Of course it does! People go nuts and search Ebay like crazy when a player or coach dies. Depending on how good and popular the player is, prices can skyrocket once they pass away. Now, I don’t condone death upon anyone, but in the bobblehead game you have to know when to capitalize on an opportunity. 

I remember I had a ton of Joe Paterno bobbleheads 5-6 years ago when that whole scandal when down with Penn State and Sandusky. As soon as Joe Pa died, my Paterno bobbles flew off the shelves and for big money. Another example, is when Don Zimmer passed, I threw a couple of his bobbles up on Ebay and they sold lighting fast as well. 

So to answer the question, yes, when a player, manager or coach who was popular in the sports world dies, the value increases dramatically. 

Here’s a Sniper tip for you all. When the actual death of a player occurs, you better list it on Ebay quick. Collector’s feel a sense of closeness and want that bobblehead to be a part of their collection while the passing is fresh in their mind. It sounds dirty but it is what it is. This applies to any sports memorabilia as well.

Listen, I understand that MLB teams have multiple mascots and for example here are a few for your taste buds. 

Red Sox: Wally and Tessie

Brewers: Bernie the Brewer, Barrelman and all of the Sausages 

Reds: Mr. Redlegs and Gapper 

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pierogis and Pirate the Parrot

And then there’s the Tampa Bay Rays- DJ Kitty and Raymond. I did some recon and found out the following. 

According the The Rays MLB website Raymond is as follow:

Background

In early 1998, Rays scouts on a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico spotted a strange looking animal. The creature, apparently drawn to the boat by the smell of hotdogs on the hibachi, climbed aboard and soon won the scouts over with his silly antics. During the excitement, a scout had a brilliant idea: make this fun loving fuzz ball the mascot for the new baseball team. “Raymond” as the scouts dubbed him, immediately accepted their contract offer of all the hotdogs he could eat, all the high fives he could handle, and the ability to shake his groove thing to countless Tampa Bay fans.

Here’s DJ Kitty’s profile. 

DJ Kitty’s Stats

• Full Name: DJ Kitty
• Birthplace: Tropicana Field (found out back near dumpsters)
• Age: Nine lives
• Position: DDJ Designated Disc Jockey
• Throws: Down the hottest scratches
• Catches: The beat, throws it right back
• Bats: Are great delicacies

DJ Kitty’s Favorites

• Food: Caviar, sushi, mullet
• Songs: “Year of the Cat” by Al Stewart
• TV Show: Josie and the Pussycats
• Books: A Book of String Figures
• Movies: “Diamonds are Forever”

I’m sorry. These two mascots for the Rays are fucking stupid. There’s absolutely no relevance of these mascots to the team at all. Rays scouts on a fishing trip in the Gulf of Mexico spotted a strange looking animal? And DJ Kitty was established by someone spotting him behind a dumpster at Tropicana Field? Come on Rays, you can’t come up with something else? 

There’s a lot of mascots in Major League Baseball that are flat out stupid, but ultimately, mascots are to keep the fans engaged. How does a furry creature named “Raymond” get the fans hyped up? And how does “DJ Kitty” spinning the hottest tracks get fans pumped up when there’s barely 10,000 fans in attendance during home games? Doesn’t make sense and I never understood the reasoning behind these two mascots. I will never understand and for some reason the both of them really bother me. Raymond is a completely forgettable mascot and DJ Kitty looks like a thuggish punk. Fuck the two of them. If there’s any Rays fans reading this blog and you have any sort of intel, please let me know. 

P.S. Don’t ask me why I have several Raymond and DJ Kitty bobbleheads because I myself, don’t even know. 

Number #1

Squints

Team: Brooklyn Cyclones

Manufacturer: Success Promotions

You all knew what bobble would come in at number #1 of 2017. Squints was a given. I didn’t even think twice when I spent hours deciding the top 10 of 2017. Maybe, besides the Marvel Thor given out by the Mets as being the most highly anticipated giveaway of the year, the Squints giveaway is right up there. An epic movie for all ages and even a better character. 

