i can't begin to imagine how cool next year's version of this card will be

topps put an opening day highlights card of clayton kershaw in their 2013 opening day set.  that makes sense, but what doesn't compute for me is that it was a super short print.  why put ssp's in a set like opening day?  why put them in any set, really.  anyway, i picked one up for a reasonable price.

the card celebrates his 7-inning, 9 strikeout, no runs allowed performance against the giants on opening day 2011.  he picked up the win as the dodgers beat the no-cals 2-1.  next year's card should be spectacular, as on opening day this year, kershaw shut the giants out and provided the first sign of any dodger offense with an 8th inning solo home run.  that whole game was an opening day highlight for sure.

since opening day, however, i've been feeling a bit blue about the team's performance.  things are starting to look up, but maybe a different type of blue will cheer me up

like a 2007 topps chrome blue refractor jeff kent card

that blue scans so much better than the 2010 topps chrome blue refractors.  here's russell martin's card to prove it.

and then there are the walmart blue bordered cards, like this 2012 topps hong-chih kuo

and these 2013 topps josh beckett

and aj ellis cards

walmart went with a different shade of blue for the 2013 topps heritage parallels, of which i have the matt kemp specimen

although it's no chrome refractor, i like the looks of that card.  hopefully kemp doesn't make me blue by blowing out his hamstring.