Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

For the first grading diary here on The Buzz, it will be a mix of cards graded for a few reasons.

The Card: 1993 Upper Deck #449 Derek Jeter
The Reason Graded: This was pulled straight from an underpriced factory set and looked very clean except for a tiny spot on the back -- Buzz figured it might push into the high grades even with the gloss issue. These cards are also not easy to pull from wax or sets cleanly because the high-gloss cards often stick together, peeling away specks of paper. Another reason? This is an iconic card that's worth grading if you own a clean one.
The Grade: BGS 9

Reality Check: The SP Jeter rookie is the one people chase, not this one. This one's $20 on eBay -- and perhaps undervalued considering how they grade on the pop report. BGS 9s and higher are really much rarer than people think.

Continue reading →

They've been the reigning Rookie of the Year award-winners for less than 24 hours, but there are already six new collectibles noting their wins.

They are Kris Bryant and Carlos Correa -- and they are the National League and American League winners who already have Topps prints commemorating their new-found status.

Continue reading →

Awards week is here as the Baseball Writers' Association of America begins its postseason honors this evening with the Rookie of the Year winners revealed.

Among the candidates for tonight's awards are Kris Bryant, Matt Duffy and Jung Ho Kang in the National League and Carlos Correa, Miguel Sano and Francisco Lindor in the American League.

Who's Buzz picking? Find out and get a rundown of each player's basic stats after the jump.

Continue reading →

The Chicago Cubs are the one to watch on cardboard so far this postseason as their powerful pack of rookies helped knock off the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals. They had four newcomers on the field in their NLDS clincher but aren’t the only team bolstered by youth. Here are 11 key rookies from postseason squads who you can find in wax boxes or sets on BlowoutCards.com.

Continue reading →