**The Perennial MIKE TROUT Thread**

[BigL7370]

Having a drug addict eat pus off his back to earn money to feed the druggie’s habit.

[WillBaseball]

People have such a short memory, on-to-the-next-thing, no attention span. This degenerate era is the exact opposite of good old slowly-but-surely, 162+ slow burn games a year, 15 - 20+ year Hall of Fame credential building baseball.

Mike was firing the machine back up at the end of the season there. He has a pretty decent shot to be right back in the conversation if he can muster health for a couple years. Athletes, particularly baseball players, do unprecedented “impossible” stuff everyday. No one wants it more than he does.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by WillBaseball

People have such a short memory, on-to-the-next-thing, no attention span. This degenerate era is the exact opposite of good old slowly-but-surely, 162+ slow burn games a year, 15 - 20+ year Hall of Fame credential building baseball.

Mike was firing the machine back up at the end of the season there. He has a pretty decent shot to be right back in the conversation if he can muster health for a couple years. Athletes, particularly baseball players, do unprecedented “impossible” stuff everyday. No one wants it more than he does.

Back in what conversation exactly? His production peak is over. His hobby peak is over. When he’s not hurt he plays for a team that nobody watches because they play too late and they’re irrelevant. And they’ve been irrelevant for his entire tenure.

Those are some big obstacles to overcome. His CL index is back to what it was in early 2019. It’s a cautionary tale that few players can maintain the magic necessary to capture the hobby’s attention. The people buying Trout today are his collectors. Speculating on his performance is over.

[fulltritty]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

I asked this question too here a while back: What is Trout's big moment that people remember?

Carrying the hobby to the pandemic, when it became cool to collect

But no one who doesn't collect cards will remember that. And with the way BO is, that opinion is probably highly debatable.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Back in what conversation exactly? His production peak is over. His hobby peak is over. When he’s not hurt he plays for a team that nobody watches because they play too late and they’re irrelevant. And they’ve been irrelevant for his entire tenure.

Those are some big obstacles to overcome. His CL index is back to what it was in early 2019. It’s a cautionary tale that few players can maintain the magic necessary to capture the hobby’s attention. The people buying Trout today are his collectors. Speculating on his performance is over.

I hope he can at least stay mostly healthy and put up decent numbers the rest of his career. Obviously he's now way past his prime, but if he can at least finish out his contract as a productive player, that's probably all most fans can ask for at this point. MVP-caliber Trout is dead.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by fulltritty

But no one who doesn't collect cards will remember that And with the way BO is, that opinion is probably highly debatable.

This is true. we see a lot of folks that joined post-2020 chiming in.

"YEA BUT I WAS COLLECTING BEFORE 2020 I JUST WASNT ON HERE!"

blah blah blah im sure you were, but you dint join here until then, why is that?

you probably found out about this place when you were stuck inside 24/7

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

This is true. we see a lot of folks that joined post-2020 chiming in.

"YEA BUT I WAS COLLECTING BEFORE 2020 I JUST WASNT ON HERE!"

blah blah blah im sure you were, but you dint join here until then, why is that?

you probably found out about this place when you were stuck inside 24/7

Because there were better options. I didn't join here until long after lockdown was over, but was VERY active on Beckett since 2004. Blowout was a nobody to us over there.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Because there were better options. I didn't join here until long after lockdown was over, but was VERY active on Beckett since 2004. Blowout was a nobody to us over there.

BMB died at the end of 2006 when they "updated" their message boards.
Then we went to FCB for a bit, and then here was the place to be before Social Media ruined everything

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

BMB died at the end of 2006 when they "updated" their message boards.
Then we went to FCB for a bit, and then here was the place to be before Social Media ruined everything

The riff raff came here. The rest of us stayed behind.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

The riff raff came here. The rest of us stayed behind.

hahahaha!

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

This is true. we see a lot of folks that joined post-2020 chiming in.

"YEA BUT I WAS COLLECTING BEFORE 2020 I JUST WASNT ON HERE!"

blah blah blah im sure you were, but you dint join here until then, why is that?

you probably found out about this place when you were stuck inside 24/7

You loooooove being a butthole to anyone who joined 2020 or after, huh? No one questions your bonafides, so no need to feel insecure!

