hobby quick
hits delivering that breaking hobby news direct me to your [Music] ear you want to know those hot drops from the car shop we've got you covered Newman welcome to episode 200 of hobby quick hits podcast today we're going to do a show we do every year and that's our Major League Baseball prediction show and and we we mix in the Hobby and and that sort of thing in there but we go over Award winners Sai Young MVP rookie of the year we pick division winners wildcard World Series winner kind of just uh you know I do this every year I'm a big baseball fan fantasy league player uh you know not to be conceited I probably get more of these right than wrong or at least I tried to and so again we do this show every year and uh so it's about that time right season going to kick off in in Tokyo here uh shortly and uh tops is making uh two new products uh just for the the event in in Tokyo designed by uh a claimed Japanese artist Mor uh been called the Japanese Andy W Warhol very uh talented gentleman and uh designing a couple products for for Tops there it's made for Japan but like most products right we we'll have them here in the states somehow someway so uh you know we're going to take a quick little break here and then we'll be back with the hobby release schedule and then after that some hobby news and then I'll tell you what I think is going to happen uh in 2025 for the Major League Baseball season okay now a quick word from our great sponsor followed by the new product release schedule then we'll go around the hobby verse to tell you all the latest hobby happenings and news then we'll tackle today's topic of discussion hi this is Pat Hughes Cubs Announcer coming to you from the sports card shop in beautiful New Buffalo Michigan the goer family has built an incredible place here for collectors to buy sell and trade cards and memorabilia be sure to stop by and let them show you around the sportscard shop.com connecting Sports athletes The Hobby and collectors around the world hi this is Alan pinket and I'm here to tell you the goer family has done it again they've just opened up the sport card shop in downtown Val rzo Indiana and it is awesome if you're a collector you need to check this place out tell them Allen sent you and get a free gift on your first visit go ahead let's check out this week's hobby wax releases take it away Owen hey guys I'm F sports shop let's go over the weekly releases starting on the 12th we have Keepsake Steve McQueen Premier Edition uh Panini prism basketball fast break Upper Deck Skybox ex2000 hockey upper deck DC annual going into the 14th we have Leaf Vivid baseball P Court Kings basketball uh Panini select La Liga soccer Yugioh maze the master going to the 19th with panini Don Choice basketball uh top series 110 Upper Deck Premier hockey Rock and then the 21st we have Leaf electric football Hobby and jumbo pan Origins basketball pan select baseball uh P zenth football and last but not least we have uh p uh TriStar autograph baseball Platinum Edition that's it guys see you let's Go Round The Hobby verse and catch up on this week's hobby news and find out all right let's start with one of the bigger stories for the week if you will uh we heard about wemi uh prior to his diagnosis with blood uh blood C clots uh did a jersey swap with a young man in Brooklyn at the bar Clay Center young man had a obviously kid-size Wy Jersey and after the game Wy gave him his game worn Jersey and took the young man's kid-size Jersey it was a nice moment that got a lot of social media momentum uh and then a few weeks later uh it was noticed that that same Jersey wemi gave this young man uh was on Golden's auction and wound up selling for $73,000 uh bad look if you ask me right he gives a young kid the the Jersey I think the kid was 5 years old and a couple weeks later I'm sure Dad obviously dad uh put it on there it's also come out now too that the uh young man uh or the father tried to stop golden from selling it he thought it was going to bring more money then file the lawsuit uh which was not uh no injunction so it wound up being sold to a buyer for $73,000 but the Optics obviously look terrible right uh as a uh you know I love these stories but now you know our athletes going to see what happen and be reluctant to give something to a young kid or even interact with a young kid or sign for a young kid right um the athletes of today are different than they used to be um and maybe that even gets worse and so uh that's really the sad commentary about uh the the whole story so uh you know uh not not good there the baseball season's approaching uh it opens up in Tokyo with the Dodgers Cubs uh series uh obviously a lot of a good amount of Japanese players on both of those teams well tops has uh commissioned uh Fame Japanese artist morami called the Andy Warhol of Japan to do two sets uh just for you know the the opening day at Toyo uh one will be a a wax product uh which is very floral based which is what morami is known for and the other will be a small set with the players uh on both teams obviously uh especially on the Japanese side so uh all the spec sheets I saw uh they look kind of cool I'm not a big fan of sometimes how tops just make stuff for the sake of making it and a price grab but I do I have to say I do kind of like uh these products based on what I saw we'll see they're made for Japan only but as we all know they'll make their way here to the states uh via you know via shipping so uh you still will be able to get it uh Bill Walton uh rest in peace his pretty much his whole collection or a good portion of it uh will be for sale in June via hunts auctions a lot of his game worn materials and jerseys uh and awards that he won uh will be going up uh for auction in June again that's hunt auctions uh PSA has updated their app to now be able to scan a card like some other price analytics tools and it doesn't have to be a PSA graded card it could be a raw card and you know you should get the real