Just for fun, let’s assume that Barry Bonds had no singles, doubles, or triples last year. That would have left him with 73 homers and 177 walks in 476 at-bats. Can a .153 hitter have much value?

Well, with 9 HBPs and 2 sac flies, he would still have had a .390 on base percentage, and a .613 slugging percentage. He drove himself in 73 times, plus the two sac flies. It’s reasonable to assume that he drove in at least 25 teammates with his homers. It’s also likely that he would have scored at least 27 times after those 177 walks and 9 HBPs. So, he probably would have scored and driven in about a hundred runs each.

Not bad for a .153 batting average.

That’s about as productive as a hitter below the Mendoza Line can get. Mark McGwire actually had that sort of season last year. He hit .187 with 29 taters and 64 RBI in 299 ABs, plus 56 walks. Well below his standards, but still dangerous.

Bonds has taken a lot of heat for his weak hitting in postseason play. He’s at .196 in 97 postseason ABs, wuth one homer and six RBI. He hasn’t been a Reggie or George Brett, but I’ll say this for him: I started thinking a few years ago that I had never seen a hitter who hit more clutch homers. I don’t have any numbers to back that up, but that was my impression even before he started launching them into McCovey Cove. Say what you want about him, he can hit when it counts. It’s just that the playoffs and Series count the most. His timing has not been optimal.

Willie McCovey, by the way, is one of my all-time favorite players. One of the unique things about McCovey was that first basemen would talk about being terrified that Willie would hit a line drive clean through their bodies. They hated it whenever they had to hold runners with Stretch at the plate. Third basemen always talk about right-handed hitters that scare them to death. McCovey is the only left-handed hitter I recall who inspired that kind of awe among first basemen.

What were students in dorm rooms all over Chadron State College making deals for in 1989? Don Beebe rookie cards of course (what did you think?). Beebe super-collector Heidi Lowthorp told me it was a big deal for western Nebraska to have a college football player turn pro. Heidi has been collecting items of wide receiver Don Beebe since he was an NFL rookie in 1989 and has accumulated over 185 items of him. That leaves oddball cards and rare inserts of him - you can see Heidi's wantlist of about 23 cards & items at Wantlist Central at http://www.oddball-mall.com/wantlist.htm.

Heidi went over some highlights in her collection: "I'm not big on the autographed cards, but do have some (12), as well as an autographed 8x10 picture of Beebe. I do have a light switch cover (that my husband won't let me put in any room), a card made into a magnet, Don's autographed book ('More Than A Ring') & the promo card that went with it during the book sales, a Bills blanket, and a small plaque with a Beebe nameplate and card on it. In my earlier days of collecting, I kept a lot of Buffalo Bills cards and followed that team closely. I now only collect Beebe cards and have sold my other football cards or given them to my son."

Along the way, Heidi has met some other Beebe collectors. She met a Beebe collector while bidding against her for a 1992 Action Packed Mint (22K gold leaf) Beebe card. It went for $50 to the other collector. Heidi remarks "I always have to laugh when we buy a card for a lot of money - because all we are really buying/collecting are pieces of cardboard." The other collector wrote after the auction to apologize and explained that she was collecting 11 sets of his cards (for herself, Don and his children, etc.). She knew Beebe from his Packer days. Don would come to the office she worked at after games. Heidi sometimes auctions her extra Beebe cards and one auction was won by Beebe's brother.

Heidi watched Beebe play his last year of college football at Chadron State College. She recalled "that was really a thrill - watching him set school records left and right. I was in the pep band and it seemed the band was always playing the fight song after a touchdown." She also saw him play as a Buffalo Bill. She and her husband went on one of their first dates in Kansas City when the Bills came to town. Heidi remembered the risky outing: "We sat in a primarily Chiefs section - me in my Bills clothes, yelling for the Bills. My husband still believes we were lucky to leave the stadium alive."

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Question: What's the deal with the Chinese basketball player, Yao Ming? What will it take to get him in the NBA draft this year? (from Tim D.)

Answer: Yao Ming will be eligible for the NBA Draft and is expected to be a top 3 selection. Ming is a 7 foot 5 inch center, who is said to have unlimited potential. It will take Ming a few years to develop, as he works on his upper body strength and adjusts to the pace of the NBA, but he could be one of the best players in the league eventually.

Question: What do you think of Kevin Garnett? Might he win the MVP award as he has done a great job? (from Jon in MN)

Answer: We agree that KG has done a phenomenal job leading the Wolves this season. He's been at or near the top of our MVP list all season long. KG definitely gets the respect of fans around the league, but he likely will come up short of the MVP this season unless the Wolves are able to rebound and capture the division title.

