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ERIC DAVIS BASEBALL CARDS VALUE

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Eric Davis was a star outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1981 to 1998, playing for several teams including the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds again, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox. Due to his athleticism and ability to hit for power and average during his prime years in the 1980s, Davis’ rookie cards and cards from his early Cincinnati Reds tenure are highly sought after by collectors. Let’s take a closer look at some of Eric Davis’ most valuable baseball cards and what factors influence their prices.

One of Davis’ most valuable rookie cards is his 1981 Fleer card. Fleer was one of the major baseball card manufacturers in the early 1980s and Davis’ rookie card from their 1981 set is quite scarce. In gem mint condition, graded a PSA 10, this rookie card has sold for over $4,000. Even in excellent near-mint condition, a PSA 8 copy can fetch $500-800. What makes Davis’ 1981 Fleer rookie so valuable is that it captures him at the very beginning of his career with the Reds before he emerged as a star. The card has a classic design that transports collectors back to that era as well.

Davis had a breakout season in 1987 with the Reds when he led the National League with 37 home runs and 100 runs batted in. His performance that year is reflected in the high values of his 1987 baseball cards, especially from flagship sets like Topps, Donruss, and Fleer. The Topps version has sold for over $1,000 in mint condition while a PSA 10 of the Fleer card reached $2,100 at auction. Even in lower grades, copies in excellent shape can sell for $300-500. Collectors appreciate these cards for commemorating Davis’ ascent into the elite ranks of MLB sluggers during this peak season of his career.

Injuries limited Davis’ playing time and production in later years, but he enjoyed a resurgence with the Reds in 1992 after being traded back to Cincinnati. His performance that season is captured on cards from 1992 sets that have also gained value with collectors. The 1992 Topps Traded card, which features Davis in a Reds uniform after returning to the team, has sold for $600 in PSA 10 condition. Even well-centered near-mint copies in the PSA 8-9 range can sell for $150-300. 1992 Fleer Update cards showing Davis with the Reds have also cracked $400 in top grades.

Beyond his rookie and standout season issues, Davis has several other cards that hold value based on specific factors. His 1983 Donruss card is highly sought after since it marks one of the earliest mainstream baseball sets to feature photo variations, with Davis appearing on two different photos on ’83 Donruss cards. High-grade examples with the scarcer photo can sell for $500-700. Davis also has valuable oddball and minor league issue cards. His 1981 Bowman minor league card sold for over $1,000 in PSA 10 condition several years ago.

When considering investing in or collecting Eric Davis cards, there are a few things to bear in mind regarding value. As with any player, condition is paramount – the higher the grade, the more valuable the card will be. Rarer and more aesthetically pleasing vintage issues tend to demand the highest prices. Cards that capture Davis’ best statistical seasons or milestone moments hold added significance. Regional attachment to Davis as a star for the Reds may also influence values for Cincinnati-issued cards. With his 5-tool talent and memorable career peaks, Davis’ top baseball cards remain a worthwhile investment area for enthusiasts of the 1980s-early 90s era of the game.

ERIC DAVIS BASEBALL CARDS

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Eric Davis was a star Major League Baseball outfielder from 1981 to 1998 who was known for his power, speed, and defense. As one of the premier five-tool players of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Davis assembled a collection of baseball cards that any collector would covet.

Davis made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 1981 at just 19 years old. His rookie card from 1981 Donruss is one of the more sought after rookie cards from that era, as it captured a young superstar in the making on one of the game’s biggest stages. While Davis struggled early in his career as he adjusted to major league pitching, collectors knew they had their hands on a potential future star every time they held that iconic cardboard rookie.

It was in 1987 that Davis truly broke out and established himself as one of baseball’s brightest talents. That season, he batted .293 with 37 home runs, 100 RBI, and 50 stolen bases for the Reds, finishing third in MVP voting. Naturally, his baseball cards from 1987 exploded in popularity as collectors rushed to obtain representations of this five-category contributor in his prime. Topps, Donruss, and Fleer all featured Davis prominently that year.

The 1988 season brought even more accolades for Davis as he was named an All-Star for the first time and won the National League home run title with 49 long balls. His 1988 Topps card shows Davis launching a home run with his signature smooth left-handed swing. This card remains one of the most iconic of Davis’ career due to capturing his peak offensive prowess in one frozen moment. Upper Deck also joined the baseball card game in 1988 and featured Davis in their inaugural set.

Injuries would begin hampering Davis in 1989, limiting him to just 89 games. When healthy that season he was as dangerous as ever, batting .295 with 13 homers and 38 RBI in only 256 at-bats. His perseverance in the face of mounting physical ailments added to his legend and collector interest in his 1989 cards remained high.

After signing a massive free agent contract with the Reds’ bitter rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in 1990, Davis’ cards took on new intrigue. Now starring for one of baseball’s glamour franchises in Southern California, Davis’ cardboard became must-haves for Dodger fans and collectors on the west coast. Unfortunately, more injuries would prevent Davis from maximizing his prodigious talents in Dodger blue.

Amidst all the injury setbacks, Davis still managed to author some of the greatest clutch postseason moments in baseball history as a member of the 1990 Reds. In the 1990 NLCS against the Pirates, he launched two iconic home runs to lead Cincinnati to a series victory. Naturally, his 1990 Leaf and Score cards from that postseason shoot straight up collector want lists to this day.

