Top 5 Cards; Starlin Castro

At one point, Starlin Castro seemed like the franchise player of the Chicago Cubs for years to come. The 4-time All-Star had a fabulous rookie season in 2010 when he hit .300 and drove in 41 runs.

Over the next 5 years in Chicago, he came within 9 hits of reaching the 1,000 hit mark while achieving a respectable .281.

Following the Cubs' turnaround season in 2015 that saw them make the playoffs, Castro was traded to the New York Yankees for Adam Warren and a player to be named later. Though 2015 wasn't the greatest season in his relatively young career, the Cubs seemingly gave up on Castro in favor of their new rookie SS Addison Russell.

Castro spent 2 years with the Yankees. This included an All-Star 2017 season in which he helped lead New York to an ALCS appearance. However, for the 2nd time in his career, Castro was traded away from a team as soon as they made it back to the postseason.

This time, he was traded to the Miami Marlins in the Giancarlo Stanton deal. I've always believed he could have some success in Miami given how poor the rest of his team performs. He's hit .270 since joining the Marlins and got his 1,500th hit earlier this year.

At 29 years old, Castro could sneak his way into the 3,000 hit club if he stays healthy and productive. Given that the Marlins are a poor performing team, he doesn't have the added pressure of making the playoffs that existed in years past. All he really has to do is hit.

Still, I feel a little bad for the guy, so I've been picking up cards for the Castro PC at every chance. I've accumulated 56 cards of Castro, ranging from 2010-2019. Here are my 5 favorites.

#5 2011 Topps

Particularly during his time with the Chicago Cubs, Starlin Castro was known for his defensive abilities at shortstop. He may not have won any Gold Glove awards, but Castro played a spectacular SS, something that was immortalized on cardboard many times.

One of the cards that sheds light on Castro's defensive capabilities is his 2011 Topps Flagship card. With Wrigley Field's classic ivy in the background, he's making a phenomenal play at SS, leaping over the Reds' Miguel Castro, presumably to throw the ball to 1st base.

#4 2013 Topps Gypsy Queen Green Mini Parallel

I'm rarely nostalgic for the Topps Gypsy Queen minis and parallels, for they never stood out in comparison to the Allen & Ginter minis. With that being said, there are a handful of these cards in my collection that I cherish, one of them being this green parallel from 2013 GQ.

I'm indifferent towards the image on the front of this card; it's neither stellar nor lackluster. Rather, it's the full-bleed green on the front and back that sets this parallel apart from most other Gypsy Queen minis. 

The blurb about Castro on the back of this card highlights just how special of a player he was throughout his time with the Cubs. I've always been a huge fan of his and would like nothing better than to see him put up similar numbers in Miami.

#3 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen

If we're talking Chicago Cubs cards, you can never go wrong with the classic home uniform, especially with a beautiful shot of Wrigley Field's ivy or brick in the background. This card does exactly that while making fabulous use of the gorgeous 2012 Topps Gypsy Queen design.

The image is practically perfect for the 2012 GQ design. Better yet, every element of this card works beautifully with one another, resulting in a card that's so classic looking despite being only 7 years old.

#2 2014 Topps Stadium Club

Okay, there might be one Cubs uniform that looks even better than the traditional home jerseys. I'm not sure what this throwback uni is paying homage to, but I'm thrilled that Topps captured this stunning photo for the 2014 Stadium Club set.

Just like the 2012 Gypsy Queen base card, Castro's 2014 Stadium Club card combines a terrific uniform with Wrigley Field's ivy. With that being said, there are a couple things that I could do without.

The umpire doesn't really look like he belongs on this card, nor does the Under Armour advertisement in the background. Despite how unique this card is, it's evident that Stadium Club has become a more polished set over the last few years.

#1 2014 Topps Gypsy Queen Black Mini Parallel

Castro's 2014 Topps Gypsy Queen black mini parallel takes everything that I love about the green mini at #3 and ups the ante. The black fits perfectly with the Gypsy Queen set design, especially on the back of the card where black and white are the only colors present. You almost get a spooky feeling just looking at this card.

Furthermore, the photo on Castro's '14 GQ card is miles better (and clearer) than his 2013 mini. The action shot of the former Chicago Cub at the plate is something we don't usually see on his cards, but I appreciate that Topps included something a little outside the box.

Notice how this entire list featured cards of Castro on the Cubs and that the Yankees and Marlins were left out entirely. Starlin just hasn't had the same energy about him since he was traded away from Chicago, even though he's had respectable seasons with New York and Miami.

I really hope that he gets back on track to where he was earlier in his career and becomes a star once again for the Marlins. He's stuck on one of the worst teams in Baseball after being on 2 up and coming clubs, so he deserves all the success that he gets.

