I've been pretty lax on writing about Shohei Ohtani's unreal run to 50-50 and beyond in the last week. Some Dodgers fan I am.
But I'd like you to know that I've watched the highlights of the 50-50 game five times now. It's one of the great things about being a baseball fan -- seeing something you've never seen before even after 40-plus years of watching the sport.
Obviously, Ohtani blowing past 40-40 like it was an every year occurrence has had an effect on the hobby, specifically hiking the price on everything Ohtani.
I am still in need of an extra 2024 Topps flagship Ohtani base card for my complete-set chase, but for anyone with a similar need, don't bother going on COMC for it.
Amazingly, the card is sold out. That's difficult to believe. Meanwhile, there are about 196 copies available of one of his 2024 flagship combo cards.
I don't have very many Ohtani Dodgers cards, maybe a dozen, and apparently now isn't the time to look to add to my collection.
I do have the Big League "To The Moon" insert that's at the top of the post. I'm pleased about that one because there are two available on COMC for a price I wouldn't pay:
Of course, COMC is known for inflating prices. You'll be able to find this insert at a little bit more reasonable (but still inflated) price on ebay.
Then there are these yokels:
I guess I just don't have the seller mind-set in me.
Fortunately, there's always sportlots.
I can get the base card here for a buck and "To the Moon" insert for $3.
Ohtani's feat makes me know that there will be plenty of his cards in next year's products. I'm hoping there is proper recognition of his 50th home run game, especially in Heritage, which will be doing the 1976 Topps design with the wonderful Record Breaker cards that led off the '76 set.
Topps released just a couple days ago its checklist for Update and there is plenty of Ohtani content there, too.
Here is the Dodgers checklist for Update:
US13 - Shohei Ohtani/Yoshinobu Yamamoto combo
US24 - Daniel Hudson
US27 - James Paxton
US38 - Ricky Vanasco (rookie)
US68 - Ryan Yarbrough
US76 - Shohei Ohtani/Mike Trout combo
US108 - Andy Pages (rookie debut)
US123 - Shohei Ohtani season highlight
US127 - Landon Knack (rookie)
US127 - Landon Knack (rookie)
US141 - Emmet Sheehan (rookie debut)
US149 - Yoshinobu Yamamoto (rookie debut)
US196 - Blake Treinen
US221 - Andy Pages (rookie)
US258 - Alex Vesia
US300 - Tyler Glasnow
US327 - Dinelson Lamet
US334 - Mookie Betts season highlight
US340 - Gavin Stone
Lots of thoughts here. First of all, I guess it wouldn't be Update if there wasn't Bloat. So much unnecessary stuff, it overwhelms any excitement of getting new guys, not that there is a lot of that for the Dodgers.
It seems mostly to be a team set of relief pitchers, which I certainly welcome. Daniel Hudson, Ricky Vanasco, Ryan Yarbrough, Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia and Dinelson Lamet were all relievers this season. Vanasco and Lamet are bizarre inclusions. Vanesco pitched two innings for the Dodgers before getting traded to the Tigers. Lamet pitched four innings.
The extra rookie debut cards are back, which is more extra. I can appreciate the Yamamoto RD because I assume he's in an actual Dodger uniform, unlike his Series 2 card. But I don't need two Andy Pages cards in the same set. Lot of extra combo nonsense, too.
You can always estimate the "press time" for Update based on who was included. James Paxton was traded by the Dodgers at the end of July. Yarbrough was traded a couple days later.
Mostly I'm interested in getting the Tyler Glasnow card and everything else is incidental.
The Dodgers are entering the final week of the season, and it's filled with some trepidation. They have to play the dumb Padres with not much of a rotation. Then they finish up with the Rockies in Colorado, which is like playing on another planet. But maybe Ohtani can hit 60-60 against those guys!
At least there will be October baseball for Ohtani for once. And for the Dodgers. That's all any baseball fan can hope for these days -- just getting there. Anything else is greedy.
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