time values uh of it you can also list or or submit uh through the app quicker now there's some other bells and whistles uh as well as of right now I haven't uh I haven't uh played around with it just yet but uh you know I do plan on uh seeing what it's all about if you're old like me you might remember 1990 upper deck and that first Auto Chase Card right the Reggie Jackson Auto there were 2500 cards uh put into uh into 1990 upper deck which was not short printed as we all know so the autograph actually became because of how much was printed the autograph became hard to get hard to pull right and I don't know if you knew this but card number for 714 he put in quotes Babe Ruth uh and so uh that is obviously going to cost you uh a premium is that's basically a one to one even though this 2500 and he also randomly uh put in uh quotations Mr October on on some of them not not all of them and not most of them but on some of them so those those with Mr October uh will command the premium and those that number 714 which I believe is going to auction soon will also uh command command the premium uh as well Upper Deck announced the 23 And1 NASCAR racing team by the way owned by uh former basetball player named Michael Jordan you might have heard of him they've uh reup their agreement and will be carrying uh 23 and 11 racing memorabilia and Autos in their products and one last current event really current uh the Paul skes one of one major league debut patch Auto is on Fanatics auctions uh and at the time of this recording there is 13 days left and it is up to $420,000 the did uh you know I was asked on hobby hotline what I think this card would go for I said between 800 And1 800,000 and 1.2 million so it's halfway to my little more than halfway to my 800,000 prediction and there's 13 days left and here's my prediction I think either Paul skes wins it spends some money and gets his card or Bob nutting the owner of the the Pirates will spend uh what he normally spends on the entire uh Pirates payroll which is about a million uh a million bucks shot fir shot fir sorry Pirates fans had to do it uh but maybe Bob nutting uh bucks up and uh spends more on that card than on some of his his players and and gets it for uh the Pirates organization if you remember when that card was announced uh they put a bounty up which included like season tickets meet Paul SK sit in the Box you know a tour the stadium batting practice a whole whole bunch of stuff which the puller of the card said no I'll just sell it thanks not a pirates fan uh thanks but no thanks so uh better get your bids in 13 days left almost half a million dollars so uh you got a couple weeks and now our Feature [Music] Presentation all right folks here here we go I'm going to we do the show like I said in the intro every year division winners who makes the Wild Card who survives the playoffs who gets to the World Series and ultimately who wins the World Series we'll go over rookie to- Year winners uh sa young winners MVP winners and and and throw in some tidbits in and different things uh like that we'll have it obviously a little hobby feel uh to it uh as as well uh you know but we always have fun with the show uh there are no experts right but I am a a big baseball fan an active fantasy uh baseball uh player for 30 years now I think uh something on those so I have some working knowledge right and uh so we'll go through these and you know I like to look back at the end of the year here and see you know what I got wrong and what I got right and uh so let's let's start off we'll we'll Bounce from each division in each league so we'll start off uh picking uh AL East uh the winner of the division then I'll go to the NL East the Central and we'll go back and so you know I hate to do it uh but the AL East I think the Yankees even with the loss of SoDo to my Mets uh I think they you know they still got plenty of Firepower fairly good pitching uh that's a tough division you got the Red Sox up and coming the orios obviously always right now with that young nucleus always contending I'm going to take the Yankees uh for the AL uh they come out of there uh after tough battles uh inside uh that division let's go to the NL East and you know everyone a lot of you know I'm a Mets fan I'm not going to make the Homer pick here for division uh winner I think Philly Still Still the class even with SoDo I think the Mets pitching uh you know unless something changes from the time of recording uh the Phillies have a better uh pitching staff and I think that's what gets them uh the division so I think uh the Phillies uh win the NL East the Mets are right there I think the Braves kind of take a step back this year uh losing Max freed and and they'll be good I just don't think they they going to contend for the division and the Marlins are still uh the Marlins so that's where I see the NL East let's go back to the AL Central uh again another tough Division I mean all these divisions are tough now especially when you factor in there's three Wild Card teams I'm going to go with the team I I know every I do this every year that they're up and coming but they are they've been a playoff team now I think they win this division this year I think the Kansas City Royals uh they filled out their rotation pretty good Bobby Wht Jr besides being one of my favorite non-mets is is a stud and becoming a force uh in the league I think the Royals uh squeak went out uh you know over the the the Guardians I almost said you know what and I think the white socks and they're not going to contend for this division don't don't get me wrong I think the white socks are going to improve and I know that's loow hanging fruit when you have one seasons in in baseball uh well they did in baseball history um but I think they significantly uh improved so uh I'll I'll take the Royals barely over uh Cleveland I don't want to say barely but they'll they'll Edge out Cleveland let's go to NL this team's got a new manager I think he's legit