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Kemp vs. Kershaw


Even with all of the acquisitions that the Dodgers have made in the last six months, everyone knows -- or should know -- that the core of the team is Kemp and Kershaw. The last two years have established that the Dodgers don't do a damn thing if those two don't do a damn thing.

This is the main reason that I collect cards of both players. The other reason is I think they're decent folks.

I don't take player collecting as seriously as I do set collecting or team collecting. But I do pay attention to how many cards I have of both of these players. In particular, I am interested in the Kershaw total. It is my goal to have more Kershaw cards than I have cards for any other player.

I'm well on my way to doing that. Just last week I passed 250 unique Kershaw cards, which I think is pretty good for a guy who lists "player collecting" as priority three. Kershaw has appeared regularly on cards only since 2008.

Outside of Hideo Nomo, Orel Hershiser, Mike Piazza, Eric Karros, and a few other guys who played in the '90s when there were a bazillion cards of each player, Kershaw is right up there.

And I've actually spent some time periodically seeking out Kershaw cards for purchase -- which is something I NEVER do for any single player.

But even with all that, I still have more Matt Kemp cards than Kershaw cards.

One more.

255-254.

This really isn't an issue. I like Kemp a lot. I seek out his cards. I want all of his cards.

But there's this part of me that says, "Yes, but, I'm really TRYING to have more Kershaw cards than anyone else and I can't even get more than a fellow current player?"

See what I do to myself?

But thanks to a some recent acquisitions, my brain will move onto obsessing over the newest non-issue very soon, because Kershaw is closing the gap on Kemp fast. It's down to just the one card after the following items appeared at my house:


AdamE from Thoughts and Sox sent two fantastic diecut items from last year's Finest and Bowman Chrome. Both of these are cards I would have had to purchase online somewhere because there's no way I'm pulling either.

I missed out on the initial diecut madness of the 1990s. I fully appreciate what they are all about now -- weird as some of them can be.


This arrived from Napkin Doon -- my first transaction with N.D. Why did it take so long? Well, I was waiting for the blue parallels to look this fantastic. I must have this card. And I has.


And here's the red version from Brian at 30-Year-Old Cardboard. These Target red parallels this year remind me of something from my childhood. I don't know what it is -- a long-forgotten restaurant's dining room decor or some discarded toy in the basement -- but I'll figure it out. All I know right now is I love these things more than any other red parallel from previous sets.


Brian also sent the '72 mini Kershaw my way. These minis are very unnecessary but terribly nice-looking. I think if the Dodgers had one of the cool '72 colors, like the Pirates, Cardinals, O's and Astros did, I'd like them even better.

I think this mini Kershaw might be coming my way again ... and again. I've been on a mission lately to acquire as many 2013 Dodger parallels and inserts as I can in trades, and I've totally forgotten what I'm getting from whom. It's madness I tell you. But well worth it.

So after this initial burst (more to come -- I know a couple more are on the way), Kershaw is one card away from Kemp.

But that doesn't mean I don't want your Kemps!

Let me stress:

I WANT YOUR MATT KEMP CARDS!!!!!!!

What are you holding onto those things for anyway? You don't like the Dodgers.

(Fortunately, I have a few 2013 Kemps on the way, too. Yup, it's been madness).

Of course, I didn't just receive Kershaw cards in the three above deals. There were lots of other nifty items that deserve displaying.


30-Year-Old Cardboard lucked into a few more parallels. Here is one of the rare LOOGY to make a Topps base set, and a guy who may or may not be in the starting rotation this year. Competition is fierce. Just the way I like it.


Adam went way back to last year's Bowman for his parallel. Who knows what Dee Gordon is going to do this year? I say make him the next Herb Washington. That's right. An exclusive pinch-runner. The Dodgers can afford to do that.


What's this? A common variety 1994 Topps Pedro Martinez?

Before that thought could come to my head, I saw the note written on the penny sleeve -- "turn me over."

Somewhat disturbed, I did what I was told.


It's Pedro En Espanol!!!!

I was sort of aware that Topps put out a Spanish language version of its '94 set. I probably forced myself to forget about it because I find 1990s-style parallels the most pointless of all parallels, for the most part. And I didn't need to do this to myself (every time I look at those Florida Marlins-stamped Dodgers team set from 1993 I wonder why the hell I have it).

So there's very little chance I will try to complete this particular parallel. But if you're gonna have just one Dodger card in the Spanish set, Pedro is a pretty awesome one to have.


Napkin sent three more blue parallels.

For the record, I am not considering A.J. Ellis' card a Kershaw card. That would be a cheap way to inflate my total of Kershaw cards. And I'm not cheap. ... well, not about this anyway.

And before you figure out why I AM cheap, let me show you one more card:



That's pretty cool.

This is a graded card of the man who struck out 15 in his first major league game.

Normally, graded cards and I don't get along. I have none because any that cross my path are immediately let free -- usually in the most violent way possible.

But there's no chance of it happening with this card. That's because I have this card already. So why not have one that is already free and one that's caged? If someone tries to tell me I'm not card collector because I don't have a graded card in my collection, I'll produce Mr. Spooner here.

Tada!!!

I get to keep my card collector badge!

Phew!

One less pointless thing for you to concern yourself about, brain.

Comments

You had me at 1955 Topps.
Greg Zakwin said…
Considering I used to go by the moniker KempKershaw, there's nothing wrong with having more Kemp than Kid K cards.

Also, I WANT EVERYBODY'S MATT KEMP CARDS.

fight to the death.

over the internet.
Spiegel83 said…
It is also pretty nice to have big player collections of guys that will be Dodgers for many years from now. It will give us a chance to gather all the Kemp and Kershaw cards that other bloggers will be willing to send us.
Consider me a new blogger willing to part with his Kemp and Kershaw cards (I do need to keep 1 of each for my sets, though). How does one know what ones you already have? Or do I just send them?
night owl said…
My list of what I have for both Kemp and Kershaw is here:

http://nightowlcards.blogspot.com/p/dodgers-i-collect.html

But I'm always receptive to the "just send them" method, too.