Sports and lists go hand in hand. So do trading cards and lists. That's why I never tire of reading fellow bloggers' "list" posts and writing them myself.
Each year Night Owl creates his 30 Teams post where he ranks all 30 MLB teams from his favorite to his least favorite. I've attempted to sit down and do this myself on a few occasions, but have failed miserably. It's easy for me to point out teams I like and don't like, but ranking the middle ten to fifteen teams become a nightmare.
My solution? Wait until the MLB reaches the divisional series of the playoffs when there are only eight teams remaining. It still wasn't easy picking between the Astros and Dodgers or the Rays and Braves, but I managed to hammer it out and finalize my list.
So without further ado, here are my Elite Eight team rankings based on how well I like them...
#8: New York Yankees
2014 Topps Chrome #10
The Yankees have enough hardware to last my lifetime. I cannot imagine a situation where I would root for them in a World Series.
As for the cards in this post... I paired up each team with an active player from that franchise that I enjoy collecting or at the very least resides in one of my PC's.
#7: Houston Astros
2017 Topps Definitive Collection Autographed Relic #ARC-JA
I originally had the Dodgers penciled in at this spot, but when I broke things down and asked myself who I would root for if they met the Astros in the World Series, I chose the Dodgers. Sure hope my brother doesn't read this post.
#6: Los Angeles Dodgers
2010 Allen and Ginter Framed Autograph #AGA-CK
If you had to pick a National League version of the New York Yankees... the Dodgers would at the very least be in the discussion. The franchise isn't afraid to spend money and the team they've assembled is locked, loaded, and primed to win this year's World Series. That being said... I won't be rooting for them unless they're playing the Yankees or the Astros. (which after yesterday might just be the case).
#5: Florida Marlins
2020 Topps Chrome #82
I just looked at the Marlins roster on Baseball Reference thirty seconds ago and recognized about a dozen names. But if you asked me to name them right now, I couldn't. Starling Marte, Jordan Yamamoto, Matt Joyce, and Brian Anderson. Yup. That's all I've got. Hard to root for a team I really know nothing about.
#4: Tampa Bay Rays
2016 Five Star Autograph #FSA-BSN
I really, really wanted to put these guys ahead of the Braves... since they're one of six franchises that have never won a World Series title. But I grew up watching the Atlanta Braves on TBS and I'd wouldn't mind seeing Freddie Freeman win a ring.
#3: Atlanta Braves
2013 Five Star Autographs #FSBA-FF
If the A's and Padres are knocked out... I'll be rooting for the Braves and Rays. And like I mentioned above... it'd be close, but ultimately I'm gonna go with Team TBS and my childhood.
#2: San Diego Padres
2019 Stadium Club Autographs #SCA-FTA
The San Diego Padres have been my favorite National League team since the mid 80's. I remember watching one of the World Series games in PE with everyone rooting for the Detroit Tigers... which led me to cheering for the Padres. Within a year or two, I had become a huge Tony Gwynn fan and the rest is history.
#1: Oakland A's
2019 Stadium Club Autographs #SCA-RL
The Oakland A's have been my favorite baseball team for as long as I can remember. Although I'll be rooting for the A's and Padres, my wallet says the Rays (please bounce back and beat the Yankees) and Dodgers will be battling it out in a few weeks. And if/when they do... according to my rankings... I'll be rooting for the Rays.
Thank you for taking the time to read my "list" post. And fellow bloggers, just know that I will never tire of reading yours. #listpostsrule
If you have any suggestions for future "list" posts, please write them down below in the comment section and I'll try my best to build it for you.
Happy Tuesday and sayonara!
Not bad. You got 1 and 2 right.
ReplyDeleteSolid and sound Elite 8. The Dodgers and Cardinals for me are the two NL teams I'm over. For the AL I imagine it's the Yankees, Red Sox and Astros. Traditionally though I'm anti West Coast World Series just because the game times could be later than if it was an East Coast setting. If that makes any sense... As usual you've shown some really wonderful cards. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI'll go-
ReplyDelete1. Dodgers
2. Astros
3. Marlins
4. Braves
5. Padres
6. Athletics
7. Yankees
8. Rays
I'm actually hoping that the Astros prove they can win with their given abilities...although they'll never be able to erase the cheating that they did.
They've got some terrific ballplayers. I've always like Altuve and Springer.
Good Job. 👍
If you flip 7 & 8 and 1 & 2, then we'd agree perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see a team, which has never won the WS walk away with the title if possible. Also, not a fan of the Astros and probably won't be again until they turn that roster over.
I have never met a Padres fan in person in over 50 years on the planet. Until I started blogging about cards I never knew one. Social media is about the only place where it isn't weird to see people rooting for the Padres.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Dodgers aren't afraid to spend money. Every team should be that way. This isn't 1953. You won't win if you don't spend money.