We can start with the red and blue multi-colored base with Squint’s name in white raised letters. The sandlot brown dirt on top of the base with the Cyclones logo is as eye catching as it comes. Vintage white Converse sneakers with raggedy blue jeans and the yellow/orange t-shirt resembles Squints like no other. The bright buck-white teeth along with the over sized dorky glasses is a feature for the entire bobblehead world. 

And to think that the Cyclones and Success Promotions thought to put “The Kid is a L7 Weenie” on the back of the base means one thing. They care about their fans and that’s a fact. They could have given us a standard white box, but no, they flooded the fucking thing with bright colors, quotes from the movie Sandlot and a replica “Sandlot” field on each side of the box. I commend the Cyclones by always producing quality products for their fans. And extra props for them to actually get Squints to the ballpark to sign autographs. 

No bobblehead collector, and I mean NO ONE, can argue this wasn’t the best giveaway of 2017. When I decided to make a top 10 list, Squints was already penciled in as the top dog of 17. Congratulations Squints, the Brooklyn Cyclones and Success Promotions for making the bobblehead community the best SGA of 2017. 

Number #2

Cousin Eddie

Team: Kane County Cougars

Manufacturer: Success Promotions

A pretty easy decision here with Cousin Eddie being number #2 on the top 10 list of 2017. Ya, I know it’s not a player or mascot or even coach for that matter, but this character in the movie Christmas Vacation, is ridiculously likable. There’s a reason why they are going for $80.00 + on Ebay and will become near impossible to find come this time next year. 

The base has the Kane County Cougars logo dead smack in the middle with their team name in raised letters on the front. The bathrobe, beer in hand, cigar in mouth and of course the hat, are the biggest features on the bobble. 

When you have family over for Christmas this year and you display this, don’t think for one second that no one comment on it. Your an asshole if you do. I bet you a free bobblehead that at least a handful of family members will try and steal it by the time Santa squeezes his fat ass down the chimney come midnight. 

We can only hope the Kane County Cougars continue the trend of coming out with a new character from Christmas Vacation as years go on for their giveaways. 

A no brainer number #2 bobble and Success Promotions should receive a creativity award, as well as the Cougars. 

This protesting and kneeling during the National Anthem is getting tiresome. Everyone’s had their opinions, so it’s only right that I give my take on this. 

This national protest with players kneeling and waiting in the locker room while the Anthem is being sung, is a very complicated issue. I can definitely 100% see both sides of the equation, but what is the most recent reason why? Is it still police brutality towards African Americans? Is it what President Trump said 2 weeks ago? Every single FUCKING week it changes. I feel some players just join the crowd half the time because they don’t even know better. 

Here’s my ultimate take. The players that kneel are under contract, meaning they get paid from their employer. They are “employees” to their organization. Players that are choosing to protest during “work hours” are being insubordinate per their contract.  

According to dictionary.com the definition of insubordinate is the following:

Number #3

Corey Seager

Team: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Manufacturer: Promotional Adventures

This was a very, and I mean very tough decision. I really thought for a minute that this one should be #2, but after giving it a lot of thought, Corey sits comfortably at 3. I can honestly admit, that all Quake SGA’s should be in the top 10 of 2017. This year the Quakes take the prize for the most improved SGA’s. I love every single one they came out with this season and here’s why. 

The silver base is smoother than a baby’s ass. The “teal” colored raised letters give me a chubby. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING on the bobble comes with raised letters, meaning a fuck ton of effort was put forth.

There’s very little to discuss on this one. Seager holding the Jackie Robinson Award plaque, while holding the Silver Slugger Award bat, that’s identical to the surrounding base? You kidding me? The Dodger faithful know’s this bobble is killer, and I was inches away from making this an overall ranking #2 bobble.

The box is the best, yes, the best box of the 2107 season. Colors, photos, awards, and the Quakes logo make this the number one box of 17. If I knew this bobble was going to look this good, I would have bought a plane ticket and took trip to Snipe 50 of them.

The likability of the Dodgers, Quakes and Seager himself, makes this debatable number 2 bobble of 2017. Absolutely, no problems with this SGA, as I almost want to call it the perfect bobblehead. Well done Promotional Adventures and Quakes. You Dodger fans out in Cali should be thankful for such a quality bobble.