Summer of Slabs 03 - Am I collecting catchers?

While looking through my box of PSA-graded singles to select a few for consignment, I noticed something: 

I have a lot of catcher cards in my collection. Baseball cards take up abut 60% of my PSA box (not counting the 1956 Topps singles, which have their own shelf) and out of those seventy-something singles, nearly a dozen are cards of catchers.

Out of curiosity, I tallied each card by position. Pitchers were well ahead with 23, as you'd expect. Outfielders were next at 19 (would have been 20, but I currently do not have a 1960 Topps Mantle)

Catchers lead the infield, in a bit of an upset over first basemen:

C -- 11
1B - 7
2B - 4
SS - 4
3B - 6

This was the count before I sent my consignment order. I'd actually had 12 catchers at one time, but I sold a Jason Varitek Topps Traded RC in a previous consignment since I had an ungraded copy. This time, I sent away the Sullivan and Lollar. It wasn't an easy decision, but this focus on The 144 spots in my box has helped me determine which cards are true long-term keepers. 

Del Crandall and Craig Biggio make the cut this time. Crandall was a cheap COMC pickup from one of my first orders. I'd found so many quality vintage cards around 2014-16 that I renewed my long-dormant PSA subscription and sent in a bunch. Crandall was one of three NM-MT 8s, and one of the reasons I kept trying to tap the COMC well for more vintage to grade. It ran dry around five years ago :/

Biggio stays because it's a rookie card of a HOFer. I almost sort-of had an "all 1990s team" going, but got stuck at a couple positions. I might revisit that one day, and if I do, I'll need this one.

The Astros legend would not be an all-1990s catcher, of course. That honor would belong to Mike Piazza: 

It's odd to me that Piazza's Fleer Update RC is more valuable (scarcity, I guess?) or at least counted as the "top" Piazza RC. I've always preferred this Bowman single. Campy was a COMC acquisition; I prefer this to his 1955 Bowman single though that one has more personal significance. A story for another day.

One reason I never assembled that all-1990s team is because some RCs are worth purchasing in high grade and some aren't. Ivan Rodriguez would be the AL's catcher, and I do have his Ultra Update ungraded. A half-slabbed, half-raw collection didn't look right. But I do have the original Pudge in a plastic prison:

These might not stay in my collection for too long. The '75 would be a keeper if the centering was better (those borders are tricky), while the '79 is nice to have but not necessarily in a slab. It's one of the two 1979 Topps cards remaining from a batch I'd bought on COMC. There were so many HOFers in 8 or 9 grade that I should have held on to - Nolan Ryan, Catfish Hunter, Eddie Murray, Fergie Jenkins, and others - but I kept the Fisk 8 and the Jim Rice 9.

Of course, no catcher card collection would be complete without the greatest catcher in MLB history:

This is the best Bench card in my opinion. At least it's the best Bench in my budget. 

There's your team of the 1970s catchers, with all due respect to Thurman Munson. Although maybe Fisk would start for the AL in the '80s? Gary Carter would be the NL's catcher for sure. I've tried finding his 1977 O-Pee-Chee single but they're tough. Might have to settle for Topps on that one.

1960s catchers are a mixed bag. There aren't any true Hall of Famers; Yogi Berra's career was winding down while Johnny Bench was just getting started. Bill Freehan would be the bridge there. I had a high-grade copy of his 1968 Topps single, but gave it to my father in law when he expressed interest in starting a '68 Tigers team set. That was a lot of fun to help him with. I hope I get to see that again one day.

Yogi cards are a bit out of my price range. I've kicked the tires on a '62 Topps and might have to pick one up if I'm really committed to collecting catchers. 

One more to show you. It's my highest-grade pre-war card, and another COMC pickup from back in the day:

Luke Sewell caught over 1,600 games in the majors over a 20-year career, and compiled a total WAR of... 4.6. Not great. But it's a 1933 Goudey, you take what you can get. And the reason I was able to get this one was the pen mark on the back.

It's more of a pen indent. There's another '33 Goudey catcher card that I've had my eye on for quite a while:

If I could squeeze one more 1933 Goudey card into my box (and budget), this is the one I would target. Unfortunately even a common card like Muddy here are much more expensive than they were a few years ago. 

Ruel was Walter Johnson's catcher in Washington, and helped the Senators win their only World Series in 1924. I've got more Sens to show and tell in my next Summer of Slabs post...

Thanks for reading!



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