Quick Rips | RIPPED Newsletter

The latest Micah Johnson Topps card was released last week, featuring the indomitable Jackie Robinson. This is card number 3 of the 2024 Topps MLB at Rickwood Field Negro Leagues collection. As the MLB prepares to honor the Negro Leagues and Negro Leaguers with a nationally televised regular season game between theSt. Louis CardinalsandSan Francisco Giantsat Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, on 6/20, it’s important to go beyond the myth and discover the great and steadfast strength of character that formed the core of Jackie Robinson’s life on and off the field.

Once teammates, Adrian Beltré and Michael Young will be squaring off against one another on the diamond. The two Texas Ranger greats were named managers for the 2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game that will be played on July 13 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Beltré, who played eight of his 21 MLB seasons with the Rangers, will lead the American League Futures team. It will be a busy month of July for Beltré. He’ll be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame the weekend after the Futures Game. The third baseman ended his illustrious career 18th on the all-time hit list (3,166), and 31st on the home run list (477).

Flamethrowing rookie phenom Paul Skenes of thePittsburgh Pirateswent head-to-head last night withShohei Ohtaniof theLos Angeles Dodgers, perhaps the greatest hitter on the planet. Indeed, the rivalry feels like it’s been years in the making. After all, while still in high school, Skenes scored free tickets to Ohtani’s MLB home debut. Neither the future star nor the reigning MVP disappointed. In their first-ever battle, Skenes delivered a huge statement, blowing Ohtani away with three straight 100-mile-per-hour fastballs. The first-inning at-bat lasted all of 46 seconds. But, when Ohtani stepped in to face Skenes for a second time, Pirates fans were treated to fireworks of a different kind. On a full count, Ohtani finally caught up to Skene’s heat, knocking a home run to straightaway center.\xa0

According toGemRate, over 1.78 million trading cards were added to the population reports at PSA, SGC, Beckett, and CGC from May 1-31. That number shattered the previous record for cards graded in a month by approximately 50,000 cards. The numbers include sports, non-sports, and gaming cards that were sent in for authentication by collectors around the globe.\xa0

Last Friday, Reddit user megustcizer announced they had “pulled off the trade of a lifetime.” After learning that Kansas City starBobby Witt Jr.collects all of his own 1-of-1 cards, megustcizer tagged the Royals shortstop on Instagram to let Witt know that he was in possession of Witt’s1998 Topps Baby Boomers FoilFractor 1-of-1. The collector pulled the card from a 2023 Topps Archives blaster box. After Witt reached out, he agreed to trade a signed, game-used bat in return for the card. Following a Reddit post by megustcizer, replies flooded in as other collectors weighed in on the trade; one reminded megustcizer that a game-used bat is easier to track down than a one-of-a-kind card.