From out of left field

I'm watching the Dodgers play the Cubs this afternoon. The most excited I got was when I spotted Tony Gwynn Jr. in left field.

He's wearing No. 10! Just as I speculated.

I like it. A nice tribute to his uncle and Tony Gwynn's brother.

But anyway, I've been thinking about what I am going to do when my other blog, 1975 Topps (it's far out, man), comes to an end. Will there be a "next" after the '75 blog?

The thought of focusing on solely one blog is tempting, so maybe there isn't a "next."

But the thought of chronicling another set is just as tempting and there are several directions in which I can go.

I could dedicate a blog to the 1971 Topps set. That would be cool for about a 100 kabillion reasons, most of which revolve around the way I could design the blog. But also it would mean I would have accumulated all the cards in the set, which is really one of the primary goals in my life.

Or I could dedicate a blog to another set that I have already completed. The 1983 Topps set is a possibility, just because everyone loves it so much, including myself. I could start a blog on 1989 Topps, but even though it has sentimental meaning for me, I think everyone would fall asleep -- including myself -- by around card No. 142.

But there is one set possibility that intrigues me more than any other (except 1971).

It's the 1985 Topps set.

Shocked? That's really from out of left field, eh?

The '85 set has been overlooked by everyone, including myself.

Just about the only time anyone mentions the '85 set is when they're talking about the Mark McGwire card or the Puckett rookie, or the other rookies/semi-rookies like Hershiser, Gooden and Eric Davis. The set has been marginalized, like so many sets from that era, and reduced to "what hot rookies are in that set?"

A set is worth so much more than the handful of rookies that reside in it.

So, part of me wants to dedicate a blog to the set so we can see exactly who is in there besides mojo rookies.

But also, it would help me learn about a set that I know little about, even though I own the whole thing. I purchased the '85 set all at once at the start of the baseball season in '85. I was in college at the time, at the very end of my first collecting period, and didn't want to spend every week buying cards, so I bought the whole set, and barely looked at it.

Blogging about every card would bring each of those cards to life, like the sets from earlier in my collecting life. I'd get to discuss the Gary Pettis card, that shows a picture of Pettis' younger brother. But I'd also get to discuss nobodies like Mark Huismann and John Butcher and Tom Nieto.

Also, there's another reason I'd like to focus on the '85 set. I met my wife in 1985. It happens to be her birthday today.

I guess I'm sounding like I'm going to set up a blog about 1985 Topps. But, really, I haven't decided a thing.

Once the '75 Topps set has ended, anything could happen. I might be a one-blog guy, I might be a four-blog guy. Who knows?

But if anyone has any ideas, I'll consider them.