Klein’s Korner: Saying Goodbye to a Great Summer of Baseball

I usually don’t try to date my columns per se, but today is a bit different. I’ve been watching MLB Network for the past few hours as they have mainly concentrated on the games which do matter but have also looked in on certain players who probably are or have already announced this is their final game for a particular team. For some of these athletes, such as David Wright, we know this weekend was their swan song. We also viewed as he went out with grace and style and returned the love of the New York fans whom have witnessed his whole career. Having grown up in the NY Metropolitan area, the love affair between Wright and the fans has been a treat to witness. This ending is a perfect coda to his career and the physical courage he showed in just returning for the last weekend is quite inspirational.

We also saw other players such as Hunter Pence, Adrian Beltre, Adam Jones and Joe Mauer walk off various playing fields to loud and emotional fan eruptions as a way of thanking them for not only being great players but also being good members of the community. All these players mentioned have, in the expression, given back more than they have received. And they have done that despite being paid so handsomely that no one would object if they just retired to their mansions after every game. Here is Joe Mauer coming back for one last pitch behind the plate. And who can blame him if he “wasted” a mound visit. After 15 years as a hometown hero one last mound trip was certainly his right.

One of the beauties of baseball and of baseball cards is we’re seeing the next generation of potential hometown heroes develop right before our eyes. Already in 2018, we’ve had two Yankees: Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar have great years. Shohei Ohtani from the Angels has been excellent in both pitching in a limited role and hitting. The National League has had Ronald Acuna Jr and Juan Soto and the Nationals have even had Victor Robles come up this year. We fully expect Vladimir Guerrero Jr to make his debut sometime in May of 2019 and I know there are plenty of other good young players and pitchers whose names I have not yet mentioned come to mind.Klein's Korner: Saying Goodbye to a Great Summer of Baseball

When I hear local collectors talking about “PCing” a player I cringe because I’d rather they say: “honestly I’m investing in this player until I think I can cash him.” The term PC on a young player should be changed to the less politically correctinvesting” term for all concerned.

Why am I thinking so hard about transitions? I’m thinking about these type of transitions because recently we were gifted for an indeterminate amount of time with a precocious five-year old young man. Yes, he’s a typical five-year old in so many ways but there are so many people who want to raise him that someday he’ll be honored to realize just how in demand he was. One of the things currently going on is his paternal relatives get to have him every other weekend and with the ways the schedules go I drive five to six hours the afternoon and evening before my show. I should note I also had to move all my cards out of my man cave so he could have a bedroom, But I do have to find out going forward what the situation will be so I can plan next year accordingly. I will also state we will continue the Adat Chaverim shows and those have already been scheduled for next year. No matter what, we will continue with those shows.

Klein's Korner: Saying Goodbye to a Great Summer of BaseballIn your business, you will also have changes. As I’ve noted in 2017 both of my local stores; Nick’s and Triple Cards, have changed hands and both have continued to cater to their collector basesJames Vaughn who would occasionally promote DFW area card shows has passed on and there are other changes. We add collectors, we subtract collectors and we have collectors who pop in every few years or so. One question for us, as always, is are we treating every collector as if they are the most important collector we have or are we only looking for those case-breaking whales? After all, how often can we actually picture a real whale.

As for me, I don’t know what the next few months or years will bring but I’m happy the five-year-old loves some sports and cards. He has mentioned liking “Dez” and “Zeke.” (Obviously, if you follow the Cowboys you know whom I’m talking about.

We were watching a Red Sox-Yankees game one night and he loved the uniforms the Red Sox were wearing. I know I’m failing if I end up with a Red Sox fan no less. But I’m going to ensure he gets something sports related for the holidays because he needs to learn what true patience in getting gifts are.

So, on this last day of the baseball season, let’s remember what a fun year this has been and be thankful we’ve all been able to enjoy the ride. I’m personally very grateful my position with COMC allows me to sign out each day and wait on the dreaded car-pool line to pick him up at Kindergarten. And yes parenthood is very wearing, as I’m asleep by 9PM most evenings. Now a night out after 10PM is way past my bedtime.

Follow Rich Klein on Twitter @sabrgeek.

Klein’s Korner: Saying Goodbye to a Great Summer of Baseball
Rich Klein

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