Question: What do you think the Raptors need to do in the future to get back to last season's form when they went to the semi-finals? Do you think they need to trade some players or try to accquire some free agents at the end of the season? (from Jay)

Answer: The Raptors did a great job in the offseason re-signing everyone they needed, but it just hasn't clicked this season. With the roster they have, the Raptors are good enough to win the East. I think the major difference is the injury to Vince Carter. If Vince had been healthy all season long, this team might have found its rhythm. The Raps might want to try and find a complementary scorer to Carter, but their roster is already good enough to make the Finals if things are clicking.

Question: What do you think about the Sonics and Gary Payton's chance of getting MVP? He has done a much better job than anyone in the league (namely Jason Kidd). Gary has to get this. I mean on paper the Sonics should be cellar dwellers and NJ is going down in a heap of late. (from Tom)

Answer: Payton certainly deserves consideration, but the Sonics' success is also partially due to the improved play of players such as Brent Barry, Vladimir Radmanovich, and Vin Baker (despite the injury). However, Payton certainly has done a great job and is working with much less talent than Jason Kidd in New Jersey. Right now, I'd still favor Garnett and Duncan as the top two contenders, but Payton should be right up there.

Question: Why is the symbol of the Celtic a leprechaun? (from Stephen L.)

Answer: Great story. When Walter Brown founded the franchise in 1946, he gave them the name the Celtics. In his own words he said, "We'll call them the Boston Celtics - the name has a great basketball tradition, especially when you think of the original 'Celtics' team. Boston is full of Irishmen; so we'll put the players in green uniforms and call them the Boston Celtics after their Celtic ancestors." Hope that answered your question. Keep them coming. We'll do our best to find the answers for you.

Submit your questions in the Mailbag section of HoopsAvenue.com.

Ding! Ding! Okay boys and girls... School's in session so listen close. So you want to become an autograph collector but have no clue where to start? Over the next several issues I will be hitting on several do's and don't's when starting out. If you have some tips of your own, e-mail them to me. If they're worthwhile I will publish them.

It all starts with where and how you want to get your autographs as well as what you want to get your autographs on. Let me be the first to say if you're picking this up as a hobby it's not cheap! There are many ways that you can obtain autographs. The two ways that I have tried are at the ballpark and via the good old-fashioned U.S. snail mail.

First at the ball park. While in Tucson, AZ, I had the opportunity to catch a few Cactus League games. As I sat in my seat right next to the player entrance to the field at Tucson Electric Park, I watched the kids, young adults and adults attempt to obtain autographs of their favorite players. The number one rule is to watch what you say. Address players by Mr. and their last name and "may I please have your autograph". It's only common decency and as your mother taught you "always say 'please' and 'thank you'!" One thing never to do: I was sitting in my seat trying to get autographs and an older man (probably in his 50's) smelling of beer tried to get an autograph of Colorado Rockies catcher Ben Petrick. The 50-year old man kept goading Petrick. His response was "Did your mother teach you manners?" The most surprising part of this is that Petrick signed the item that the man handed him. However the man had to wait until everyone was gone.

What if, on the other hand, you don't have the money to make your way to a major league ballpark? Well, you can request autographs in the mail from your favorite current or former ballplayer. There are several books on the market that sell players' home addresses. When you write to a player's home once again address them as Mr. and their last name and say "thank you" at the end of your letter. Keep in mind you are sending these cards at your own risk, so don't send a card that you can't live without. Marc Schoder is a freelance writer and a computer consultant in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can check out his website at smisurplusgoods.com or email him at Schodersports@yahoo.com.

This column showcases questions or wants which have been preying on collectors' minds. If you can help them out, please contact them through The Card Board message board at http://www.oddball-mall.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=1

If you have a query of your own, post your own message at that address and you may find your question published here next month!

DBLDowner writes:
"I bough a box of Upper Deck SP Authentic 2001 and got a Cal auto. I got #1/23. There is no value in the Beckett. Any guesses? Please help"

GeneralJim writes:
"Does anybody have any 1988 Fournier Estrellas Basketball stickers? Plz let me know, I am interested. Thank you"

Cardboard1 writes:
"Need to find source to buy Topps 1985 Stickers. Also need to sell Hostess 1985 & 1986 Panels"

JOnzu writes:
"I have Topps Stadium Club 93-94 Jocelyn Thibault Debut (10.9.93) #479. My friend said that it could be worth a lot of $$$$$$$. I don't know, is it?! Help me please.."

The contents of the respective articles represent the opinions of the individual writers and not necessarily those of the editor/owner of The Oddball Mall Sports Cards.

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