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BLAKE HAS B BASEBALL CARDS

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Blake had a passion for collecting baseball cards from a very young age. He loved learning about the players, studying their stats and biographies printed on the back of each card. By the time Blake was 10 years old, he had amassed a collection of over 500 individual baseball cards. However, Blake’s interest and collection would grow exponentially over the next few years.

When Blake turned 12, he decided he wanted to get more serious about his hobby. He began saving more of his allowance each week so that he could purchase packs of cards from the local sports card shop. Blake also started doing small jobs around the neighborhood like mowing lawns and washing cars in order to earn extra money that could be put towards his growing collection. Within a few months, Blake had saved up enough to start regularly buying boxes of cards instead of just single packs. This allowed him to acquire cards in much larger quantities.

During this period of rapidly expanding his collection, Blake began to carefully organize and catalog all of his baseball cards. He purchased multiple binders, sleeves and pages to safely store each card based on the player’s team, position, or other categories. Blake also started recording detailed inventory logs of which cards he already possessed and which ones remained on his want list. This helped him know which cards to prioritize acquiring through trades with friends or purchases online. With his enhanced organizational system, Blake was able to easily see the scope and progress of his growing collection.

By the time Blake entered high school, his baseball card collection had ballooned to over 5,000 individual cards. He had cards representing every major league team and spanning many decades of the game. Blake’s most prized possessions included a rare mint condition rookie card of Mike Trout, a complete set of the iconic 1987 Topps cards, and a game-worn jersey card that was autographed by Babe Ruth. Blake’s collection had become so extensive that it now filled multiple large storage boxes that were kept under his bed.

In addition to accumulating cards at a rapid pace, Blake also became very knowledgeable about the hobby of sports card collecting. He regularly read books and magazines to stay on top of the latest industry news and trends. Blake studied price guides to understand the value and demand for different players, years and sets within the collecting marketplace. He networked with other passionate collectors online through message boards and trading sites. All of this supplemental research helped Blake acquire more valuable cards and trade duplicates for ones he still needed.

By his junior year of high school, Blake’s mother began to worry that his bedroom was in danger of being completely taken over by his ever-growing baseball card collection. She suggested that Blake look into properly insuring the value of his prized possessions. After carefully cataloging each card in his collection and consulting multiple price guides, Blake determined his entire collection was worth over $25,000. He worked with his parents to purchase an insurance policy that would protect his cards in case of theft, fire or other damage. This gave Blake peace of mind that his lifelong hobby and investment was now financially protected.

As Blake neared graduation and prepared for college, he had amassed a truly impressive collection totaling over 10,000 baseball cards, which we’ll refer to as B cards. The sheer size, scope and value of Blake’s collection had become remarkable for someone his age. He decided the time was right to have his entire collection professionally graded and encapsulated by a reputable third party authentication company. This process involved carefully examining each card to assign a precise condition grade on a scale of 1 to 10. Any rare and valuable cards grading above a 7 would then be sealed for protection inside hard plastic cases with the grade clearly labeled.

After months of careful grading and encapsulation work by the authentication company, Blake had his entire collection returned. Now his most prized cards were clearly identified by their assigned condition grades, greatly enhancing their value to potential buyers. Blake estimated the total value of his now professionally certified 10,000+ baseball card collection, which we’ll call B cards, to be a staggering $50,000 based on current market prices. He was immensely proud of what his childhood hobby and dedication had grown into over the years.

As Blake prepared to head off to college, he faced the difficult decision of what to do with his cherished, but massive, baseball card collection. He knew it would be impractical to bring B cards with him in the small dorm room he’d be living in. After much consideration, Blake decided to consign his entire graded and encapsulated collection to a reputable national sports auction house. This would allow his B cards to be professionally marketed to serious collectors around the world through online bidding.

