gladdyontherise
07-14-2009, 04:33 PM
4th article out of the 5 for writing team trial
Collecting players and teams use to be one of the only ways collectors collected, other than building sets. People collected there favorite team without the worry of a player being traded or leaving the team because it use to be very rare that players moved from one team to another.
However, the end of this came with what we all now know and some of us love, free agency. Since free agency came into effect it has effected the card market significantly. When a player was traded, people who collected the team of the player would either A) try and trade for his cards right when they heard about a recent trade/signing, or B) try to trade everything of the player away since he left the team the person collected.
Many people including myself collect only current players on there favorite team. Its great to do and tons of fun, of course till a player leaves and you are stuck with a bunch of cards you no longer want or have need for. It wasn’t always like this though, when there was no free agency or many trades that happened, collectors probably felt assured that they could collect there favorite team and not worry that the players on the team would leave. Back in the day tons of players were “franchise players” meaning they stayed on the same team for there entire career.
Now though, players can end up on several different teams, no matter how good or bad the player is, for instance, a Hall of Fame player, Rickey Henderson, he played for several different teams including the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox. Probably something team/player collectors weren’t excited about.
I collect Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, Miguel has played for the Florida Marlins as well as the Detroit Tigers, Verlander has played for just the Tigers in his young career. Would I still collect these players if they went to a different team? I can honestly say that I am not sure if I would, it would most likely depend on the team that they were traded to or who they signed with. This is probably the case for many collectors as well.
I also collect Charlie Villanueva, he was drafted in 2005, and so far in his short career he has played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, and now the Detroit Pistons. This just never use to happen before free agency.
From the way players “flop” around on teams now-a-days it makes you really have to think about who you would like to collect, you have to chose players who you feel will stay with the same team for awhile in some peoples situation. However free agency and trades will never stop collectors from collecting guys on there favorite teams, because the thrill of a new player coming to your team and you having the chance to collect there cards is just to much fun!
Will things ever go back to the way they use to be? Most likely not, but its just one little road block in the collecting avenue.
Collecting players and teams use to be one of the only ways collectors collected, other than building sets. People collected there favorite team without the worry of a player being traded or leaving the team because it use to be very rare that players moved from one team to another.
However, the end of this came with what we all now know and some of us love, free agency. Since free agency came into effect it has effected the card market significantly. When a player was traded, people who collected the team of the player would either A) try and trade for his cards right when they heard about a recent trade/signing, or B) try to trade everything of the player away since he left the team the person collected.
Many people including myself collect only current players on there favorite team. Its great to do and tons of fun, of course till a player leaves and you are stuck with a bunch of cards you no longer want or have need for. It wasn’t always like this though, when there was no free agency or many trades that happened, collectors probably felt assured that they could collect there favorite team and not worry that the players on the team would leave. Back in the day tons of players were “franchise players” meaning they stayed on the same team for there entire career.
Now though, players can end up on several different teams, no matter how good or bad the player is, for instance, a Hall of Fame player, Rickey Henderson, he played for several different teams including the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox. Probably something team/player collectors weren’t excited about.
I collect Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, Miguel has played for the Florida Marlins as well as the Detroit Tigers, Verlander has played for just the Tigers in his young career. Would I still collect these players if they went to a different team? I can honestly say that I am not sure if I would, it would most likely depend on the team that they were traded to or who they signed with. This is probably the case for many collectors as well.
I also collect Charlie Villanueva, he was drafted in 2005, and so far in his short career he has played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors, and now the Detroit Pistons. This just never use to happen before free agency.
From the way players “flop” around on teams now-a-days it makes you really have to think about who you would like to collect, you have to chose players who you feel will stay with the same team for awhile in some peoples situation. However free agency and trades will never stop collectors from collecting guys on there favorite teams, because the thrill of a new player coming to your team and you having the chance to collect there cards is just to much fun!
Will things ever go back to the way they use to be? Most likely not, but its just one little road block in the collecting avenue.