✹The PERENNIAL Shohei Ohtani Thread✹

[NYRE2PECT]

Originally Posted by Rage

Sucks about the wrong flips but congrats on the RPA Gem 10, those thick Immaculate cards are notoriously hard to gem!!
Hope they can fix it quickly for you

Yes, was not anticipating that - pleased with the National Treasures too!

[Trueblue]

SB #8. easy steal

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by michaelstcloud

whats better value the 2018 TC Sapphire Pitching Ohtani or the 2018 TC Pitching #150 Numbered Parallels /99 /150 (i.e. Blue, Blue Wave, Green, Green Wave)? Both appear to be trading at around similar prices. Thinking of investing in one or the other.


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The Sapphire is a PR of ~260. In terms of mainstream appeal, I think sapphire is a solid choice, but I love the clean look of the solid colors - especially blue. At the same price point, I would personally go for straight blue /150 due to cleanness/scarcity, but both are solid choices. I dislike the TC waves and prices somewhat seem to support that preference.

Originally Posted by NYRE2PECT

Sho time mail train came in while I was traveling! The last of the pre-boom subs.

(Thanks PSA for swapping the flips )

Man, they've done this to me like every other order, but it's usually something like forgetting to put the parallel name of a card and just calling it a base (Mini versus Brooklyn back, for example). Rough. Nice grade on the RPA though!

[NYRE2PECT]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

Nice grade on the RPA though!

Thank you! Return FEDEX label printed and on there way back. Bit the big one and sending 4 additional Shohei's for grading. Two are copies of the same card and wholly not worth grading at this level, but the other two are pretty sweet. Should be able to share those bad boys in a couple of weeks.

[michaelstcloud]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

The Sapphire is a PR of ~260. In terms of mainstream appeal, I think sapphire is a solid choice, but I love the clean look of the solid colors - especially blue. At the same price point, I would personally go for straight blue /150 due to cleanness/scarcity, but both are solid choices. I dislike the TC waves and prices somewhat seem to support that preference.



Man, they've done this to me like every other order, but it's usually something like forgetting to put the parallel name of a card and just calling it a base (Mini versus Brooklyn back, for example). Rough. Nice grade on the RPA though!

awesome insight!! yes i saw the blue /150s are sellign even higher than the green /99 ohtani 150s. I guess collectors really do like the look of the blue more despite the scarceness of the green.


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[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by michaelstcloud

awesome insight!! yes i saw the blue /150s are sellign even higher than the green /99 ohtani 150s. I guess collectors really do like the look of the blue more despite the scarceness of the green.


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To be fair, the green is a nice looking card - more dark forest green than the typical green-apple color. But it's hard to beat straight blue!

[seanrs1]

So I decided to splurge and buy some non-base cards for my Ohtani PC. Probably over paid, but hoping his future performance will make these look cheap in retrospect.

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[NYRE2PECT]

Originally Posted by seanrs1

So I decided to splurge and buy some non-base cards for my Ohtani PC. Probably over paid, but hoping his future performance will make these look cheap in retrospect.

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Nice colors - congrats!!


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[Trueblue]

SB #9!

[BBases31]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

SB #9!

I can't wait until the offseason when I can start buying him again

[Vdm2018]

Originally Posted by Trueblue

SB #9!

What was the most steal base in a season as a starting pitcher?

[tblood]

Originally Posted by seanrs1

So I decided to splurge and buy some non-base cards for my Ohtani PC. Probably over paid, but hoping his future performance will make these look cheap in retrospect.

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Nice Sterling!


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[seanrs1]

Originally Posted by BBases31

I can't wait until the offseason when I can start buying him again

Would be interesting to see a poll on this thread to see who is
1. Buying
2. Selling
3. Buying when finding deals and selling when there is profit to be made

And if Buying what type
1. Low end base (Raw or Graded)
2. Mid end RC parallels/numbered (Raw or Graded)
3. High end autos (Raw or Graded)

And if Selling
1. Because this is the top of the market
2. Too much profit not to take

[dashcol]

I will say I am not a high end collector, I need to collect low end stuff just to be able to stay in the hobby.

I have recently been finding a lot more enjoyment in working on my low grade 1970-1979 Topps sets, and have been making decent headway. I am getting to the point where I need to start looking at some of the bigger rookies on those years.

Ohtani is one guy I grabbed some rookies of in the beginning of the season, because I was intrigued by him, but never saw it as an investment. I ended up with half a dozen really low end cards, and three decent rookies, and have been thinking about trading one of them to get some of the 70s rookies or Nolan Ryans I need.

I have these three cards:

2018 Topps #700 Red Pullover SP
2018 Topps Chrome #150 Refractor
2018 Topps Chrome Update #HMT1 Pink Refractor

All of them are around the same value right now.

To all you Ohtani experts, if you were to trade one which would it be?

I am thinking the SP, even though it may be more rare than the other two, I’m not a huge fan of the not playing picture, so I am pretty sure that is the one, just wanted to see if I am missing anything and should move one of the other ones instead.

[seanrs1]

Originally Posted by tblood

Nice Sterling!


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Thanks! I really like the card...he is both hitting and pitching and its out of 150!

[Onions]

Originally Posted by dashcol

I will say I am not a high end collector, I need to collect low end stuff just to be able to stay in the hobby.

