MLB....trading cards brighter future!!!!!!

Listening to Doug Gottlieb the other day got me thinking. With MLB trying to clean things up and the 30+ age guys having a hard time getting a contracts, we might be ready for a up tick in baseball trading cards again. WHY you ask? Here is my reasoning, with more emphasis on younger, cheaper players the rookie card will become more popular and it will go back to the days where collecting the rookie card was more important than a game-used or 1 of 10 auto card, hits per box, etc. During the so called steroid era younger players could not get the PT they needed or the opportunity because here you had all these players bucking mother nature and playing 5-15 years past their normal life cycle. With the minors much more stringent steroid testing they were not able to crack the big leagues like previous era's. When a 18-22 year old steroid free player is competing against a 30+ steroid/HGH induced guy with 10+ years of MLB experience it was never a fair competition. So I think that we will start seeing more of the Jordan Shafer, Colby Rasmus, etc. Which will be a great addition to trading cards.

The economy will also help play a roll in revitalizing the baseball trading card. I believe that teams will begin putting a emphasis on their farm systems even more. See its much cheaper and lowers your payroll by having great younger players. So there will be more teams like the Twins, Royals, Rays, Marlins, etc. I think that middle tier will begin doing a couple things. One they will put more emphasis on their young players. Two they will sell off their veterans if they are not in the race by the trading deadline. Thus the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs of the world will get the players they need without having to give back equal prospect value. Its easier to dump payroll than to generate more revenue. Thus the major market teams will be very strong. Which is better for trading cards. See as much as we like to see underdogs and Cinderella stories it never translates into better sales or ratings. Think I am wrong? Go back and look at TV ratings when you have two major market teams as compared to only one.

Also look for some more great value items coming to your local Target! I think we have the strongest selection in years currently.