2 Vintage Sports Guys - Episode 4

Episode 4: Join Joe and Paul as they agree, argue and aggravate each other as they discuss MLB's Opening Day and the NHL Playoff push.

Watch this on BZZR! The latest in Sports scores, videos, Podcasts and more! 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Welcome to Two Vintage Sports Guys, Talking Sports, Collectible Cards, and whatever else is on a moral mind. This is Joe Rendacci, tossing it over to my partner.

SPEAKER_01 0:17

Hello, everybody. Uh sorry, that was a bad impression. Paul Gallagher. I'm in Atlanta doing a Harry Carrie invitation for the inaugural opening day. Tribute, March 25th, 2026. Here we go.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

All right. So we got tonight is the kickoff game, as mentioned, 8 o'clock Eastern Time. We have the New York Yankees visiting the San Francisco Giants. What's your thoughts on that?

SPEAKER_01 0:46

Well, I don't like the Yankees, and it's all root for the Giants, I guess. Well, oh no, but it's a great, a great game. Uh, I mean, uh, everybody's excited. I'm excited. Baseball's finally here. The games now count. We have a whole bunch of stuff going on. So uh in honor of that, I went out. I think last time I talked to you about buying some box of heritage cards. So I'm sitting here sorting through those, taking out the good ones that I like. So I'm excited.

SPEAKER_00 1:13

All right. So with the Giants, we got uh is it Freed or Fried? Because I never get his name right.

unknown 1:19

Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Back from Atlanta.

SPEAKER_01 1:21

You should probably do some research. Uh, Max Fried, and you should sound like maybe that you're not reading off of Google, but that's okay. We'll we'll get to the next one.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

I'm not reading off of Google. I just can't get his name right, regardless. I mean, I hated him on Atlanta for all those years as a Met fan, and obviously as a Philly fan, you loathe him as well, so we can share that.

SPEAKER_01 1:41

We share in loathing. He did really well last year. So he had his first season with the Yanks, and now he's back their starter. And I don't know, as we look through all the matchups, there's a few names that pop out, like Skeens and Mizerovski, but there's not really a ton of household names for two old guys to recognize, but uh we'll start off with a good one.

SPEAKER_00 2:03

In other words, there's no Steve Qualton and uh Tom Seaver pitching tonight.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

There's no Bob Gibson. There's you know, there's a there is a T Tariq Scuble. We all know Tariq Scuble. Uh the Tigers probably suck, but he's pretty good, you know. And my Phillies just signed uh Christopher Sanchez to a five-year deal. And he's their opening day starter, who probably should have gotten awards and accolades last year, and he didn't. Uh and they're hosting the Rangers, my second favorite team.

SPEAKER_00 2:33

So it's safe to say the biggest star tonight is Aaron Judge for the Yankees. And then opening day tomorrow might be Paul Skeens, his his pirates visiting my Mets, so that'll be 0-1 for my Mets by five o'clock tomorrow. Yeah, we we all hope.

SPEAKER_01 2:51

We all hope. Yes, you're right. Every day is Aaron Judge Day, every game that he plays in is important. The WBC, everybody's watching Skeens. I've got I think some cards that I didn't even redeem last year because he was an MVP, because I didn't really understand how that all works. But somebody will teach me one of these days about uh redemption cards and turning them in and what the MVP means. But I just get any card that that says Aaron Judge, I think he's a standard.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

Well, I'm guessing you don't have his 2013 Bowman Chrome draft picks at Prospect Super Factor autograph card, which offer a record-breaking $5.2 million this March. I guess we missed out on that one. If I did, Joe, I'm not sure I'd be uh doing a podcast with you.

SPEAKER_01 3:37

I would not that this pays. Yeah, not that this pays, but I wouldn't I would be far, far away uh on a beach somewhere if I had that card. No, I'm I am the average Joe of collecting, pun intended. Uh that's West Coast time.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

I don't care about West Coast time. Let's stay on the East Coast for a second. You're asleep. So schemes. Uh I'm gonna tell you the most valuable one, and then you're gonna tell me the one you polled last year. So his 2024 Topps Chrome update, MLB debut patch autograph. And what's a patch autograph? It's when they put a little piece of his uniform on the card, right? Which is just insanity to me.

SPEAKER_01 4:14

Hopefully, game used. It's not always game used, it should be. There's controversies every step of the way, but yes, hopefully it is a game used jersey.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

What do you think that sold for last year?

SPEAKER_01 4:26

Let's go with a million. Can we go with a million?

