A Forgotten Treasure

For as long as I can remember, Topps Heritage has ranked as one of my favorite products, year in and year out.

With the 2020 release, paying homage to the 1971 design, set to come out in just over a month, I'm anticipating another year of nearly perfect recreated cards as well as the usual lineup of inserts (New Age Performers, Then & Now, and Baseball/News Flashbacks).

Aside from the 1-year break that I took from buying Heritage in 2015, a decision that I'm still confused as to why I made, I've purchased cards from the set every year dating back to 2011.

It was, however, my discovering of the incredibly affordable Heritage base sets at the card show that made me all the more fond of the product.

While I've been more inclined to purchase hobby boxes and build the set myself in recent years there was a time (2012-2014 and 2016-2017) where I couldn't think of anything with better value.

That's due in large part to the fact that back in 2012, when I first discovered this affordable alternative to buying the cards online, I purchased the base set, cards #1-425, for just $20.

The 2012 Topps Heritage set, for those of you who don't know, includes the card above, Mike Trout's first Heritage card. It's not considered a rookie, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have any value to it.

But at the time, I didn't suspect that Mike Trout, or any player in the set, was going to become a phenom and emerge as one of the top players in the game. I never bought a Heritage base set with the idea that a certain card would soar in value. If I wanted that out of Heritage, I'd by SPs and autographs.

Instead, as you can see from the images above, I put the 425 cards into sheets and a binder for 2012 Heritage, as well as the 4 other base, sets that I've purchased at the show. Every so often, I look through them and discover cards I didn't even know I had.

As it turns out, when I was looking a few years back, one of those cards was Mike Trout.

Now, Topps has changed how they distribute a given player's cards into sets since 2012. Every player has to have a rookie card at some point, even if that means delaying it until that player is no longer a rookie like they're doing for Yordan Alvarez.

Their current methods mean that there won't be a chance for a non-rookie card like Trout's to be so valuable. The high price (~$70 not graded) stems from the fact that he wasn't featured in 2011 Heritage.

Now, they have Heritage High Number, and Topps is so rookie crazy that I doubt this will ever happen again.

Still, considering it's from a $20 base set purchased nearly 8 years ago, I'll take this card any day of the week.

A 2-Card Mailday

I originally intended to reserve today's post for 1 major card that was set to arrive in the mail, one that I've been anticipating for a couple of weeks now. If you've been keeping up with the blog as of late, you may have an idea as to what I'm talking about.

However, unbeknownst to me, another card, this time a redemption from 2019 Bowman's Best, arrived at my doorstep, so I figured I'd turn this into a 2-card mailday, starting with the Michael Busch prospect auto from a 2nd Bowman's Best box that I opted not to showcase on the blog.

Following the immense luck that I had with my first go-around of 2019 Best, a topic I'll touch on a bit later, it made sense to try another box of what has been one of my favorite releases over the last few years.

Unfortunately, nothing major came from hobby box #2; otherwise, I would've done a post about it, but I did receive a Michael Busch redemption that's now contributing to a post a few weeks after the break.

Like a reasonable number of the prospects featured in the Best of '19 checklist, Michael Busch is not a player I know too much about. As it turns out, he was Los Angeles' 1st round pick (31st overall) in the 2019 MLB draft, and he's currently the #8 prospect in their system, behind guys like Jeter Downs and Gavin Lux.

The most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to Bowman's Best autos and any type of prospect card, for that matter, is that you need to be patient.

Right now, I know very little about Busch, but he could be one of the game's fiercest hitters or elite defenders several years down the road. The same goes for any of the other prospect autos I've pulled from this product, whether it's from 2017, 2018, or '19.

Of course, some of these guys autos will end up in a $5 bin at the show years from now, but that's the risk you take with a product like this. At least there are 4 autos per master box and the possibility of pulling rookie, veteran, and retired player signatures, allowing this release to appeal to a much wider audience.

Speaking of the autograph checklist, it's time to move onto the highlight of today's post. If you haven't guessed what it is so far, let's just say it has something to do with that 1st hobby box break and a package from Beckett that came via FedEx a few hours ago.

That's right. The mega-hit, Mike Trout atomic refractor autograph from Beckett returned from Beckett earlier today, graded, and I'm beyond excited to share it with all of you.

