2011 Set - Houston Astros

This is the dumpster fire Houston Astros team that sold at the deadline before new ownership’s/management’s overhaul. It shows. A few Base Set cards rescue this lineup from being the worst you’ve ever seen, but 2 of the top 3 hitters were dealt to other teams and show up in the Pennant Run elsewhere.

Hunter Pence is a solid card who gets even better in his PR card with the Phillies. Michael Bourn is an affordable 9 OB, speed A card. Another 1B +1 shows up on Carlos Lee’s decent card. Clint Barmes has big 00 Mike Bordick energy. There’s a couple usable relievers here too, but not much to write home about where pitching is concerned.

It's the two Pennant Run rookies that are highlights for this team, but in the way 01 Albert Pujols was a highlight of the OG 2001 Showdown set. I.e. they aren’t knocking the cover off the ball. Still, it’s fun to see 160-point J.D. Martinez and 160-point Jose Altuve here – and it’s a testament to the weakness of this Astros lineup that they actually make it better.

Foils: Jose Altuve (PR), J.D. Martinez (PR), Hunter Pence

And those future superstar rookies for the Pennant Run:

2011 Set - Chicago Cubs

On paper, the Cubs should be a bit better than the Pirates, but in reality they finished one game behind Pittsburgh in the NL Central. I think there are more draftable cards here myself, but there are holes too.

Alfonso Soriano is a 6 OB power bat with one of my favorite cutouts in the set. Starlin Castro is a solid all-around shortstop with a nice cutout too. Carlos Pena of Moneyball infamy is a terrific value

2011 Set - Pittsburgh Pirates

This team is rough. The Pirates were only the third worst team in the NL Central in 2011, but that is partly because at the time, the disastrous Houston Astros were the 6th team in the Central.

Andrew McCutchen is one of the best cards in the set, in terms of the look of the card, as well as in being an affordable card that does a lot of things well. Excellent value. Jose Tabata is great value as well: for 190, you get

2011 Set - Cincinnati Reds

The 2011 Reds are what I call sneaky-decent. No real stars outside of Joey Votto, one of the most valuable 10 OB cards in the set, and maybe Brandon Phillips, but they have several middle-of-the-road cards that add up to an above average team.

Bill Bray, Francisco Cordero, and rookie Aroldis Chapman make up a solid bullpen. Johnny Cueto is the best of three above-average starters. Power bats Jay Bruce, Chris Heasey, and Pennant Run-addition Todd Frazier shore up the rest of the lineup. The 1-2 punch at catcher features the bat-first Ramon Hernandez and the glove-first Ryan Hanigan. 

2011 Set - St. Louis Cardinals

Your 2011 World Series winners, the St. Louis Cardinals, made the postseason as a Wild Card team by just one game over the Braves. Their lineup features lots of fun cards. Lance Berkman is one of the few 10 OB cards in the set. Albert Pujols had an off year, but he still features a strong card at 1B/3B. Matt Holliday is a great, well-rounded bat with a unique alt-foil you won’t want to miss. 

Anyone looking to draft cheap cards with decent On Base and versatility, the Cardinals are your team.

2024 MLB Showdown Set -- NLCS Preview

Been a while since we put out some cards, but we've been inspired by Cal's awesome 2011 set to put out some 2024 cards - especially when a battle between two of the highest payrolls in baseball is set to begin in the NLCS. I apologize if there's a change here-or-there that the teams made between NLDS and NLCS, but I'm just rocking with the playoff guys that I see (it's already going to be *a lot* of cards for y'all). All cards were made using the epic MLB Showdown bot, which you can use to make your own cards too! Without further ado, let's take a look at the teams in the NLCS: Dodgers and Mets!

Little comparison of the overall cards between the two MVP candidates on these teams... as a big Showdown believer, you better believe I'm taking Ohtani over Lindor

2011 Set - Milwaukee Brewers

With the NL West posted, it's time to move on to the NL Central, with a very fun team to start off.

The Brewers were the second-best NL team during the regular season, winning the NL Central as well. NL MVP Ryan Braun has a monster chart to go with 9 OB and A speed. Prince Fielder is one the few 10 OB batters in the set. But perhaps what makes the Brewers so dangerous is