Top 5 Cards; Kris Bryant

Greetings from Chicago!

Earlier today, my Dad and I arrived in the Windy City to attend the 40th National Sports Collectors Convention which begins tomorrow. 

After having the time of our lives at the show in Cleveland last summer, we made the decision, almost instantly, to return for our 2nd NSCC show. The fact that this year's convention is situated in Chicago made this even better, for we're seeing the Cubs battle the Brewers this Friday at 1:20 pm.

Admittedly, I haven't been following the Cubs as closely over the last 2 seasons as I did from 2015-2017. Although the purpose of this trip is certainly to acquire Baseball cards, I hope it also revives my interest in the Cubs as a whole. 

After all, they have an incredibly talented roster, and they're playing extremely well in 2019, led by their franchise player, Kris Bryant.

When healthy, KB is one of Baseball's greatest all-around players. His 2018 season was plagued with injuries, and he was never truly at his best. Now, Bryant, Rizzo, and the rest of the Chicago Cubs are having an incredible season, so this game against Milwaukee is destined to be memorable.

Despite being just 27 years old, Bryant is among my sizeable player collections. Before leaving for The National, I had 72 cards cataloged of the 2016 NL MVP. I'm interested to see if and how that number will grow over the next few days.

#5 2018 Topps Kris Bryant Highlights

Though I'm not typically fond of these single-player insert sets, exclusive to Target and Walmart, I'll admit that I love the design of the Kris Bryant cards from 2018 Topps Series 1. This isn't the final time you'll this iconic photo appear on the list, but that doesn't make the card any less special.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Bryant's reaction to the Cubs winning the 2016 World Series will go down as one of the most iconic photos in recent memory. I was thrilled to see his smile immortalized on cardboard along with an excellent card design, especially with the ivy on the lefthand side.

#4 2016 Topps Heritage

I'm going to ask for you guys' help regarding these Chicago Cubs caps because I am totally unfamiliar with and have never seen these hats before. Regardless, Bryant's 2016 Topps Heritage card was one of the first cards I ever pulled of his, so I remember all the details very well.

Most importantly, I remember how excited I was to finally be able to collect Kris Bryant without paying a premium. This card, along with his Series 1 base card, allowed me to collect cards of the 2015 NL Rookie of the Year more easily. 

The All-Star rookie trophy definitely succeeds in giving this card a 60s vibe, but it also makes me wish that Topps would bring these back for modern-day cards

#3 2019 Topps Gypsy Queen

Due primarily to the lack of value, I'm always skeptical when it comes to purchasing Topps Gypsy Queen, no matter how much I'm thinking of spending. Even when you take all of my problems with GQ into account, there's no denying that the base cards, especially in 2019, are gorgeous.

The 2019 design is my favorite set since at least 2013, and the beautiful cards may go down as the best of all-time when all is said and done. Kris Bryant's base card is no exception, for it features a beautiful Wrigley Field background and a near-perfect shot of #17.

The set seems perfect for the photo of Bryant while also embodying what Gypsy Queen is all about. However, it was up against some tough competition, so the highest I could rank the 2019 card is #3.

#2 2017 Topps Stadium Club

I don't know what it is about the Oakland Athletics dugout, but it seems to make frequent appearances on Topps Baseball cards. From Xander Bogaerts' 2017 Topps Bunt insert to Carlos Santana's 2019 Stadium Club card, it appears that non-A's players are featured more in this dugout than members of the Athletics.

With that being said, Bryant's 2017 Topps Stadium Club card takes this to another level. For starters, he's wearing the iconic Cubs pajama uniforms in what I assume to be a throwback game against the A's. Second, his teammate Anthony Rizzo appears on this card as well.

If any 2 players could get 1 card together in a set like Stadium Club, Bryzzo would get my vote. These sluggers have been the face of the Chicago Cubs for years now, and they played a critical role in the 2016 World Series.

#1 2017 Topps Heritage Action Image Variation

I mentioned earlier that this iconic photo of Kris Bryant would appear once more on the list. Evidently, that placement is the #1 spot, featuring an action image variation card from 2017 Topps Heritage.

Along with the notorious Cubs quad relic, I remember pulling this card of KB just after the Cubs ended their 108-year title drought. There were a ton of Cubs cards in 2017 Topps Heritage, and this fantastic SP happens to be one of them.

I know the 1968 Topps set has received mixed reviews from Baseball card collectors, but I personally love the risk that Topps took with the set. The burlap design has become one of my favorites, particularly as far as Heritage is concerned.