 There it is, in all it's glory, the crown jewel of my entire Baseball card collection; the Mike Trout atomic refractor autograph from 2019 Bowman's Best. Somehow, the card looks even more stunning protected in a BGS slab.

And before I say anything else about it, yes, I'm aware it received a 9 for the autograph. I wasn't too shocked by this, however, since Trout slightly adjusted his signature upon the release of products towards the end of 2019.

If you compare this to some Trout autos from years past, you'll notice a few differences. Nonetheless, I know the card's legit, and Beckett does too, otherwise, they wouldn't grade it. Besides, the actual card received a 9.5, so I can't be overly disappointed.

Of course, I wanted the card to receive as high of a grade as possible, but the main thing I look to do when sending any card off to Beckett is to preserve it.

Whether it's as old as the 1950s or as recent as 2019, grading a card, in my opinion, is the best method of preservation. Plus, you get a detailed analysis that includes 4 sub-grades, as well.

Dust always seems to find its way into penny sleeves and top loaders, and while magnetic top loaders might be the way to go for some, I like to see my most valuable cards in a BGS slab with a grade listed above.

The New Frankenset: Page #1

After a brief hiatus between my 2 frankensets, the series has made its return with 74 brand new pages and 666 unique cards waiting to be introduced.

Truth be told, the ~3 weeks in which I didn't write about a single frankenset page felt odd, to say the least. This feature has been apart of my blog since March of 2018, so the break was a little weird. After all, frankenset pages are my go-to option for a quick, easy, and entertaining blog post.

I think the thing I'm most excited about regarding my 2nd frankenset is the opportunity to explore a new batch of players, products, and set designs.

The last ~200 ish cards of the first binder featured primarily Topps/Donruss/Fleer base cards, so it's very refreshing to look at the page above and see inserts, as well as smaller sets and oddballs, make their return.

I fully expect to keep the same schedule for the new frankenset as I did for the original: 1 post every week or so, give or take. And with all that out of the way, nothing is stopping me from getting this series started.

Page 1, as you all know, features cards 1-9 in the 666-card set. I don't want to wait any longer, so let's begin.

#1 2015 Topps Gypsy Queen Mini Mike Trout

If you ask me, any sort of Mike Trout card is an excellent way to begin the frankenset. While I'm glad that Gypsy Queen has found its identity over the last couple of years, cards like this make me miss the old days with framed parallels and a mini in every pack.

While I'm on the topic of Trout, I'm stoked to announce that the once in a lifetime autograph pull was sent out to Beckett over a week ago and, if all goes as planned, I'll get the grade and the card by the end of this week.

I'll know what grade it receives before the card comes back in the mail, but I'll wait to get the announcement until I have it back in hand. Until then, the suspense will continue to build.

#2 2015 Topps Opening Day Franchise Flashback Ryan Braun

There have been several sets (Gypsy Queen, Stadium Club) that have shown today's MLB players in throwback uniforms, but only the Franchise Flashback insert set from 2015 Topps Opening Day has paired them with a retro-style design as well.

Aside from the unnecessary "Opening Day" logo towards the bottom right of the card, I love everything about these cards. While I don't really collect insert sets for the fun of it, the Franchise Flashback cards are inspiring me to start.

#3 2015 Topps Opening Day Franchise Flashback George Springer

I'm not too keen on featuring cards from the same set on 1 page, let alone back-to-back, but there isn't going to be many opportunities for cards as unique as the ones above to be featured later on in the set, so I was willing to make an exception.

Plus, the Springer card pairs the vibrant set design with one of the greatest uniforms in MLB history, the "rainbow" Houston Astros jerseys, introduced in the late 1970s. Once again, aside from the OD logo, these cards are close to perfection.

#4 1991 Topps Toys R Us Rookies Carlos Baerga

From what I remember, several things attracted me to this Carlos Baerga Toys R Us oddball when I was created the 2nd frankenset; the black border only enhances the colorful aspects of the card, especially the company logo, and the photo, especially for the 90s, is a nice quality shot of the Indians 3rd baseman.

I've had this card in my collection for as long as I can remember, yet I've never come across another card from this set. Though I don't collect either one of them, I like the looks of Larry Walker and Frank Thomas' cards from what I've seen on COMC.

