, he has a sweet swing [particularly when he drives the ball]. The 22-year old hit .347 with a .429 on-base/.639 slugging percentage in 72 at-bats in his 18 game cup of coffee with the Oakland Athletics this past season.

2.) I think he could be Nick Johnson and/or Mark Grace type - hopefully not injury prone like Johnson. With Barton's ability as a pure hitter otherwise, do the high average, slick-hitting thing with more pop than Grace.

3.) Ultimately, he could be a notch below, what Jason Giambi was in his Oakland [juiced up] prime - a guy who will hit for a high average, including 25-30 home runs a year, have a great eye at the plate and drive in a bunch of runs.

4.) Speaking of rookies, top prospects and speculating on young players - who doesn't want to collect some key cards of young hotshots who actually make good on their early promise? It is harder to get on the bandwagon game however, when you can't buy a decent card for under $40 it would seem [that is decent, not the best card].

5.) What happens when it doesn't really matter? I think you have to make decisions based on conservative projections - I pick up cards not to flip, but to put in my personal collection. It might be all fun when you pick up a card, but know when to dump it if the player starts to fizzle quicker than anticipated. How good is a particular guy supposed to be? Hall of Fame good or merely a guy that is in the Hall of Very Good. Just in five years, will you be happy with this particular purchase, if it is obvious Barton is going to be overshadowed by better players? How are you going to flip the card, if it isn't a 'PC' quality single anymore?

6.) Take note a sample list of the who's who of players were considered top prospects or future stars but disappointed over the past 10 years - who are the 'who's next' prospects and the 'who's now' prospects who are having banner rookie seasons that are going to disappoint?

A.) Sean Burroughs
B.) Pat Burrell
C.) Rick Ankiel
D.) Jack Cust
E.) Ben Grieve
F.) Travis Lee
G.) Nick Johnson
H.) Alex Escobar
I.) Ruben Mateo
J.) Drew Henson
K.) J.D. Drew
L.) Jose Cruz Jr.
M.) Kerry Wood
N.) Ricky Ledee
O.) Ruben Rivera
P.) Austin Kearns
Q.) Eric Chavez
R.) Ryan Anderson
S.) Xavier Nady
T.) Eric Munson