Wow! The Marlins Are Bad!!!!

I was doing some early season All-Star predictions with a friend at work the other day and was looking at some of the bad teams to figure out who could represent their team at the midsummer classic.

 I was shocked that there isn't even a middle reliever on that team with an ERA in the 3s who could make a case to be included.  Former Pittsburgh Pirate Neil Walker looks like the most productive position player, but he plays the same position as two guys who are making MVP cases (Cody Bellinger and Josh Bell).  Former Pirate Prospect Harold Ramirez may make a case if he continues to rake at the plate, but with less than 30 major league at bats it may be too soon to announce he is the Marlins team All-Star rep.  I guess at this point, the only logical choice (if every team needs a representative) is pitcher Caleb Smith.  He has an ERA under 4 and a winning record for a team nearly 20 games under .500 in May.  He has to be the representative, right?

I mean it's not like the Marlins didn't get great value when they traded away guys like Christian Yellich, Dee Gordon, Giancarlo Stanton, JT Realmuto, Chris Paddack, Trevor Williams, Luis Castillo, Marcell Ozuna, Domingo German, Derek Dietrech, etc.  Oh wait, they're still a bottom third farm system after gutting their team?

Not every team wins every trade.
Then again not every team loses every trade either.

Unless you're the Marlins.

Had they kept their team they would be on pace for 102 Wins and only $110 million payroll.  Details of this super team can be found at The Athletic.

Wow! Are they a bad team!!!!

Above you can see a pair of box toppers that I have featuring Andrew McCutchen historic walk off homerun six hit game versus the Dodgers last year.

Both these feature the same box number.

The Stripling/Tomlinson/Musgrave is the rarer of the two versions.  To date I have only seen 2 sell since it's release.

Each player featured on the box topper back has two versions.  The rarer ones tend to sell for 5x the standard version.

And for those voting for the 2019 ASG, vote for Cutch!

A massive addition to the PC

I promised yesterday that I would show off a massive card today and I intend to keep that promise.

Each year, National Treasures tends to be one of my favorite releases due to the quality they put in the product.

2016 NT was no different.  I've already shown some of my cards from this year's release.  This one however is by far, my biggest one yet.  It's so big in fact that when unfolded it didn't fit entirely on my scanner.

It's not as low numbered as other NT cards I have shown, but this card does feature some of my other favorite players in MLB.  Jumbo jersey relics of Anthony Rizzo, Nolan Arenado, and Giancarlo Stanton all join Cutch in this Quad Relics Booklet.

This is my first Arenado relic I have.  I would like to add more in the near future.

I missed out on the two previous ones listed on eBay and when this hit, the seller and I negotiated a deal to get this in my hands for a price what my two missed opportunities went for.

I am grateful that I can cross this off the list now.  The trouble is displaying it.  I just ordered a custom case from hardball34 to get this thing properly displayed.

Three of these Superstars will be on Team USA.  Stanton looks to be starting in Right Field and Arenado will likely be the team's starting 3B.

Tomorrow I will show off my other Stanton cards that I have paired up with Cutch.