If you compare the 2 backgrounds, it's evident that Topps photoshopped the 2017 version to include more overjoyed Cubs fans, a thoughtful effort but an inaccurate representation of the game.

That doesn't change my opinion of the card though, because, photoshopped or not, the Heritage SP does an unmatchable job of capturing one of the greatest moments in sports history.

Now that is a card worthy of the #1 spot.

My 2019 NL All-Star Starters

Earlier today at 4pm EST, the first round of the 2019 MLB All-Star game fan voting came to a close. At this point, while we don't know the exact results, the votes for round #1 are in.

Throughout the last couple of weeks, I took the time to vote for the players who I believed deserved to be All-Stars. I tried to remain as fair as possible, even if that meant voting for Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez for the AL team. Simply put, he deserves the spot, so I gave him my votes.

However, the end of the first round voting definitely snuck up on me. Even after casting my ballots on numerous days, I didn't even realize until today that the voting was scheduled to end at 4pm. Otherwise, I would've written a blog post for my NL All-Star ballot earlier in the week. 

It doesn't do a whole lot of good for me to explain my NL All-Star starters today considering that round #1 voting is already over, but I, nevertheless, wanted to publically announce and justify my picks.

Like the AL All-Star starters post from yesterday, I doubt that all the players featured in this post will actually make the All-Star game. However, my main objective with this post is to get my choices out there and possibly proving how the voting system, even with these new adjustments, is flawed.

I explained yesterday how Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, although deserving of an All-Star selection, likely won't receive enough votes. While I don't follow the National League quite as closely as the American League, I'm certain that something similar will occur.

Catcher; Willson Contreras

Since his call-up towards the beginning of 2016, Willson Contreras has struggled to put in a full season due to injuries as well as the position that he plays. Now, at 27 years of age, Contreras is having the best season of his career, and he's remained healthy for the entire season as well.

With over 200 at-bats already under his belt, Contreras is hitting .292 with 15 homers and 42 RBI. At this point, the World Series Champion seems destined to have his best season yet in 2019, for it appears that he'll surpass his previous career-highs in numerous stat categories.

Buster Posey usually makes a strong case for an All-Star selection, but his .246 batting average in 2019 simply isn't cutting it. For me, Contreras is the no-brainer for the NL starting catcher position.

1st Base; Josh Bell

I don't think anybody saw this coming, yet Josh Bell is not only making a strong argument to be the NL All-Star team's starting 1st baseman, but he's also making a case for the NL MVP award as well.

Despite competition from guys like Pete Alonso, Bell is having a breakout season at the age of 26. His 27 doubles and 66 RBI lead all of the MLB, and his 20 home runs aren't too shabby either. After struggling to find a balance between power and contact for the first few years of his career, Bell seems to have pieced it all together in 2019. 

Thus, it would stand to reason that he would be rewarded with his 1st ever All-Star selection in 2019.

2nd Base; Max Muncy

After struggling to make it in the MLB for a few years with the Oakland Athletics, Max Muncy emerged as a power hitter for the 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers and helped turn their season from a disaster into a 2nd straight NL pennant. 

Now, after garnering MVP votes in 2018, Muncy is the clear choice for the NL All-Star team in 2019. He, like Josh Bell, has achieved a balance between power hitting (17 home runs) and contact hitting (.283 batting average) so far in 2019. 

It should also be noted that Muncy has come a long way from his days in Oakland when he was a below-average bench player. Now, he's won an NL pennant with the Los Angeles Dodgers and appears destined for the 2019 NL All-Star team.

Shortstop; Javier Baez

There's always been something special about Javier Baez since his rookie season back in 2015. However, it took him a few years before emerging as one of Baseball's brightest stars last season. Now, at age 26, there's no turning back for the 2018 NL MVP runner-up.

It'll be challenging for Baez to match his sensational stats from the 2018 season, but he's on track to come close so far in 2019. Baez's .286 batting average, 18 homers, and 48 RBI make a powerful case as to why he should be an All-Star for the 2nd straight season. 

Even though some of his success is due to the number of at-bats that he has (294), there's no denying how talented Javier Baez is, both defensively and offensively. He's one of the most well-rounded players in Baseball, and I'll be shocked if he doesn't end up as an NL All-Star starter.

3rd Base; Nolan Arenado

At this point, Nolan Arenado isn't only proving that he deserves to be an All-Star for the 5th time in his career. Rather, he's also establishing himself as one of Baseball's most consistent and greatest players, someone who could end up in Cooperstown when all is said and done.

From 2015-2018, Arenado was elected to the All-Star team, won the NL Gold Glove and Silver Slugger for his position, and received MVP votes. Given his current stat line in 2019 (.328/18/60), I don't see why anything should change.