#5 2001 Bowman Heritage Bartolo Colon

The media and fan obsession with Bartolo Colon, in my humble opinion, has gotten a little old, but I won't let that discredit the fact that he has an excellent 2001 Bowman Heritage base card. Upon seeing this black-and-white photograph-based set, I'm hoping that I've included a few more of these cards across the remainder of the new frankenset.

If the me who made this set 2 ish years ago feels the same way about these cards as I do now, I don't think there will be a problem.

#6 2015 Topps Heritage Then & Now Koufax/Kershaw

Though the comparison is made somewhat regularly, it's hard not to contrast Sandy Koufax and Clayton Kershaw, the 2 greatest pitchers in Dodgers franchise history. I don't follow the team enough to formulate an opinion, but Kershaw still has many years to eclipse the 3-time Cy Young award winner.

Seeing a Heritage insert from a few years back only makes me more excited for what's to come later in 2020 when Topps pays homage to the '71 design. My luck in 2019 may not have been as stellar as years past, but Heritage, nonetheless, remains one of my favorite releases.

#7 2012 Topps Archives 1969 Deckle Edge Joe Mauer

He may have been one of the most dominant players in Baseball in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but Joe Mauer will likely fall just short of Cooperstown due to the injuries that plagued his 15-year career.

This is to be expected from a catcher, as many of them had either shortened careers, injuries, or both throughout their time in the MLB. Once he moved away from that position, however, it seems like he didn't miss quite as much playing time.

#8 2003 Upper Deck 40 Man David Eckstein

The previous year of Upper Deck 40 Man featured flimsy cardstock and a sub-par set design, so I must say that I'm rather impressed with the 2003 release in terms of how much Upper Deck improved the look of the cards as well as the sturdiness.

Of course, it's the 2002 design that I have an abundance of cards from whereas I only own a handful of cards from the 2003 set. The Upper Deck equivalent of Topps Total, as far as I know, didn't last too long afterward.

#9 2012 Topps Gold Futures Jeremy Hellickson

Jeremy Hellickson was a member of a dominant Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff from the early 2010s that also featured Matt Garza, James Shields, and, of course, Cy Young award winner David Price.

Hellickson may not have had the "Gold Future" promised by Topps back in 2012, but he's been a serviceable pitcher for many teams since leaving Tampa Bay. Despite his 6.23 ERA last season, he still won a World Series ring with the Washington Nationals.

Christmas Came Early

Since 2017, my Dad and I have had a tradition of purchasing a hobby box of Bowman's Best in time for the holidays, mainly because the release is timed perfectly (it's either the Wednesday or Friday before Christmas).

Our first box back in 2017 didn't deliver anything too noteworthy, especially as far as autographs are concerned, but that didn't deter us from continuing the following year. The checklist of the 2018 release was so spectacular that it seemed likely that we'd pull something fabulous.

And we did. First, there was the phenomenal box from Christmas Day, 2018; then, we lucked out again a little while later.

Though the product went up in price between releases, Bowman's Best will forever rank as one of my favorite sets in that it combines everything I like into a cohesive melting pot of chrome glory.

The checklist features both rookies and veterans as well as this year's top prospects. The design is always quite modern and features a range of different parallels.

There are typically 4 quality insert sets, including one that pays homage to a previous Bowman's Best design, and a dynamic autograph checklist to finish things off.

Even though we won't be celebrating Christmas for another week, Bowman's Best was actually released today, 7 days before I was set to open up a box of it and continue the tradition.

For whatever reason, my Dad wanted to get a box on release day as an early Christmas gift, so he got to the card shop as they opened today and saw the owner open the case before his very eyes; then, he chose the box and just like that, we had a hobby box of one of my all-time favorite products.

Similar to 2018, the designs differ slightly from veterans/rookies to prospects, but the main idea remains consistent. The cards are ultra-modern, just as they've been in the past, with the prospects having more of an intricate design compared to the "splatter paint-esque" style of the vets/rookies.

Because of how similar the 2 variations are, it's hard to pick a clear-cut favorite, but I happen to like the extra splash of color on the Ohtani card over the more futuristic details on Franco's.

Each 5-card pack guarantees one base refractor, a card that looks much more stunning in-person than scanned and shown on a computer.

