Bowman Confusion

[Nickspoint213]

Hey blowout. I have a few questions on the bowman products. All advice is appreciated. Is bowman the first official rookie card of every player? Last, in bowman how come bryce harper was in 2011 but he also is in 2012 if he was a rookie in 2011 how could he still be the rookie card in 2012? Just a little background on the product would also be helpful for me too. Thanks in advance bo.

[MetDude]

Hey blowout. I have a few questions on the bowman products. All advice is appreciated. Is bowman the first official rookie card of every player? Last, in bowman how come bryce harper was in 2011 but he also is in 2012 if he was a rookie in 2011 how could he still be the rookie card in 2012? Just a little background on the product would also be helpful for me too. Thanks in advance bo.

Harpers cards were "prospect" cards
thats why he can still have "rookie" cards

[VWBUS1978]

Harpers cards were "prospect" cards
thats why he can still have "rookie" cards

can't be called a rookie till you get called up though, right?. so even in 2012, they are still prospect cards, unless/until he gets the call.

[danimal875]

Why has Kyle Drabek had "rookie cards" for 10 years now?

[phillyphantom7]

Didn't you guys know that Topps makes the claim that "the RC status of this card is applied without any regard for player, year, or even sense"? Thought I read that on the back of one of these cards....

[johnorpheus]

Last, in bowman how come bryce harper was in 2011 but he also is in 2012 .

Because Topps is going to milk every last ounce out of this one. How ridiculous is it that Harper is going to have 4 chrome prospect cards when all is said and done? One thing holding me back from a 2012 pre-order is a large amount of the prospect cards look to be retreads - Miller, Machado, etc. Come on Topps, I like the big names as much as the next guy but only if they're 1st cards. There's enough new blood out there to fill a quality checklist without throwing all the old names in.

[MetDude]

can't be called a rookie till you get called up though, right?. so even in 2012, they are still prospect cards, unless/until he gets the call.

Yep.

To try to clarify further for the OP
Bowman puts out tons of "prospect" cards.
Cards when the player is first drafted and/or enters the minor league system.
They arent "rookies" yet as they havent been in the bigs.
"pre-rookie" cards if you will.

Bottom line is the first bowman chrome cards of a player tend
to have more value then actual rookie cards with the RC stamp.

[Yankees_Pride]

There is a formula on how one can be called a rc. It has to do with innings played, at bats, time in the bigs, etc,etc....... I am not sure exactly what it is though

[BSLV9]

It may be ridiculous, but didn't Lawrie, Moore, and Hosmer help drive sales of Bowman Chrome this year? They all have something in common too.

[almoe66]

I think Rookie status is preserved until
130 at bats or
50 innings pitched or
45 or more days on the active 25 man roster

I think....

[schuultzie51]

There is no proper answer... Here is a good read.

Why Do Baseball Rookie Cards Have to Be Confusing? (http://www.cardboardconnection.com/whats-rookie-card)

[johnorpheus]

Op, in short, to have a rookie card you must have appeared in the majors at some point prior. This is the whole reason Bowman prospect cards started in the first place, because Topps was told they cannot print rookie cards of players who haven't appeared in the majors yet.

[Ooosh]

Why has Kyle Drabek had "rookie cards" for 10 years now?

Because he acts like a child.

[Nickspoint213]

So even though they say rookie card on them they are not technically the rookie card?

[jedi500]

Tis Confusion

[chansen10]

Can someone please answer why dustin ackley has two first year bowman chrome autos?

[marigold55]

So even though they say rookie card on them they are not technically the rookie card?

Well it depends on what level you're talking about. They're rookies in Major League Baseball.

[go_steelers07]

So even though they say rookie card on them they are not technically the rookie card?

which cards say rookie on them?........ not the prospect cards. the green "rc" say rookie on them.

[Nickspoint213]

which cards say rookie on them?........ not the prospect cards. the green "rc" say rookie on them.

hmm. Never thought about it like that. You are correct.

[warmouth]

Prospect card are like the XRCs from back in the day. I used to love getting those things. I remember a 1987 or 88 Mark Grace I paid like 10 bucks for then. So I guess Bowman prospects are like the XRCs I used to collect.