The auction house was astounded by the size and quality of Blake’s childhood collection when they received it for consignment. They felt it had the potential to shatter youth collection records. Over the following months, the auction house photographed and described each individual lot of Blake’s cards in extensive online catalog listings. When the bidding period opened, there was massive interest from collectors eager to own pieces of this remarkable assemblage. After several weeks of furious online bidding, Blake’s entire collection of B cards had sold for a staggering total of $75,000!

Blake was thrilled yet a bit sad to see his beloved baseball card collection dispersed to new homes all over the globe. He was proud to realize he had parlayed his childhood hobby into such a significant source of funds for his college education. Blake’s story serves as an inspiration for any young collector. With dedication and care over many years, even a modest beginning can grow into an incredibly valuable collection and lifelong passion. Blake remains an avid fan of the game to this day, and is thankful for the memories and opportunities his baseball cards provided.

BLAKE DUNN BASEBALL CARDS

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Blake Dunn is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played in the big leagues from 1998 to 2004. While his MLB career was relatively short, Dunn found success as a closer and setup man during his time in the majors. Now retired from professional baseball, Dunn has developed a cult following among collectors for his rookie and early career baseball cards.

Dunn was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 31st round of the 1993 MLB Draft out of high school in California. He made his professional debut that same year in rookie ball and slowly worked his way up the minor league ladder. Dunn excelled at the lower levels and reached Double-A by 1997, posting excellent numbers as a reliever in the Cubs system. This breakout performance led to his MLB debut on September 2, 1998 at the age of 24.

Dunn’s rookie card is from 1998 Fleer Tradition #398. The card features a photo of Dunn from his debut season with the Cubs in the foreground. In the background is a blurred Wrigley Field, signifying Dunn’s arrival in the big leagues. The Fleer Tradition design that year featured a clean white border around each photo. Statistics on the back of Dunn’s rookie card include his 1998 MLB numbers of 2 games pitched, 3 innings, 1 hit allowed, and 0 runs given up.

While his rookie season stats were minimal, Dunn showed promise in his cup of coffee with the Cubs in 1998. He began 1999 in Chicago’s bullpen and became one of their most reliable relievers. Dunn appeared in 55 games as both a setup man and occasional closer, notching 7 saves to go with a solid 3.09 ERA. His success led to increased exposure and collector interest in his sophomore Fleer Tradition card from 1999, which captured Dunn celebrating a Cubs victory in the dugout.

Dunn remained with the Cubs through the 2000 season but was traded to the Houston Astros in August 2001. He enjoyed his best major league season in 2002 as the Astros’ primary setup man, pitching 76.1 innings with a 2.15 ERA and 91 strikeouts. Dunn’s performance that year is memorialized on his 2002 Bowman Sterling card, one of his most coveted by collectors. The parallel refractor parallel version of this card, with its colorful Astros uniform and bright lighting, is highly sought after today.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2003, Dunn returned to pitch in 24 games for the Astros late in the 2004 season. But arm injuries continued to plague him and he was not re-signed by Houston in the offseason. Dunn attempted comeback stints with the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations in 2005-2006 but was never able to regain his previous form. He officially retired from baseball in 2007 at the age of 33.

Though his playing career was cut short, Dunn left a lasting mark on the hobby through his baseball cards. His rookie card remains a key piece for Cubs and 90s collectors. But it is his short run of success with Houston, encapsulated by cards like his 2002 Bowman Sterling refractor, that really captured the imagination of traders and investors. Even after retiring over 15 years ago, Dunn’s cards remain in high demand thanks to his cult following and memorable few seasons in the majors.

For collectors looking to add some Blake Dunn cardboard to their collections, it is recommended to target his Cubs and Astros years from 1998-2004. While his rookie may be out of most budgets, affordable options include his common issues from 1999-2002 with Chicago and Houston. Higher-end collectors should seek out parallels and refractors like the aforementioned 2002 Bowman Sterling. With a career cut short by injuries but some great on-field moments, Dunn established a legacy that lives on through enthusiasts who appreciate his baseball cards decades later.