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Yeah, because I just told you before this happened. $1.1 million, and it was pulled by an 11-year-old collector. How's that? Oh, that's the one.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

So great story there. That's the one where the pirates put out uh a reward bounty for that. So they offered to whoever pulled it season tickets. I think for the 12-year-old, the highlight of that offer was um that that that he would meet Libby Dunn, his girlfriend. Um, that was probably the highlight of the whole package. If you don't know who Livy Dunn is, don't Google it. It's probably not good for a vintage guy to Google Libby Dunn.

SPEAKER_00 5:09

But now you know now you know I'm posting that picture with him when I edit this. But it says here, it says here, and I yes, I am on the line on Google, that Skeens' 2025 salary of $875 was less than what his card sold for that the kid pulled. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

Yep. So that I mean the pirates tried to buy it. Um, I think it was ultimately sold. If memory preserves me correct, it was ultimately sold to Dick Sporting Goods, and it's now in a Dick Sporting Goods shop. Or called it to them.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

All right, so what other games do you see on your uh little scoreboard there? That's the case.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

Yeah, that Yamamoto one. Yeah, that Yamamoto one, Scoobyl. Uh Nick Pavetta is an ex-filly who was traded for a not much. Uh I don't know what we got for him, but not much. And the and the Brewers. The Brewers are fun to watch. Mizuraski, uh, second year. I've got a Tops now, Mizeraski debut card that I love. Uh, and that hopefully I've got a I've got a card from a company you've definitely never heard of, Pulse, which is unlicensed, which gets us into a whole nother conversation of licensed versus unlicensed. Topps is the only uh company that has the license for Major League Baseball, and so they can show the players in their natural uniform. If I've got this card that's called Pulse, or it's brought out by Pulse, that's an auto, and it's a blank uniform. So people don't really value that too much. I kind of value the auto. I think I paid eight bucks, ten bucks, twenty bucks for it. It's probably not worth that, but it's in the personal collection.

SPEAKER_00 6:45

All right. So one thing before we move past opening day, since it is opening day for your team and mine tomorrow. The under over on Philly wins for 2026 is set at 89.5. Make your call. This will be noted and jotted down, and we will see who wins by the end of the year. 89.5. You're going under or over?

SPEAKER_01 7:12

I have to go over because I have to pick them to get to the World Series again. So over.

SPEAKER_00 7:21

Let's talk more insanity. The Mets 2026 projected win total is higher at 90.5.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

That's insanity.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

I'll take under with all day with that one. And would be happy to lose it if we could win more games. So I will bet you a lunch for that.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

You are winning. You are winning. Last year, the Phillies won 96. So I'm gonna take the over again. That's a good one. I love that. I can't.

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Who knocked you out? First round?

SPEAKER_01 7:54

I don't want to talk about it. We're not talking about it. Let's let's move on.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

All righty. Well, we uh bets in typical uh fashion, lost the last game to Florida and didn't make the playoffs and did not deserve to. So good for them. Alrighty, so that covers that. What do we got going on in hockey, Paul? Talk to me something hockey. The hockey guy.

SPEAKER_01 8:18

Uh final push for the playoffs. Uh, I won't keep it all about Philadelphia, but they did lose to the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets, you know, holding on to that playoff spot. So we're getting into the final couple of weeks of hockey. Um, all the main stages are there. You know, you're not that you're a Ranger fan, but they they fell through the floor. Trades have been made, houses have been cleaned. Um, now we just wait on, you know, Austin Matthews and where he goes next year and stuff like that. But we're winding up. We'll see who's who and what's what. Uh but uh uh there's I I'd like to think that people are are still going off of the Jack Hughes Olympic win and getting in the hockey. And like everything, playoffs makes everything better. So we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

So with hockey, interestingly enough, if you look at if you look at it, you know who the number one team is in the Atlantic? Uh no. The Buffalo Sabres who are killing it. They're like 20 and 5 or in their last 25, something like that. And if you look at last year compared to this year, Sabres were not at the playoffs very low last year. If you look at the bottom two teams in the Atlantic, it's the Maple Leafs and Panthers who will not be making in the playoffs. So oh, what the difference a year has made.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

Yeah, that's that's lovely. And you can look at the blue jackets I just mentioned, too, or second in the um worst named division metropolitan.