I started seriously collecting in 2016. Why did I join here? Two main events: I kept getting “good deals” on green refractors and was wondering if it was just because people just didn’t like them (BO helped confirm my hunch), and then I bought a Elway RC slabbed by Gem Mint Grading and was wondering if it was a scam (BO helped confirm that it was). So since they were useful in those two situations, I figured they could help me collect better… and overall it’s been a net positive.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

You loooooove being a butthole to anyone who joined 2020 or after, huh? No one questions your bonafides, so no need to feel insecure!

I started seriously collecting in 2016. Why did I join here? Two main events: I kept getting “good deals” on green refractors and was wondering if it was just because people just didn’t like them (BO helped confirm my hunch), and then I bought a Elway RC slabbed by Gem Mint Grading and was wondering if it was a scam (BO helped confirm that it was). So since they were useful in those two situations, I figured they could help me collect better… and overall it’s been a net positive.

i am glad you are here!

[MiamiMarlinsFan]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

i am glad you are here!

I’m glad you’re here even though you hate us newbs! Haha

I’ve learned a lot about collecting from you.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

I’m glad you’re here even though you hate us newbs! Haha

I’ve learned a lot about collecting from you.

i dont hate newbs! i just get touchy when it comes to Hobby Trout

TY for the kind words!

[WillBaseball]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Back in what conversation exactly? His production peak is over. His hobby peak is over. When he’s not hurt he plays for a team that nobody watches because they play too late and they’re irrelevant. And they’ve been irrelevant for his entire tenure.

Those are some big obstacles to overcome. His CL index is back to what it was in early 2019. It’s a cautionary tale that few players can maintain the magic necessary to capture the hobby’s attention. The people buying Trout today are his collectors. Speculating on his performance is over.

The conversation of collecting solid numbers and even being great. The shared article says; it will be hard, but acknowledges multiple times it’s possible for him to become one of the top players again.

Albeit unlikely, I hope he returns to being great, at least one crazy year, hopefully a few years. He had years of injuries and some of them flukey. This was his first fairly healthy, he wanted to be out there so bad, and he had his worst numbers. Now just put up another healthy year. Then another.

It might not all be Paul Goldschmidt at 35 winning the MVP… but that’s not even unprecedented, and I don’t know why so many are so eager to bury him and say it’s impossible. I have no bags and I’m rooting for him.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by WillBaseball

The conversation of collecting solid numbers and even being great. The shared article says; it will be hard, but acknowledges multiple times it’s possible for him to become one of the top players again.

Albeit unlikely, I hope he returns to being great, at least one crazy year, hopefully a few years. He had years of injuries and some of them flukey. This was his first fairly healthy, he wanted to be out there so bad, and he had his worst numbers. Now just put up another healthy year. Then another.

It might not all be Paul Goldschmidt at 35 winning the MVP… but that’s not even unprecedented, and I don’t know why so many are so eager to bury him and say it’s impossible. I have no bags and I’m rooting for him.

He’s had one great season in the last six. And that will have come four seasons ago when 2026 starts. He’s a 34 year old with injury problems. In his “fairly healthy” 2025, he still missed 20% of the season.

He’s not Barry Bonds. He’s taking the production path that most everybody has taken the last 30 years once they get into their mid-30s. It’s not a knock on him. Just a fact.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

He’s had one great season in the last six. And that will have come four seasons ago when 2026 starts. He’s a 34 year old with injury problems. In his “fairly healthy” 2025, he still missed 20% of the season.

He’s not Barry Bonds. He’s taking the production path that most everybody has taken the last 30 years once they get into their mid-30s. It’s not a knock on him. Just a fact.

And his injury is a rare spinal condition that will probably affect him the rest of his career (and even rest of his life). Not like it can heal 100% like a broken bone can. If he can just stay healthy enough to mash 500+ home runs, everything else he does in his career is gravy IMO. He's not winning a WS ever as long as he's an Angel though.

