Javy Lopez, 2005 Playoff Prestige #18

A few thoughts on a Sunday afternoon:

-Need a unique, dynamic photo for your baseball card? Why not go with a power-hitting catcher jogging back across the infield after making an out? (At least that's what this looks like. Wouldn't be my first choice.)

-Javy Lopez is wearing a mid-1970s throwback uniform, though it always bugged me when the Orioles didn't bother with throwback batting helmets. Go all-out or don't do it at all.

-I didn't realize how much I liked the orange jerseys until the O's finally brought them back a few years ago. I don't think it's a coincidence that Baltimore's return to respectability went hand-in-hand with the revival of orange jerseys and the cartoon bird. I'm only half-joking.

-Look at this dull-as-dishwater card design and tell me why Donruss (who oversaw the Playoff brand) went belly-up.

Val Majewski, 2005 Playoff Prestige #183

It's time once again for "Where's Kevin?", the thoroughly underwhelming spinoff to "Where's Waldo?". Shortly, I will be traveling to New Brunswick, NJ, proud hometown of Val Majewski, he of the 13-at-bat major league career. Val played college ball at Rutgers University. As coincidence would have it, the purpose of my trip is to represent my employer at a career fair at RU's New Brunswick campus. Send me good-traffic vibes and keep your fingers crossed that the hotel bed is comfortable.

Okay, sure, you're wondering where Val is now. He's right up I-83 with the York Revolution of the Atlantic Baseball League, along with fellow ex-Oriole Matt Riley. The Rutgers grad is acquitting himself well in the indy league, hitting .330 with a .392 on-base percentage, eight doubles, and 22 RBI in 29 games. Riley, however, has allowed ten runs on 15 hits and 11 walks in 14 innings of work. You win some, and you lose some.