MLB Showdown Cards

The Time Machine: First Base

Mark McGwire(00/01): “Big Mac” has some impressive statistics. He was not the best all around ball player to ever play the game. He was not the fastest. He was not the best situational hitter. In his day he was the man who passed the baton of best home run hitter to Barry Bonds. Say what you will about that pairing. If “Andro” bugs you then this is a sad player to look at. He came up in Oakland as a big, strong, athletic kid who hit 49 home runs as a rookie. A record that is tough to imagine being broken. Mark Trumbo hit 29. A different era I guess. Mark McGwire and Tony La Russa were pair together for so many great season and Tony always protect his big slugger. His 65 home run season following his 70 home run record breaking year was a great follow up. That 65 home run season put up an amazing Showdown card. His 32 Homers in 236 AB's in 2000 was also a great Showdown card for the 2001 set. 

 

Mark McGwire was a perfect Showdown player. He did only what you want him to do and nothing else. He is slow and does not field. He does not hit many extra base hits except home runs. He has 6 career triples, 4 were recorded his rookie years. If you want to hit home runs in showdown this is your guy. There are 5 players with elite power in the 2000/2001 model. Both McGwires are on that list joined by Sammy Sosa 00, Barry Bonds 01 and Jose Bautista 10. Both are 10 on base with 16-20 homers. Both have 15 as their double. The 2000 edition is a 1-5 out and the 2001 is a 1-2 out. The 2001 has a 13-14 single while 2000 has only a 14 single. He is a top tier player in a free-for-all setting. If all players are available then “Big Mac” will have a spot for anyone looking to get cheap runs. The 2001 is better for the 10 point up grade. 570 for 2000 and 580 for 2001 are steals for that power.

Jason Giambi (01): Another controversial player in his day who produced a quality card was Jason Giambi. Jason Giambi will be better known by our young fan as the jerk in the movie “Money Ball” who leaves Brad Pitt high and dry only to be replaced by Scott (+0 arm) Hatteberg. The scouts will say Giambi, Tejada and Chavez were one of the most promising young infields of recent memory. The showdown world will remember how they changed the way Showdown was played. The 11 on-base was born by the long haired, big bopper out in Oakland. He was a great card and with only two 11's playable at the time he was a really interesting pick. 18-20 homer was good power then, his 17 double and 1-3 out made him a machine. He did walk a lot for a 3 hitter by most people's taste. 3-11 walk is large but not the largest of first basemen of that day. Giambi gave McGwire and Bagwell a run for the money as best first basemen in the game. Only matched by …

Carlos Delgado (01): Equally as impressive season. He had 2 less homers to Giambi (43 to 41). He had almost twice as many doubles (29-57). Do not forget that Carlos Delgado was single handedly kept the Blue Jays in firm grasp of third place in the AL East behind the dominant Yankees of the day. The Red Sox were a solid second. Then the Toronto Carlos Delgado's were in third place. His 11 card 'for 40 points more then Giambi's (610 points) is one of the great cards of all time. Same 18-20 homer,

15-17 double. 4-10 walk gives a single for one less then the Giambino. (who didn't exist in 2001). The guy could play much more then those last few years with the Mets showed.

Jeff Bagwell (00): There were a good bit of 10, 18-20 homer first basement back in 2000. There was only 1 speed A on that list. That player was old “Bagpipes” Jeff Bagwell. A 40/30 player back in 1999 (high five yourself if you knew that), Jeff Bagwell earned the speed. Jeff Bagwell was always a weight lifting enthusiast and that brought suspicions to his career later in his career. He had a 17 double and 16 single plus. 13-15 single is a bit small and a 4-12 walk is a bit large for a traditional 3 hitter. No matter what his chart reads base stealing players will be drawn to this power/speed mixed player. Jeff Bagwell will be remembered as one of the class acts of baseball and one of the great athletes to play first base.