MLB Showdown 2001 - Top 10 Foil Cards
The Greatest Card Game for the Boys of Summer
Writing this article is a tearjerker for me. As I turn 30 years old tomorrow I realized two things 1) I am getting old 2) I miss MLB Showdown. One of the great things that has come into my life is this funny little game called MLB Showdown. The game itself first came out in 2000 and went on through 2005. Back in the golden years we used to play this game all summer long, every summer. Trade, collect and play baseball games acting as the manager of your own ball club, even though the game relied heavily on dice rolling. This game was awesome in every sense of the word and is super easy to play. The plan is to incorporate Showdown more when I go to a friend's house as opposed to playing a card game before heading out for the night. I need this game back in my life. Please Wizards of the Coast bring this game back!
As I have been reminiscing on this wonderful childhood memory of mine, I decided to rank the top 10 foil cards in the game, in my own opinion. Take a look at some of the game’s greatest cards.
PS: If any of our followers have ever played, we’d (The Skippers View as Dean played Showdown as well!) love to play a game against you.
Barry Bonds - Easily the best hitter in the game. Mark McGwire has a similar stat sheet on his card, but slower and not as versatile as a defender. It’s 2001 Barry Bonds for crying out loud. Another fun fact is I never had this card, but was just gifted it for my 30th birthday. It was easily one of the best birthday gifts I have ever received, shout out Pat!
Stats
ON-BASE: 10
HIT: 16-20 HR
FIELD: LF/RF +1
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-3
POINTS: 650
Pedro Martinez - Easily the best starter in the game. No one had this card, it was rare to find. I remember pulling Pedro in a Draft Pack (Automatic Foil Included) on Christmas Day and it was absolutely thrilling. I couldn’t stop jumping up and down celebrating….even for a player on the Red Sox.
Stats
CONTROL: 5
IP: 7
OUT: 1-17
POINTS: 700
Jason Giambi / Carlos Delgado - The only two players in game with On-Base (11). Both of these First Basemen were on-base machines and the creators of the game showed them some respect for their awesomeness. Enough said.
Stats (Giambi)
ON-BASE: 11
HIT: 18-20
FIELD: +0
SPEED: C(10)
OUT: 1-2
POINTS: 570
Stats (Delgado)
ON-BASE: 11
HIT: 18-20
FIELD: +0
SPEED: C(10)
OUT: 1-3
POINTS: 610
Alex Rodriguez (SEA->TEX) - So, this is the year Rodriguez left the Mariners and signed the most lucrative contract in sports history at the time: a 10-year deal worth $252 million (equivalent to $428 million in 2022). The deal was worth $63 million more than the second-richest baseball deal. You can see his performance that called for that contract was resembled in the upgraded pennant run edition of his card.l
Stats (Seattle)
ON-BASE: 10
HIT: 18-20
FIELD: SS +4
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-3
POINTS: 550
Stats (Texas)
ON-BASE: 10
HIT: 17-20
FIELD: SS +4
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-3
POINTS: 640
Jim Edmonds - If you were lucky enough to pull Jim Edmonds in a pack, you virtually locked up your centerfield for life. Brian Giles is the only other centerfielder in the game worth comparing to Edmonds. At the end of the day, Edmonds makes it easier to hit one out of the park, and that is why I am giving him the slight lean here in my evaluation.
Stats
ON-BASE: 10
HIT: 17-20
FIELD: CF +2 | LF/RF +1
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-4
POINTS: 560
Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez - This one was tricky for me as I love Jason Kendall with all that speed. Jason Kendall (420 pts.), I. Rodriguez (530 pts.), Charles Johnson (CHW 460 pts. / MIA 370 pts.), Jorge Posada (430 pts.) and Mike Piazza (450 pts.) were all up for consideration as the best catcher in the game. Ultimately, I had to go with Pudge considering the glove and hit tool. No one tried to steal on Rodriguez in his prime.
Stats
ON-BASE: 9
HIT: 17-20
FIELD: C +9
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-5
POINTS: 530
Trevor Hoffman - Arguably the best Closer in the game although you can consider Mariano Rivera (300 pts.), Billy Wagner (160 pts.) and/or Robb Nen (330 pts.) for the top Closer position. Outside of Enter Sandman, Hells Bells might have been the most intimidating entrance song for a pitcher.We were spoiled with elite Closers in 2001.
Stats
CONTROL: 6
IP: 1
OUT: 1-16
POINTS: 290
Jeff Kent - Easily the best second basemen in the game. Able to place virtually anywhere in your line-up and is a consistent threat to opposing teams.
Stats
ON-BASE: 10
HIT: 18-20 HR
FIELD: 2B +3
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-3
POINTS: 580
Gary Sheffield - Might be one of the most underrated cards in the game as 2001 was flooded with future Hall of Famers and PED users. Sheffield was a dog in 2000 & 2001 and his card value shows him the respect he deserved in showdown.
Stats
ON-BASE: 10
HIT: 17-20
FIELD: LF/RF +1
SPEED: B(15)
OUT: 1-3
POINTS: 550
Tom Glavine / John Smoltz / Greg Maddox - These three Atlanta starters were all awesome in their own right, but the fact that the creators of the game, Wizards of the Coast, decided to make 60% of the Braves rotation foil worthy is something to call out.
Stats (Glavine)
CONTROL: 3
IP: 7
OUT: 1-17
POINTS: 480
Stats (Smoltz)
CONTROL: 3
IP: 6
OUT: 1-17
POINTS: 440
Stats (Maddux)
CONTROL: 6
IP: 7
OUT: 1-15
POINTS: 590
Honorable Mention:
Sammy Sosa
Randy Johnson
Ken Griffey Jr.
Jeff Bagwell
Vlad Guerrero Jr.
Ichiro Suzuki
Mark McGwire