uh well he already is legit I think he's going to be a Difference Maker why this team will win the NL Central that's Terry Fran cona in the Cincinnati Reds he's been there before he's back and he still can manage and that team has made some offseason acquisition Acquisitions uh Gavin Lux I think Nick Lalo uh steps his game up their staffs not too bad I think the Reds win the central I think the Cubs are right there they've made some nice Acquisitions uh as well they got a nice young third baseman if he wins the job and Matt Shaw rookie uh we'll talk about him a little bit more uh later on here and uh you know I think the Reds come out of the central let's go back to the AL the American League West I know this is traditionally Houston's uh division of recent uh but I think the Rangers regain their Throne on the AL Jacob Jacob De gram looks healthy uh and if he's healthy he's a major Difference Maker they've added a couple uh as well they're a young team that's now one year more experienced so I think that makes the difference I got Texas uh Seattle's in that mix the A's much like the Marlins are the A's um uh Seattle I just don't think is is is there quite yet I think it's Texas and Houston with Texas winning the division let's go to the NL West you know you got your Dodgers you got your Giants you got your Padres and uh you know I think those are the three uh you know really the ones going for it and have the best chance to win it but the Dodgers signed everything that moved including uh Roki Sasaki not proven yet in the majors but everyone wanted him for a reason right uh SH now probably more comfortable set settling in he's going to take the mound at some point maybe May or June uh and even without Otani taking the mound uh this team is just loaded uh loaded for bear they kept T Oscar Hernandez and uh who I really like and the raid and uh I think that it's their division uh to lose and I think the Dodgers win the NL West let's go to the wild cards back to the AL we got three teams uh obviously these teams can't win near the division to be a wild all right so the three teams I got coming out of the wild card or into the wild card in the American League of Baltimore I think they could easily win the L AL East but I'm going to take him as the wild card here I think Houston after uh you know anointing Texas Houston will get one of the wild cards and I think the third wild card you know I was really Heming and ha between uh three teams Detroit uh Boston uh and um and Cleveland and I'm going to go with Detroit they were they somehow they got in last year AJ hinch you know regardless of what happened in Houston he might be one of the best managers uh Boston is going to be improved and they very may very well may be a team I just think they're too young now I think their their day is coming so I'm going to go with the experience and the better manager and take Detroit so Baltimore Houston and Detroit fill out the six teams that make the playoffs in the American League along with the Yankees Royals and Texas let's go to the wild cards in the National League I know I didn't pick them to win the division although I hope I'm wrong but I think my Mets get a wild card that that offensive lineup is just way too good to not get in I think they're they're obviously not done making the moves they're going to they're going to do things to enhance that pitching staff it won't be as bad as it is at the time of of this recording so I'm going to take the Mets uh I love what the Cubs did in the off season uh you know Craig Council the manager uh they very well could win the central uh I picked the Reds but uh the Cubs are going to get a playoff spot uh and uh you know this one was tough but I'm going to go with the Padres I I love shil their manager uh they too have a pretty good decent hitting lineup and and some pitching they lost a few pitching that's why I didn't pick them for the division I think they do enough to to make the playoffs uh and get in so the six teams in the National League that make the postseason Philadelphia Cincinnati the Dodgers the Mets the Cubs and the San Diego Padres before I go with the you know who comes out of that let's go to some Award winners let's start with Sai Young uh in the AL two guys really stand out to me uh Cole Ragin from the Kansas City I think he gets even better this year I think the team gets better this year he's my pick but the other guy that might challenge him is a guy many have forgotten about who's been injured uh of recent years but I think he's finally getting healthy uh he's getting paid regardless of whether healthy or not but I think he comes back and dominates like he used to and ET Jacob the GR of the Texas so I think it's ragins and de gr for Al sa young let's go to the NL uh you and I think again I I picked them to win the division that's the Phillies and I think one of the main reasons obviously they're their lineup is stacked but uh Zack Wheeler becoming one of the better pitcher in the game and I think he takes another step up uh is dominant wish he was still a met we could really use him right now but I think Zack Wheeler uh wins the uh sa young but I I you know I'm going to put Paul skes right there I think Paul skes has a great year I just think he plays in Pittsburgh they're not going to win uh enough games and uh but he's going to have a pretty good year and uh uh but I think uh it's going to be uh Zack Wheeler taking down the NL sa young Corbin Burns now in Arizona uh very good pitcher uh I just don't you know again Arizona he's going to win games he's going to Sai Young is going to get votes I just don't think uh he wins and the fact that he's kind of changing teams every every year now uh doesn't bod well so I'm going to go with uh Zack Wheeler over Paul SK for NL Sai Young let's go to Rookies of the Year this I will say for the years I've done these kind of predictions this year was maybe one of the toughest one because there's just so many ways you can go we