[49ersSF]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

I asked this question too here a while back: What is Trout's big moment that people remember?

Carrying the hobby to the pandemic, when it became cool to collect

In terms of the hobby, i'd say Kobe, MJ, Steph, and Lebron carried the hobby from 2012 to 2020.

In terms of baseball, I'd say prospecting carried the hobby. While Trout was one of the top individuals collected during that time, I have a tough time seeing how he turned the dial much in terms of the hobby as a whole. Prospecting and breaking were what the hobby was all about prior to the pandemic.

[ThoseBackPages]

Originally Posted by 49ersSF

In terms of the hobby, i'd say Kobe, MJ, Steph, and Lebron carried the hobby from 2012 to 2020.

In terms of baseball, I'd say prospecting carried the hobby. While Trout was one of the top individuals collected during that time, I have a tough time seeing how he turned the dial much in terms of the hobby as a whole. Prospecting and breaking were what the hobby was all about prior to the pandemic.

and who was the one that launched "Prospecting"?

OMGZ (latest prospect name here) is gonna be the next Trout!

i get it, you dont like Trout which is fine.

[REGGIE206]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

and who was the one that launched "Prospecting"?

OMGZ (latest prospect name here) is gonna be the next Trout!

This is all true. Regardless how Trout turned out after his injuries, there was definitely a time Trout was the “baseball hobby king”. Even his second and third year cards were on fire during his prime.

The 2011 Trout Update RC made people desire future “Flagship Update” releases. The 2009 Trout Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto made people start collecting future minor league 1st BC autos.

You can’t rewrite history.

[ScooterD]

Originally Posted by REGGIE206

This is all true. Regardless how Trout turned out after his injuries, there was definitely a time Trout was the “baseball hobby king”. Even his second and third year cards were on fire during his prime.

The 2011 Trout Update RC made people desire future “Flagship Update” releases. The 2009 Trout Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto made people start collecting future minor league 1st BC autos.

You can’t rewrite history.

I agree that Trout was baseball’s hobby king for a number of years, but I would argue that the ‘01 Bowman Pujols auto started people on Bowman 1sts

[REGGIE206]

Originally Posted by ScooterD

I agree that Trout was baseball’s hobby king for a number of years, but I would argue that the ‘01 Bowman Pujols auto started people on Bowman 1sts

It is hard to compare that ‘01 card to Trout’s ‘09 card because that ‘01 Pujols Bowman Chrome Auto was an actual “rookie card” and Trout’s card was a minor league prospect card.

That Trout BC Prospect Auto started the “I want his 1st Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto” craze.

[21Pittsburgh58]

I'm still a Trout fan!!!

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by REGGIE206

This is all true. Regardless how Trout turned out after his injuries, there was definitely a time Trout was the “baseball hobby king”. Even his second and third year cards were on fire during his prime.

The 2011 Trout Update RC made people desire future “Flagship Update” releases. The 2009 Trout Bowman Chrome Prospect Auto made people start collecting future minor league 1st BC autos.

You can’t rewrite history.

Many dreams were made and many dreams were shattered.

[49ersSF]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

and who was the one that launched "Prospecting"?

OMGZ (latest prospect name here) is gonna be the next Trout!

i get it, you dont like Trout which is fine.

Launched?

Collectors have been prospecting for decades. No doubt in 2009, people were heavily prospecting Trout, much like they prospected Bryce Harper around the same time. By 2012, prospectors had moved on to the next possible diamond in the rough. The vast majority of collecting in baseball has been and will continue to be prospecting, while other sports are more focused on stars. The way the draft works and how long it takes players to reach the big leagues are the main reasons for the differences in collecting between MLB, the NBA, and the NFL.

Additionally, the lack of star appeal in the MLB during Trout's peak also played its part. MLB tried desperately to make Trout their Jordan, Kobe, Brady, etc, but it never worked. Trout remained only relevant to a minimal audience who were fans of baseball. It was not until the likes of Ohtani and Judge that you see MLB have their faces of the sport, which is why you see baseball gaining fan interest for the first time since the McGwire/Sosa days.