A trade with Plaschke (in-person)

Greg of Plaschke and I traded some cards while we waited in line at Mike Piazza's Long Shot book signing in Pasadena last week.  I posted about the event here.  Here is what I received from Mr. Zakwin:

Per usual with my trade posts, here is a selection of some of my favorite cards from the trade.  The Anze Kopitar parallel (top row, second from left) is numbered to 25.  The Dee Gordon blue parallel on the bottom right is #'d to 500.  My Hideo Nomo collection has been quite neglected of late, so it is nice to refresh the ol' binder with some new "Tornado" cardboard.  Charles Nagy is on the back of the Nomo card in the bottom row, second from left.  He was pretty good.

On the left is a 2010 Upper Deck Series 1 Baseball (hell, there was only one series before UD was shut out), Hong-Chih Kuo gold parallel, #'d 75/99.  Some of you may know that Hong-Chih Kuo is one of my favorite players.  I have an impressive collection of his cards that I plan to post at some indeterminate time.  This gold parallel was one that I insanely desired.  Now I have it!  Cue maniacal laughter.  My Nomo rookie card collection has also been disregarded recently.  But, the rookie card above was definitely one I needed.

2009 UD Signature Stars, James McDonald rookie autograph.  McDonald is not on the Dodgers, having been traded with Andrew Lambo to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Octavio Dotel in 2010.  The trade seems ultimately pointless in retrospect - because Dotel kind of sucked and Lambo tested positive for substance abuse - but at least McDonald got the opportunity start in Pittsburgh.  McDonald had himself a half-awesome, half-shite season last year, and I am rooting for him to have an all-awesome season this year.

Such an odd card.  I like it!  Card collectors and bloggers have all probably seen these 2003 UD Game Face Gear cards before.  This is the first one that has come into my possession.  I wouldn't call it a "good" design per se, but I enjoy it.

2008 Red Hot Rookie Redempion #11 of Clayton Kershaw.  It is a gorgeous card.  This was actually a contest prize from Greg, not part of the actual trade.  Nevertheless, it is awesome!  Kershaw's nickname is "Kid K," though I prefer to call him "Kid Kilowatt."  If you know who or what Kid Kilowatt is, then you are a pretty cool cat.  (Hell, I'll just tell you... to me, "Kid Kilowatt" alludes to two great things - baseball and a certain supergroup composed of Massachusetts hardcore and metal stalwarts.)

2007 Tristar Elegance Showtime game used patch #CK, Clayton Kershaw.  It's a three-color patch.  Might be hard to tell from the photograph.  Elegant, indeed.  Looks fabulous.

Thanks for a fantastic trade, Greg!  It has been a while, but we got it done.

Patches, Patches for Me

I hope everyone is having a nice new year!  It feels about the same 'ol for me, unfortunately.  Anyway, I went up north to visit my sister during Christmas.  I had some free time during the holiday festivities to visit my old stomping grounds in the Peninsula, specifically my favorite card shop - What's On Second in San Mateo, CA - owned by my good friend Jordan.  I picked up some football cards while I was there.  Here is my favorite one:

From 2012 Panini Prestige Football: Team Foundations, Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy dual prime patch card, #d 15/49.

Back.  Though I do not like the Philadelphia Eagles as a team themselves, I do enjoy watching some of their individual players perform.  Not Michael Vick though.  Vick is a piece of shit.

I know the legitimacy of card relics has been called into question lately, but I still do enjoy the aesthetics of patch cards - more so than plain old jersey swatch cards.  NFL Wildcard playoffs are starting soon!

Orel Hershiser

On this date, 24 years ago, the Dodgers won their most recent World Series title against the Oakland A's.  Orel Hershiser had a hell of a season that year.  He won the Cy Young and World Series MVP awards, among several other accolades.  It took me a while to acquire an Orel Hershiser autograph card, but I think this one was well worth the wait.

2010 Panini Century Collection, Orel Hershiser prime patch auto, #'d 13/50.

What a photo!