First Call: Honus Wagner's baseball card surpassed at auction by another legend's; ex-Penguin finds new team

Friday’s “First Call” has competition for the legendary Honus Wagner baseball card. Saquon Barkley is trying to find his 2018 form. Significant injury news in the NHL. A former Penguin has a new place to play.

And the Pirates look to get back on track in San Francisco.

Step aside

The famous Honus Wagner baseball card is going to be surpassed by another elite collector’s item.

According to the Robb Report, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card is being sold by Heritage Auctions. Bidding on the card is already up to $7.4 million.

That total price is already more than the $7.25 million recently spent on a 1909 Sweet Caporal card of Wagner, the Hall of Fame Pirates shortstop. Bidding on the Mantle card is ongoing until Aug. 27. It could reach $10 million.

According to SportsCardsRock.com, the Mantle card is expensive because “it’s from the 1952 Topps set, the first large set from Topps and also the first one to feature (its) now legendary design. It’s from Mantle’s first season as a baseball pro, which is still quite early in his career – although it’s not his true rookie card.”

Wagner’s T206 card is expensive because it is so rare. Only 60 prints were made because Wagner demanded that the producer stop making the cards, which were distributed in cigarette packs. Some debate exists over why Wagner halted the distribution — whether it was a licensing debate, a disdain for tobacco products in general or cigarettes specifically.

But that’s why, until this Mantle card reached new heights, the Wagner card was the gold standard among collectors.

Keep heading west

After losing three times in four tries against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Pirates are shipping off to San Francisco for a three-game series against the Giants.

The Giants are currently in third place in the National League West at 54-57. They’re 7 ½ games back of a wild-card berth. They just lost two of three to the San Diego Padres and have dropped six of nine overall.

Part of the issue for manager Gabe Kapler’s club is that they’ve been pretty average at home, just 29-27 on the season.

The Pirates (45-67) will get the Giants’ two best starting pitchers to begin the series. Carlos Rodon pitches Friday, and Logan Webb follows up on Saturday. Both starters have 10 wins. Rodon’s ERA is 2.95 with 161 strikeouts (tied for fourth in MLB). Webb is sitting on a 3.17 ERA over a healthy 142 innings pitched (tied for third in MLB).

Alex Wood (8-9, 4.17 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Sunday’s game against Zach Thompson (3-9, 5.08) of the Pirates. Bryse Wilson has the opener Friday night for the Bucs (2-6, 5.86). The Pirates have yet to name a starter for Saturday. TribLIVE’s Kevin Gorman says that manager Derek Shelton indicated it could be Tyler Beede.

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Saquon’s season

Because of various injury reasons, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has missed 21 games over the past three years. He’s trying to string together a healthy 2022.

The former Penn State standout suited up for his team’s preseason game against the New England Patriots Thursday. He caught one pass for 8 yards and ran the ball four times for 13 yards.

The Giants won the game 23-21. They play again next Thursday against the Carolina Panthers.

Losing Lehner

The Vegas Golden Knights are going to be without goalie Robin Lehner for all of 2022-23 because of a hip ailment that needs surgery.

NEWS: Robin Lehner is expected to miss the entire 2022-23 NHL season after it was determined that he will require hip surgery. An exact timeline of his recovery is to be determined. #VegasBorn

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 11, 2022

Lehner, 31, was shut down in April of this past year after shoulder surgery. In 44 games, he was 23-17-2 with a .907 save percentage and 2.83 goals-against average.

Lehner became Vegas’ full-time, No. 1 goaltender after Marc-Andre Fleury was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021. They split duties after Lehner arrived in Vegas via trade from the Blackhawks in 2020. Later that year, Lehner signed a five-year, $25 million extension with the Golden Knights.

Laurent Brossoit, who also underwent offseason hip surgery, could start the season on top of the Golden Knights’ goaltending depth chart. Logan Thompson, 25, may press for the No. 1 job. He appeared in 19 games with a 10-5-3 record, .914 save percentage and 2.68 GAA.

Veteran Michael Hutchinson is also on the roster.

New place to skate

Former Penguins first-round draft choice Derrick Pouliot has a new home.

The defenseman has signed with the San Jose Barracuda of the AHL. They are an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.

Pouliot is now 28. He suited up for 11 NHL games a year ago between the Golden Knights and Seattle Kraken, totaling four assists. He was on the ice for 42 games for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, picking up two goals and 17 assists.

At the NHL level, Pouliot has played 213 NHL games between the Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, Golden Knights and Kraken, totaling eight goals and 44 assists.

A three-time AHL All-Star, Pouliot was part of the Pens’ 2016 Stanley Cup team. He appeared in two playoff games that year.