Arenado also leads the NL in hits with 94, and he could have the greatest season of his career in 2019 which, by his standards, is a phenomenal accomplishment.

Outfielders; Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich, and Charlie Blackmon

While there's an argument to be made for other position players to be starters for the NL All-Star team, there simply is not another NL outfielder more deserving of the starting spot than Christian Yelich, Charlie Blackmon, and Cody Bellinger.

These 3 outfielders all rank in the top 4 in Baseball when it comes to batting average, and that's just one reason why these 3 need to take the field in Cleveland next month. They each have at least 17 homers with Yelich leading all of Baseball with 28. As far as RBI are concerned, Bellinger leads the pack with 60.

If you take an in-depth look at these 3 superstars' stats, you'll get a better idea as to why these 3 are the best choice for the NL All-Star starting lineup. 

As much as Ronald Acuna Jr and Juan Soto have been impressing me in their 2nd respective MLB seasons, they simply cannot match what Yelich, Blackmon, and Bellinger have done.

Best 30 Cards From All 30 Teams; NL Central

Along with the AL East, the NL Central is home to some of the greatest cards in my collection. From the abundance of Chicago Cubs hits that I've been fortunate enough to pull to the vintage Cardinals, Pirates, and Reds cards from the 50s and 60s.

Thus, as I continue to make my way through the best 30 cards from all 30 teams mini-series, I've been anticipating my post for the NL Central. 

While there have been some teams in the past few posts that I have forced me to get creative regarding which card I'd choose, the opposite is the case for most clubs in the NL Central.

Aside from the Milwaukee Brewers who had 1 clear choice, the 4 other teams in the NL Central each had at least 2 candidates for the title of the best card. Ultimately, after much deliberation, particularly for the Cubs, I came to a consensus for each team in this division.

As I've mentioned, practically since the beginning of this series, I've thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of these posts. These countdowns are very interesting to compile, and I'm going to be disappointed once I finish up this series in a few days when I write about the NL West.

This mini-series has helped me break out of my writer's block and, now, I have my blog posts planned out for the next 5 days or so, something that's rarely the case.

Without any further adieu, let's continue on with these posts by discussing the best cards in my collection from each team in the NL Central.

Chicago Cubs

There are, arguably, 5 other Chicago Cubs cards in my collection that could claim the title of my best Cubs card. However, when all is said and done, none of them can come close to the legendary 1/1 quad relic patch, undoubtedly the greatest Baseball card in my entire collection.

I've discussed this card on a few separate occasions beforehand, so I won't waste time by repeating things that I've previously mentioned. However, the fact that this unbelievable card is graded at a 9.5 and features a patch from 4 Chicago Cubs stars, including 3 members of the World Series team, speaks volume.

My favorite aspect of the card would have to be the Billy Williams patch. He's always been my Dad's favorite Cubs player of all-time, and I'm thrilled and surprised that Topps was able to find a patch of his to put on this card.

Truth be told, I doubt that I'll ever pull another card as astounding as this one as long as I'm collecting, and I'm okay with that. After all, it's pretty challenging to top a card of this caliber.

Cincinnati Reds

Although there weren't as many options, I had to decide between a small group of fabulous Cincinnati Reds card for their spot on my countdown. As you can see, I settled on a graded Frank Robinson card from 1959 Topps, and I'm very confident that I made the correct choice.

For starters, I couldn't care less about the BGS 2.5 grade. Admittedly, a higher grade is preferred, but that isn't my prerogative. The card, on its own, is more than enough for me. 

The combination of black and red has always been something that I've adored, and I can't think of a Baseball card in my collection where that combination is more profound. Other details, such as the Reds logo, bring attention to the era in which this card was produced.

Topps did an incredible job with their 1959 Flagship set. The All-Star and combo cards remain iconic to this day, but it's the base card, like Frank Robinson's on the Cincinnati Redlegs, that make this product what it is.

Milwaukee Brewers

Since I started collecting cards, I've never focused that much on the Milwaukee Brewers nor have I pulled a valuable Brewers card from a pack. This is evident through the fact that Robin Yount is one of the only Brewers guys that I collect, and I only began his PC a few months ago.

Nonetheless, I do have 1 Brewers card that is head and shoulders above all the rest in my collection. Because I have a complete set of 1975 Topps, I also own Robin Yount's rookie card, an iconic, simple and amazing card from one of the greatest Topps sets of all-time.

The brown and orange color combination may not be my favorite from the '75 set, but it succeeds as far as Yount's card is concerned. The retro Brewers jersey is definitely a plus, but more so than that, the card itself is easily recognizable. 