I have recently been finding a lot more enjoyment in working on my low grade 1970-1979 Topps sets, and have been making decent headway. I am getting to the point where I need to start looking at some of the bigger rookies on those years.

Ohtani is one guy I grabbed some rookies of in the beginning of the season, because I was intrigued by him, but never saw it as an investment. I ended up with half a dozen really low end cards, and three decent rookies, and have been thinking about trading one of them to get some of the 70s rookies or Nolan Ryans I need.

I have these three cards:

2018 Topps #700 Red Pullover SP
2018 Topps Chrome #150 Refractor
2018 Topps Chrome Update #HMT1 Pink Refractor

All of them are around the same value right now.

To all you Ohtani experts, if you were to trade one which would it be?

I am thinking the SP, even though it may be more rare than the other two, I’m not a huge fan of the not playing picture, so I am pretty sure that is the one, just wanted to see if I am missing anything and should move one of the other ones instead.

I'd probably move the Update Pink of those 3 if I had to. It's close though between the SP and Pink. I have both and would drop the pink before the SP.

[Trueblue]

Originally Posted by seanrs1

Would be interesting to see a poll on this thread to see who is

1. Buying

2. Selling

3. Buying when finding deals and selling when there is profit to be made



And if Buying what type

1. Low end base (Raw or Graded)

2. Mid end RC parallels/numbered (Raw or Graded)

3. High end autos (Raw or Graded)



And if Selling

1. Because this is the top of the market

2. Too much profit not to take

Selling, and it's #2 100%. I was not itching to sell, but I am probably closing in on my entire Ohtani collection being free (includes 30+ RC autos) before grading fees.

[Rage]

Originally Posted by seanrs1

So I decided to splurge and buy some non-base cards for my Ohtani PC. Probably over paid, but hoping his future performance will make these look cheap in retrospect.

Great choices!
Very big fan of the silver packs, recently picked up a couple more colors to fill out a makeshift rainbow:

1983 ROY...GBV

[Trueblue]

Ohtani with 3 BBs again today. Pitchers don't want to be victimized by him. That ugly K:BB ratio balancing itself out now.

[BBases31]

Originally Posted by seanrs1

Would be interesting to see a poll on this thread to see who is
1. Buying
2. Selling
3. Buying when finding deals and selling when there is profit to be made

And if Buying what type
1. Low end base (Raw or Graded)
2. Mid end RC parallels/numbered (Raw or Graded)
3. High end autos (Raw or Graded)

And if Selling
1. Because this is the top of the market
2. Too much profit not to take

I do very little selling but if I was conscious of trying to move cards with a strategy to optimize value and risk profile, I'd be selling some mid end stuff but keeping most. Ohtani is this good and he will be for years. People still don't understand how good of a pitcher he is and I think there is very little performance risk. I also think there is lower price risk than other players because of how unique he is. He doesn't need to compete for MVPs to justify crazy valuations because he's a once in a lifetime type of player. Almost every collector sees Ohtani as higher risk performance wise than Acuna/Soto/Tatis but I think that's backwards as those guys need to maintain a much higher level of performance to keep their prices. If they fall off even a bit their cards can fall off a cliff, just look at Soto so far this season.

I think he does have pitching injury risk and that this could be a short term top if he doesn't get the pitching innings to get his WAR high enough for MVP and the Angels don't make the playoffs. But if your time horizon is at least a year, you really can't go wrong holding any of his stuff.

Beyond the Ohtani specific, I think there's a decent chance of a lockout. But even if there's no lockout, the negotiations are going to be so contentious that everyone will be convinced there that a lockout is coming right up until the very last deadline they set to get an agreement and that will tank the whole market. I have no idea if a vicious public PR battle that makes the sport look bad will keep somewhat of a lid on the market after an agreement. Maybe? But if there's a lockout, forget about it.

Personally, there's some stuff of his on the rarer side that I've been bidding on and losing. If he slumps or gets hurt, maybe it will come in range but I'm perfectly fine sitting on the sideline until the market bottoms out in the offseason

[seanrs1]

That is actually a really solid take! I just assume lock out or not a deal will get done and the season will go on. But you are right that could be a really unique buying opportunity if people decide to panic sell due to a lockout.

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[Trueblue]

I've provided this advice to a few people now, but I will post it here. Sell whatever you're comfortable selling that isn't Flagship/TC/Heritage Auto/serial#/SSPs and buy a Bowman pitching auto or Heritage Low auto. If Ohtani continues down this path and you didn't pick one up, you will probably look back at this post with dejection.

[michaelstcloud]

What are thoughts on the Purple Meijer Ohtani #150 ? Any idea what the print run is on these? I seen them listed for ridiculous prices upwards of 1k but then read that there was 1 purple parallel per Meijer pack. Given I have not seen many pop up on ebay so appears to be limited print run.

[NYRE2PECT]

Originally Posted by michaelstcloud

What are thoughts on the Purple Meijer Ohtani #150 ? Any idea what the print run is on these? I seen them listed for ridiculous prices upwards of 1k but then read that there was 1 purple parallel per Meijer pack. Given I have not seen many pop up on ebay so appears to be limited print run.

There appear to be only five copies graded by PSA.

[Rage]

Ohtani had 3 walks in April as a hitter.
Two days ago he had his career first 3 walk game.
3 walks again yesterday.

Don't look now but Shohei is leading the AL in WAR! 3.3