Some discombobulated card show digging

What I've noticed is that I don't have an idea what is going to catch my eye at one table - where there is a certain lack of focus when it comes going through rows and rows of cards.

This doesn't mean there isn't satisfaction in my keepers - but perhaps I wonder if my purchases mean anything after the fact or any of number of cards jumbled together end of being misfit toys in my collection?

I kind of feel like I'm in my own little world when it comes to standing at a table and seeing what cards may have enough eye appeal - so I feel like there is plan and I'm just seeing what may compel me to flag cards I entertain taking home.

If nothing else, I like a more old school vibe, so I try to salvage loose cards that may not be the latest and greatest - but binder material that may add some diversity to the types of cards I may have in plastic pages.

Harold Baines gets unfairly panned as an undeserving Hall of Famer, but I wanted his 1981 Topps rookie card as a centerpiece to the loose cards I plan to display in a binder - it maybe a case where I actually still have to give him his proper due and make page for him.

I found a 1992 Donruss The Rookies Phenoms Tim Salmon insert card I'm sort of familiar with, but never really had in-hand - go figure it's been at least 30 years, but it's still fun finding the occasional prospect / rookie era cards for the Angels franchise Hall of Famer.

A rookie year parallel of Roy Halladay and another minor league card of Orel Hershiser are keepers as a little more different than the typical cards I'd end up with - while neither might be top tier guys in my book, they are decade stars, so I do collect them to a certain extent.

I'm indifferent to slabbed cards because it's $$$ impractical to send in cards myself, but generally prefer graded singles compared to raw cards when available - I already had a graded 1986 Donruss Jose Canseco rookie card in my collection, so I was only picking up a 1992 Fleer Update Jeff Kent rookie card, along with the loose cards.

I presented my cards to the seller without the Canseco and after getting a half off discount [for at least the loose cards] and $5 off the sticker price on the graded Kent rookie - I figured why not add the Canseco as well, where it was a totally junk wax era thing to covet that card at one point.

Even if the era is ancient history, there maybe something about coming back from a card show - knowing I brought back the rookie card of one of the brightest, controversial superstars of the times.

I don't know if a Jeff Kent rookie is particular unique, but I may have seen an ungraded copy in a random box and passed over it during a card show trip last year - it sort of became a scratch the itch card and I wanted to pick up one just because it's from a seemingly mythical junk wax era release.

Even if it's not really the case after the fact, I associate the Fleer Update set as being harder to find - a set I never got to see ever, though I was able to pick up a copy of the key rookie [Mike Piazza] years ago after Piazza retired but before the Hall of Fame called.

Kent has a Hall of Fame case but he wasn't the friendliest guy and is probably seen as strictly an accumulator who hit all these home runs as a second baseman - rather than be seen as generally this all-around talent who was a star from day one.

Card shop finds - retro uniform images on 2013 Finest cards

I grabbed these 2013 Finest base cards of Roy Halladay, Chris Sale and Adrian Beltre - it is fun for me to be able to flip through a handful of cards from the quarter box and come across random cards that have to stick in my stack even after I've whittled down the number of cards I'm actually going to buy.

I've kind of neglected picking up and talking about collecting topic cards - I'd rather do things on the down low, maybe trying to work picking just a bit more cards here and there hoping to list the collecting topics cards I've picked up this past year in a database and putting the actual cards away.

2010 National League Division Series preview

San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves
The Giants should be poised to stick around in the playoffs - a starting trio of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez looks pretty impressive while the Giants' smorgasborg of castoff hitters may just give the lineup enough offense.

It has been no surprise, but catcher Buster Posey has been pretty impressive since taking over the No. 1 catching position for the Giants - he seems like a young guy who can explode with the bat, particularly in a short series.

The Braves made the playoffs despite pretty much some smoke and mirrors - Chipper Jones is hurt, Martin Prado is hurt, Nate McLouth had a terrible year and whipping boy Melky Cabrera is still penciled in as a guy who is going to play a lot, even though admittedly his bat falls short.

Braves rookie Jason Heyward has been a phenom and may give the Braves the sort of inspiring performance to boost them to the National League Championship Series - while Heyward seemed banged up for parts of the season, the 21-year old picked up 91 walks and had a .393 on-base percentage overall in 2010.