Like the Robinson card, Yount's 1975 Topps rookie is just a base card, yet all the elements come together beautifully and cohesively to create an instantly recognizable rookie card worthy of this spot.

Pittsburgh Pirates

When I wrote my PC overview post for Roberto Clemente a few weeks back, I showcased this card as the #1 piece of Clemente memorabilia in my collection. Thus, it shouldn't come as a significant surprise that I chose this BGS 2.5 graded 1962 Topps card as my best Pittsburgh Pirates card.

Despite the low number (#10), I can't find a legitimate complaint about Clemente's '62 Topps card. The wood-bordered set is the perfect canvas for simple and traditional cards, and that's exactly what this is.

The image and the set design work together in perfect unison and the card, although not one of Clemente's most iconic Topps cards, never fails to impress me. 

Better yet, even though the grade is low like Robinson's '59 card, I couldn't be happier to have Clemente's 1962 Topps card protected in a slab.

St. Louis Cardinals

I'll be honest; if this mini-series was entitled "my favorite 30 cards from all 30 teams," I would've chosen the Jack Flaherty auto that I pulled out of 2018 Panini Chronicles for the St. Louis Cardinals spot. 

However, if we're talking about the best, you can't get much better than a Bob Gibson auto, numbered out of 50 copies, that I picked up at last year's National for the price of a blaster box.

Although the black background makes the text challenging to read, the card is perfectly legible in person. Moreover, I'm actually quite fond of the decision to use black for both the 2007 SP Legendary Cuts base set and the autographs as well.

The photo does add a much-needed pop of color, but the only true complaint that I have is I wish the auto was on-card. I understand that they'd need to alter the color scheme, but that minor change would take this autograph to a new level.

They Both Finally Signed!

Over 6 months ago, I posted my predictions for the 2018-19 MLB offseason, almost all of which ended up being incorrect. 

At the time, mid-November, I believed that I was posting these forecasts on the late side, for I fully expected the 8 or so superstars whom I discussed to sign contracts soon after I made these picks.

I never knew how incorrect I'd be. It's taken over half a year for all the players in my offseason predictions post to officially sign contracts. In the last couple of days, pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel made it official, agreeing to terms with the Braves and Cubs respectively. 

Both star pitchers will now earn less money in 2019 than the $17.9 million guaranteed dollars offered by the Red Sox and Astros following the 2018 season. 

In fact, Kimbrel and Keuchel's decision to decline those offers is what caused them not to get signed until early June; teams did not want to face a draft pick penalty by signing players who declined their qualifying offers.

That, combined with Kimbrel and, to a lesser degree, Keuchel's alleged outrageous asking price, has effectively caused these 2 All-Star pitchers to miss half a season. 

While I'm thrilled that Kimbrel will be playing for the Cubs, my 2nd favorite team, I'm equally glad that the rumors that surrounded these guys for months will finally die down.

I won't be going super in-depth, but I want to speak briefly about both of the free agent signings, starting with Keuchel's 1-year $13 million dollar deal with the Atlanta Braves.

For whatever reason, Dallas Keuchel decided to leave the 2017 World Series Champions, the Houston Astros, and take less money to join Atlanta. I'm not discrediting the successful franchise that the Braves have become, but I'm struggling to grasp exactly why Keuchel decided to leave Houston.

On paper, Houston is a much more well-rounded team than Atlanta; they have some of the games most talented hitters and one of the most feared rotations in Baseball. Keuchel was a part of that, winning the AL Cy Young award in 2015. 

I just don't understand why he'd throw all of that away and miss half of the 2019 season. Although I expect him to succeed in Atlanta, the decision is a tad baffling.

Keuchel's yet to have his press conference with his new team, but the 31-year old is expected to make a start in Triple-A Gwinnett on Saturday. I'm sure he, along with Kimbrel, need a few weeks to get the swing of things before they appear in an MLB game for the first time in 2019.

Because of that, I don't foresee either one of them playing for at least a week or 2. In fact, I believe that I heard Kimbrel won't appear in a game until around June 25th after signing with the Cubs a couple of days ago. 

Speaking of Craig Kimbrel, the 7-time All-Star missed out on a potential 8th selection by not agreeing to terms with a team until early June. However, after having his press conference with Chicago, all that's left to do is wait for him to make his Chicago Cubs debut as well as his return to the National League.

While his 2019 season is going to be a bit of a transition, Kimbrel's 3-year $43 million dollar contract with the Cubs ensures that he'll have a couple more seasons to regain his status as a top 2 closer in Baseball. 

