[2010kardz]

I know it sounds crazy to ask someone who I want to collect. So I guess what I'm asking is how do you guys pick who you collect? In the past I have tried chasing my favorite Braves players, but they always get traded away and I feel like I've wasted my time. My backup option was Todd Frazier because I also closely follow the Reds. Then the past off season happened and I am stuck with a bunch of Todd Fraziers and very little interest in the player now. I want to continue to collect because I feel like it keeps me sane in this insane world lol. I just really dislike the feeling of having another project become obsolete in my eyes. I know there is always risk, but is there a way to play it safe?

[madamson]

If you are a Braves fan, there are a couple of options I think:

1) Dansby Swanson - personally, I think he's going to be the next Chipper Jones of the Braves where he will be a superstar and they will keep him no matter what so I feel he is a safe bet. (Disclaimer: never a guarantee as we've found out with the Braves, however they are in total rebuild mode).

2) Former Players - what about a guy like Chipper? Maddux? Murphy? It might be fun to find those .25 cards at a show and who knows; you might find that there were several issues that you didn't know existed!

Just my 2 cents.

Happy Collecting!

Mark

[kens05goat]

I'd say go after a player that you like that has already retired. I'm also a Braves fan, and I had a Heyward jersey, then he got traded, Kimbrel jersey, he got traded. So, I grabbed a Chipper and Dale Murphy jerseys. I don't collect any new players exclusively, but if I pull a cool card, I'll keep it.

[2010kardz]

I usually try to pick up any former braves stars. Ive even spent the last year or so trying to get as many Mark Lemke cards as I possibly can. Mainly because I like chasing cards that don't pop up online or at shows often. Its pretty tough finding some of the "rarer" Mark Lemke cards. I love getting excited when a .15 cent card pops up on ebay for $5 lol (not a great investment but its fun). I like the idea of Dansby Swanson and I have thought about going that road. I would like to collect someone in new releases as well as the former Braves I pick up already. Thanks for the input guys!

[jonathani]

If you were drafted by and now play for the Cubs, you make my short list. If you are ever traded, forget it.

[2010kardz]

If you were drafted by and now play for the Cubs, you make my short list. If you are ever traded, forget it.

So what do you do with the cards you have of former players? Do you try to sell or put them away and move on? What about players like Kerry Wood or Greg Maddux?

[elberson]

Start a vintage Hank Aaron run

[DrMitchJ]

I know it sounds crazy to ask someone who I want to collect. So I guess what I'm asking is how do you guys pick who you collect? In the past I have tried chasing my favorite Braves players, but they always get traded away and I feel like I've wasted my time. My backup option was Todd Frazier because I also closely follow the Reds. Then the past off season happened and I am stuck with a bunch of Todd Fraziers and very little interest in the player now. I want to continue to collect because I feel like it keeps me sane in this insane world lol. I just really dislike the feeling of having another project become obsolete in my eyes. I know there is always risk, but is there a way to play it safe?

I agree with picking an older, retired Braves Star, semiStar or HOF'er. You'll never be disappointed. They'll always be a Braves player. (Unless they become a manager for another team in their retired years ... Like Joe Torre going to the HOF in a Yankees uni after his career playing for the Cards)

Personally, I'm a Yankee collector, but also a player collector. Luckily for me, some of my players eventually become Yankees and its like a double bonus (ie:I started a Starlin Castro collection back in 2011 ... Doing great with NY so far)
As a player collector, I really don't care what uniform they're wearing. (ie: even though Robinson Cano went west to Seattle, I still collect him. Mostly in Yankee uniforms but I'm not very particular, Mariners uni is fine, too)

One suggestion. Buy non-licensed products of current Braves players you like. Markakis gets traded from the Braves next year, who cares, the uniforms almost all look alike when they're de-licensed

[petillo64]

As an a's fan, I feel your pain...

Now, I refuse to collect Oakland a's players (anything more than a cool card or five)... And collect players who I like to watch/follow, regardless of team. My main pc guy is yelich, and regardless of what team he played for, I'll be cheering him on.

[rmpaq5]

The guys in my Sig are my main PC players. Tram was my childhood baseball hero and spent his entire career in Detroit (but I do have one card of him as a coach on the Cubs staff), Verlander for modern player (and if he ever goes to another team I will still collect that uni) and Bertoia as he is from my hometown and I met him several times when I was a kid caddying at the golf course he often played (and I actively search for all his cards, even the non-Tiger ones). I have a few other players I collect when I come across them (all of them are from my hometown of Windsor Ontario) most of them have no connection to the Tigers.