10 Most Valuable 1994 Leaf Baseball Cards

1994 Leaf #368 Ken Griffey Jr.

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $75

Coming off four-straight All-Star campaigns, Ken Griffey Jr. was one among baseball’s largest superstars because the 1994 MLB season drew close to.

Followers adored him and marveled at his skill to smash towering dwelling runs whereas robbing these of his opponents along with his Gold Glove in heart area.

Griffey might do all of it.

And he wasted no time attending to work throughout the first half of the season as he smashed 33 dwelling runs by the July 12 All-Stark break.

In Could alone, Griffey had 15 dwelling runs.

His 32 dwelling runs earlier than July 1 had outpaced Babe Ruth’s long-standing report of 30 by two and left everybody questioning if he might finally catch Roger Maris’s then-record of 61 dwelling runs in a season.

Tick marks above a mural of Griffey on a downtown constructing helped followers preserve monitor and maintained pleasure all through the Seattle space.

When the strike ended the season on August 12 that 12 months, forty tick marks have been on that mural, making him the twenty second participant with back-to-back 40 dwelling run seasons.

These 40 homers have been sufficient to steer the American League and assist him earn second place within the AL MVP vote, however Griffey and followers have been left questioning if he might’ve caught Maris.

1994 Leaf #121 Don Mattingly

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $60

In his thirteenth MLB season since first stepping on the sphere for the New York Yankees on September 8, 1982, Don Mattingly had a strong, if not resurgent, season as group captain.

After failing to eclipse the .300 batting common mark since his last All-Star season in 1989, Mattingly hit .304 with six dwelling runs, 51 RBIs and 62 runs scored.

When the mud settled on the season, he’d additionally earn his ninth profession Gold Glove for his defensive efforts at first base.

Underneath his management, the New York Yankees regarded like a group with an opportunity to win all of it that 12 months.

When the MLBPA started their strike on August 12, 1994, solely the Montreal Expos (74-40) held a greater report in all of baseball than the New York Yankees did at 70-43.

Yankees followers will at all times marvel what might need occurred had Bud Selig not lastly canceled the season on September 14, 1994.

Would Donnie Baseball have earned his first likelihood at playoff motion that 12 months?

Would the Yankees have received all of it?

Sadly, the 1994 MLB season was stuffed with “what ifs.”

1994 Leaf #259 Rickey Henderson

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $60

It is no secret that Rickey Henderson was a nightmare for opposing groups to cope with on the bottom paths.

In any case, he is the sport’s all-time chief in stolen bases and runs scored.

Most playing cards will understandably present him blazing alongside the bottom paths or displaying his trademark compact stance and swing on the plate.

But, hardly ever will a card present him in the course of a pickle like this one, making this Henderson card way more totally different than typical.

With Henderson wanting over his shoulder and operating from Boston third baseman Scott Cooper, it is clear {that a} pickle is enjoying out on the bottom path.

So, how did this play prove?

In ten video games in opposition to the Purple Sox throughout the 1994 season, Henderson stole 5 of his 22 bases in opposition to them.

Clearly, Henderson bought the most effective of Boston that 12 months.

But they caught him as soon as on July 17, 1994.

As this card appeared in a part of Collection Two (playing cards #221 – 440 within the set), it is secure to imagine this picture might need been from Oakland’s 3-4 dwelling loss to the Boston Purple Sox on July 17, 1994.

Assuming the Purple Sox finally tagged out Henderson on this play, this picture could have been from that recreation.

1994 Leaf #1 Cal Ripken Jr.

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $50

Not solely did Cal Ripken Jr. go away a legacy as the sport’s final iron man, however he additionally helped redefine the shortstop place.

Whereas Ozzie Smith was busy solidifying himself as one of many best by way of the anticipated defensive expertise of the place, Ripken modified expectations along with his bat.

Earlier than Ripken routinely turned in seasons with 25-30 dwelling runs, it was virtually remarkable for a shortstop to convey that a lot energy to the place.

And the 1994 season was an above-average marketing campaign for the Corridor of Famer on the plate.

In 112 video games, Ripken slashed .315/.364/.459 with 13 dwelling runs, 75 RBIs and 71 runs scored, incomes his eighth and last Silver Slugger within the course of.