He may not have earned the reported $100 million dollars that he desired, but he'll be earning reasonable money while playing for a perennial playoff contender.

I definitely expect the rest of the 2019 season to be an uphill battle for both pitchers, especially Kimbrel. Nevertheless, I have faith in Kimbrel's ability to come back strong for the Cubs in both 2020 and 2021. 

After months of uncertainty, I'm glad to finally know where Kimbrel will be playing for the next few seasons. Better yet, he'll take the field for my 2nd favorite team, the Chicago Cubs, in a number of weeks. 

Keuchel, on the other hand, basically signed a 1/2 year contract with the Braves. Pretty soon, he'll have to go through the same thing he experienced during the last offseason following the 2019 season. A return to Atlanta or Houston is probable, and I don't think anyone would be shocked to see him end up on the Yankees as well.

2019 Predictions; NL Central

Last year, I was successful in predicting the outcome of the NL Central division. With every placement predicted correctly, it was my only perfect division last year.

Other than separating the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers, the 2018 NL Central division wasn't too difficult to predict. This year, however, there's a lot more grey area. Offseason acquisitions by the Cardinals and Reds are certain to shake up the division. 

Meanwhile, the Cubs have done the exact opposite over the last few months. Ownership justified the Cubs' not spending any money this offseason simply by stating something along the lines of "we don't have any to spend."

With the 4th highest payroll in all of Baseball, losing to the Brewers and Rockies in back-to-back one-game playoffs was a disappointing ending to Chicago's season. 

Moving on to the rest of the division, the Reds made a series of moves that included a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'll go over that transaction when I talk about Cincinnati, but that move should at least take them out of the cellar of NL Central.

Although their 82-79 record in 2018 was promising, the Pirates don't seem destined to contend in what's shaping up to be one of Baseball's toughest divisions. On the bright side, they have star pitcher Chris Archer under contract through 2021, including a club option for the last 2 seasons. 

Along with the AL and NL East, the NL Central is bound to have 3 or 4 teams finish with a .500+ winning percentage, maybe even all 5. The real question with this division is where the teams will stack up following a major shake-up over the offseason.

1st Place; Milwaukee Brewers

I know we haven't seen the full impact that the Christian Yelich trade has left on Miami, but it's pretty safe to say that the Brewers won this trade. Milwaukee has the 2018 NL MVP under contract through the 2022 season, and they're only paying him around $12 million dollars per year.

In addition to Yelich, the Brewers might just have the best infield in all of Baseball. Jesus Aguilar, Travis Shaw, Orlando Arcia, and Mike Moustakas provide a balance of power as well as speed. As far as offense is concerned, it's hard to fault this Brewers team.

My main concern for the Brewers in 2019 is most definitely their rotation. Jhoulys Cachin is a reliable starter, but he's not the ace that Milwaukee needs for a World Series run. The rest of their rotation is a bit questionable, so if the Brewers find themselves in postseason contention once again, trading for a high-caliber starter at the deadline is essential.

2nd Place; Chicago Cubs

On paper, the Chicago Cubs are the most talented and well-balanced team in the NL Central. Unfortunately, their window for winning another World Series title could be closing if it hasn't already.

Kyle Schwarber is simply not progressing the way they hoped he would, and Addison Russell, another star from the 2016 World Series team, is walking on thin wire following a 40-game suspension. Even though they still have the pieces in place for a Fall Classic run, management and ownership seem to be holding the Cubs back. 

They still have Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, perennial MVP candidates, and a phenomenal rotation to back them up. However, the game is constantly changing, and the Cubs are not. Until they implement some major changes to keep up with the times, the Cubs won't match their 2016 performance for a long time.

3rd Place; St. Louis Cardinals

While the Cubs appear to be taking steps in the wrong direction, the Cardinals are making progress towards re-establishing themselves as a major threat in the National League. Just a few months after they made a blockbuster trade for 1st baseman Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis signed the 6-time All-Star to a 5-year $130 million dollar extension.

Although I'm slightly skeptical of Goldschmidt signing an extension with a team that he's never played for, he's an extremely consistent player and should fit in well in St. Louis. In addition to veteran hitters like Matt Carpenter and Paul DeJong, the Cardinals have an abundance of young players ready to prove themselves like Harrison Bader and Jack Flaherty.

St. Louis' .543 winning percentage in 2018 definitely came as a shock, yet the Cardinals still missed the playoffs once again, something they're not used to doing. While they don't seem ready for a World Series run in 2019, the Cardinals are shaping up to be a contender within the next few years so long as Goldschmidt continues to perform at a high level.

