MLB Showdown Cards

Time Machine: Shortstop

Nomar Garciaparra: The late 90's had a lot of great shortstops. The first of the triplets was the beloved “Nomah” in Boston. Loved for his amazing range and his gun slinging from shortstop they over looked his high error totals. The Georgia Tech product had the distinct honor of having Ted Williams believe he may be the player to next bat .400. He has 2 good cards and even more great seasons. His 2001 card is 510 points for a 10 speed B, +1 fielding with 19-20 homer, 15-18 double, 6 or higher for a single. He could bat third for most Showdown teams just and he did for the Red Sox and produce a lot of runs. For the guy who was by many people viewed as the most fun of the big three shortstops to watch. Showdown makes it hard to capture all that he brought as a player. It is tough to imagine now, especially after the Red Sox have won 2 recent World Series the amount of hope Nomar and Pedro brought to a team constantly being reminded they were second best to the Yankees at the time. Which leads us to...

Derek Jeter: At the time he was statistically the least impressive of the three big shortstops. Jeter has great career numbers and no one can argue that. He will never be quantified by statistics. He is remembered for being the leader of the often World Series champion New York Yankees. A lot of pressure is put on a player who wears a single digit. Retired players/managers include Billy Martin (1), Babe Ruth (3), Lou Gehrig (4), Joe Dimaggio (5), Mickey Mantle (7), Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey (8) and Roger Maris (9). So 3 and 6 are high expectation numbers. Some day it will only be 6 because Derek Jeter has had that good of a career and has lived up to every bit of what someone would expect of someone to wear that number. His 2000 Showdown card is not an all time great card because he rarely had all time great years. In 2009 when the sets were being made again guess who was a 10? Derek Jeter. Jeter's 2000 card is a 490 point 10, speed B, 19-20 HR, 18 3B, 17 2B, 9 or higher single. He is good and has uses. The card does not capture the captain. Unlike...

Alex Rodriguez: This guy was a statistical freak in the late 1990's early 2000's. His 2000 card is a year removed from his 40/40 season. He was a mere 42/21. The young kid was a stud for the Mariners team who was actually over shadowed by Ken Griffey jr. He was a mere 8, speed A, 15-20 home run, 14 2B and 1-2 out. For 510 points that is a pricey player. Almost everything regarding A-rod comes down to price. In showdown and in real life. He was not associate yet with money at this point he was still the kid. 

 

Even his 2001 card was not associated with money. He was beginning to be viewed as the best player in baseball. At least the best all around player. He could field much better then average. He could run better then average. He was an absolutely great power hitter with those back swing long balls. In 2000 he hit 41 homers, 34 doubles, hit at a .316 clip. For this great young player it was time for a great pay day. He would be a speed B 10 with an 18-20 HR and +4 fielding. Like Griffey and Randy Johnson in years past he would go on to greener pastures. The 2001 Mariners would win 116 games just to spite him. 

The quarter billion dollar deal A-rod signed put a big target on his back. A target that for many critics would not be taken off by simply putting up 109 home runs in 2 seasons. The 2001 pennant run card is one of the best cards in Showdown history. His 640 point 10, speed B, 17-20 HR, 15-16 2B card can mash for anyone. I almost forgot he fields at a +4. If you are playing a showdown no salary cap game take this card for shortstop. Best card to play the shortstop position. Love him, hate him or indifferent have respect for the card. There are plenty of average players in Showdown. There are few elites.