more non-dodger dodger cards

it's weird that i consider a card a dodger card if it includes the dodger team name on it, regardless of whether the player is wearing the dodger uniform or not. for me, this goes back to o-pee-chee cards from the 1979 set, which were the first ones i encountered that forced me to make this sort of determination.  no one was going to tell me that the 1979 opc andy messersmith wasn't a dodger card.  later on in my collecting endeavors, i saw that cards from the 1960's often showed players in outdated uniforms, and my approach to these cards was confirmed by official team checklists created by other collectors.

more recently, i've been paying more attention to the opposite types of cards - cards with dodger players in uniform, but with a different team affiliation.  like this 2000 pacific paramount raul mondesi card

that's dodger blue that he's wearing, but the card says that he is a blue jay now.

other examples in my collection include a few gary sheffield cards.  here are his 2002 fleer platinum,

2001 fleer premium,

2002 leaf (complete with 'traded to' text)

and his 2002 upper deck authentics (which also has the 'traded to') text

cards.

kevin brown has a ton of dodger cards - the benefit of being the best pitcher on some pretty non-descript dodger teams, but his 2004 upper deck diamond collection all-star lineup card

is actually a yankee card

adrian beltre famously left the dodgers after leading the league in home runs in 2004.  the result were some non-dodger dodger cards in 2005 fleer classic clippings

and 2005 fleer national pastime

these are things that i didn't really think twice about, but when topps issued this 2006 card of jose valentin

i was surprised.  i don't recall a card like this in the flagship set since the 1979 bump wills fiasco.  before that, there were the 1974 glenn beckert and jerry morales cards, and to a lesser extent, the 1973 topps bill north card.  i only wish that topps had done the reverse with nomar garciaparra's card in the 2006 flagship set.

here's a 2007 upper deck greg maddux card

on which the words say 'padres' but the photo says 'dodgers'.

the most unusual example of these cards may well be this 1995 score summit antonio osuna card

except that it's an error.  osuna did not pitch for the tigers, nor was he ever a part of the tiger organization.  weird.  let's cleanse the palette with an actual dodger card from the same set

that's better.

i doubt that we'll see any of these any time soon with just one manufacturer licensed to produce cards that feature actual team names.  still, as that 2006 valentin card shows, topps may yet surprise me once again.

crinkly cards

thanks to crinkly wrappers, i am 9 cards closer to completing the 1971 topps set.

three managers, a hall of gamer, and some other sweet cards.  appropriate to showcase the mike cuellar and the world series highlight cards as i am finally getting around to the 1970 baltimore orioles post over at the timeless teams blog [shameless plug].

i also received some nice piazza's in the deal, including a couple of checklists - here's a 1995 score select

and a 1995 score summit

count me among those who think it is wrong for tim federowicz to be wearing number 31.  here's a third piazza, although not a checklist, from 1996 bazooka

i can't believe i have not featured a card from 2002 topps 206 on the blog before, but i guess i have not.  i am kinda sorta collecting that set although it is such a low priority that i don't have a want list up.  anyway, here's a shawn green insert from the set

i think this is from the 'team 206' insert set, and there are variations even within the inserts.  maybe that's why i haven't gotten too serious about collecting it.

there were also a trio of 2010 upper deck biography cards, including that fantastic orlando hudson one that celebrates the first dodger cycle since wes parker roamed the base paths

i really wish that the o-dog would sign dodger stuff.

here's manny being manny

and andre being andre

although i don't think going deep requires taking out the second baseman.  nice dodger stadium scene, though.

finally, a 2010 topps peak performance andre ethier insert.

ethier is playing at peak performance this year - averaging over an rbi per game.  i am always wary of big 'walk' years (see beltre, adrian) but hopefully magic can bring the money and get ethier re-signed.

thanks for the trade ted!

saints of the cheap seats brings some heat

dan at saints of the cheap seats sent me some cards. they are awesome. many i had never seen before. check out some of the bounty.

2008 topps finest russell martin.

sometimes topps calls him 'russ' and sometimes 'russell'. thankfully, no one calls him 'r-mart'.

2008 topps finest andruw jones.

his baggy uniform and stance makes his head look small. plus, he has a nightwing kind of mask on. yes, i used to read comic books. especially marv wolfman/george perez collaborations. and alan moore.

1998 donruss preferred checklist paul konerko.

paul is standing on the set of the pauly shore classic 'bio-dome'. it has konerko listed as a 3b, and he has the glove to prove it. i thought he was a catcher in the minors. anyway, he wasn't a dodger for long.

1995 score summit edition billy ashley.

i enjoy saying his name as victor newman would. 'ashhhley'. come on. you know who victor newman is. ashley was the prototypical aaaa player. good ol' pcl.

2008 allen & ginter delwyn young jersey.nice. it will be tough for delwyn to break into the outfield these days, especially if manny returns, but he can hit the ball real hard. i am more and more reminded of the dodgers of the early 70s and 80s with all this young talent. hopefully young brings us something useful when ned decides to trade him.

another young, this time 2008 topps finest delmon.according to the local scribes, delmon was kind of a bust for the twinkies this year, but he's young and i really hope he picks it up next year.

2003 topps matt stairs.
for my set. awesome. this post season, matt joined the likes of bobby thomson, joe morgan, jack clark and ozzie smith as long ball hitting dodger killers. he is the only one, though, who looks like he is in the local d-level softball beer league.

there were a lot more great cards. thanks dan! i have a stack headed your way in return.