Location, Location, Location
The massive news of Juan Soto moving to the Yankees got me thinking about a topic that I’ve been intrigued with for a while. Mainly, I want to figure out what cities or organizations help hobby value and which ones erode value.
Location, location, location. We’ve all heard that mantra. While it is certainly true for real estate, it also seems true for the hobby. I think most hobbyists would readily recognize that playing for the New York Yankees brings more hobby value than playing for the Miami Marlins, but it is likely the significance is overblown.
For me, baseball is the sport where the market matters the most. The main reason being is that card prices in baseball are less impacted by team performance than other sports. Players in the NBA and NFL can overcome their less-popular cities through winning. This is less the case with baseball. Team success helps for sure (see Posey, Buster) but it matters less than in basketball and football.
So, let’s try to gauge which baseball organizations bring the most benefits to hobby value.
Big Benefits
1. New York Yankees- The Yankees mystique is still going strong and there is still no other organization that gets collectors chomping at the bit like the Yankees do. So far though as of writing on Thursday, Soto hasn’t seen a major price increase. It is still very early and he has seen a MAJOR increase in sales volume. His volume of cards sold in the last day trails only the biggest names in the hobby. This means he will likely see a price bump as soon as all the lower-priced cards are hoovered up.
2. Atlanta Braves- I’d love to put the Braves first, but I can’t even with my Braves bias. That said, I think they are a solid second despite Atlanta not being a top-five media market. What the Braves have though is telling for the rankings of the other teams. First, they benefit from years of exposure on TBS. Second, they benefit from years of success which builds a fanbase. These two factors make the Braves one of the most sought-after teams in the hobby. Anyone who has ever tried to buy the Braves in a break can attest to this.
Moderate Benefits
3. Boston Red Sox- A year ago I would’ve put the Red Sox in a higher tier. Oddly, I think last year being on the Red Sox actually hurt several players this year so I dropped them down as their benefits are too dependent on team success. I’m convinced Triston Casas remains absurdly undervalued as Red Sox fans became too overly put out with the team to notice him last year.
4. Chicago Cubs- The Cubs benefit from all the WGN games just like the Braves do with TBS. These televised games made a generation of fans regardless of geographic location and the benefits are still rolling in.
5. St. Louis Cardinals- To me, they are the NL’s more palatable version of the Yankees. A deep fanbase and avoiding overly long downturns helps them remain the class of the NL.
Teams that Help a Bit
6. New York Mets- The Mets have some dysfunction which keeps them out of the top five, but the New York market and a passionate group of fans keep them in the top 10.
7. Philadelphia Phillies- They would rank higher but there is some backlash against Philadelphia fans that keep them out of the top 10.
8. Los Angeles Dodgers- I actually think they might belong out of the top 10. Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts both have performed like MVPs in the second-largest media market, but have seen their hobby values stagnate and their hobby attention dwindle. The problem with both is that they left markets that were more popular in the hobby.
9. San Francisco Giants- The Giants get forgotten about from time to time, but a long history and their competitiveness keeps them in the top 10.
10. Seattle Mariners- The Mariners grabbed the attention of the hobby with Ken Griffey Jr. and his popularity has kept the Mariners as one of the more popular teams in the hobby.
The Middle
11. Philadelphia Phillies- We are to the point where overall there is neither gain or loss in hobby value based on location.
12. Los Angeles Angels- Ohtani and Trout are big names in spite of the Angels and not because of them.
13. Chicago White Sox- The Sox are the start of our AL Central block of mediocrity.
14. Detroit Tigers- The Tigers fans seem locked in a permanent state of disappointment. There is enough history and talent to keep them in the top half of the list.
15. Cleveland Guardians- The last team in the top half of the list is solidly average in terms of hobby attention.
16. Houston Astros- On the one hand, Houston has a top-five fanbase IMO. On the other hand, the World Series scandal still looms large and makes the Astros Kryptonite for many collectors. The two factors wash each other out and leave the Astros stuck in the middle.
17. San Diego Padres- Moving south on this list in a hurry.
18. Baltimore Orioles- Moving up this list in a hurry. They were ignored for years but now have a critical mass of young stars drawing attention to the team.
19. Texas Rangers- Playing second fiddle to the Astros in Texas limits their appeal.
20. Milwaukee Brewers- Well, at least they don’t sap hobby value.
Hurts Slightly
21. Cincinnati Reds- I’m surprised they are this low to be honest. The fact is that collectors pretty much ignored all the young talent on the Reds this year and the Reds pedigree just isn’t what it used to be. Naysayers will point to Elly De La Cruz; however, the reception of the Reds other young players is more indicative of the Reds’ influence on the hobby.
22. Minnesota Twins- The Twins had success this year but collectors are treating them like a fluke. That doesn’t happen to many markets.
23. Toronto Blue Jays- Playing in Canada is neat, but it limits their appeal.
24. Tampa Bay Rays- They are trying to work their way out of the bottom with a crop of talented youngsters. The Wander Franco fiasco hurts those efforts.
Hurts a Lot
25. Washington Nationals- When the Nationals traded Soto, Scherzer, and Turner one could watch the prices of cards for the prospects they got in return drop precipitously. Lack of history and a weak fanbase hurts their appeal.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates- The oldest team in the bottom five has just spent too many years in irrelevancy and it is hurting the prices of any young Pirates player.
27. Kansas City Royals- A small market with low expectations isn’t doing anyone any favors.
28. Miami Marlins- Newer team that keeps dumping talent. Not a recipe for hobby glory.
29. Colorado Rockies- Without the A’s collapse, they’d be an easy last place. The main problem is that if hitters do well there everyone treats the numbers as if the player was on steroids due to the Coors effect. It is also likely there will never be ANY Rockies pitcher with hobby value.
30. Oakland Athletics- The team is in transition and has alienated most of its existing fanbase. For now, the A’s are a dumping ground and the hobby world is staying away.
Wrap Up
That’s my list. Where am I way off? Should the Dodgers be ranked higher or lower? Let me know in the comments.
