Beckett Sports Card Hot / Cold – October 22, 2022

Welcome to another Beckett Sports Card Hot/Cold where we take a fun and quick look at what’s hot and what’s not in the worlds of sports cards and sports. The Sports Equinox is upon us where baseball, basketball, football and hockey are all happening at the same time.

The stakes are highest at the moment in baseball where it’s down to just four teams. Like any postseason, there are a lot of players contributing in key situations. From a hobby perspective, perhaps none are bigger right now that Bryce Harper. It’s hard to comprehend that, despite being in the majors for a decade, he only just turned 30. Over the years, Harper has been a polarizing player, embracing the role of both hero and villain. But the fact remains that he’s a two-time National League MVP who should be starting to hit some career milestones over the next couple of years. The Phillies are looking very strong at the moment and some World Series heroics could vault Harper back into the elite of the hobby’s elite once again.

Another player to watch is Houston’s Jeremy Peña. Most of the rookie talk this year has involved any combination of Wander Franco, Julio Rodriguez or Bobby Witt Jr. But Peña put together a solid season for the Astros including 22 home runs. He’s been even better in the postseason where entering the weekend he’s batting .333 with a pair of home runs. As Houston continues to be perennial World Series threats, the 25-year-old shortstop is someone to keep an eye on.