Because of how common they are, you end up with a wide variety of non-numbered refractors, 12 to be exact, when all is said and done, including a healthy mix of prospects, rookies, and veterans.

As far as the latter of the 3 is concerned, I can't complain about ending up with not 1 but 2 Red Sox stars. Mookie Betts, who's coming off another impressive season and is now entering a period of uncertainty regarding his future, and Xander Bogaerts, who seems to just keep on improving year after year.

From a value standpoint, however, the best of the refractors would likely be the Pete Alonso rookie shown above. I have no idea what the value is for these cards, though being 1 per pack probably ensures that it's nothing too crazy.

With that being said, I'm growing increasingly fond of the set design and while I prefer Tatis Jr in the long run, there's no denying that Pete Alonso is an incredibly special player. I just wish my scanner did these cards more justice.

As I mentioned, there's a small handful of insert sets featured in Bowman's Best each year, and my hobby box gave me a sampling of all of them.

Though I liked seeing Power Producers (right) return for the 2nd consecutive year, I took particular interest in the Future Foundations die-cuts shown on the left.

I'm not sure if Topps' goal was to have the card resemble the building blocks that make up a foundation, but that's what I got from the cards nonetheless.

Neophyte sensations is another returning insert set from 2018 but with more of a modern vibe this time around. If someone hadn't seen these cards before, they'd be very difficult to explain, but I like what Topps has done, nevertheless.

In comparing them with last year's design, I think I'll give the 2019 cards a slight edge only because I think all the minor details come together better than they did beforehand.

My favorite inserts, undeniably, would have to be the 1999 Franchise Favorites recreates in which Topps pays homage to a beautiful insert set design from 20 years ago.

In this version, players from '99 as well as today's active stars and prospects are featured in the checklist. There are also autographed versions that serve as case hits.

The favorable pack odds (1:3 packs) allowed me to end up with 4 of these Franchise Favorites cards by the end of the box break, including Vlad Jr, Joey Bart, and Chipper Jones.

Another benefit of purchasing Bowman's Best is the lower print run when compared with sets like Topps Chrome and maybe even Finest. This production is what allows for there to be at least 1 numbered card per box as well as the guaranteed atomic refractor.

Forrest Whitley isn't a guy I know a lot about, but the same certainly cannot be said about Kris Bryant. His stock may not be as high as it was 2-3 years ago, but he'd still be one of my first choices along with other Red Sox and Cubs players.

Atomic inserts fall at approximately 5 per 8-box case, so the odd's are in your favor to end up with one of them in an individual box. Luckily for me, that ended up happening, and towards the middle of the break, this gorgeous Ken Griffey Jr insert was mine.

I don't think this card would've been the same if they'd shown Griffey Jr on the Reds instead of the Mariners. There's something about the Seattle jersey with the atomic refractor design that simply cannot be matched by any other card product.

That's what makes Bowman's Best such a special product for me. No other set delivers such beautiful and creative cards, not to mention reasonable odds of pulling them, as far as Topps is concerned.

I can't believe I've gone on this long without even getting to the autographs yet, so I promise I'll wrap up the post fairly quickly. Because of the fact that you get 4 autos per box, not every one of them is going to be a star player. I've learned that from my previous few years of Bowman's Best.

Furthermore, 3/4 of the guys are usually prospects, so the best you can hope for without being unreasonable is position players that could potentially blossom into the next big thing. Who knows? That could happen with Greg Jones and/or Owen Miller.

There's usually some sort of base (non-numbered) refractor auto as well, though the scanner has once again caused the card to resemble a superfractor more so than a refractor parallel.

As I mentioned, a box of Best guarantees 4 autographs, meaning I have 1 left to show off. Throughout this post, I haven't alluded to any kind of massive pull; rather, I've spent my time addressing a product that I absolutely adore.

However, it's worth mentioning now that the following card is, undoubtedly, the greatest pull of my entire life.

I pulled this card roughly 5 hours ago, shaking as I placed it into a penny sleeve and top loader. Even now, it still seems totally surreal; I truly cannot fathom that this actually happened. I cannot believe that I have a Mike Trout autograph in my collection.

And not just any Mike Trout autograph, an atomic refractor, numbered 8/25 and something that you can't get out of any other Topps product.

Though he's on the autograph checklist every year, I always thought the Trout autos would only end up in the hands of lucky collectors on Twitter and case breakers.

