The giant trade post is back, baby!

I have been so good at trying to keep my trade posts to one per package that I almost forgot that I used to do those massive posts of five trades in one.

Well, I didn't really "forget." More like "blocked it out."

But then I was happily reading Cards From the Quarry and how hiflew was coming back to blogging. In the comments, Greg Z. made reference to my "huge trade posts." I thought, "well, I guess that's what I'm known for, maybe I should do one again."

But I'll have to wait for when I'm on vacation. I could never do that with all the crap and nonsense I've got going on these ...

Wait a minute ...

I AM on vacation!

Big fat trade post, here we come!!!!!!!!

Address your complaints to Cards From the Quarry and Plaschke, Thy Sweater Is Argyle.

I will start first with what I believe is a package from the Quarry. I don't exactly know because there wasn't a return address and no note. But there was a postmark. So I hope I deduced correctly.

Johnny, if it really was him, sent me the fine Eric Karros Gallery card up at the top.

He also sent an Orel Hershiser card I did not have:

Wow. Look at all that type on the back!

This is the fantastic OPC 1988 Hershiser card. And thanks to the write-up, I am remembering again that Hershiser broke into the majors with a lot of relief appearances. If Hershiser were to remain as a relief pitcher, I imagine him as the Tom Henke type. I can't see Orel growing facial hair.

This is the part of the package where I'm wondering if it really was Johnny. Because it's a bunch of Dodger fanpack stuff. Why would a Rockies fan be sending away for Dodger fanpacks?

I get confused easily. Someone help out poor, old night owl.

I'm also confused about the Dodgers issuing an oversized card of Brent Leach. I only know Leach from Bowman. That doesn't seem like criteria for an oversized card to send to the kiddies.

Of course, we have our prerequisite, fakish tattoos. No fanpack is complete without them.

I think "cool" and "temporary tattoos" is an oxymoron.

I'm going to blame my inability to read backwards writing for me interpreting the words on this temp tat to say, "I'm a Brownie."

What? That's what it says?

And they wanted people to wear this?

Wow.

Anyway, Johnny, if it really was you, thanks for the goodies, and glad you're back.

If it wasn't you, then I'm still glad you're back.

I received some more oversized cards -- this time, postcards -- from Matthew at Number 5 Type Collection.

He had a few Dodger extras and sent them off. He's always doing that. I think my life's work is now to find some cards for Matthew, which isn't exactly easy to do. But I need some more challenges in my life.

I have a few Dodger postcards already, but the Dusty Baker card on the left is one that was new to me. It gets confusing trying to sort out the various makers of postcards and which year they printed. That is something my brain can't sort out. I'll leave that for Matthew.

Jim at gcrl sent this postcard, which is doubly great because it's a card of Hoyt Wilhelm as a Dodger -- which was a very brief period -- and, I believe it's a night card. A night postcard. I'm not 100 percent sure on that. But I don't know where to go to for a ruling.

Yes, you're seeing a basketball card on this blog. But only because it came in a very diverse card package sent by Rod of Padrographs.

It was part of his giveaway, which meant with the usual Dodgers. But it also meant basketball cards, UFC cards -- which are surprisingly well-made -- and Panini Americana cards.

This was the only person I recognized out of the "celebrity" cards I received. I'm one of those dorks who if I saw him would say, "I watched you in BASEketball!"

That's more like it. A hobby-only Jackie Robinson card. Throwing to first base in front of my grandmother's hallway wallpaper from the '40s.

This card goes into my "if I am ever insane enough to try to complete 2011 Heritage" stack. As you know, it's a bastard short-print.

The best card from Rod. This is my first Bowman Chrome card from this year. I have not purchased a single pack of this stuff because I've suddenly grown allergic to spending the amount of money per card that Bowman Chrome demands of you.

Final group of cards. I promise.

These cards are from a Dodger blogger -- because there aren't enough of us. Oscar - a.k.a. Stealing Home -- runs All Trade Bait and this is our first Dodgers for Dodgers connection.

I can't tell you anything about these National Packtime cards, but I knew instantly that I needed them. You gotta love Dodger collectors. They always got what you want.

Another UltraPro Mike Piazza for the collection. This one is a lot more sophisticated than some of the other painful UltraPro Piazzas.

Yes, I asked for an Ismael Valdes card. It's a sickness.

These cards. If I was a kid when these came out, I would've cut it up into fours and then walked away with the top left corner, leaving the others on the floor to be swept up by my mother.

Cards I thought I had already, but did not. God, that's always fun. Especially the Nomo card.

Lastly, a signed Greg Gagne card, hopefully by Greg Gagne! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

I'm guessing Stealing Home got this signed in person, since he's a lucky Southern Californian. Very nice of him to send it eastward.

And that does it for the return of the monster trade post.

Was that so bad?

I'm still trying to keep these limited. But it sure did feel good to clean off the desktop a little.

As for trades I am in the middle of -- as you know the holiday is upon us. So things will be at a stand-still for a few days. That's a little sad because it's been a few months since I've juggled this many trades.

But I'll tackle things again next week as life allows. And you can be sure you'll see the cards you send here.

Hopefully, you'll get your own post all to yourself. But if not, you can say you made history by being in one of Night Owl's huge trade posts.