Closers: Often the best relief pitcher on the team, a closer usually enters the game in the ninth inning with a narrow lead to record the save by pitching the final few outs. Closers throw an average of 1-2 innings per outing. Some elite closers, such as Mariano Rivera or Craig Kimbrel, earned multiple all-star selections and became known as lights-out closers extremely difficult to hit against in pressure situations.

Set-up pitchers/middle relievers: Pitchers who typically enter the game in the 6th through 8th innings to bridge the gap between the starting pitcher and the closer. They earn holds (like a win) instead of saves. They generally have success against both righties and lefties. Good setup pitchers lengthen the bullpen and provide insurance for when the starter is unable to finish deep into games.

Left-handed specialists: These pitchers enter the game specifically to counter left-handed batters late in the game. They focus on just getting out lefties through their pitching style and stuff. A bad matchup against a righty can result in their quick removal. Examples include names like Jerry Blevins, Wade Davis, and Tyler Matzek who thrived in their specialist roles.

Long relievers/mop-up men: Relief pitchers used when a starting pitcher fails to get through the minimum number of innings. These pitchers are expected to eat up innings but may give up runs since they face the heart of the opposing lineup. Teams instead prefer to use functional relievers in multiple innings to preserve the bullpen for closer situations.

Opener: An innovative recent strategy where a relief pitcher starts the game and typically faces 2-3 hitters before handing it over to the following pitcher in more of a traditional starting role. Openers allow teams to gameplan matchups better. Former Rays reliever, Ryan Yarbrough, became one of the first prominent “openers”.

Because of their versatility and varied roles, relief pitchers typically do not pitch as many innings in a given season as starters. As such, relief pitcher baseball cards often note their specialty type using the designation “RP” to provide context for their career stats and value on the trading/collecting market. The cards may also include stats tailored to relief pitchers like games finished, holds, wins, blown saves, ERA as a reliever, etc. This additional information helps show the important, nuanced roles that relief pitchers play in winning ballgames. While not traditional starters, relief pitchers remain valued commodities for championship teams depending on how they perform in their specialized bullpen function. Their cards recognize the specialty skills they bring which are different than starting pitchers.

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) is considered the leading third-party grading service for collectible trading cards like baseball cards. They examine cards and assign a numerical grade between 1-10 based on the card’s condition and appearance. A PSA 10 grade is the pinnacle – it means the card has gem mint condition and is in pristine, flawless condition.

To earn that coveted PSA 10 grade, a card must meet very stringent criteria. When raw cards are submitted to PSA for grading, they are first analyzed under bright lighting using high-powered loupes and microscopes by experienced card graders. Every aspect of the card’s appearance is considered – the centering, corners, edges and surface must be flawless to merit a PSA 10.

Centering refers to how perfectly centered the illustration is on the front of the card relative to the edges. Even the slightest deviation left or right can prevent a PSA 10 grade. Corners must be sharp and immaculate without any rounding, chipping or whitening. Edges need to be perfectly cut and smoothed without any nicks, dings or flaws. The surface must be pristine – absolutely zero scratches, marks, spots or flaws of any kind when viewed under high magnification can be evident for a PSA 10.

If any attribute of the card is even slightly flawed, the card will top out at a PSA 9 at best. This is why PSA 10 cards are so rare. Even cards that look flawless to the naked eye may have microscopic blemishes that prevent that perfect PSA 10 score. The population report data provided by PSA shows that fewer than 1% of submissions typically grade as a PSA 10.

The condition of a PSA 10 card remains unchanged from the day it was printed and packaged by the card manufacturer. Being in perfect, pristine condition as intact “gem mint” makes PSA 10 cards highly valuable trophies that are prized possessions for collectors. They represent the pinnacle of the collecting hobby. In the competitive auction marketplace, PSA 10 vintage cards can often command prices thousands of times their normal raw value thanks to their superior, assured condition at the highest recognized grading tier.

There is no question that a PSA 10 grade holds tremendous importance and prestige within the sports card industry. The label instantly signifies a flawless, museum-quality card that is the highest attainable standard—a true condition census champion. For serious collectors, finding and owning cards that have achieved that difficult-to-earn perfect PSA 10 grade is the ultimate prize and confirms the condition supremacy of their prized possessions.

Here is a more detailed explanation of what PSA means and represents in the hobby of baseball card collecting:

PSA began operations in 1991 with a mission to authentic and grade trading cards and other collectibles to provide collectors and investors a trusted, impartial evaluation of condition and authenticity. Prior to services like PSA, there was no standardized, reliable way for collectors to understand the quality and condition of their cards. PSA changed that by developing a precise, consistent grading scale that has become universally accepted in the industry.

Any baseball card submitted to PSA for grading is thoroughly inspected by trained graders. Multiple graders will examine each card to ensure the quality is properly assessed. They look at several factors that determine the grade including centering, corners, edges and surface. Minor flaws that impact the grade are noted while significant defects that damage the card can cause lower marks.

Once graded, the card is then sealed in a tamper-proof plastic holder which protects the cardboard but allows viewing from both sides. The PSA grade and identifying barcode are clearly printed on the holder. This gives buyers confidence in the stated condition without having to manually inspect the card themselves.

PSA ratings range from 1 to 10, with 10 being flawless gem mint condition, directly out of packs. As condition deteriorates, the scores decrease with common thresholds being 8 for near mint, 5 for very good, and 3 for good. Anything below a 3 is considered poor. Half-grades and special designations for flaws are also sometimes given, like 5.5 or 8 with a fingerprint.

PSA set the standard by which card conditions are described in the market. Saying a card grades as “a PSA 8” communicates the quality and value instantly to any collector or dealer. Their population reports detailing how many examples of each card exist in the various PSA grades adds another layer of data for researchers.

