Instead of 2012 Topps

That's what I will be calling these posts that document my collecting path this year.

"Instead of 2012 Topps."

Maybe, I'll mix it up a little bit and sometimes call them "Instead of Pulling Cards of Lucas Duda," or "Instead of Another Crappy Insert of  a Bald Topps Executive."

Oh, I'll still grab some packs periodically. You know me. But I hope to be doing more of what I did a couple weeks ago -- tracking down cards I truly want.

This "Instead of 2012 Topps" package was achieved with cash I received from Christmas. You've already seen some of the Lineage minis. Now it's time to see everything else. With assigned rankings and commentary, of course.

So let's get to reverse counting:

12. 2006 TriStar Prospects Plus Clayton Kershaw, ProTential

I went a little Kershaw crazy with this package. I did that even though the prices on Kershaw cards are annoying. I love the double-mark-up. Capitalism at its finest. And a real good way to not get me to buy your cards. Anyway, I wanted this card because Clayton looks like the saddest baseball player ever. Buck up, young man, you have a Cy Young Award in your future!

11. 2011 Topps Marquee Clayton Kershaw

I'm not clear on the numbering on Marquee cards. Something to do with the color of the foil, I guess. But everything seems hazy after seeing those cool '40s Dodger uniforms on a baseball card. I nabbed the Kemp Marquee card a little while ago. So it's only natural that Kershaw arrived soon afterward.

10. 2010 Topps Chrome Clayton Kershaw, blue refractor

This would've been ranked higher if not for the dastardly curly-cue disease that affects all 2010 Chrome. It's disappointing because this would be a fantastic card without the curl. It's also, I believe, my 11th version of this particular card, what with all the parallels, etc. But, of course, blue refractors are the king of all parallels.

9. 1975 Hostess Dave Lopes

Have you ever seen a more accurately cut Hostess card than this one? Someone had some superior scissor skills. Hostess and Kellogg's cards are at the top of my Git List this year, although Hostess cards often suffer from the dreaded Twinkie stain, which I can't seem to get past.

8. 2011 Topps Lineage Andre Ethier mini relic

Still not a fan of  these Lineage relics, but I need to have all the Dodgers. Some of them seem like they'll be difficult to obtain. Duke Snider bat. Some relic from Campanella and Koufax. Good thing I got that tricky Ethier swatch out of the way! (Heh).

7. 2011 Lineage Clayton Kershaw mini; 2010 Allen & Ginter Clayton Kershaw mini

Two common-variety minis, but two cards that have avoided me so long that it drove me to distraction. The A&G mini resided on my Nebulous 9 for awhile. Now, both are in my clutches and will never haunt my dreams again.

6. 1972 Topps N.L. Pitching Leaders (matching pair)

Yes, you are seeing double. I obtained both of these cards in a sudden realization that I did not have this card for my 1972 set, and -- yikes -- there's a Dodger on this card, too! You see three Hall of Famers. I see Al Downing.

5. 2011 Topps Tribute Sandy Koufax

I have wanted this card since the moment I saw it on a blog. The numbers don't gleam behind Koufax as much as I remember seeing the first time. But it's still a pretty cool card. One of the best -- possibly the best -- of the many new Koufax cards that arrived last year. (I'm not including autographed cards in that list, because there's no way a lowly collecting surf like me will get his hands on one of those).

4. 1971 Kellogg's Willie Davis

Oh, man, what a great card. I've determined that the greatest cards are the ones that feature a player in a batting pose with the largest amount of bat showing. The more bat featured while in his stance, the greater the card. And this one has that going for it, plus it's in 3-D. I bow to its power and ingenuity.

3. 2011 Topps Chrome Clayton Kershaw, sepia refractor

Curiosity got the best of me on this card. What was a sepia refractor? Now, I know. It's a shiny, brown-colored card. It's a shade better than a "black-and-white" refractor, which I don't think we need to see. But there's a certain amount of classiness to this card that makes me glad I took a shot.

2. 2011 Topps Triple Threads, Matt Kemp, emerald

Yes, night owl bought himself a Triple Threads card. As you know, Triple Threads is not my thing. It's over-the-top, ignores the photo, presents weird combinations of players with weird sayings, and makes people say stuff like "sick!" when they see it. But I found this card much to my liking. It's simple. The photo is large enough. It features Kemp's nickname. And I love the green. It's well-presented. And it's pretty.

1. 1963 Topps Dodgers' Big Three

Scoring a vintage Koufax, Drysdale or Podres is always a priority. Getting all three on one card is as necessary as the air that I breathe. Of course, this year's Heritage will mimic the 1963 set, and Heritage often likes to use combo cards of the past with current players. I shudder to think of the Dodgers' current pitching staff with a "Big Three" label. But maybe Topps knows something about Ted Lilly that I don't.

So, that's the haul this time around.

I still have some Christmas cash left over, which likely will go to another "Instead of 2012" Topps package. You can expect to see that probably right around the time everyone is going loopy over 2012 hitting store shelves.

I may or may not be suffering from withdrawal by then. But all I'll have to do is fan myself with my Ian Desmond doubles from last year and I'll be OK.