Night Owl Cards

Have you ever thrown out a card without realizing that you had done so? If your life is as muddled and agitated as mine, then your response to this question is, "Of course! You fool! Who hasn't done that about 14 times a week? What else are you going to ask, "Have you ever poured syrup on pancakes? Have you ever stood in line behind someone that smells? Have you ever eaten dog food? EVERYONE HAS!" Um ... OK, it was only once. And I was 10. And it looked like tiny hot dogs. But, anyway, I've done it a few times. I've probably done it a few other times of which I'm unaware, because the discarded cards are now decomposing in the county dump. The most recent time was just this past Wednesday. I had just completed writing the Koufax-Kershaw post featuring the cards I received from Dennis . That was my cue to throw out the packaging, the tape, the penny sleeves (I don't need to save those anymore), etc. I also threw out a piece of cardboard that ...

I received this card from Dennis at Pictures of Men . I've come into a lot of Blue Jays cards recently and he is going to be a beneficiary of that windfall as soon as I can find a post office. Cards like this Koufax-Kershaw item get some collectors' blood boiling, because the card by its nature is comparing one player with another, as if (*gasp*) they are the same. Sometimes the card is actually doing that, sometimes it isn't. In this case, it's merely saying that Kershaw led the N.L. in ERA last year and Koufax led the N.L. in ERA in 1963 -- the year to which this year's Heritage is paying tribute. But the Koufax-Kershaw comparison has been made before. And I've heard a load of people dismiss it instantly: "I don't think Kershaw is another Koufax (said with a "that's absurd" tone of voice.)" But why can't Kershaw be another Koufax? His last name starts with K. He's a Dodger. He's a pitcher. He's a tremend...

Remember when you received cards and that was enough? Remember when you weren't opening the package hoping that a blog post was contained therein? Not to sound ungrateful -- I like all my card packages equally -- but it is terrific when I can turn a package into a post or two. Pictures of Men has exceeded expectations though. This is now the third straight post involving cards from POM. Call the record-breaking people. This post has to do with where POM originates. Its headquarters are in the proud province of Ontario, Canada. Having lived near the Canadian border more than half my life -- residing near Maple Leafs territory first and then Senators territory -- I'm somewhat familiar with how things operate there and have had very enjoyable times in Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston (not so much in Cornwall). But I still get confused by the O-Pee-Chee. I just can't condition myself to thinking the card I'm looking at may not be what it seems. For 1988 cards, OPC...

I watched the MLB Network's countdown of the top 50 prospects in baseball last night. I don't normally care much about prospects, but there is so much talk about them that I figured I should at least know the name when I hear it. Basically, what I gathered from the show is that there are tumbleweeds blowing through the Dodgers' farm system (something I already knew), and the Braves and Rays are ridiculously stocked with baseball studs. But it all doesn't matter, because there were SIX Royals in the top 50 and Kansas City is going to chew up all the major league teams, turn them into fuel for domination, and win the next 46 World Series. One day people will actually hate the Royals, which I don't think has ever happened in history. I'll be thrilled if K.C. becomes a perennial winner. It's always been one of my favorite teams. It's the reason that I don't really mind when collectors send me Royals cards, thinking that they're Dodgers cards. ...