Do I have too many Dodgers?

Yeah, yeah, crazy talk. I know. But I have a reason for asking that question.

Not too long ago, our dear Collective Troll blocked off traffic, backed up a truck to my house, and unloaded a card package so dense and massive that the resulting thud set off every last car alarm in the city.

I wasn't there to see this, of course. But my neighbors still tell the tale. And I can't help but believe them, because all I have to do is look at the box, and think about how my mailman is still walking upright and it's the only reasonable explanation.

But after sifting through the cards and cards and cards of Dodgers -- old stuff like Lopes here and new old stuff, like Heritage, and just plain Dodger good times -- I realized, "Holy crap, I have almost all these cards."

That's never happened before. I almost always need at least half of what people send me. I found this quite disturbing. Here Troll went out of his way to jam a package full of Dodger variety, and snobby Night Owl sits there going, "have it, have it, have it."

This will take some getting used to. Because I've always been the guy marveling at every other person's collection. I still do that. But the thought of someone admiring my cards is just weird.

I promise I won't get fat and lazy about this. I'll remain as greedy, greedy, gimme, gimme as possible. Because, realistically, I know there is no way I will obtain even close to every Dodger card. So all you folks just keep right on trying.

To illustrate, there were several nice cards from Mr. Troll that I did need. And I'll show them right here. After that I'm going to show some cards from Matt of Project 1976 Baseball and That Team I Don't Like Blog (OK, it's actually called A Giant Blog). Because I need to start pairing up these trade posts.

First off from Troll is a prospects card from 1994 Topps. The reason it was sent, I believe, is because of draft pick Eddie Davis, the dude in the Dodger hat.

But as you'll notice, the card also includes Mark Sweeney, who ended his career as a Dodger, and Shawn Green, who had a few impressive years with the Dodgers. And it also includes Curtis Pride, who was born deaf and played 11 years in the majors.

So that's what Eddie Davis is up against. Three major league veterans -- one who was one of the greatest pinch-hitters of all-time, one the Dodger single-season career home run leader, and one who played ball with the best while not being able to hear.

No wonder Davis packed up his glove and went home before reaching the majors (I don't want to be too hard on Davis. He did lose his home and business in Hurricane Katrina).

I vaguely remember Eric Hull, but here is what I think of when I see his name: there is a city in Quebec called Hull. Actually, it's not really a city, it's part of the greater city of Gatineau, Quebec. But it is right over the Ottawa River from Ontario and the Canadian capital, Ottawa.

I vividly remember visiting Ottawa for the first time, and being semi-terrified that I would take a wrong turn and end up in Hull. And that feeling all came from the belief that they spoke English in Ottawa, and nothing but French in Hull. I am semi-freaked about being in a country where I don't know the language. Montreal is different, because many folks know English there. But I'm not so sure about the other cities and towns.

I know that means I'm just a stupid American. And that this has nothing to do with Eric or baseball. I've got to be more focused and maybe sign-up for one of those foreign language classes.

More Topps 1953 Archives cards released in some year that I'll never figure out. This card demonstrates one thing about being an artist. You have to be so aware of things like the folds in Dressen's neck. I'd just prefer not to know.

This card mimics the 1953 Topps style, but Podres didn't start pitching for the Dodgers until '53. Yet Podres does have a card in the real 1953 set. It's No. 263. No, I don't have it. Yes, you may send it to me.

Joe Black had a terrific season in 1952. But five years later his career was over. His struggles to become a major league ball player were no different nor any less difficult than Jackie Robinson's.

Hall of Famer Dick Williams. The manager Dick Williams and the player Dick Williams don't even seem like the same person.

There's Jackie. I'm sure this has something to do with the Starting Lineup Talking Baseball game. My knowledge of this is very vague, since I think it came out long after my childhood years. It figures they would invent a board game with actual baseball cards after I had moved on to serious business.

Final one from Troll: One of those Allen & Ginter parallel hieroglyphic things of Russell Martin. I don't especially care for these cards. The decorative frame, the symbols. I don't even think Egyptians played baseball.

Troll, many thanks for the cards. I appreciate every last one. Now, I've got plenty of starter sets available for young Dodger collectors. Maybe I'll go out on the street with the cards and start converting Yankee fans! Now that is an awesome idea.

OK, next group of cards are from Matt. He sent several old-school Dodger cards, which is great because that's where my heart lies.

These Pacific cards from the late '80s are neat. I've always intended to get the rest of the Dodgers after acquiring Campanella and a couple others, but never did. This helps a bunch.

Here is Hondo with a great big shadow across his face. He is so big he was probably blocking out the sun.

And here is Johnny Podres again! Much older on this card. I think I might have mentioned before that Podres grew up in a town in the Adirondacks, not far from the Vermont border. I've been through the Adirondacks many, many times and always wondered what it was like to live in an Adirondack town. It seems nice. But I'm sure it's a hike to the nearest hobby shop.

Excellent! Proof that 1965 MVP Zoilo Versalles actually wore Dodger blue! The only other card I have of him with the Dodgers is the 1968 Topps card. He is so not in a Dodger uniform on that card. And completely hatless. This card makes it all better.

Matt sent a whole bunch of 1974 Topps Dodgers for my team binder. Here is the Dodgers' star of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Before my time, so I can't appreciate exactly what kind of impact he made.

One of my Dodger favorites, Andy Messersmith. Every '74 card of Messersmith that I have seen is off-center.

The requisite pose for an infielder in the 1970s.

See? You didn't even need to put the position on the front of the card. Just look at the picture, boys and girls.

Bill Russell was never a favorite of mine. I didn't dislike him or anything. He just seemed to make too many errors and not hit enough. Then he became Dodger manager and the team traded away Mike Piazza. I know that wasn't Russell's fault, but it all seemed to fit. Of course, compared with Davey Johnson's time with the Dodgers, Russell was a downright mastermind.

I'll end it with Von Joshua, just because I have never thought about Von Joshua more than I have since I became a card blogger. I've received several cards of his, including an autographed one. I've read about what he's doing these days on other blogs. I've had conversations about him with other bloggers. Great stuff.

So, there you are. Another long-winded trade post. My thanks to Matt and Marck (Troll). I one hundred percent do not think I have too many Dodgers. I just need to come up with more uses for all my dupes. Watch out Yankee fans. I'll be preaching Dodger Blue in the streets!