The MLB the Show Hall of Fame
Vote for your favorite cards from MLB the Show '22
One stupid idea that I’ve long had was to create an MLB the Show Hall of Fame.
Every season has its community favorites, usually for their ability to hit endless moonshots thanks to a glitch in the matrix. I’ll have to put together a Veterans Committee to help me remember some of the GOATs from years past (was it 2019 that Alberto Mondesi was unstoppable?), but let’s vote now while ’22 remains relatively fresh in our minds.
If I missed any, tweet me at @davidstegon and we can add them to a future vote. We’ll induct the top vote-getters for this year’s class.
I include 12 names here because I struggled to keep it to 10. I would vote for Devers, Johnson, McCutchen, Rollins and Soto. I know a lot of people absolutely love Reynolds. He’s been meh for me. Same with Ramirez who I’ve given up countless home runs to but I’m yet to get him playing at the same God mode as everyone else.
What player card will you remember the most from ’22? Who did I miss?
(NOTE: I’m new to Substack, so I understand the polls above are wonky. Vote for who you like, and just reload the page and vote again if so inclined. Digital Jose Ramirez thanks you.)
Catching Up on News
San Diego Studios continues to bomb us with news and information about ’23. The inclusion of players from the World Baseball Classic is an easy win and I am ready for some unknown Australian switch-hitting middle infielder to ruin everyone for the first couple weeks of the game (and become an early contender for the ’23 Hall of Fame class).
The most interesting part for me is the number of live series 99s available day one. Long-time players know that even baseball’s best players often only get a 94 or so to start. This shows how different team building will be this season and Live Series's role.
Often, the Live Series cards exist to get the big collection reward. I would play with Trout or Acuna for a bit, but they would usually end up on the bench – or out of the lineup – pretty quickly. Not anymore. It seems as if these cards could stick around all season.
There are also huge stub market ramifications. Three main questions for now:
Will this significantly raise prices for top players? If Aaron Judge has utility beyond collections, it could increase demand for cards like his. The people who might sell an expensive card in the past to complete collections may instead choose to hold on. I imagine the first few weeks will increase the endless card flipping needed to get good cards.
How will this impact card investing? A segment of players loves investing in Live Series cards they believe will get a rating boost. Could betting on a Live Series card to go diamond or become a high diamond be even more valuable under this new system?
Finally, how will Captains and themed teams impact the market? Could a Mets-themed Live Series team cost 8 billion stubs?
Lots of questions to answer as we head into ’23. Follow @MLBTheShowNews3 to stay updated on all the latest game announcements.
My Ranked Seasons lineup
I’ll post my Ranked Seasons lineup throughout the year and discuss who I play and why. This is my end-of-year squad for ’22.
SS Jimmy Rollins
LF Rickey Henderson
RF Bryan Reynolds
1B Babe Ruth
CF Mickey Mantle
2B Ray Durham
3B Chipper Jones
C Adley Rutschman
SP Randy Johnson / Justin Verlander / Corey Kluber / Johnny Cueto / Chris Sale
BULLPEN Goose Gossage / Billy Wagner / John Duran / Josh Hader / Dennis Eckersley (not sure why) / Aroldis Chapman / Edwin Diaz
BENCH Michael Harris Jr. / Bryan Reynolds / Honus Wagner / Joe Mauer / Jim Edmonds
I’ve started playing ’22 more again after a good break. I mixed up my team, eliminating guys I have at P5 who are not named Jimmy Rollins. This is mostly to play around with guys I rarely use this season. Pitching stayed the same.
Buy my book!
“How to Make World Series: An Expert’s Guide to Maximizing Your Results in Diamond Dynasty,” now available on Amazon.
Join My Partner Program
OK, it is not really a program but an opportunity to connect and see how we can work together. I need help promoting the book and this substack. Email MakeWorldSeries@gmail.com if interested.
I’m happy to pay for promotion if you have a significant following. We can also find other ways to support each other’s work or accounts.
Calling All Creators
Speaking of Creators, I do want to start a podcast series where we speak with the men and women who Tweet, stream, or create video content about The Show. Reach out to Chris Duong at @duongest if interested in a guest spot.
Need something to listen to?
Each week @SportsPenguin and I talk baseball, basketball, and general nonsense on our podcast: At the Plate, On Deck. This week’s episode touches on conference basketball tournaments, Ja Morant’s downfall, and much more.