4th Place; Cincinnati Reds

One of the most puzzling trades of this year's offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds completed a blockbuster deal in mid-December. In a salary dump trade that saw the Reds trade multiple top prospects, Cincinnati received Matt Kemp, Alex Wood, and Yasiel Puig from LA.

I'm not sure what the Reds plan to do with all these new veteran players, especially given that it's Puig's contract season, but they should improve in 2019 if nothing else. Eugenio Suarez and Scooter Gennett had breakout seasons in 2018 and remain some of Baseball's most underrated players.

And of course, franchise player and probable future Hall of Famer Joey Votto is still there as well. At 35-years old, I doubt he'll capture a World Series title in his career unless he's traded. Still, Votto seems to love playing in Cincinnati, even if the best they can do is finish 4th in the NL Central.

5th Place; Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates' first season in over a decade without franchise player Andrew McCutchen was surprisingly successful, but I don't expect that to continue in 2019. They may have a few respectable pieces here and there, but Pittsburgh lacks an impact player to take their team to the next level.

Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte have flashes of brilliance every now and then, but they both lack consistency. Chris Archer is dominant when it comes to strikeouts, but his ERA typically suffers. Besides those guys, I don't know a whole lot about this Pirates team. 

Regardless, I just don't see them being able to contend with the heavyweights in the NL Central.

My Top 5 Chicago Cubs Cards

As far as Chicago Cubs cards go, I always seem to have better luck when pulling fantastic Cubs hits than I do for any other MLB team, including my favorite club, the Boston Red Sox.

I tend to miss out on pulling big-name Red Sox hits from packs of cards. Case and point, my top 10 Red Sox cards list, a countdown that consisted of 10 total cards, only 2 of which I actually pulled from a pack of cards. The rest were either purchased or have always been a part of my card collection as long as I can remember.

Contrary to my inability to pull Red Sox hits, I have incredible luck when it comes to the cards of my 2nd favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. Rather than doing a top 10, I decided to narrow it down to the best of the best by doing a top 5 instead. 

Besides, I bent the rules slightly by including 2 cards at spots #5 and #4, but the point I'm trying to make is pretty clear. Although some cards on this list were purchased at the Baseball card show, the Marlon Byrd stamp card, numbered to 10 on the back, as well as the cards at #3 and #1 were cards that I pulled out of a pack myself. 

Starting with the oldest cards to make this list, let's take a look at my top 5 Chicago Cubs cards.

#5 1969 Topps Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins autographs

Careful research on the part of my Dad helped land us these 2 TTM autographs of 2 of the greatest Chicago Cubs players of all-time, both of whom played on the iconic 1969 team. I've since acquired another autograph of both of these superstars, but the authentic signed 1969 Topps cards will forever be my favorites.

If I remember correctly, the Billy Williams autograph was free while the Jenkins set us back just $10. That's 2 autographs of Hall of Famers and some of the greatest Chicago Cubs to ever play the game for half the price of a blaster box of cards. It's just pretty hard to believe that these 2 incredible cards came in behind 4 others.

#4 2002 Topps 206 Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers bat relics

This was probably the toughest decision to make, but ultimately, I decided to place the Tinker and Evers bat relics above the Williams and Jenkins autos. I mean, I could find other autos of those 2 superstars if I wanted to, but bat relics of 2 guys who played at the beginning of the 20th century are extremely hard to come by.

As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if 2002 Topps 206 produced some of the only bat relics ever made of Tinker and Evers. These cards are absolutely beautiful, especially thanks to the artwork on the minis. If only I could track down one of these of Frank Chance. Then, the iconic trio would be complete.

#3 2018 Bowman's Best Anthony Rizzo red auto

I've barely had this card in my possession for a month, yet it has already become one of my favorite cards in my entire collection. Pulled from a holiday mini box of 2018 Bowman's Best, I was able to land this spectacular red refractor autograph of Anthony Rizzo, serial numbered 2/10. 

As you can imagine, it was quite a moment when I pulled this incredible card from a pack, because it added to what is already a wide variety of Chicago Cubs cards, specifically, the cards on this list. In a year in which I added many impressive cards to my collection, this Anthony Rizzo autograph remains one of the best.

#2 1954 Topps Ernie Banks

It felt odd putting this card at #2 instead of #1, but I'm certain that I'm making the right decision. Regardless, it's still insane to think about the fact that I have, in my possession, a Beckett 3 graded rookie card of Ernie Banks AKA Mr. Cub, one of the greatest hitters in Baseball history.

Although the centering is the primary reason for the low grade, it's still surreal to me that I even have this iconic card. The 1954 Topps set may have been shaky, but Ernie Banks' rookie card is the high point of the entire set for a number of reasons, including the perfect use of the 2 photos and the retro Cubs logo in the top right corner.