Well, I guess I'm one of those lucky Twitter collectors now, and after a year of "meh" pulls from hobby boxes, this Trout auto truly makes it all worth it.

Yeah, I'm still kind of in shock, so I don't have a whole lot to say, but I do intend to get this card graded ASAP. When it comes to a card of this magnitude, it's only right to have it permanently protected.

And as if my past pulls hadn't given me enough of a reason to love Bowman's Best, this Trout autograph did the job a million times over.

Frankenset Page #47

The last few days of Red Sox Baseball have proved to be incredibly rocky. Off to a 2-6 start, the worst start in over 2 decades by a reigning World Series Champion, Boston has been outscored 52-33 in their matchups against the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics.

Considering the expectations for this team going into 2019, their first 8 games have been extremely disappointing. Moreover, Boston's opening their season on the west coast, meaning that most of the start times are very late. 

Thus, I've had very few opportunities to watch the Sox this season, and the games that I've been able to watch have ended in losses. Hopefully, a 7:10 game against the Diamondbacks later today will end this shaky start to the 2019 season. 

Rick Porcello will be on the mound for their first interleague game of the season against a Dbacks team in full rebuild mode. Objectively speaking, this should be Boston's turning point. 

It's critical that they win 2 or even all 3 games in Arizona before they travel back home to receive their World Series rings next Tuesday against the Blue Jays.

I'll be watching as much of this decisive matchup as I can later today, praying that the Red Sox offense, pitching, and yes, even the defense, is able to step it up and mimic the club's performance from last season. Otherwise, the Red Sox could be in trouble down the road in 2019.

Moving on, I have the 47th page of my frankenset ready to go before I write one last post on 2019 Topps Gypsy Queen tomorrow. Dating back as far as 1968, this page features cards #415-423.

#415 1995 Bowman Barry Larkin

One of the most popular releases of the entire year, 2019 Bowman is being released in less than 2 weeks for all you prospect chasers out there. I can foresee myself buying a blaster of this product, but that's about it. The base set design never does much for me, and I'm not a huge prospect collector.

Back in 1995, Bowman wasn't nearly the product that it is today. Barry Larkin's action image card, especially as far as 90s cards are concerned, is pretty phenomenal.

#416 1973 Topps Paul Schaal

No matter how appealing the images are, I could never see myself seriously collecting the 1973 Topps set. Despite the wide variety of different pictures, the base set design is extremely boring, one of the most uninteresting Topps designs of the decade, along with '74 and '78. 

Even though the set has its fair share of iconic pictures and cards, the minimal design is pretty hard to look past. I'd rather focus my attention on more interesting Topps sets from the 70s like 1970 and '71.

#417 1980 Topps Craig Chamberlain

In his 1980 Topps card, Royals pitcher Craig Chamberlain is wearing a much different uniform than Paul Schaal had 7 years prior. These powder blue uniforms with white writing were made iconic my George Brett, who downed this team's jersey for his entire 21-year career. 

As far as 1980s Topps sets go, 1980 Topps falls somewhere in the middle. The design nothing to sneeze at, but it can't compare to other 80s Flagship sets, specifically '83 and '84.

#418 2007 Topps Heritage World Series Batting Foes

It took me a while to figure out that this 2007 Topps Heritage card is modeled after a combo card from the original 1958 Topps set. In fact, I happen to have the original World Series Batting Foes card in my collection, featuring Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron.

Both combo cards make logical sense, for the players featured truly did face on another in the previous World Series. In '57, the Braves bested the Yankees in 7 games while, in 2006, the Cardinals defeated the Tigers in 5.

#419 1990 Topps Beau Allred

The rainbow borders of the 1990 Topps set pair nicely with these Indians jersey that feature stripes at the very top. As far as junk wax is concerned, the 1990 Topps set and cards like this aren't too bad. The quality of products decreases as you make your way through the 1990s, especially given the mediocre Flagship sets produced towards the end of the 20th century.

#420 1995 Bowman Andrew Lorraine

This looks to me like the same jersey that Mike Trout wore on his iconic 2011 Topps Update rookie card, a prized piece that I hope to own myself one of these days. It's extremely difficult, especially in the present day, for a base card to possess that much value. 

