Night Owl Cards

I'm not the most positive person. I suppose a slight negative bent is a common character trait for a writer. Inward thinking tends to highlight the pitfalls and road blocks along the way. That's why you hear a lot more about writers drinking themselves to death rather than meeting their demise when the rip cord fails on their parachute. This mind-set trickles into the hobby a lot and you've heard me whining in the past about how I don't have a decent card shop, how card shows are few and far between, how new product doesn't hit here first the way it seems to in certain other spots. I can't help but feel a tinge of jealousy when someone misses a card show because, hell, there's another one next month. But although I'll never be what you would call "perky," I'm not morose either. And I work very hard on seeing the positive side of things. Infrequent card shows create greater appreciation. Lack of a card shop helps me find better deals ...

Well, it appears that Garret Anderson will be a part of the Dodgers when they begin their season on Monday at Pittsburgh. I like having Anderson on my team, although like Jim Thome last year, it came about seven years too late. But if the Dodgers use Anderson like they say they will -- as a lefty off the bench -- and keep him as far from the outfield as possible, then it's a pleasant little addition. I'm more pleased with two other Dodger developments -- giving the starting second baseman job to Blake DeWitt and the No. 5 starter role to Charlie Haeger. I like both of those guys. They each must prove their consistency, but I'm glad they're getting the chance to do so. I suppose this brings me to the part of the post where I make predictions for the season. I hate this part. Most of the time I avoid it by presenting goofy, completely unrealistic predictions and then someone thinks I'm serious and gets mad/acts all puzzled. So I am delivering my genuine, seri...

Well, the poll has spoken. The 2010 Topps set is now known as "the wave set." I'm still partial to "binoculars set," but "wave" works for me, too. I'll add it to the Define the Design sidebar list soon. I'm featuring the Garret Anderson card because he is now wearing Dodger blue. The Dodgers signed him as a non-roster invitee and are looking to either him, Brian Giles or Doug Mientkiewicz for some left-handed pinch-hitting. I always liked Anderson when he was with the Angels. He's not even close to the player he was then and is on the verge of retirement. But as long as the Dodgers don't put him in the outfield regularly, I'd be happy to see him make a contribution for L.A. Anderson is the only one of the three who isn't coming off an injury issue, which is important because I'm already skittish about injury news this season. Russell Martin, you may have heard, is out 4-6 weeks with a pulled groin. Meet the Dodgers...