Tag Archives: chad

CHAD KUHL BASEBALL CARDS

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Chad Kuhl is a major league pitcher who has played his entire career thus far for the Pittsburgh Pirates. While Kuhl has yet to achieve superstar status, he has shown flashes of potential and his baseball cards remain an interesting collectible for Pirates fans and baseball card investors. Let’s take a deeper look at Chad Kuhl’s career and the existing baseball card market around him.

Kuhl was drafted by the Pirates in the 8th round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Delaware. He progressed quickly through the Pirates farm system, making his major league debut in 2016 at the age of 24. In Kuhl’s rookie season of 2016 he pitched to a respectable 4.20 ERA over 24 starts and 117 innings. This solid debut gained the attention of baseball card collectors, as it launched Kuhl onto the radar of investors scouting for the next young player to break out.

Kuhl’s rookie card comes from 2016 Topps Baseball. Like most modern rookie cards in the age of mass printing, Kuhl’s card does not carry a high value in pristine gem mint condition. For investors who identified Kuhl’s potential early, buying and holding his rookie card offered upside if he developed into a quality MLB starter. In the years since, Kuhl has shown himself capable of being a rotation piece when healthy, giving value to those who purchased and stored his rookie card in hopes of appreciation.

After a promising rookie showing, Kuhl regressed a bit in 2017, posting a 5.21 ERA over 149 1/3 innings. This downturn likely caused many investors to abandon Kuhl cards, but it also meant his 2017 offerings like Topps Update became attainable for medium-term speculators. Kuhl rebounded nicely in 2018 with a 3.27 ERA over 113 2/3 innings in what was arguably his best MLB season to date. This solid campaign led to increased interest in Kuhl cards from that 2017 period, as collectors saw an opportunity to buy during his low point.

Injuries have unfortunately interrupted Kuhl’s progression the last two seasons. He made only 8 starts in 2019 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, and struggled in 2020 upon returning with a 6.38 ERA over 24 1/3 innings. Naturally, interest and values in recent Kuhl cards from 2019-2020 have remained depressed with collectors and investors wary of buying an injured player. Savvy speculators may identify an opportunity in these cards if Kuhl can regain his 2018 form in 2021 and beyond.

Looking forward, 2021 will be an important season for Chad Kuhl and the potential remaining value of his baseball cards. Now 29 years old, he is running out of time to fully realize his abilities as a mid-rotation starter. If he can stay healthy and pitch effectively, it would bolster the appeal of his entire back catalog of cards from rookie season through recent issues. Another injury or inability to significantly lower his ERA would confirm that Kuhl may only profile as a fourth or fifth starter long-term. In that scenario, upside on his baseball cards would remain limited.

For aggressive investors, Kuhl’s recently released 2021 Topps Series 1 and Opening Day cards offer a chance at a bounceback candidate at minimal cost. His older cards from strong seasons like 2018 also carry longshot appeal. More conservative collectors may prefer to wait and see if Kuhl can sustain success over a full 2021 before adding any recent cardboard. In either case, Chad Kuhl’s story and the financial potential of his growing baseball card portfolio remains one worth monitoring as his MLB career progresses. How he performs this summer will likely be pivotal in determining long-term collector interest and the speculative ROI available in his diverse array of trading cards.

Chad Kuhl offers an intriguing real-time investment case study for baseball card buyers due to his youth, draft pedigree, and glimpses of quality MLB pitching. Injuries have stalled his progress at times, but a full healthy season could unlock renewed value across his growing card line. For risk-tolerant speculators, his affordable recent issues present a low-cost opportunity. More security-minded collectors may prefer to wait for 2021 performance before adding more Kuhl cardboard to their collections. Either way, Kuhl’s 2021 campaign will provide valuable insight into the future potential upside or downside remaining in his baseball cards.

CHAD EPPERSON BASEBALL CARDS

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Chad Epperson had a relatively short but successful career in Major League Baseball as a relief pitcher from 1999 to 2005. While he didn’t put up huge statistical numbers overall, Epperson made his mark with some dominant seasons out of the bullpen. As a result, Chad Epperson baseball cards have remained popular with collectors over the years since his playing days ended.

Epperson was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 4th round of the 1996 MLB Draft out of the University of Arkansas. He made his MLB debut with Cleveland in 1999 but was traded midway through the 2000 season to the Houston Astros. It was in Houston where Epperson had his best seasons and established himself as a reliable late-inning reliever. From 2001 to 2003, he appeared in over 70 games each season and posted ERA’s of 2.92, 2.39, and 2.76 respectively during that span.

Epperson’s dominance during those prime seasons with Houston made him one of the more sought after relievers on the baseball card market at the time. Upper Deck, Topps, and Donruss all featured Epperson prominently in their respective sets during the early 2000s. His rookie cards from 1999 Upper Deck and Topps Trading Card sets remain two of the most popular Chad Epperson cards to this day among collectors. With his solid performances cementing him as an emerging star, those rookie cards captured Epperson at the beginning of what collectors hoped would be an excellent career.

Injuries began affecting Epperson more in 2004 and 2005, which limited his playing time and led to declining production. He bounced between Houston, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee over those two seasons before retiring after the 2005 campaign at just 29 years old due to mounting injury issues. While an unfortunate end to his time on the field, Epperson’s best seasons still made for some highly collectible baseball cards during his peak years with Houston from 2001 to 2003.