Guys like Harper and Ohtani have had valuable SP rookies, but there's no real modern card quite like Mike Trout's rookie from 2011 Topps Update.

#421 1968 Topps Ron Taylor

Without a doubt, this 1968 Topps card of Ron Taylor is my favorite card of the entire page and not just because it's from one of my favorite sets of all-time. Even though the "burlap" cards receive somewhat mixed reviews from collectors, I'm personally very fond of the 1968 Topps set. 

In fact, I was ecstatic to see this design replicated so beautifully in 2017 Topps Heritage 2 years ago.

#422 1998 Bowman Mike Vavrek International Parallel

I doubt that Bowman is still making these international parallels in their modern day sets, even though they were produced in the Bowman base set a few years back. In the 2010s version, the background featured a flag from the state or country that the player is from unlike the original parallels which featured a map in the background.

#423 2016 Topps Heritage Fence Busters

The final card of the page is yet another Topps Heritage combo card, this time from 2016 when the 1967 Topps set was replicated. San Francisco Giants players Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt's Fence Busters card is likely an homage to the original Giants Fence Busters from 1967, Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey.

Extension Season

The last couple of weeks have entailed nothing short of pure madness, and I'm not talking about the College Basketball tournament. An unprecedented number of contract extensions have been signed throughout the MLB, totaling well over $1 billion dollars in guaranteed money.

Although the major spike in contract extensions began roughly a week ago, the first significant deal took place back in November when Clayton Kershaw signed an extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Since then, around a dozen notable players have signed contract extensions, including Kyle Hendricks and Jacob DeGrom who agreed to deals earlier today. This post isn't designed to address the pros and cons of extensions in general, but I still believe that signing a contract extension is typically a better option than signing with a brand new team.

Undoubtedly, the most surprising and notable contract extension of the offseason was Mike Trout's historic 12-year deal with the Angels, worth $426 million dollars. 

I'm not saying that he's destined to perform better than Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, but Trout's contract will set him up for success more so than the other two and their massive deals.

Today, I'll be doing a quick recap of the most striking contract extensions from this year's MLB offseason. Not only will I (briefly) mention the years and the dollars, but I'll also predict whether these deals will help or hinder both the team and the players who agreed to the following extensions.

Player; Eloy Jimenez

Contract; 6 years $43 million

Despite never having played a game in the major leagues, the White Sox extended top prospect Eloy Jimenez on a 6-year, $43 million dollar deal. This will keep the #3 prospect in Baseball in Chicago through the 2026 season when he'll be earning upwards of $18 million dollars in that year alone.

If I were the White Sox, I'd spend my money extending Jose Abreu instead, for he's going to be a free agent after this season. Since Jimenez hasn't played in the majors yet, there's no guarantee that he'll make it. If he doesn't pan out the way Chicago wants him to, the White Sox are going to be in big trouble.

Player; Kyle Hendricks

Contract; 4 years, $55.5 million

Since his debut back in 2014, Hendricks has established himself as a reliable starter as well as a Cy Young award candidate back in 2016. Now, at the age of 29, Hendricks gets to remain a Chicago Cub while getting the contract he deserves.

Hendricks will be earning roughly $14 million dollars per year which is reasonable considering that he's a consistent performer. His 3.07 ERA and just 2 walks per 9 innings prove that the Cubs made the right choice by extending a key member of their rotation on a low-risk contract with the possibility of a high reward. 

Player; Justin Verlander

Contract; 2 years $66 million

Verlander's 2-year $66 million dollar extension plays it safe when it comes to years, but it promises the 36-year old a record amount of money. At the same time, there's not much doubt in my mind that Verlander has earned every last penny.

The 2011 AL Cy Young and MVP award winner has reinvented himself since joining the Houston Astros in 2017. His 2.32 ERA since becoming a member of the Astros says it all; Verlander is pitching better than he has in years while being 7 years older than the average member of his team.

He may begin to regress a little bit over the next 2 seasons, but his possible decline shouldn't be anything too major that'll cause his extension to seem like a mistake. 

Player; Clayton Kershaw

Contract; 3 years $93 million

Clayton Kershaw is undeniably the greatest pitcher of this generation and has been for a number of years. That's part of the reason why it's practical for the 31-year old to continue playing in Los Angeles for another few seasons.