In easier phrases, he continued to be the driving power behind the Baltimore Orioles franchise.

On the finish of the season, the Orioles sat 6.5 video games behind the New York Yankees for first place within the AL East.

He additionally sat 121 video games behind New York Yankee legend Lou Gehrig for first place within the report books for many consecutive video games performed.

With the strike in impact on August 12, the baseball world must endure a fair longer offseason for his streak to renew in 1995.

1994 Leaf #254 Tony Gwynn

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $45

Think about seeing this man within the batter’s field in the event you have been pitching in opposition to the San Diego Padres between 1982 and 2001.

When Gwynn stepped as much as the plate, he did so with excessive confidence and a way of overwhelming calm, able to take the opposing pitcher’s finest shot.

As one of many recreation’s hardest outs in historical past, opposing pitchers would’ve moderately confronted nearly some other hitter within the Majors.

And in no different season was that extra true than throughout the 1994 marketing campaign.

When the mud settled on the season, Gwynn walked away with an unimaginable .394 batting common in 110 video games, practically changing into the primary since Ted Williams in 1941 to eclipse the .400 mark.

We’ll by no means know if Gwynn might’ve maintained that torrid tempo over a complete full season, however regardless, his efficiency that 12 months was unimaginable.

In the long run, the Corridor of Famer secured his fifth of eight profession batting titles, kicking off a string of 4 consecutive crowns within the course of.

1994 Leaf #294 Kirby Puckett

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $45

Corridor of Famer Kirby Puckett was as good as ever throughout the 1994 MLB marketing campaign, even when the Minnesota Twins have been lower than spectacular at 53-60 and fourth within the AL Central.

In 439 at-bats, Puckett turned in one of many higher general slash traces of the again half of his 12-year profession, going .317/.362/.540 on the plate.

He additionally noticed a notable uptick in energy that season as his .540 slugging share was the second-highest of his profession.

Consequently, Puckett ripped off 20 dwelling runs, 32 doubles, 3 triples and 79 runs scored whereas driving in runs at a blistering tempo with a league-leading 112 RBIs, his second-highest whole in any season.

He was nothing wanting a run-producing machine that 12 months.

By comparability, Puckett set a career-high 121 RBIs in 1988, nevertheless it took him an MLB-best 657 at-bats to take action.

In 1994, Puckett was producing one run in nearly each 4 at-bats, whereas he drove one in a run in about each 5 and a half at-bats in 1988.

To go together with his seventh-straight All-Star look that 12 months, Puckett additionally earned his sixth Silver Slugger and completed seventh within the MVP vote.

1994 Leaf #307 Bo Jackson

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $40

After hitting free company when his three-year contract with the Chicago White Sox ended, Bo Jackson signed a one-year $1 million with the California Angels on January 31, 1994.

Issues had come full circle for the Angels.

Practically twenty years earlier, that they had drafted him within the twentieth spherical of the 1985 MLB Beginner Draft.

Jackson, the 1993 AL Comeback Participant of the 12 months, was excited for the prospect to proceed his skilled baseball profession, even when it meant enjoying a platoon function.

The thought of heading again to Southern California, the place he’d spent 4 years with the Los Angeles Raiders, made signing with the Angels even simpler.

In 75 video games, Jackson made essentially the most of his 201 at-bats, hitting 13 dwelling runs with 43 RBIs whereas establishing profession highs in batting common (.279) and on-base share (.344).

Clearly, Jackson nonetheless had sufficient left within the tank to discover a spot on nearly any MLB roster the next season.

Nonetheless, when the gamers’ strike lower the 1994 season quick, Jackson used the extra time to get nearer to his household.

And in 1995, Bo selected household over sports activities and formally retired.

1994 Leaf #425 Ryne Sandberg

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $30

On June 10, 1994, Ryne Sandberg went 0-4 on the plate throughout the first recreation of a three-game homestand in opposition to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

With that efficiency, Ryno prolonged his dreadful hitting hunch to only one hit in his final 28 at-bats.

Nobody was shocked when he sat on the bench for the subsequent two video games of the sequence, as most thought he simply wanted time to clear his thoughts and get again on monitor.

