Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Baseball Happenings Podcast | Greg Modica's Unexpected Return To Professional Baseball After A 14-Year Hiatus

Greg Modica thought his six-year minor league career was over when he tore his rotator cuff in 2006 while pitching for the Long Island Ducks. He spent the next 14 years molding New York City ballplayers to follow his lead on the mound, putting away any dreams he had of returning to the mound.


Fast forward to March 2020, with COVID-19 shutting down both New York City and Modica's successful pitching business, he had nothing else to do but train. Two months shy of turning 40, he made a promise to throw 90 MPH by his May birthday. What happened next wass a Hollywood-esque story where an innocent bet on one's fortitude turned into an opportunity to play professional baseball after a 14-year hiatus.  

During the latest Baseball Happenings Podcast, Modica explains how a 40-year-old with a surgically repaired right arm defied all odds to return to a professional mound for the first time since 2006. Click here to listen on your favorite podcast platform, or use the player below to share in Modica's incredible journey.


Sunday, August 23, 2020

A 40-Year-Old Rookie? How 2020 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Fulfilled Olympian Nick Lucena's Childhood Dream

Growing up in the 1980s, Olympian and professional beach volleyball star Nick Lucena poured through packs of baseball cards looking for his favorite players. At the time, Ken Griffey Jr.'s 1989 Upper Deck rookie card was the must-have card for any Gen X's collection. That card's demand put the sports card manufacturer's name at the forefront in an era where Topps previously dominated.

Nick Lucena 2020 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions / Upper Deck
Fast forward three decades later, little did Lucena imagine he would be in Upper Deck set alongside Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Wayne Gretzky; however, if you look closely at the 2020 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions set, you will see Lucena mixed in with sport royalty. 

Click here to read our latest Forbes Sports Money column where we spoke with Lucena to find out how Upper Deck brought him into the set and how it feels to finally have your rookie card at age 40.

Below is our box break of 2020 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions where we not only pulled Lucena's rookie cards, but also a host of stars, including a special autograph and relic card. 

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Baseball Happenings Podcast | Rob Petrozzo Rally Co-Founder On Their Exclusive Topps Collaboration

Rally, the collectibles investment platform, has developed an unique partnership with Topps to produce ten "1st edition" 2020 Topps complete sets to be sold in shares exclusively through Rally's app. Rally's co-founder, Rob Petrozzo, joined the Baseball Happenings Podcast to discuss the details of their partnership, as well as explain exactly how Rally's platform works.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Baseball Happenings Podcast | Misty May-Treanor Interview

Three-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor is back with the AVP; however, this time, she's not scooping up shots on the sand, but rather she's calling them from their broadcast booth. May-Treanor joined the Baseball Happenings Podcast to discuss how she's exploring her new role as a commentator for their broadcasts and what she can bring to the table with her decades of experience in the sport.



Saturday, July 11, 2020

Baseball Happenings Podcast | Greg Genske VaynerBaseball CEO

Gary Vaynerchuk made another power move in the sports agency world by announcing a partnership with Greg Genske to lead VaynerSports' newly formed VaynerBaseball division. Genske joined the Baseball Happenings Podcast to discuss how he linked up with Gary Vee to bring his talents to VaynerSports to expand their agency's reach into Major League Baseball.