Now, where was I?

I have been planning to post a trade from Wicked Ortega, who runs My Past Time ... I Love It!, for several days now. But due to a beastly bout with sinus issues that robbed me of my sleep (why else would I post at 7:30 in the morning?), Hideo Nomo's birthday gala celebration, and the Dodgers' mind-blowing maneuverings, all trade posts had come to a standstill.

Hopefully, if I can keep my sanity and composure at my job, I can get back to my regular ritual of showing what wonderful cards I have received from friendly traders. And this will be the first such post.

I sent Wicked a bunch of Marlins, including four Marlins autos -- because I am a magnet for Marlins autos and Angels relics -- in exchange for glorious Dodgers. So let's kick off the picture show!

Here is the Juan Pierre card from 2007 Upper Deck Future Stars. I don't get this set at all. How are Pierre and Jeff Kent and Rafael Furcal Future Stars? I'm sorry, I'm a literal guy. You've got explain this stuff to me.

I know most of you see Ramon Martinez's flexible pitching motion on this Fleer Ultra card. I see his blue glove. Say what you want about the Martinez brothers (but really, how can you not like them?), but they know how to color-coordinate their gloves.

Wicked sent me four Dodgers from the 1989 Fleer update set. I chose Murray, because no one wants to see Ray Searage or Mike Morgan, and I have too many bad pinstripe-related memories associated with Willie Randolph.

Ack! A Generation Now card. Did people really collect every number for each player? Whoever thought of this idea should be required to go through a spanking machine featuring every person to have ever blogged about cards.

I like early 2000s Fleer. All 4,327 of their sets. I don't know what building that is in the background. It looks Ebbets Field-ish, but not really.

2003 Donruss Classics Legends of the Fall insert. A take-off on that movie with Brad Pitt. I got suckered into going to that movie, with the cowboy angle and all. It turned out to be a weep-fest. I was semi-scarred.

More Starting Lineup greatness. I wonder how many cards there are featuring photos of Hershiser at that exact moment of his wind-up?

Again, Frank Howard is 6-foot-7. And he looked like that. If I was a pitcher, I'd be freaked. I mean, look, he's taller than the light tower behind him. He could eat the light tower behind him.

Seeing cards of Grady Little in a Dodger uniform makes me sad. For decades, all Dodger managers came directly from the organization. Then that disaster of the late 1990s happened and now L.A. is like every other team, going elsewhere for Davey Johnson here and Grady Little and Joe Torre there.

James Loney, 2009 black-bordered OPC. Jim Thome apparently isn't going to play first base at all for L.A., so Loney has to feel good about that. I'm happy to have Thome on the bench, even if that means a bunch of pinch-hitting appearances. I mean the Dodgers gave up hardly anything for him.

More 2008 Chin-Lung Hu craziness. I believe this is my 25th Chin-Lung Hu card from 2008. I'm not sure how many Hu cards there are in 2009, but it's got to be less than half that.

This is what happens, Adrian, when you leave the Dodgers. One day, they're comparing you to Duke Snider, the next, you'll be lucky if they compare you to Alvin Davis.

Awesome 1977 Dodgers! Upgrading, here I come! The best thing about the Dusty Baker card, other than it being his first card in a Dodger uniform (I don't count that '76 Traded thing), is the back.

The cartoon features the late, great Mark Fidrych talking to his trophy, like he used to talk to the baseball! I love how all cartoon characters look the same on baseball cards, unless you have wild hair. That makes you special in cartoon land.

A couple more '77 greats. You'll note the mark on the Garvey card. I used to think someone just accidentally swiped a pen across the card that I had. But I've seen several of them since with the mark in the same place. Must have been some printing issue or something.

My third 2009 Topps Heritage Chrome Clayton Kershaw card. I love it! This one is a refractor, like one of the other ones I have. But this is the valued 200/560 one! Oooh, where's a sucker? I have something to show them.

Another early Matt Kemp card. And I like 2006 Fleer Tradition quite a bit. Not the best photo, though. Nice, er, butt, Matt. Eeesh.

2006 Ultimate Roy Campanella. I can't help but be fascinated by shiny, numbered cards. I know that makes me weak. It probably makes me shallow. I also look at pretty girls at ballgames and watch youtube videos of dogs falling asleep. You can't change me!

More shininess of another '50s great. Man, Wicked knows what cards I like. Nice work.

See what I mean? There's nothing I like more than 1975 Topps. And I needed this one for the Dodger binder. Plus, let's not forget who won the Series in '63. Took them only 4 games, too.

Wicked, thanks for all the cards. Sorry for the lateness.