Night Owl Cards

The 2017 Topps Series 2 checklist is out . I did a quick review of it to find the Dodgers. No Cody Bellinger, so look for that in Update. I'm sure he'll be on like five cards in that set. I also looked to see if there is a card of the Brewers' Eric Thames and there is, at No. 603. When it arrives in packs, Thames will officially become a "gapper." That's what I call players who have disappeared off cards for at least three years and then returned. I've been fascinated by this phenomenon ever since I was collecting as a kid. A number of years ago I started referring to them as "gappers" in my head. I'm sure that term has some sort of negative connotation elsewhere, but I don't care. If the Reds can send out a bright crimson beast every night and call him the same thing, then I can, too. I'm assuming there are plenty of gappers from the past 25 years besides Thames, who last appeared on cards in 2012. But I'm going to focus...

Phillies fans probably aren't going to like this, and I'll probably pay by watching Hiroki Kuroda get lit up by the Phils this afternoon, but I couldn't help but notice some similarities between last night's comeback by the Dodgers and a certain game 32 years ago also against the Phillies . First last night's game. The Dodgers entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2 and facing Phillies closer Brad Lidge . Rafael Furcal struck out. One out. Orlando Hudson grounded out weakly to the pitcher. Two out. Then, Casey Blake, down to his final strike, singled on a 1-2 count. James Loney worked a seven-pitch at-bat into a walk. Russell Martin hit a hard grounder to third on a 1-2 count that Pedro Feliz couldn't handle for an error and loaded the bases. Then Andre Ethier blasted the first pitch he saw into the right field corner for a double that scored Blake and Loney and gave the Dodgers a glorious 4-3 walk-off victory. Now, on to the game 32 years ag...

So, Phillies, we meet again. You don't remember me, but I remember you. It's been a long time. A quarter of a century to be exact. We used to see each other all the time, at right about this time. My Dodgers would play you on a regular basis in October, and I would be there, in front of the TV, forgetting that you were my Plan B team , suddenly hating you for getting in my team's way. You were my first postseason villain, although a strangely dressed one, outfitted in redish caps and powder-blue jammies. You had a wild man for a shortstop and a powerful free-swinger for a third baseman, a big boy in left field, and my favorite non-Dodger in center, Mr. Maddox. It was a great rivalry. It included my favorite player, The Penguin, Ron Cey: And another favorite, Dusty Baker. Both Baker and Cey hit grand slams against you, remember? And, of course you remember, Game 3 of the 1977 NLCS, right? Good times. Remember an older gentleman named Vic Davalillo? T...