There is a story about 2010 being Bobby Cox's last hurrah in Atlanta - not to be a buzzkill, but it wouldn't bother me either way, if his Braves get dusted by the Giants in the Division Series, just to upset the 'feel good' narrative of beloved old-timey, fuddy-duddy skipper leading his team to one last shot of glory under his helm.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Cincinnati Reds
The Phillies go one-two-three in the NLDS with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels - general manager Ruben Amaro has been derided for trading off Cliff Lee, but his Phillies are the best team in the National League, with the best pitching staff and a balanced lineup with Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco, Shane Victorino, et al.



While the Reds don't seem as good on paper as the Phillies - they have Joey Votto, Scott Rolen, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips among the cast of characters that make for a solid lineup.

Their bench strength should be great with Laynce Nix, Miguel Cairo, Chris Heisey, etc - look for one of these guys to contribute.

A key for the Reds is getting away from staying with a starting pitcher too long, finally making a move in haste to bring in a reliever and watching the reliever implode - the Reds have Aroldis Chapman, a 105 MPH throwing 'big gun' in the bullpen.

Dusty Baker and his coaching staff cannot stick with a starting pitcher who is going to be laboring into the late innings - basically they have to make deft moves and have to think outside the box, even if it means ruffling some feathers with some guys and their presumed roles i.e. Francisco Cordero.

It doesn't seem like the Reds will be able to stay with the Phillies - the Reds' chances of upsetting the Phillies in the NLDS however will depend less on talent, but whether or not Baker micromanages too much, particularly under duress.

Featured card: 1998 Arizona Fall League Roy Halladay #14

Not in 'mint condition,' but picked it up for $0.50 for novelty purposes at a card shop.

I'd love for Roy Halladay to end up at the front of the Angels' rotation - but then so would 29 other Major League teams and in particular, any of the contenders at the top or near the top of their division and/or Wild Card race.

If the Angels picked Halladay up - it would allow the Angels to turn their back on John Lackey, who is going to be a free agent this upcoming off-season. Halladay gives the Angels a durable ace, when Lackey has missed at least the first month of the season in the past two seasons.

Halladay secures another spot in the playoffs for the Angels - giving the team a veteran pitcherwho has a lot of experience, pitching against Boston and New York in the American League East.

For the Angels to land Halladay, they would have to give up a number of players and maybe even cash - what combination would it take? This is my 'fantasy trade' proposal consisting of at least the first three players the Angels maybe able to trade for Halladay.

Brandon Wood is the key piece here - he is a power-hitting third baseman who has power but hasn't been able to crack the Angels' starting lineup in the past couple of seasons.

Wood pretty much has the Angels' starting third base job in 2010 - but that is because he will be 25 and that is the make-or-break age for most players to be Major Leaguers.

At this point, Wood isn't as good as he was when he was tearing up the California League in 2005 - but Wood can be a potential star if he hits like Matt Williams or even Dean Palmer.

However, Chone Figgins is playing so well - that he might have stumbled onto the Angels' third base job for the next several years.

With his ability to get on-base, make contact and run, Figgins maybe more suited to fit with the Angels' philosophy - despite the fact he doesn't hit for power and baseball conventional wisdom says you need a guy at third base who can sock the ball.

Another piece in the package is Angels' catcher Jeff Mathis - he is hitting only .200, but that is because he can't get consistent at-bats as an every day catcher.

Obviously Mike Napoli has emerged with his bat and it seems like Mathis is rotting away - if he cannot play the majority of the games.

Angels' Manager Mike Scioscia always seems to have a surplus of AAA catchers to help Napoli out if Mathis is traded - while prospect Hank Conger is in AA, at least a couple of years away.

The third player I'd be looking at is Alexander Torres - he is a smallish guy, but is a lefty who is having a good year in the California League at Rancho Cucamonga.

Torres is from Venezuela and I'm just saying, who was the last prominent lefty to come out of there - Torres maybe the real sleeper here, though it is going to be a few years before anyone sees what he can do at a higher level.

Maybe there is something a little lacking - it may take at least two pitching prospects [Torres and another pitcher for example] or one starting pitcher already in the Major Leagues [maybe Joe Saunders, who looked like an ace a season ago, but has stumbled recently], along with Wood and Mathis.

It is fun to speculate however and see if you think you are smarter than a MLB general manager - hoping your team lands the key prize before the trade deadline.