If you ignore it, it will go away

Was there a World Series? Funny, I could've sworn they skipped it this year. Yeah, I just don't think there was one, because I'm certainly not in the mood to congratulate anyone, and I definitely don't feel like celebrating.

So that must be it. They didn't have a World Series this year. Bummer. Oh well.

I suppose that's better than the alternative, which would be having your two least favorite teams of all-time win back-to-back World Series. What are the odds of that happening? Come on, math majors. I DEMAND the odds. Next to impossible? Yeah, I believe you there. It just couldn't happen. So, yup, definitely no World Series this year. Gosh, how unfortunate.

I guess that means we're already into the offseason, or as I like to put it "what the eff are the Dodgers going to do to beat that sorry-ass group of N.L. West pretenders in 2011?" I've been a little too busy to focus on where the Dodgers need help, but I'll give it a wild guess and say "everywhere."

The Dodgers need relief pitching, possibly a starter or two (depending on whether they keep Kuroda and/or Padilla), an honest-to-goodness left fielder, a legitimate slugger, and a catcher. Other than that, everything is peachy.

I thought I'd randomly go through some Albuquerque Isotopes cards that were sent to me from Kris of Cards in the Attic (glad to see you blogging again, Kris!) in hopes that it might get me back to focusing on the Dodgers after trying to forget what transpired in 2010.

One group of cards he sent was the 2010 Isotopes/Disabled American Veterans set, which is awesome for a variety of reasons.

Here is the Dodgers' third base coach for next season. He's also something of a safety net for Donnie Baseball.

This is possibly the Dodgers' shortstop of the future, or the present given how often Rafael Furcal gets injured. Dee Gordon is also bubbling under in the Dodgers' system so L.A. has a few options. I just know Chin-lung Hu should definitely not be one of them anymore.

Hey! Here was the bright spot of 2010. That's right, I said THE bright spot. There was only one. After 15 years of trying, John Lindsey made the majors. He went 1-for-12 until the Diamondbacks' Daniel Hudson broke his hand. Still, a terrific, feel-good story, even if the hand thing didn't feel good. When it came to feeling good, the Dodgers took what they could get.

OK, here's another feel good story from last season. Jay Gibbons toiled in the minors almost the whole year before being called up to the Dodgers. He ended up having 70 at-bats and hitting quite well. I don't know what his role will be next season, but I'd like to see him get a shot. He looks more interesting to me than Scott Podsednik.

Here is an extra-large version of Gibbons. Kris sent me a whole set of these 1965 style autograph session cards, which are about 5x10 in size (sorry, I don't have a ruler on me). Actually, he sent me one more than the whole set, because he said the Gibbons card wasn't released to the public as he had been called up the majors. Cool.

That is the back of the cards. 1965 was a great set. Excellent choice by the Isotopes.

By the way, Xavier Paul is yet another option in left for L.A.

I scanned this one just because it's cool that the Dodgers have an Aussie ballplayer in the organization.

The other guys in the set are J.D. Closser, Jamie Hoffmann, Russ Mitchell, Josh Lindblom, Scott Dohmann, Lucas May, Ivan DeJesus Jr., Michael Restovich, John Lindsey and Seth Etherton.

It is awesome that Kris has a connection to the Isotopes and is nice enough to think of fan all the way on the other side of the country.

Kris also was thoughtful enough to send along an article he saw. You may have read it yourself. It mentioned a psychologist who has data that backs a previous study, which showed that people with higher IQs have a preference for staying up late. In short, night owls are smarter. I won't bore you with the details except to say ... I KNEW IT!

Which is why you must believe me when I say: there was no World Series this year.

Too bad.