MLB Showdown Cards

MLB Showdown Time Machine

Randy Johnson (00)- 1999-2001 Randy Johnson had 23, 10+ strike out games. That is gold, silver and bronze for that award with only Nolan Ryan sharing the prize in 1973. In 1999 he had a mind blowing 364 strike outs. With his NL leading 2.48 ERA he won the Cy Young Award that year. This earned him a 630 point 3 control, 8 IP, 1-18 out, 1-10 K card. This is the best chart of any pitcher in the league regardless of control. He has better charts than all the 0’s with freak charts. Small ball was not as prevalent as it is now in Showdown. This card would be lethal in modern leagues and was good even then.

Kerry Wood (00) – Want to know how good Kerry Wood was in terms of the eye test. In 1998 as a rookie he tossed his famous 20 strike out game. He was often touted as being the one to grab the torch of Texan fireballers from Roger Clemens who took it from Nolan Ryan. The difference was the Ryan Express always seemed to leave the station and The Rocket seemed to never have a delayed launch. The promising career would be cut short by injury but his MLB Showdown career lives on. His 4 control, 1-16 out, 17-19 BB, 20 1B with 1-9 K is a cardiologists dream. You spend 520 points for a guy who lives in trouble but pitches his way out of it more often than not. Very fun and exciting card.

Kevin Brown (00) – The guy was a competitor and an absolute horse. There were not a lot of 5, 1-16 outs. His Showdown card is a picture of how the little things matter. He has 1 more none advancing out then Saberhagen (1-8 instead of 1-7), He had 1 walk at 17 instead Saberhagen’s no walk. He had 7 IP instead of the 6 of Saberhagen. He has 1 more GB than Saberhagen as well. For 170 more points you get a much more dominant player who has the same outs. Some people would doubt if it is worthwhile. I will say from experience the kid can play.

Pedro Martinez (00) – A 2.07 ERA in 1999 was obscene. He won 23 games for a Red Sox team that featured Troy O’Leary and Darren Lewis as main stays. His 313 strike outs is the best in the American League. There were no debates who the best pitcher in the world was in 1999. For that reason he got the best pitching card in the game at that point. He was a 5, 1-17 out which was the only one. He had a 1-9 SO, 10-11 PU, 18-19 1B, 20 2B. For 660 points you could guarantee you had the best starting pitcher every fourth day unless you faced …

Pedro Martinez (01) – The best yearlong pitching performance of the era belongs not to the 1999 season of Pedro Martinez but the 2000. He put up a 1.74 ERA in the heart of the “Steroid Era”. Many baseball historians consider this among the top 3 greatest pitching seasons ever. 284 strike outs and 4 shut outs is something that is impressive in any era. The card is the best pitching card ever made. 700 points gets a 5, 1-17 out just like the old card. The bottom of his chart is much better though. He earned a  19-20 1B, 18 BB with a 1-10 none advancing out who could pitch 7 innings. There are a lot of players who can argue for the best offensive Showdown player of all time regardless of points. There is only 1 pitcher who has claim to that and that is this card.