#1 2017 Topps Heritage Clubhouse Collection Quad Relic Patch

This is not only the greatest Chicago Cubs card that I own but also the greatest card in my entire Baseball card collection as well as my favorite. Better yet, I actually pulled this hand-numbered 1/1 from a hobby box of 2017 Topps Heritage, a mere 4 months after the Cubs ended their 108-year World Series drought and defeated the Cleveland Indians in the Fall Classic.

Every player's jersey swatch on this 9.5 Beckett graded quad relic features a patch of 2 colors or more, hence why this is the 1/1 quad relic patch instead of the standard quad relic numbered to 10. As impressive as it was to see tri-color relics for Kris Bryant and Addison Russel, I was impressed to see Billy Williams appear on this card, especially with a duo-color jersey swatch as well.

Not a single card in my collection, whether I obtained it before or after the Cubs quad relic, has overtaken the 1/1 card is my favorite card in my entire collection. Plus, the fact that it features 4 Chicago Cubs makes this unbelievable card even more special.

Top 5 Cards; Ernie Banks

I haven't been doing top 5 cards posts as much as I used to, but on the occasions that I put one together, I prefer the player of choice to be from the golden era of Baseball. That is, the 50s-70s.

Nothing against any other player, but from the late-1950s through the mid-1970s, Baseball featured dozens of future Hall of Famers and countless other star players. Topps also produced some of the best Flagship sets of all-time back then with checklist after star-studded checklist.

The colorful products, the players, and simply the time period provides a lot of material to work with, and it also helps that I have quite a lot of fun writing posts about Baseball legends from that time period. You can never really go wrong with vintage cards anyway.

When choosing a player for today's post, I realized I had already done a top 5 cards post for many 60s players. Stargell, Clemente, Williams, Robinson, and McCovey are just a few of the names along with my favorite player of all-time, Hank Aaron. 

However, 1 major name still had not been used up until now. Today, I'll be doing a top 5 cards post for Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks.

At 105 cards, Ernie Banks is in the Gold Tier of all my player collections, and his representation in modern-day Topps products is a major reason why. It also helps that I have a nice selection of vintage banks cards. Ultimately, I decided to go with all vintage cards for this list, beginning with a 1950s card at spot #5.

#5 1959 Topps Cubs Clubbers

With teammates Dale Long and Walt Moryn accompanying Banks on this 1959 Topps combo card, the whole idea of vintage cards is truly embodied. Bold and bright colors are a staple for vintage sets, and I'm very fond of the 1959 Topps combo cards in particular. In a way, it's almost better than more well-known Cubs like Billy Williams and Ron Santo aren't featured alongside Banks. That way, Mr. Cub can be the star of the card. 

#4 1970 Topps

1970 may have been Banks' 2nd to last year in Baseball, but his 1970 Topps card remains one of the greatest card made of the 500 home run club member. As the years went on, Topps began producing more and more cards with action images featured, or at least pictures that show the player in motion. You wouldn't see a card like this of Banks in the early to mid-1960s. 

In addition to featuring a classic Topps design, Banks 1970 Topps card includes one of the best images to ever make it onto one of his Topps base cards of all-time.

#3 1967 Topps

If it features the right image, 1967 Topps can include some of the greatest sets in Topps history, and this Ernie Banks card certainly no exception. While I don't necessarily think the orange color is the best fit for the Cubs cards, the image as absolutely perfect though I could do without the fake signature. However, the Cubs blue on Banks' sleeve actually compliments the orange very well, and the result is an excellent card of Banks.

#2 1962 Topps

I knew I wanted Banks' classic 1962 Topps card to be included on the countdown, but I originally figured I'd put it at #5 or #4. But the more I studied the card, the more details begin to jump out at me, such as the black and white image in the light blue circle. 

The sky blue is a nice contrast to the bold red at the bottom of the card, but the main detail that captures my attention is the simple yet near-perfect photo of Banks, creating a card that is both simple and complex at the same time.

#1 1954 Topps (rookie card)

Because my Dad bought this card many years ago, it's always been a part of my collection since before I can remember. With that being said, it doesn't take away from how special this card truly is. I mean, it's a rookie card of one of the greatest hitters of all-time, recently graded by Beckett. You can't get much better than that.

I certainly have critiqued 1954 Topps in the past, but the white background on Banks' rookie card has become so classic because of how it's such an excellent fit. The old-school Cubs logo is another detail very reminiscent of the time period. 

But, it's the way the 2 different pictures compliment each other that helps to create one of the most iconic rookie cards ever made, and one I'm proud to have at the top of my list.