I have to rant a little bit about the Cubs today. They set another Major League Baseball record, scoring only one run in each of their last five games, all via solo home runs. A good 10-5 start to August, a critical month in the drive to a pennant, is getting ugly, especially considering these games have been against the struggling Pirates and Tigers. Happ, Zobrist, Rizzo, and Schwarber (2x) have provided the lowly offense, while Cub pitchers have been effective, giving up only 7 runs in 47 innings of work. The result: a rocky 10-8 August push, while the Cardinals have gone 16-4 in the same time span. Hopefully, yesterday’s acquisition of Daniel Murphy from the Nationals will stop the bleeding, as he’s been an offensive terror in Wrigley Field as an opposing hitter. 

As a baseball card collector, you have to narrow your focus because you can’t buy everything. I decided early this season to buy highlight cards that are printed in limited quantities. Topps Now offers such cards that are unique to collectors and sold only for 24 hours. They usually only sell five different cards a day based on record-breaking and outstanding individual achievement. I decided from the beginning of the season to buy any cards they issue for the Cubs, White Sox, and Angels’ rookie Shohei Ohtani. So far, with the injuries to Ohtani, the lack of highlights by the White Sox, and the inconsistent Cub play, I haven’t spent much, even with a $10 individual cost. It will be interesting to see if they issue a card for this dubious Cubs record of five straight one-run games. Also, it looks like I’ll avoid having to buy the debut card of White Sox rookie, Michael Kopech, who had an uneventful start last night. Ohtani hit well but the Angels lost. I probably will not be adding to my collection today, although even after the Cubs lost the other night, they sold an exclusive Living Set of cards for Ryne Sandburg and Anthony Rizzo to get my money anyway. It was interesting that the Rizzo card was bundled in a package with a Daniel Murphy card the day before it was announced he would be a Cub. These cards give me something to look forward to in the mailbox each day.

Speaking of collecting baseball stuff, here’s a lesson in investing that might be of interest. My son sent me some photos of a baseball that his Grandmother found in her sister’s attic. It was hidden in a box with a bunch of Christmas ornaments and was nearly thrown-out with the trash. As it turns out, the ball was a gift to my former mother-in-law’s sister from a group of co-workers that went to Yankee Stadium for the World Series. She was left behind to run the office in their absence. After some research, the autographs on the ball were from the 1937 champions, including a rare signature from skipper Joe McCarthy, plus Lefty Gomez, Joe DiMaggio, and Lou Gehrig . It was recently valued and authenticated by Antique Roadshow at $45,000. By the same token, Mickey Mantle’s 1964 World Series jersey recently sold at auction for 1.32 Million.

As I told my son, the value is only what someone else is willing to pay for it. Most of my collection is only worth something to me, but who knows? There may be something that I pass on to him someday that might be worth more than the $10 that I paid for it. The things in my office make me smile, as do the baseball cards that come in the mail. That’s all I can ask for as a collector of treasured junk. I just hope the Cubs can “collect” a “W” today against the Tigers, even if it just takes one run…again.