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Um, so flowers are on the Island fan, the Rangers being in last place in the Metropolitan is a feel good story forever and ever, right there. It's wonderful. Yeah, it's absolutely wonderful. So even if you look in the West, in Pacific, Vancouver Canucks, who last year went deep playoffs, last place, only eliminated team with a little E next to them.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

It's it's one or two players making a huge difference. It's coaching changes. I can't tell you the Sabres, but fine. I'm actually happy for them. That's a great hockey town, great place to go visit. Been there many times for hockey, been to the anchor bar for Buffalo Wings. Well, it's a great what else you're gonna do in Buffalo.

SPEAKER_00 10:36

It's 22 degrees, and that's in June. Like either hockey or the Bills, you know, and Josh Allen, right? Uh it's a good fan base. It's 21 and 41, dude. That's not just one or two guys. That's a whole roster that forgot to come out after the national anthem.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

Yeah, no, they're they've been rebuilding for many a year. It's finally uh it's finally paying off. Look at the ducks. The ducks are up there too. God bless them. You know, but they've got the playoffs last year?

SPEAKER_00 11:06

I don't think they did.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

No, the ducks haven't made the playoffs since Emilio Esteves uh coached anything.

SPEAKER_00 11:12

That's funny. How about that? That's pretty good. Well, they're oilers hanging in there, and God, I can't see him lose the third straight cup, so they need to stay away from the finals this year.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

Yeah, Dry's Idol's out. I think Dry's idol is out for uh the remainder of the year, so that'll hurt them. But uh, we always root for the Oilers. You always root for Connor McDavid, no matter who you are. I mean, Avalanche, still flying.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

47 of 13.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Yeah, they're they're great. They just got too much talent. So Dallas, though. Look at the Dallas Stars right there. Right there.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

What do you got? What do you see as the uh the cup final? Who's facing who? I don't know how to hold you to this. I'll give I'll hold you to it once the playoffs start, but just give me a preview.

SPEAKER_01 11:54

Why don't why don't we say Buffalo, Colorado? We'll take the two number one seeds right now and we'll sit, we'll mess them up against each other. I'm gonna say I know what you're gonna say.

SPEAKER_00 12:04

Yeah, I'm gonna say Tampa, Colorado. Not because I'm here, because I hate them, but they're they're two seasoned. I think Buffalo's got too many young studs now ready for playoff pressure to go win three rounds and get to the cup.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yeah, yeah. I'll root for the Canadians. If the uh if the Flyers don't mean I'll root for the Canadians. It's a great team. Cole Caulfield, all five foot eight of them, you know, is wonderful to watch. They've got a great, great young team.

SPEAKER_00 12:31

Do you know, and I I just always remember this is a you know stupid trivia question. From the Canadians won the cup in 46, 56, 66, 76, and 86. They won all those particular years.

SPEAKER_01 12:50

Not bad.

SPEAKER_00 12:51

Could be trivial. Somehow remember that. They they stopped Gretzky's four in a row there.

SPEAKER_01 12:56

They stopped Flyers two in a row. Flyers had won in 74 and 75. Yeah. And they lost in 76. So, and and if we want to talk about cards, the Canadians, one of the series one, series two by Upper Deck. Series one, uh, the young gun star was Ivan Davidov, and I pulled two of him. And uh and series two, the big one Schaefer off of your team. We talked about him last week. So Upper Deck still kills it, still has a great card. Series two just came out. The tins are not out yet, um, but uh the hobby boxes are, so people are flying uh to those. So, what we can do is we can just wrap it up because everybody wants to go watch a game. So, tops is coming out with their latest releases. I just go to the tops website and find out what's coming up, what can be pre-ordered, and what's coming out soon. So that obviously it's baseball. There's a topps collector kit, there's heritage, which I already talked about, there's series one, and there's stadium club, as and then the other sports that they're coming out with is uh is uh MLS soccer, and and then a bunch of stuff to pre-order now. Bowman basketball coming soon is cosmic chrome basketball. That's always a fan favorite. Those are some really neat cards. Um, soccer sapphire edition, black baseball, and deadpool of all things. So I know my son would love that one. 2025 Chrome Deadpool. So they'll have some autographs in there. Looks like Wolverine, uh, looks like the Deadpool man himself, and then a lot, and then a couple of Marvel, Fantastic Four. That's gonna be your favorite, Joe, I think, of everything, and then even some tennis. So there's a bunch dropping here in the next little bit from tops, and then for Panini, uh, they'll be dropping a bunch of stuff too. So it's really getting into spring, it's really getting into it's the card collecting season, if you would. So from that standpoint, find out what kind of hobbyist you are, what kind of collector you are. Do you like series? Do you like certain players? Do you like certain teams? Figure out the price points that are good for you. There's really something for everybody in the tops collection from from Heritage on up to Cosmic. If you're a basketball fan, um, they're gonna be still things for you to collect. And then coming in April, it's gonna be Topps announcing their their football relationship. We go back to licensing, that's what drives everything. Uh, and topps will have the licensing agreement for football uh this year, so they'll be announcing some more stuff on April 1st. So there is something for everybody. We don't want to leave out our friends from Leaf. I love Leaf. They've got great products that are uh that are on their entertainment side, uh, college players that are up and coming, and a whole bunch of things from there. So go to the Leaf website, go to Panini, go to Topps, figure out who you are, what you want to collect, and and what you like to get, and then we'll watch some baseball.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