"I cannot imagine a situation where I would root for (the Yankees) in a World Series.": 2001.
Rays need to stick it to the freaking Bankee$. I thought they had a good shot at beating them, but right now, the Dodgers might be the only thing standing in their way. Hoping my Rays bounce back because they have a really good club and I don’t think they will get much better than this or have such a good opportunity at a ring for a while. My teams in order are
ReplyDelete1. Rays-one of my 2 favorite teams
2. Dodgers-they have been so close in the past few years
3. Braves-they have some young stars who need rings
4. Astros-I really don’t mind the trash can banging. They were smart to think of it, and they just happened to get caught. Plus, it would mean that the Bankee$ didn’t make it
5. Athletics-I just don’t connect with anyone on their team, and I don’t think they have the firepower to beat a top tier team in a long series
6. Marlins-If they win, it would just prove that the season was a sham and that a team that got hot and was barely at .500 was hot during the playoffs
7. Padres-I can’t stand the bat flipping and showboating of punks like Machado and Tatis.
8. Bankee$-they don’t need more rings and more ammunition for those annoying bandwagon fans
I expected your top two but I was a little surprised the Braves are so high. TBS really was everywhere, wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteNot even going to rank my favorites because I don't want to jinx anyone, but a certain prominent blogger would be very happy if my top choice won.
The team in question will likely play the Astros or Yankees in the World Series, because 2020 is evil. If that's the ALCS I'd have to go with Houston, too. If I can't root for the Yanks six weeks after 9/11 I can't root for them ever.
If this were a regular year:
ReplyDeleteA's, Padres, Rays, Braves, Marlins, Astros, Dodgers, Yankees
This year with a short, illegitimate season and a BS playoff structure that allowed two sub-.500 teams in? Astros all the way. I'd hate for a team to get its first win (or to break a long streak) with an asterisk-worthy championship. This season is tainted and here's no team more worthy of representing it than an Astros team that finished below .500 after starting the season with a slap on the wrist punishment for cheating. 2020 will always be the year that doesn't count so it deserves a garbage ending.
Thinking I should do an NFL version of this sometime
ReplyDeleteI’m one of the fans that just wants a good series. I do hope that the A’s, Padres, or Dodgers make it. You have a nice run of Autos there.
ReplyDeleteIn a nutshell:
ReplyDelete8. Yankees
1. - 7. Anyone else but them
Padres at #1 of course. But if the Dodgers beat them then Dodgers and at least we lost to the champions.
ReplyDeleteelliptical man - 1 and 2 are the most important ;D
ReplyDeletepeter k. steinberg - i don't know how you east coast guys put up with west coast televised sporting events. i'm the guy trying to be in bed by 9pm, if i had to watch games on hawaii time i'd be super annoyed
john sharp - i can live with the astros cheating. i think more teams cheat than we'd like to admit. i'm just not a huge fan of the way they handled the situation. i rooted for altuve this year, but won't while they're playing the a's.
p-town tom - seems like a lot of fans feel the same way as you with the astros. wish they had just owned it, offered a sincere apology, and moved forward. that's what i'd want from my students. that's all i'd want from them. now that doesn't mean everything would have been perfectly okay... but it would have been a start
night owl - i've know a handful of padres fans over the years, but the three other bloggers who also root for them matched my real life friends. i agree about the spending money part. there's no rules against, so spend away. as for the 2001 world series... i totally rooted for the diamondbacks :D
jeremya1um - we agree on the yankees. but i love the bat flipping. i started collecting jose bautista for that reason alone ;D
chris - tbs was the reason i'm such a big fan of maddux. as an american i was rooting for new york in 2001, but i rooted for the diamondbacks during the world series. seems like a lot of guys are rooting for the dodgers this year. i won't complain too much. at least it'll mean the yankees didn't win
nick vossbrik - i look at it a little differently, because i feel like i'll always remember this year b/c it was so terrible. i'd like the a's or padres to win, so there was at least one thing i could be happy about. sadly... it doesn't look good for either of my teams.
sport card collectors - i'll try to remember to do this when the nfl playoffs start.
sumomenkoman - the dodgers are primed to win it. the a's are on life support. and the padres will need to figure out their pitching situation fast to even have a chance
matt - i can live with that
jongudmund - interesting way to look at it.
Astros are BY FAR #8 for me, Yankees are #7 and then everyone else is pretty close. I would like to see the A's win it all.
ReplyDeleteMy Twins were eliminated, so I'm rooting for Oakland. If they lose, then I'm pulling for the Rays.
ReplyDeletenick - let's hope the rays can take care of those astros. as for the a's, they just don't have enough consistency at the plate or on the mound. it'll be interesting to see which direction they go in the offseason
ReplyDeletegrant - looks like we're rooting for the rays. go tampa bay!