don't know which guys have definitely won a lot of years you kind of know that they're they're given the job uh these guys still have to to crack the lineup uh but in the a rookie of the year uh I got three candidates and I'll put them kind of in the order uh I think they'll finish if you will so uh the Martian Jason Justin Dominguez of the Yankees I think he wins it uh he got a little taste last year looked pretty good uh you know he's going to be on a veteran team so I think uh he's he's going to win WI a rookie the year I think second will be Jackson Joe but great pitcher for young pitcher uh for the Tigers and then I don't know if how much he's going to play this year but he's right on the cusp and arguably the number one Prospect in all the baseball and that's Roman Anthony of the Boston uh Red Sox uh you know a lot of people buying his cards job's cards uh the Martian so in that order Dominguez Anthony and Joe now to the National League uh rookie uh again I'm going to pick three guys I'm going to kind of pick them uh in the order I think they finish and I love this first guy I got to see him uh he didn't play for Syracuse but you know I'm a media uh press pass member so I get to go to the Syracuse Mets games they're two miles from my house I get to go and cover the team got to see this guy play here you know five or six games a couple more than uh and everyone knows about him number two pick in the draft behind P Dylan Cruz I think he he puts a full year together I think a major leag Talent right now I think he's going to get better every year and uh got to play a little bit last year I think that that taste helps him and uh so Dylan Cruz uh followed by Matt Shaw from the Cubs their their young Third Base Prospect uh and and Matt Shaw very well could win it too but I'm going to go with I think a guy who I know is going to get probably the playing time so Dylan Cruz Matt Shaw and then RI saki uh for the Dodgers you know pitchers don't often win rookie to years um and I think he's going to have his moments and I think he's going to have his struggling moments too and I think these two hitters guys that are in the lineup every day uh they're going they're going to be seen more and put up uh bigger numbers so I'm going to go with Cruz Shaw and Sasaki Sasaki in that order all right let's go to MVP uh again we'll start with the Al I think uh I know I I collect him he one of a few like modern day guys I try to pick up cards but I he's legit I think he's the next mik trout top type player if he can stay healthy um maybe even better when when all the said it's early at uh you know putting those accolades on Bobby witchu he's legit 5'2 good dude he's you know part of the hobby now investing in uh collect uh collects and uh he's a collector that has nothing to do with my my pick of him MVP has to do with him just being one of the best players uh in baseball and I think he he makes the Kansas City Royals go and I think uh he gets the MVP I think Aaron judge is in the mix but I'm going with uh Bobby let's go to the NL MVP and Otani the the incumbent and and reigning MVP and you might say well he's probably gonna win again if he adds pitching to kind of what he did last year had incredible year ler don't need me to 5050 uh dominant did stuff never seen in Major League Baseball ending with a World Series ring after playing for the downtrodden angels and and Otani is going to be very good again but he's not my pick for mry p and if I I you know I had to go Homer at some point uh during this show right here's my Homer uh call of the show right going Juan SoDo I think Juan SoDo has a tremendous juano always has a tremendous year no matter where he is right uh great young talent I think he really the the way the dimensions of City Field are I think he's going to have fun he's going to have you know it's a kind of different group of players I think he has a big year and he's GNA have to because right now that staff is going to need to run some I think he gets it done I think the Mets make the playoffs I I'm again I I wouldn't be shocked if the Met somehow won the division and Juan sto you know really spk this ball Club along with uh Francisco Lindor pet Alonzo so Juan sto over Otani for the MVP in the so what you know takeaways before we kind of wrap up uh today's episode the league has gotten much younger right we're seeing 20 year olds make the league we're see 20 year olds produce um you know used to be you know you 24 25 26 before you made an impact I think those days are are over you know pitchers we've seen kind of their Innings limited that's that's different the other way right um but it's a it's a a youth movement now uh in the major leagues uh and uh it's fun to watch the new rules with the time uh make the game a little shorter more consumable and uh more stolen bases now because of the the bigger bags and some of the rules with the pitch clock and throwing over the first so it's become a more exciting game between the rules and the younger uh the Young Guns steal the hockey uh term here it's going to be a fun 2025 as a Mets fan uh I'm glad with the the wilpon days are in the rearview mirror and we can we can try to compete and spend some money and uh it's fun fun to be a Mets fan so there you go uh you can take this to the bank if if you want but uh you know don't don't uh don't contact me if I'm I'm wrong just kidding but uh it's going to be fun to watch and I hope you hope your team does well your players do well you enjoy the you enjoy the season you enjoy the hobby all right thank you for listening to another episode of hobby quick hits want to give out our social media starting with our website which is www. sportscard Nation podcast.com Facebook you can follow us at www.face.com SL sportscard Nation Podcast SL Twitter we are at sportscard nat1 so it's sportscard n a ti1 Instagram at sportscard Nation Podcast or you can email the show hobby quick hits gmail.com again thanks for listening we'll see you next week
