Quote:
Originally Posted by Argonaut
If I was starting at 175k PP at this stage in the game cycle, I would go with entirely LIVE cards. They're pretty cheap, and nearly always available on the AH due to their 70% drop rate. And the ratings are locked in now.
And you'd be in good shape for the LIVE-only tournaments about to be released. Win some rewards from tourneys to help build up your PP and collection. And the best part? If you want to go a different direction in the future, you can cash out for near your purchase price and start again.
|
Your logic is relatively sound. My only counter is that many live cards do not fit the game's meta particularly well.
I personally believe the cheapest, best offensive team is going to come from the types of cards that nobody cares for much. While this does include Live cards, it also includes a fair amount of Future Legends, POTMs and All Stars, Special Editions (where the possibility of earning instead of buying helps depress the price), and cards of players who have better or more popular cards.
Here is a tentative list that includes rudimentary stats (formatted as one would find them on the Auction House), including the All Time and Last 7 bids (though only the latter, when available, will factor into the total cost). Additional talking points will be included where appropriate.
Catcher
PEAK C Biz Mackey (S) - 84 - 6.9k/
9k
72/61/29/49/45 83/72/32/55/53 63/72/46 59@C
This is a sound choice if you only need one catcher, but when does this game ever allow us to use only one catcher? If the ground rules for this exercise allowed for 2, I would probably platoon a lefty who is very strong against RHP with a righty or switch hitter who has more even splits (since they will play against RHP more than their counterpart will play against LHP) and who has better defense for use as a replacement, which seems to help with fatigue management some. One possible example for this type of setup would be the 84 OVR Mickey Cochrane and the 85 OVR Thurman Munson, which would go for slightly over 11k together based on their last 7's.
Firstbase
1995 Edgar Martinez - 94 - 18.1k/
17k
91/100/77/83/50 80/84/71/66/40 13/60/37 43@1B/20@3B
Same approximate price as the 84 OVR Sisler, so I figure I'd highlight this alternative that sacrifices contact and speed for power and eye. This choice is also a solid example of a card who price is depressed because everyone seems to prefer Peak Edgar. There are also many solid gold choices that come in at lower price points, such as the new 89 OVR Ripper Collins for 6k.
Secondbase
FL Nick Madrigal - 89 - 4.5k/
4k
79/73/35/72/79 71/69/34/71/74 67/75/77 70@2B
I went back and forth over whether to go with Madrigal or the 95 OVR Chuck Knoblauch which goes for 14.3k. They are very similar, but the combination of having better eye and avoid k ratings, both of which I highly value, and being the only FL card to make my list - not to mention being 10k cheaper - ultimately tipped the scales. Peak Biggio (94 OVR) is also a solid competitor here, still going for 13k in spite of the new missions (and this looks legit and not a case of the last 7 not yet catching up).
Thirdbase
1964 Ken Boyer - 91 - 7.3k/
7.3k
71/90/61/64/54 79/72/76/52/58 18/47/38 59@3B (59/59/72/53)
I was expecting to choose the Gold Special Edition Madlock, but I haven't been able to locate one to confirm the stats or the price point. The 95 OVR Honus Wagner for 25k who carries a rating at 3B also has some appeal here.
Shortstop
POTM SS Bo Bichette - 90 - 9k/
9k
84/110/75/43/38 77/104/72/41/35 56/71/59 63@SS (81/55/64/63)
SS and CF both come at a premium, so it is a bit more difficult to find solid production without either thinking outside the box or finding a diamond in the rough, of which this card is the latter.
Left Field
POTM CF Mike Tauchman (L) - 82 - 5.8k/
5k
75/95/64/52/40 85/108/68/56/45 70/69/57 19@LF/29@CF/17@RF
Maybe I should have gone with Peak Tim Raines (87 OVR, 10.8k Last 7), but instead I decided to highlight an unusual card. Tauchman was given terrible defensive ratings, but a lack of training at all 3 OF positions masks his true ability. He trains up to about 75 in LF, 65 in RF, and 40 in CF. Thanks for depressing his OVR and his price, I guess...
Center Field
LIVE RF Mookie Betts - 96 - 10k/
6.5k
76/69/73/72/66 69/76/70/70/56 72/83/96 48@CF
Another premium position, but luckily the nicely balanced Betts comes with a rating here. He should get into the mid-60s here when fully trained.
Right Field
PEAK Tim Salmon - 96 - 29k/
29k
96/63/83/91/45 91/78/78/73/39 9/13/6 58@RF
I love this card. This probably isn't the best choice based on my criteria, but I want to highlight a card that, when it comes to offense, compares favorably to cards that go for twice this amount. The defense, base running, and maybe the avoid k will probably scare some off and depress the price though.
Designated Hitter
1966 RF Frank Robinson - 95 - 11.5k/
15k
77/75/89/77/45 75/72/87/62/44 21/61/27 45@LF/43@RF (50/87/36)
Basically, the DH was a battle between everyone else I was considering for RF. While I went with Robinson, I could have easily opted for 94 OVR Gavvy Cravath (17k), 91 OVR Goose Goslin (11.5k), or even someone like an 86 OVR Magglio Ordonez (up to 7k now it appears). Edit: Or the ubiquitous 87 OVR Heilmann that is already on everyone's radar (and at 7k, deservedly so).
Final Estimated Cost: 102.6k Points
Without a comprehensive listing of every card available, their ratings, and their current selling prices, this is a very rough list. I guarantee there are places to improve on it, especially considering I restricted myself to using cards rated Gold or higher. I also went with a middle ground approach, so spending more money could yield a stronger offense, while spending less would leave more of the budget for depth and pitching. Hopefully, I succeeded in my ultimate goal of drawing attention to some productive cards currently overlooked and undervalued by the community.