Upper Deck produced some of the most visually striking Chad Epperson cards during this period. Their 2002 and 2003 cards featured beautiful action shots of Epperson’s delivery from the windup. Topps and Donruss also continued giving Epperson nice card designs that highlighted his success as a reliable set-up man and 8th inning option for Houston. Autograph and memorabilia cards from those later seasons have also gained value in recent years as Epperson has become a more niche player for collectors specializing in Astros and relievers from that era.

Even after retiring, Epperson received tribute cards paying homage to his career. Both Upper Deck and Topps inserted retrospective “Where Are They Now” style cards of Epperson into sets released in 2006 and 2007. While out of the majors by that point, Epperson’s playing career was recent enough that collectors still had interest in seeing updates on what happened to the former reliever. Such tribute cards help complete Chad Epperson collections and provide a fuller picture of his baseball path at the time.

In the years since, Epperson’s cards have become highly coveted by collectors seeking Astros and pitching memorabilia from the early 2000s. Authenticated relic and autograph cards remain fairly scarce due to Epperson’s short career. But his base rookie cards and starring issues from 2001-2003 Houston seasons are some of the most iconic in collecting circles. While not the biggest name, Chad Epperson left an impression during his playing days that is still remembered fondly through his vibrant, highlight-filled baseball cards. For Astros aficionados and relief pitcher enthusiasts especially, Epperson’s issues are must-owns in any collection from his era.

CHAD TRACY BASEBALL CARDS

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Chad Tracy was a utility player in Major League Baseball who played for six different teams from 2001 to 2012. While he never became a true star player, Tracy had a long career thanks to his versatility and ability to play multiple positions. This longevity in the big leagues led to Tracy being featured on several baseball cards over the years.

Tracy was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 16th round of the 1998 MLB Draft out of the University of Nevada. He made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2001 and was featured that year in some of the major baseball card sets like Bowman, Donruss, Fleer, and Topps. His rookie cards from 2001 are still collectibles today for Dodgers and Tracy fans. As a 16th round pick who didn’t immediately break out as a star, his 2001 rookie cards don’t fetch huge prices on the secondary market. Still, they are noteworthy as the first cards issued of the player.

After parts of two seasons with the Dodgers, Tracy was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the 2003 season. He began to receive more playing time with the D-Backs and responded with some of his best seasons at the plate. Tracy’s cards from 2003-2005 Diamondbacks sets feature him in an Arizona uniform and are more common to find than his early Dodgers rookies. Still, collectors enjoy adding these to their Tracy collections. In the 2003 season, Tracy played in a career-high 130 games and set personal bests with a .291 batting average, 8 home runs, and 49 RBI. This breakout season led to increased exposure on baseball cards that year.

Tracy continued to be a valuable utility player and part-time starter for Arizona through 2005. In early 2006 he was traded to the Detroit Tigers. His short stint in Detroit was reflected on cards later that year. Tracy didn’t play much for the Tigers and was released after the season. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2007 and his Pirate cards from that season are relatively easy to find, as he was still more of a role player than a star at that point in his career.

After the 2007 campaign, Tracy had stints with the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners in 2008. His playing time was limited with both clubs that year. As a result, Tracy cards featuring him with the Angels or Mariners from 2008 sets are quite rare and valued highly by collectors seeking to complete their Tracy collections. He re-signed with the Diamondbacks for 2009 and enjoyed a solid bounce-back season back in Arizona, appearing in 101 games and hitting .284 in a part-time role. Tracy’s 2009 Arizona Diamondbacks cards gained increased interest from collectors as a result of this late-career revival for the veteran.

Tracy spent his final MLB season splitting time between the Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox in 2010. He announced his retirement after the season at age 34. Tracy’s 2010 cards remain some of the more sought-after issues for completists since they were the final baseball cards produced featuring the career backup infielder/outfielder. While he was never an All-Star or award winner, Chad Tracy managed to carve out a 12-year big league career thanks to his versatility. As a result, collectors still enjoy chasing down Tracy’s cards from his stops with six different teams to complete their collections of the journeyman major leaguer.

Even after retiring from playing, Tracy has remained involved in baseball through coaching. He spent the 2011-2013 seasons as a hitting coach in the Diamondbacks minor league system. More recently, Tracy was the head coach of the University of San Diego baseball team from 2018-2021 before stepping down. As Tracy transitions to a post-playing career, collectors continue to seek out his playing days cards to preserve his MLB history and accomplishments on the diamond for over a decade. Even as a role player, Tracy’s longevity and ability to produce at times afforded him the honor of being featured on baseball cards each season by the major manufacturers. Fans and collectors enjoy the challenge of tracking down issues from all the stops in Tracy’s up-and-down big league tenure.

In summary, Chad Tracy avoided true baseball stardom but hung around the major leagues for 12 seasons thanks to his versatility. This led to him being included in annual baseball card sets by Topps, Upper Deck, and others during his career. While not the most valuable modern player cards, Tracy issues remain popular for collectors looking to document his journeyman career that took him to six MLB clubhouses. His rare cards like those featuring his short stints with the Angels and Mariners are highly sought. But even common Tracy cards serve as affordable opportunities for fans to preserve this once-promising prospect’s full big league journey in card form.