Over decades, PSA has authenticated and graded billions of collectibles. They have also pioneered efforts to combat fraud like their verification and registry programs. This leadership has cemented PSA as a pillar of credibility. While other graders have emerged, none match the influence, recognition and data that comes with PSA on a card. Submitting to them boosts demand from serious investors and enthusiasts.

When it comes to collecting and trading baseball cards, “PSA” represents the gold standard in third party authentication and grading of condition. The PSA scale provides an objective, reliable and widely accepted method to describe the quality and assess the value of any card in the hobby. With their reputation and population statistics, any card that has been PSA graded gains an extra dimension of confidence and appeal to buyers.

When it comes to baseball cards, the term “raw” is used to describe a card that has not been graded or encapsulated by a professional grading service. Raw cards refer to cards that are still in their original packaging and have not been sent off to be authenticated and assigned a grade by companies like PSA, BGS, or SGC.

Collectors and investors will often refer to their ungraded baseball card collections as their “raw” cards. This is because the condition and authenticity of the cards have not been verified by a professional third party service. Raw cards are essentially in their natural state as purchased directly from packs, boxes, or loose in collections.

Grading raw baseball cards involves sending them to a professional company to have the card carefully examined. Grading services will inspect various attributes that determine the card’s condition like centering, corners, edges and surface. They will also verify the card is authentic and not reprint or counterfeit. Once graded, the card is encased in a tamper-proof plastic holder called a slab with the assigned numerical grade clearly displayed.

This grading process provides several key benefits over raw cards. First, it establishes an objective record of the card’s condition which helps standardized pricing in the marketplace. Second, slabbing greatly helps preserve the card long-term by protecting it in the slab case. And third, grading authentication deters scams and forgeries by verifying authenticity. As a result, graded cards are preferred over raw by many serious collectors and investors.

Raw cards do have some advantages of their own that explain their continued popularity even without grading. The biggest is cost – it’s significantly cheaper to collect and store raw cards compared to paying grading service fees for each individual card. Second, raw cards maintain liquidity and flexibility that graded cards do not. They can be more easily resold or traded compared to cards locked away in slabs. And finally, some view raw cards as a bit more “organic” or tied closer to the hobby’s history since they remain unaltered in their original state.

In terms of value, there is no universal formula for comparing raw cards to their graded counterparts. Higher end, elite vintage cards typically gain the most value boost from top grades due to their inherent scarcity. But for modern era and lower grade vintage cards, raw can sometimes equal or surpass a lower obtained grade. Condition is obviously king, and an extremely well-preserved raw card may rival or beat a lower graded version. Market demand and collector preferences also sway raw versus graded value equations for certain players or sets.

When discussing raw baseball cards, it’s also important to distinguish between factory-sealed wax packs, boxes, and cases versus single loose cards. Sealed vintage products containing raw cards inside appreciate remarkably due to rarity, nostalgia, and potential hit card rewards. Loose vintage/modern singles do not gain nearly the same cachet, but top-condition pieces can still command strong raw prices depending on scarcity and player.

The baseball card collecting and investing industry now almost universally recognizes the term “raw” to refer to ungraded cards that exist in their inherent state purchased from original sources. While the authentication and preservation benefits of third-party grading make slabs the preferred format for high-end pieces, raw cards retain utility for building broad sets, flexy budgets, and accessing different areas of the ever-evolving hobby marketplace. Both have their legitimate places according to individual collector interests and strategies.

Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) was founded in 2000 with the goal of establishing standardized authentication and grading guidelines for collectible trading cards. They recognized that as the collectibles industry grew, it was important to have a trusted third party establishing uniform criteria and procedures to assess the condition and authenticity of items. Within a few short years, PSA became the industry leader in this field, particularly for sports cards from the 1980s and earlier.

When a person submits their baseball cards to PSA for review, the cards first go through an authentication process. PSA experts will thoroughly examine each card under high-powered magnification to verify it is genuine and not a forgery or reprint. They are checking for accurate color matches, centering, textures and other minute details to ensure the card is exactly as it should be from the original manufacturer. Catching even the most expertly done counterfeits is a key service PSA provides to maintain confidence in the collectibles marketplace.

After authenticating each card, PSA then assesses its condition or state of preservation. They grade on a simple 1-10 scale, with 1 being Poor and 10 being Gem Mint. Multiple examiners study various aspects that affect condition like centering, corners, edges and surfaces for signs of wear and flaws under controlled lighting. A consensus grade is determined through rigorous guidelines. Things like scratches, wear from fingers, discoloration or markings can detract from the condition grade.

The process of authentication and grading at PSA is managed meticulously. Highly trained card experts with extensive experience and special lighting tools evaluate hundreds of attributes microscopically on each and every submission. PSA aims to grade cards consistently and keep standards uniform so their scores can be trusted industry-wide. Once authenticated and assigned a condition grade, the card is sealed in a tamper-proof holder clearly displaying the results.

The PSA certification and holder add undeniable cachet for serious sportscard collectors and investors. Qualifying grades secure documented value that can increase over time as populations thin. Cards that receive excellent condition grades near the coveted Mint 10 level especially demand premiums in the marketplace. Owners appreciate the proof and peace of mind that comes with PSA’s evaluations protecting against reappearing counterfeits undermining an expensive collection.

In sum, when someone has their baseball cards professionally graded and authenticated by PSA, it provides the ultimate reassurance on two critical factors – authenticity and state of preservation. The PSA certification becomes part of the collectible item’s permanent record, which collectors rely on for consistent benchmarks in trading, pricing and preserving their treasured pieces of sports history encapsulated in the iconic cards they love. The standard PSA has helped establish brings unparalleled trust across the entire collectibles industry landscape.