He's been susceptible to injuries over the course of his career, so Kershaw signing a deal for only 3 years is understandable. My only hope is that he stays healthy over the next few seasons and merits another contract extensions once this one expires. As a whole, however, this deal is wise for both sides involved.

Player; Blake Snell

Contract; 5 years $50 million

For the Rays, extending the reigning AL Cy Young award winner was a top priority going into the offseason. The fact that they'll be paying him just $10 million per year proves how badly Snell wanted to return to Tampa Bay, for he could've definitely gotten more once he hits free agency.

Yet, at the same time, the $50 million for 5 years is reasonable given that he's only had 1 phenomenal season. If Snell can continue his dominant ways for years to come, a larger extension may be in store for the 26-year old. 

Player; Alex Bregman

Contract; 6 years $100 million

Just like Blake Snell, Astros 3rd baseman Alex Bregman is coming off a breakout season in which he finished 5th in the AL MVP race, though he arguably should've been higher. Still, the 24-year old made a wise decision by cashing in and signing a $100 million dollar extension with the Astros.

Unlike some of the previous extensions, I can't say that I'm worried about Bregman's deal. He's incredibly young, yet he's proven to be a consistent hitter (.284 AVG in 2017, .286 in 2018). Not only that, but he's playing for one of the best teams in Baseball and has a ton of talented players around him that want to see him succeed. 

Player; Paul Goldschmidt

Contract; 5 years $130 million

I must admit; I'm more skeptical of this contract extension than any of the others. It's a sensible deal for the Cardinals who gave up a lot to acquire Goldschmidt from the Diamondbacks in the first place. However, it's incredibly risky to commit to St. Louis for 5 years when Goldschmidt's never played a game for the Cardinals before.

He may have consistency going for him, but only time will tell if the 31-year old made the right decision in signing this extension with the Cardinals. Granted, he's cashing in on roughly $26 million dollars per year, but he can't know for certain if he'll like St. Louis until he officially starts playing for the Cardinals.

Player; Nolan Arenado

Contract; 8 years $260 million

One of the top 10 best players in all of Baseball, Rockies 3rd baseman Nolan Arenado has a lot going for him. He's only 27, his defense is superb, and he can hit for power and contact. Clearly, the Rockies saw his potential when they signed him to a massive extension from which he'll earn around $32 million dollars a year.

While 8 years is undoubtedly a long time, Arenado has proven his consistency over the last few seasons. Taking this extension into account, he's bound to take home an MVP award as he spends almost an entire additional decade in Colorado.

Player; Jacob DeGrom

Contract; 5 years $137 million

I certainly wasn't shocked earlier today when news broke that DeGrom had signed a 5-year $137 million dollar extension with the Mets. After putting up unfathomable stats in 2018, DeGrom should be the #1 priority for New York, and it's great to see them treating him as such.

Although the 30-year old has had minor struggles when it comes to injuries, DeGrom's career 2.67 ERA speaks for itself. Even if he only performs half as well as he did in 2018 over the 5 years, this extension will have been a success.

Player; Chris Sale

Contract; 5 years $145 million

Red Sox owner John Henry (finally) admitted that ownership dropped the ball when Jon Lester entered free agency in the prime of his career a few years ago. Thankfully, the Red Sox made certain that the same thing would not happen to superstar pitcher Chris Sale. 

Obviously, I'm ecstatic about the deal, and I've been anticipating the right time to talk about it. Chris Sale will turn 30 in just a few days and is primed for a Cy Young award at some point soon. He's put up stellar numbers since joining the Red Sox in 2017, and I don't see why this extension would change anything.

Player; Mike Trout

Contract; 12 years $430 million

Let me make this very clear; Mike Trout is worth every penny of his 12-year $430 million dollar extension, the largest contract in North American sports history. In addition to being extraordinarily humble, he's on pace to be one of the greatest hitters this game has ever seen. It would've been foolish for the Angels to let him go.

So what, he probably won't win a ring in Los Angeles. Do you think a 2-time AL MVP award winner and a 4-time runner-up cares? He's only 27 years old, yet he's already established himself as a future Hall of Famer. The consistent stat lines along with power, speed, defense, and sheer hitting have helped to establish Trout as Baseball's best player for many years now.

Thankfully, he was able to receive his well-deserved extension.