The Snorting Bull: 30 Year Top 50: 2010 Bowman

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

30 Year Top 50: 2010 Bowman

#33-Looking to buy a set for future? This is your post. The 2010 Bowman set mainly revolves around three big cards of players appearing all in only their third professional seasons. However, this set appears this high in my countdown because of the flashes of brilliance shown by the key rookie players in this set. Think about that for a second. Of the hundreds of sets that have been released over the past thirty years I am trying to pick out the best fifty. This set, three years old, potentially has three rookie cards that are already more important to the hobby of baseball cards than Chipper Jones, Pedro Martinez, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio, Joe Mauer, Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp, Felix Hernandez, Barry Larkin, Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson, Tino Martinez, Robin Ventura, Jeff Bagwell, Mike Mussina, and a few others I am sure I am missing from the previous entries in this series of blog posts. Let's look at each card.

2010 Bowman Buster Posey

This card is the most underrated of the three rookie cards in this set. Underrated. In three seasons in the Majors, Posey has won the Rookie of the Year, Two World Series titles, a batting average crown, and will have an MVP award sometimes later this week. Pretty impressive resume given he has played just three seasons and one of them was lost to a really bad leg injury sustained in a collision blocking the plate. Posey isn't going to fool anyone into thinking he's a great defensive player, but a quick glance at his Baseball Reference page shows he has similar numbers at 25 to Mike Piazza, Yogi Berra, Gabby Harnett, and Carlton Fisk. Underrated.

2010 Bowman Jason Heyward

Of the big three rookies in this set this is the card I am most unsure on. I figure that at worse Heyward is a solid and productive Major League outfielder. However, for those who regularly check out the Braves there are definitely some flashes of brilliance which make Braves fans drool. The first half of his 2010 rookie season was incredible. Heyward trialed off in the second half of the season, had a down year in 2011, but responded nicely this past season to post career highs in several offensive categories and won a Gold Glove. It's also easy to forget that Heyward just turned 23 at the end of last season. Plenty of time for Heyward to grow as a player. His cards have trailed off in value over the past year, so picking up one or two nice cards and putting them away for a few years may not be bad notion.

2010 Bowman Stephen Strasburg

I won't call Strasburg's cards underrated, but you should put a few of these away in your collection soon. Strasburg has pitched parts of three seasons and looked pretty untouchable along the way. I can't imagine the Nationals will place many restrictions on him next year and I have little reason to doubt he will not be anything less than stellar. Card really doesn't need much selling. Awesome player, awesome card. Buy one, trade for one. You need one.

Of course, there are other rookie cards in the set beyond Posey, Heyward, and Strasburg. Aroldis Chapman, Madison Bumgarner, Dustin Ackley (GTHC), and Austin Jackson also appear.

Like the 2010 Bowman Set? Not appearing in my Top 50 is the rest of the 2010 Topps baseball card lineup. I had to pick one and I went with Bowman. However, if you were going to ask me to point a year to buy up singles, wax, etc. I would say you cannot go wrong with the potential contained within the 2010 card releases. Topps did a great job of putting Posey, Strasburg, and Posey cards throughout their products during the 2010 calendar. Collectors should also check out rookie cards from Mike Stanton, Starlin Castro, Aroldis Chapman, Madison Bumgarner, and Mike Trout. Here are a few sets you can find some of these players in:

2010 National Chicle Buster Posey