Getting every Dodger, one card at a time

Every team collector is faced with the same problem. Your mission is to collect every card of a player who wore the uniform of your favorite team. Your fate is failure. And you know this. It is impossible to collect every card that features a player on your favorite team.

Yet, you rejoice in every new card you find, every card package in the mail, every number crossed off a want list, every team set completed. And you breathlessly report it on your blog. It's like fist-bumping someone after doing a load of laundry. There's not going to be any more dirty clothes in your future, right?

So now that I've undermined my post, I've got some Dodger cards to show! And one or two of them even finished off some team sets! Woo-hoo! High-five!

I'm warning you, this is another fiercely long trade post. I'm combining three in one because I've fallen behind again, and I've really got to thank these folks for what they've done. I may set a personal record for the number of serial-numbered cards I show, so that lets you know how nice these people have been. And they need to be acknowledged.

The first is another surprise box from Joe, who you might remember is the guy who busts hundreds of boxes a year. He dug out a bunch more Dodgers for me, and who am I to get in his way? You must do what you must do, Joe.

I'll start it with a fine rookie card of "Matthew" Kemp. The Dodgers are rolling again, and so is Kemp. The National League playoffs are going to be lots of fun. I don't plan on getting any sleep.

Here comes the numbered stuff. I received about a half dozen Ultimate Dodgers. I'm only showing the guys I like. So no J.D. Drew or Jeff Kent. Sorry.

Mad Dog, Big D and Jackie. No one can compete with that.

Here comes the Mike Piazza portion of the post. Piazza was basically the last person from the National League to do anything in an All-Star Game. We're all pretty proud of that in Dodger land.

Silver ...

Gold ...

And "Tribute" Black. I showed these to my daughter. She yelled "COOL" so excitedly that I thought I had shown her something from "iCarly" by accident. It was weird.

Some Diamond King action. I like the Robinson card a lot. That's a nice painting.

One of those Co-Signers cards that confuses the hell out of me. It's numbered, shiny and makes zero sense. Plus, Ethier is wearing No. 61 on the front, but his customary 16 on the back. Same exact photo on the front and the back. Brain mulling the possibility of exploding.

Wasn't that amazing? Another Nomo fest. I freaking LOVE Nomo cards. People are now starting to send me Nomo cards because they know I like them. I'll just say this once, so hopefully I won't have to repeat myself:

THAT IS BEYOND AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

Bringing it down a bit with your average base card. However, it's the last Dodger card that I needed to finally complete Upper Deck Series 1. That was a tricky little card.

Here are those cards that give me the willies. I actually like the design a lot, and anytime I can get Dodger cards of Casey Stengel and Dolph Camilli (I didn't scan Dolph, unfortunately) is a fantastic day. But, why, oh why, did they have to add that blue fuzz? Ack.

More of the good stuff. This time the "B" is fuzzy. It's a little easier to take than the other ones. That Snider card is great.

Oooh, everyone knows how much I like blue refractors. It looks like they tried to photoshop Pierre's jersey to match the border color.

Last card from Joe. It's a great 1979 TCMA card of Don Zimmer. I love TCMA cards. And it's nice to see Zimmer when he wasn't so gerbil-esque.

Trade No. 2. Lonestarr from Behind These Hazel Eyes gets the unenviable task of following Joe. But he does a great job of it. You've seen two of the cards he sent already, on the post about the All-Decade Dodgers team. I featured the Jeff Kent jersey card he sent and the Olmedo Saenz Upper Deck card. Both very much appreciated.

He also mentioned how there was so much hope for Hee-Seop Choi. I also hoped he would do something after he replaced Shawn Green at first base. But, truthfully, it was half-hearted hope. I had hope, but lacked faith in the poor guy.

A shiny card of Pedro Martinez with a photo from back when you could wear your hat like that and not get it handed to you.

More Mike Piazza from the 1996 All-Star Game. This is such an unflattering photo of Mike, and I've seen it so many times. Time to hit "delete" on this picture.

You win points by sending Kershaw cards. I have a notebook and everything. I like pictures of Dodgers in Jacksonville Suns uniforms. I spent a few days in Jacksonville and had quite a pleasant time. So, yeah, it's all about me. You haven't figured that out yet?

A great early photo of the crazy mound charger. Wikipedia says he's managing in the Dominican Winter League now. I shudder to think what he's telling his players to do if they get hit by a pitch.

I believe this is the card that got me to send the Kosuke Fukudome A&G relic to Lonestarr. I haven't given up on Blake DeWitt yet. He needs the opportunity.

Two guys who just got swept by the Dodgers this week. Weird.

Well, this was unexpected. An autographed card of one of the Dodgers' top pitching prospects, Chris Withrow. It's a sticker auto and all, but if I think about how cool Lonestarr was to send this, then all the bitterness melts away. Thanks!

Trade No. 3: Last selection of cards is from Brian, who is trading all over the place. Like Lonestarr, he also sent me some Allen & Ginter needs, but I'm sick of featuring those cards, so this post is mercifully devoid of them.

Believe me, when I get the last card to complete the set, you WILL see it. But until then, I have to have a damn good reason to show one.

Instead, I'm showing this chrome Heritage card of Hiroki Kuroda, who has come back in amazing fashion after getting drilled in the head with a line drive. Good for him.

More parallel stuff, this time from O-Pee-Chee. I really want all the black-bordered Dodgers. Some assistance, please. Pretty please?

I've never seen this before. It's a a foily card from 1998 Leaf of Hall of Famer Murray. Numbered to 3,500. Really.

Last of all is a jersey card of Gary Sheffield. It's a 2002 card highlighting the stars of 1989. And Sheffield is pictured as a Dodger but listed as a Brave. Confusion reigns. And I know Upper Deck is obsessed with 1989 because it was the year The Greatest Company In The History Of Time Began Issuing Cards, but Sheffield hit five home runs and batted .247 in 1989. Wha?

Anyway, to all three of you who are still reading, a multitude of thanks to Joe, Lonestarr and Brian. You each have amazing card collections. And you've helped me get closer to my impossible goal of collecting every Dodger card. But it's going to happen. It will. Oh, it will. These clothes I'm wearing? They're never going in the wash. Phooey on laundry. I'll make it happen.