So let me ask you this. We'll end on this note. When you are, you mentioned collect what you like or what you're after. And I think whether you're a kid or as old as us, you collect the team you like, you try to get all of them. Uh, but as we mentioned, you could just buy a whole season and knock it all off. But if you are trying to collect your team as well as rookies, as well as stars or all-stars, are there any particular decks? Because again, when I used to collect, you know, you spent 25 cents, you got a stealth piece of gum, that's 10 cards that smell like a stealth piece of gum, and you hope the rookies would turn into something. Now you're fishing for, like we've mentioned in the past, Willy Wonka's golden ticket, you know, $3,000 card out of the gate. But is there particular boxes, sets uh that will have higher value cards, or is it all just luck of the drawer, no matter which set, which uh manufacturer or anything?

SPEAKER_01 17:20

Yeah, no. Generally, as you as you go up in price point, you go up in more autos, you get chrome. So, like a topps chrome black is a product that my buddies love. Um, there's all kinds of great cards in that one. Cosmic Chrome basketball, uh, there'll be good ones in there. So as you go up in price point, you go up in the bigger hits, you go up into uh the special cards that'll come out, the Willy Wonka golden tickets will be there. As you stay in the more uh I'll call even keeled sector with Topps Heritage and Series One. Yeah, there might not be a lot of splashy ones, but those are the ones that I think are still worth collecting. I I I collect the whole series, and it's at a price point where I can do that. I'm not dropping an arm and a leg, and I'm getting some fun cards that I like. Again, hopefully I'm not in the minority, but I can find some fun in base, I can find some fun in the inserts, and I can find some fun everywhere uh in these heritage and series one. Um, it's not all about finding the most expensive card in the in the box or the case. It's not all about a case hit. It's about who you like and what you like. So I think there's something for everybody. Um, but as you said, the further you go up, the the more pressure there is to get something from it. But it makes it really fun when you hit something in a in a in a topps chrome black baseball um that's going. So um, you know, go on the website, learn about the boxes, learn about the odds about what you're gonna get and how you're gonna get it. And then there's a great section, what are you chasing? You know, there's a there's a schemes here that's gonna be in there. There's an autograph trout. There's uh we've talked about judge home field cards. So I like going to the sites and finding out more about the collection. That way you're more knowledgeable, that way you know what you're looking at and what you're going for.

SPEAKER_00 19:20

So, like everything else, has these cards now priced kids ten and under out of buying it with their own money or allowance? You know, you and I would steal a dollar out of our mom's you know pocketbook, go buy four packs for a dollar, and you know, went from there. Now, does does the kid have to steal mom's credit card to go buy a pack or two?

SPEAKER_01 19:42

I I I would never steal, and I would never advocate uh for thievery.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

Uh about borrow, indefinitely.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

But you you you need to shop with mom and dad a lot of times. Let's let's put it like that. You're not uh but unless you go to um a store that has a lot of singles that are priced under a dollar, and and we might know one or two of those stores. So that's where you go to a card show. Uh there's a card show here at Cobb Galleria in Atlanta, uh, upcoming this weekend that I'm gonna go to. And at the shows, that's where you can go through bins of cards and find cards that you can buy for a dollar, sell for two. You can buy for 50 cents and sell for a dollar. There's a lot of flipping going on. There's just like house flipping, it's only in cards. So uh what you're describing is why you go to card shows and why you go to a local shop that has a healthy selection of singles, so that you can spend time, sift through boxes and boxes and boxes of cards, find something that's uh reasonably priced, and that you can go uh with your allowance money that you've worked hard for and buy something.

SPEAKER_00 20:52

I'd rather steal the credit card. And on that, we will end this uh episode of To Vintage Sports Guys. Bye bye, Paul.

SPEAKER_01 21:01

Don't steal. Be good, boys and girls. Bye bye.