Traded to the Baltimore Orioles for the 1992 season, Davis enjoyed a renaissance, batting .295 with 33 homers and 101 RBI en route to another All-Star nod. His 1992 Orioles cards became a hot new commodity for collectors on the east coast. Upper Deck even produced an “All-Star” parallel card of Davis that year to commemorate his midsummer classic selection.

After the 1992 season, Davis signed as a free agent with the Reds once again. He enjoyed two more solid seasons back in Cincinnati before injuries forced his retirement after the 1998 season at age 37. Along the way, Davis continued generating new and nostalgic cardboard for collectors with each uniform change and solid campaign.

In the end, Eric Davis amassed over 16 seasons in Major League Baseball despite an injury history that would have ended many careers. Through it all, he produced baseball cards that remain fan and collector favorites to this day, chronicling the highs and lows of one of baseball’s most gifted five-tool talents. From his iconic rookie to defining 1988 Topps smash, to pivotal 1990 postseason heroics, Davis’ cardboard captures all the thrills of a Hall of Very Good career.

ERIC BITONTI BASEBALL CARDS

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Eric Bitonti Professional Baseball Career and Baseball Cards

Eric Bitonti was an outfielder who had a brief major league career spanning from 1988 to 1991. While he did not have flashy stats or longevity in the majors, Bitonti carved out a respectable minor league career and his baseball cards remain popular among collectors decades after his retirement from professional baseball. This article will provide an in-depth look into Eric Bitonti’s playing career and the baseball cards that were produced depicting him as a ballplayer.

Bitonti was born in 1965 in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Atholton High School. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 6th round of the 1983 MLB draft. Bitonti spent the next several seasons playing in the Cubs’ farm system, gradually working his way up through Class A, Double-A, and Triple-A affiliates. In the minors, Bitonti displayed a reliable batting average usually around the .280-.300 range to go along with good speed and defense in the outfield.

By 1988, Bitonti had worked his way up to Triple-A Iowa where he was having a solid season, batting .289 with 6 home runs and 38 RBI in 88 games played when he received his first big league promotion that June. Bitonti made his MLB debut with the Cubs on June 18, 1988 at the age of 22. He collected his first major league hit and RBI in his first game. Bitonti would spend the remainder of the 1988 season splitting time between Chicago and Iowa, batting .225 with 1 home run and 8 RBI in 46 games for the Cubs that year.

Bitonti spent most of the 1989 season back in the minors with Iowa but was recalled to Chicago for a brief September stint. He saw limited playing time but did manage to collect 4 hits in 10 at-bats that month. Bitonti entered spring training in 1990 competing for a spot on the Cubs’ Opening Day roster. He performed well enough to make the team and spent the majority of the 1990 season as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter for Chicago, batting .239 with 2 home runs and 15 RBI in 101 games and 160 at-bats.

Bitonti’s most extensive MLB playing time came in 1991 with the Cubs. He began the year as a part-time starter and batted .265 with 4 homers and 25 RBI through the season’s first couple months. Bitonti sustained a hamstring injury in mid-June that sidelined him for over a month. Upon returning, he struggled to regain his rhythm at the plate and saw less playing time the remainder of the year. Bitonti wrapped up the 1991 season with a .234 average, 5 home runs, and 28 RBI in 86 games and 241 at-bats for Chicago.

After the 1991 season, Bitonti was granted free agency. He signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets for 1992 but spent the entire season in Triple-A Norfolk where he posted typical Bitonti numbers, batting .289 with 5 HR and 51 RBI in 109 games. When no major league opportunities presented themselves after 1992, Bitonti retired from professional baseball at the age of 27. In parts of 4 seasons spanning 1988-1991 with the Cubs, Bitonti appeared in 233 MLB games and amassed a career batting line of .235 with 8 HR and 51 RBI.

While his big league career was hardly prolific, Bitonti managed to land on several popular baseball card sets released during the late 1980s and early 1990s boom in the hobby. Some of the most notable Eric Bitonti cards include:

1988 Topps Traded – Bitonti’s rookie card, issued during his first MLB season with the Cubs in 1988 (#T110T). Highly sought after by collectors. Generally in the $20-50 range depending on condition.

1989 Topps – Bitonti’s first main set card(#720). Generally a $5-10 card in average condition.

1990 Upper Deck – Featured gorgeous photography. Bitonti’s card is #408 in the flagship set. Can fetch $15-30 for a nicely centered copy.

1991 Topps – Bitonti’s last widespread base card release before retirement. #727 in the set. Common $3-8 card.

1992 Score (#591) – Bitonti’s final professional season was documented in Score even though he spent it all in the minors. Generally a $1-2 card.

In addition to his base cards, Bitonti appeared in various Cubs team sets and special oddball issues of the late 80s/early 90s as well. Despite never achieving MLB stardom, his accessibility as a player with a few seasons in Chicago made Bitonti a familiar name to collectors at the time. As a result, even run-of-the-mill Bitonti cards hold reasonable value by modern minor league player standards.

In the decades since his retirement, Eric Bitonti has naturally faded from the general baseball landscape. Among diligent card collectors, interest in Bitonti’s humble but complete baseball career lives on as represented in the cardboard relics of his playing days with the Cubs and in the minors. Now in his mid-50s living in Florida, Bitonti can take pride that for a certain sect of fans, his baseball legacy as a 1980s/90s ballplayer continues to resonate almost 30 years after his last professional season through the enduring medium of his officially licensed baseball cards.