Fast Five: Players looking good going into MLB's second half

This one is a new department here on The Buzz ... Fast Five -- a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.

This time? Five players/groups that are looking pretty good as we start the second half of the MLB season.

WATCHING THE JUNIORS ...
The big rookies of the last few years are seemingly all paying off right now in different ways ... and that is a good thing for collectors, whether they just do the raw stuff or chase slabs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. may have ended the All-Star festivities with an MVP award and that big home run, but let's not forget that just before Shohei Ohtani took over as the primary headliner heading into the break Vladdy was putting on a big show ... the kind that will move cardboard. He's still a Triple Crown contender right now with a .332 average, 28 homers (second to Ohtani) and an MLB-leading 73 RBI. Meanwhile in the NL, Fernando Tatis Jr. has overcome those injury scares from earlier in the year and has a league-leading 28 homers, league-leading 20 SBs and is hitting .286. Could a spot in the exclusive 40-40 Club happen by year's end? Even Ronald Acuña Jr. cardboard should have some appeal right now -- he was having another strong year before it ended due to injury. This is the time to be buying hard if you are a believer and people are in sell mode, especially on rarer stuff. They all have Rookie Cards in either 2018 or 2019 releases with big stuff to chase across the board. Acuña is my favorite of the three, but there will be dips (like I said, time to buy) but I think Vladdy is the top one of the bunch -- and that's regardless of the All-Star showing. Tatis has been a top seller for some time now but I'm not sure if we have seen a Vladdy peak in terms of on-field and then cardboard.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

KRIS BRYANT'S NEXT STOP?
Where will Kris Bryant end up? It could be a big deal and his cards showing him with his new team should have some added appeal no matter what as a new start for a guy who is still in his 20s should make collectors wonder about potential ... whether that's just for the end of the year, a long-term deal or a new deal elsewhere. Why would I pick him? Not that long ago he was the top rookie out there on cardboard (RCs in 2015) and then he was part of a team that made the previously unthinkable happen with that moment above. Even if he ends up with a nice contract on a non-contender, he's always going to be one of the stars who helped the Cubs win the World Series ... that will mean he should have appeal with that team forever. He's not as expensive as he used to be, but his stats are on pace for a good year ... and popping up in some pennant chase or a top market could also make things interesting for his cards. He could be a very big deal again soon.

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SAME FOR THIS GUY ... 
Before he recently tweaked a hammy, Kyle Schwarber was on a historic longball tear and, well, that can move cardboard well if things look nutty by season's end. He already has 25 homers in 72 games this year -- his career-high is just 38 set two seasons ago -- and, most importantly, he signed just a one-year deal with an option with the Nats. Like Bryant, he's always going to have a big place in Cubs history (RCs in 2016) and his stats are strong even if his batting average isn't on the high side of things. (His .253 right now is a career-high for a season.) Could he end up launching longballs elsewhere? Could he end up with a contender or a team that sells cardboard even better than where he's at? It could be interesting ... and he's younger than Bryant, too.

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HISTORY TO COME?
Putting Shohei Ohtani on this list really wasn't necessary -- it's obvious -- but I'll focus on just one thing that should make you think. He's got 33 homers this year at the break and the record was 39 set by Barry Bonds back in 2001. Only six other players have hit more -- Chris Davis, Mark McGwire, Reggie Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Howard and Luis Gonzalez. Is it a stretch to say that Ohtani is on par or potentially more consistent than some of them? Now ponder what a push up the single-season homer list might spark for cards of a player with huge international appeal and a lot of cards out there and readily available (RCs in 2018). His All-Star showing was a bummer but it's not like he truly bombed ... he was close in that first round of the Derby despite a slow start and then he went out and got the W as a pitcher for a clean inning of work -- it wasn't just some ridiculous showing that would spark a selling frenzy of everything. I think that's potentially still to come this year. And I'm not even talking about the whole playing two-ways pitching stuff ... that's its own category of stuff to marvel at if that's your thing.

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BACK ON THE RADAR?
Three years ago, Pete Alonso was a monster slugger in New York, setting a new MLB rookie home run record with 53 bombs and sending out plenty of hungry collectors to feed on new cardboard (RCs in 2019). He was a Home Run Derby champ as a rookie and was signing plenty of ink as a player in pretty good as a Topps guy ... I mean he was opening packs with breakers not that long ago down in Dallas. Last year, his power numbers didn't really keep up with expectations and his average dipped, but this year he's still back on pace for a strong year on a first-place team. I think his Home Run Derby dominance a second time helped put him back on the radar of some collectors -- morso than his season stats -- and he is probably a far better bargain now as he's not as pricey as other hot RCs in 2019 releases. I'm not saying I'd go in real hard here, but if the Mets pull off some big things the rest of the way he'll be one of the guys whose cards benefit most ... and he's younger than both Bryant and Schwarber with plenty of time left to play as long as he stays healthy and delivers, too.

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What would you want to see in a future Fast Five? Let Buzz know on Twitter or email.

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