People in the Windy City are wondering what is wrong with the White Sox these days. Either that or they are simply heading over to the north side of town to watch the Cubs. With a pitching Staff boasting the likes of Mark Buehrle (19-game winner last year), Billy Koch (saved at least 30 games every year of his major league career) and Bartolo Colon (20-game winner last year) as well as hitters like Frank Thomas, Magglio Ordonez, Paul Konerko, and Carlos Lee (not to mention Esteban Loaiza who has been a true gem for the White Sox, going 8-2 this year with an MLB-leading 1.90 ERA after struggling last year) who would have thought they would be this bad?

The slumping White Sox have a horrible 26-34 record (8 1/2 games behind K.C. and Minnesota) depressing the values of many of their eTopps cards. Frank Thomas, a $20+ card earlier in the year is now down to $16.50. Joe Crede, a highly touted rookie back in 2001, saw his rookie issue drop from $25 to just $15. Maggs has also seen his only card drop from the $7-8 range to between $5 and $6. Mark Buehrle's only issue split in half, down to $6 from $12. Colon has even seen his two-month old card drop from $7 to between $5 and $6. There are some cycles in the card industry. Many hobbyists buy players when they are approaching milestones (Clemens and Palmeiro). Many buy rookies of up-and-coming players (Prior). Also, many sell or trade players when their team struggles, as the White Sox are. While some people may see this as a time to dump their "shares" others may see it as an opportunity to pick up some good bargains.

Joe Crede 2001 is one of those bargains to pick up. At only $14.31 (7-day average) this card hasn't dipped that low since August of 2002 when it was beginning to pick up a lot of steam. I know what you might be thinking: "why in the world would I shell out $15 for a guy who is hitting .212 with only 4 homers and 21 RBI?" Because he is better than that and he will improve his numbers. Remember that he has never played a full season in the majors (7 games in 2000, 17 in '01, and 53 in '02). He's still only 25 years old. He's young and will go through his fair share of slumps. Give him time to learn the tricks of the trade and it will pay off. In fact, he might be coming out of his slump as he broke a 0-for-21 slump with a 2-4 performance against the Dodgers on June 6th.. Also, note that this is his rookie release.

Another player to watch is Bartolo Colon. I thought he would get a 2001 or 2002 issue but it is his White Sox debut that grabbed him an eTopps card. He is currently trading slightly below his IPO price. His stats this year are not staggering but they are not what you would call horrible. This year Colon is 5-5 with a 3.96 ERA and 57 strikeouts. His card will probably remain at IPO level because of all the hype surrounding his PB. But that should not discourage you from buying his card. He is a great starter and has excellent stuff. Check out his credentials (excluding his rookie year). He has never had a losing season in his 6 years. He has had double-digit wins in all of his seasons and has never posted an ERA higher than 4.09. He has already reached a milestone, surpassing 1,000 strikeouts. Seeing how this is his first issue and it is has a PR of only 2028 I think his card will be a good investment.

The poor performance of White Sox cards is a reflection of the team's struggles on the field. However, don't let that discourage you from buying their cards. There are always ups and downs in baseball. When they break out of their funk and win some more games you should see their cards gain a bit in value. But I think in the long-term these cards are good to hold.

Other White Sox cards to consider:

Frank Thomas: With his only issue, 2001, sporting a low PR of 834 I am surprised to see this card below $20, given Thomas' stature.

Magglio Ordonez: A great hitter. His 2002 issue has a PR of 4,000. Look for his '03 to have a lower PR and have better investment potential.

Mark Buehrle: It doesn't look like he will get a 2003 card which means his 2002 will be his only card until 2004 or even later. It was not overproduced like most of the 2002 baseball cards. He is a good pitcher with great stuff. He's in a bad funk right now, going 2-9 thus far, but I think he will rebound soon. He is currently at one of the all-time card lows.

Paul Konerko: He's in a slump right now but that may help with a low price and low PR when it is his IPO time.

Joe Borchard: I think he will be a good rookie card investment (probably a $4.00 IPO). He played 16 games last year, batting .222 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs. In 14 games this year he is batting .205 with 1 homer and five RBI.