But, followers and media have been shocked when, on the Cubs subsequent time without work on June 14, 1994, Sandberg introduced that he would retire from baseball.

Years later, Sandberg would state that he had misplaced the will that made him wish to put together and compete on the highest degree of baseball as he’d accomplished for thus lengthy.

His coronary heart simply wasn’t in it anymore.

Different rumors swirled that he and his spouse have been having marital points and the private distractions weighed closely on his thoughts exterior the sport of baseball.

Regardless of the motive, Sandberg needed to do what was finest for him and his household.

Nonetheless, with extra baseball hearth left in his stomach, the Cubs Corridor of Famer got here out of retirement to play two extra years in 1996 and 1997 earlier than lastly stepping away from baseball.

1994 Leaf #264 Barry Bonds

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25

No one had a greater argument to win the Nationwide League MVP in 1994 than Houston Astros slugger Jeff Bagwell.

In simply 110 video games, Bagwell performed out of his thoughts, slashing .368/.451/.750 with 39 dwelling runs, 116 RBIs and 106 runs scored.

He was unimaginable on the dish that season.

But, regardless of a fourth-place end within the MVP vote, Barry Bonds arguably had a strong case to complete as runner-up.

Sure, his teammate, Matt Williams, was on a torrid dwelling run tempo on the time of the strike with an MLB-best 43 dingers and a shot at catching Maris.

Sure, Moises Alou was having an incredible 12 months because the chief of the Montreal Expos and their MLB-best 74-40 report.

However Barry Bonds was in the course of one other Bonds-like season, slashing .312/.426/.647 with 37 dwelling runs, 81 RBIs and 89 runs scored, and a blistering 1.073 OPS.

Possibly after successful back-to-back MVPs in 1992 and 1993, Bonds merely skilled the results of voter fatigue.

Possibly it was his rocky status with the media.

No matter it was, even Bonds himself stated, “As soon as you’ve got received it a couple of occasions, the requirements for you’re very excessive.”

1994 Leaf #391 Mark McGwire

Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Worth: $25

Over his sixteen seasons in Main League Baseball, Mark McGwire was infamous for his unimaginable energy on the plate.

Sporting a profession .588 slugging share and .982 OPS, Massive Mac placed on one of the vital unimaginable single-season dwelling run shows in 1998 when he hit 70 that season.

When he lastly referred to as it quits, he’d belted 583 baseballs over outfield fences throughout the nation.

McGwire’s ties to PEDs would finally name all of that into query years later, however in 1994, his status wasn’t so detrimental.

That season, McGwire did not see a lot motion, enjoying in solely 47 video games with 135 at-bats, limiting himself to simply 9 dwelling runs.

Due to foot accidents that additionally started nagging at him later throughout the 1993 season, his slugging share drastically dropped to .474 from an eye-popping .726 the 12 months earlier than.

McGwire would use the prolonged downtime from the gamers’ strike that season to make a full restoration in preparation for the 1995 marketing campaign.

His exhausting work paid off, and by 1995, he would return to All-Star type as soon as once more.

1994 Leaf Baseball Playing cards In Assessment

The most important downfall of the 1994 Leaf set is its lack of any vital rookie playing cards.

Sure, it additionally did not assist that it debuted throughout one of many roughest durations in baseball historical past and a serious decline within the sports activities card passion.

However, I believe if it had some key rookies, it might possible nonetheless draw a good quantity of collector curiosity.

But, it does not.

It is an missed set like a lot of its period.

And it is a disgrace as a result of I believe the design of those playing cards is a house run.

The complete-color images paired with the shiny end, foil stamping, and flowing marble nameplates is a gorgeous mixture.

The 440-card set was divided evenly into two sequence of 220 playing cards.

Inside the guidelines are dozens of Corridor of Famers to make up for the dearth of key rookies.

In the event you have been on the lookout for gamers from the Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers or Texas Rangers, you needed to wait till Collection 2 was launched to account for modifications to these groups’ uniforms.

Once more, I want this set had extra collector curiosity due to how handsome these playing cards are.

Sadly, it can possible stay an afterthought of a dark interval in passion and baseball historical past.