BLAKE SABOL BASEBALL CARDS

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Blake Sabol was a professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1991 to 2000. While his MLB career was relatively short, Sabol established himself as a versatile utility player and had some memorable moments. As a result of his MLB career, Sabol has a collection of baseball cards that document his time in the major leagues.

Sabol was born in 1967 in San Diego, California. He attended Valhalla High School and the University of Arizona, where he played college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats. Considered a talented prospect, Sabol was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 2nd round of the 1988 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut that season in rookie ball and rose through Chicago’s farm system over the next few years.

Sabol’s rookie card is from 1991 Donruss. That year, he received his first extended playing time in the majors with Chicago. He appeared in 76 games and had 124 plate appearances, playing every position except pitcher and catcher. His versatility was on full display, as he recorded time at second base, third base, shortstop, and all three outfield spots. Sabol’s rookie card captured him at the beginning of his MLB career and remains one of the more sought-after cards from his collection today.

After bouncing between Chicago and the minors in 1992, Sabol was traded to the Montreal Expos during the 1993 season. He continued to be used mostly in a utility role off the bench. One of Sabol’s more notable baseball cards from this period is his 1993 Score rookie debut card, which featured him as a member of the Expos. Score was one of the prominent card brands of the early 1990s and Sabol’s inclusion in their 1993 set as a rookie marked his first season in the National League.

Sabol enjoyed his best major league season statistically in 1994 with Montreal. He received career highs in games played (101), at-bats (196), hits (51), doubles (12), runs scored (28), and RBI (23). His solid all-around contributions helped the Expos reach the postseason for the first time in franchise history. Sabol even started two games in the 1994 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, going 2-for-6 with a run scored in the series. His performance that year made cards from 1994 particularly valuable for collectors of Sabol’s career.

After the 1994 season, Sabol was traded again – this time to the expansion Colorado Rockies. He spent two seasons in Colorado from 1995-1996, where he backed up at multiple positions but saw less playing time than in previous years. Sabol’s 1995 Fleer Ultra card captured him during his first season with the Rockies. In the photo, he is wearing the teal Rockies road jersey from their inaugural season. This card remains a key piece in the set for those following Sabol’s playing career across different teams.

In 1997, Sabol signed as a free agent with the New York Mets. He enjoyed a bit of a career resurgence playing for Bobby Valentine’s club. In 80 games, Sabol set new personal bests with 10 home runs and 32 RBI while hitting .265. His versatility was on full display once more, as he played every position except catcher and center field for the Mets that season. Sabol’s 1997 Fleer cards highlight his solid season back in the National League with New York.

Sabol split the 1998 season between the Mets and St. Louis Cardinals before finishing his MLB career with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2000. He continued jumping around the field in a utility role, showing he could still handle any position asked of him in a pinch. Sabol’s 2000 Upper Deck card was one of the last to feature him as an active major leaguer before his retirement at age 33. He had played parts of 10 seasons in the majors, compiling a .258 career average with 25 home runs and 172 RBI over 641 games and 1,575 plate appearances.

Since retiring from baseball, Sabol has remained involved in the game by working as a baseball scout. He has signed players who have gone on to reach the major leagues themselves. Sabol’s playing career may have been relatively short in the grand scheme of MLB history, but his baseball cards from the 1990s serve as an important physical documentation of his versatile contributions at the highest level of professional baseball. Collectors still seek out Sabol’s rookie cards and cards from his best statistical seasons to chronicle his journey through five different MLB franchises over a decade in the big leagues.

In summarization, Blake Sabol established himself as a valuable utility player during his 10-year MLB career from 1991-2000. While playing for five different teams, Sabol showed he could competently fill in at any position on the field when needed. His baseball cards from brands like Donruss, Score, Fleer, and Upper Deck capture Sabol’s career highlights and travels between franchises. Collectors still value Sabol’s cards today for chronicling and remembering the career of this versatile role player from the 1990s.