This Philadelphia Phillies pitcher is more than just an MLB player. He is a hardcore collector with nearly a million cards at home, and has often described himself as a “packrat.” The collection of cards for him is not the mere motivation of money, but purely the ‘thrill of the chase.’ Matt Strahm even hosts ‘The Card Life’ TV show, a national series where anything revolving around cards is debated. Strahm is the voice people look up to when the topic is cards. So, when Strahm talks about cards, people listen.

Recently, Strahm shared his thoughts about the card market, particularly why he believes that Pokémon cards offer a much smarter investment than baseball cards. Strahm stated, “People always ask me… for an investment, what would you invest in?” He continued, “And I always tell them Pokémon’s the safest investment… And they look at me like I have a third eye.” He then shared his comedic yet sensible explanation. “Well, Pikachu’s not going to tear his ACL and miss the whole season. He’s not going to get a DUI driving home.”

Strahm brilliantly explains what is basically the core issue of sports card investment. He says, “Their market’s kind of set, and it is what it is,” of Pokémon characters. “But with like players, I mean, you wake up one morning and the card that was worth $1,100 might not be worth the paper it’s printed on anymore. So, you’re dealing with the human element, and when you get to Pokémon, that’s out of there. So that’s what I always tell everybody  — your safest bet is with Pokémon.”

What Strahm points out is a real issue for many collectors. And a quick look at the numbers will tell you that. When star Mike Trout went down with a calf injury in 2021, his legendary rookie card saw a great fall. It dropped by 39% which took it from a peak of $4,451 to just $2,706. The same thing played out with Ronald Acuña Jr. when he went out with his ACL. His very popular “bat down” rookie card saw almost 20% off its value in just two weeks, from $2,751 on March 19 to $1,725 on July 27. This is how fast an athlete’s health issues can hit your wallet.

Then there’s the “DUI” scenario (all off-the-field issues covered under this one blanket). The steroid era is one good example for us to examine. Players such as Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire were smashing records and putting up insane statistics, but their legacies have always had that shadow of controversy. It affects their card values as well, as Rocky Landsverk, editor of Tuff Stuff magazine, said that much of Mark McGwire’s “mystique as the All-American man has been torn down.”

Strahm’s lighthearted comments are rooted in some very real market considerations.

The alternate universe of cardboard gold

So, if baseball cards are risky, what makes Pokémon so “safe”? The answer lies in its immense Pokémon card value and its stability over time. Pokémon cards are not just toys. The Pikachu Illustrator card of 1998 is recorded as the most expensive card ever sold, selling for $5.275 million to Logan Paul. Other cards, such as the 1999 First Edition Charizard, have their valuation go up to $420,000. The value of these cards is based on nostalgia, which will not change as time goes on, unlike the value of an athlete’s career.

And then comes the Strahm’s passion for the hobby. At present, he is supporting his superstar teammate, Bryce Harper, to start a collection for his son. Strahm put out a call on social media for his own game-used memorabilia in trade for rare Harper cards.  “Going to help get his collections started,” Strahm tweeted. This campaign shows his true love of the hobby and his desire to share it with others.

Harper explained his newfound interest. “I might start doing it a little bit more since I have a son now,” he said. “If I can get some cool stuff for him growing up…I think it’d be pretty cool for him.” Strahm is known for giving thoughtful, card-related gifts to teammates. He bought Craig Kimbrel‘s rare 1-of-1 card celebrating his 400th save and gave it to him.

Aside from collecting them, Strahm has been an integral part of the Phillies’ success this season. The team is currently leading the NL East with an impressive 69-52 record. Strahm has been a dependable arm out of the bullpen, sporting a 3.26 ERA over 50 appearances. Be it on the mound or while opening a pack of cards, for Matt Strahm, it is always about the thrill of the game. So do you think that now is the right moment to swap your rookie cards for a Charizard?