40 for 40

back in his "should have been mvp" 2011 season, matt kemp fell one home run short of becoming the fifth member of the 40/40 club. that honor has since gone to ronald acuna jr, some 12 years after kemp just missed out.

today is kemp's 40th birthday, so that's one 40 milestone he has reached successfully. in honor of his 39/40 2011 season and his latest trip around the sun, here are 40 kemp cards from my collection that i've not previously shown here.

2006 topps turkey red red parallel

2006 upper deck special fx

2007 topps chrome refractor

2008 topps chrome copper refractor

2008 upper deck timeline gold parallel

2008 upper deck ultimate collection

2009 bowman chrome

2009 bowman chrome xfractor

2009 upper deck o-pee-chee black parallel

2010 bowman chrome refractor

2010 topps chrome refractor

2011 bowman international

2011 topps attax foil parallel

2012 bowman orange parallel

2012 topps gold parallel

2012 topps walmart blue parallel

2012 topps tribute bronze and blue parallels

2012 topps update golden parallel

2013 bowman blue parallel

2013 bowman state and hometown parallel

2013 bowman platinum gold parallel

2013 topps blue slate wrapper redemption parallel

2013 topps chrome blue refractor

2013 topps chrome purple refractor

2013 topps chrome black refractor

2013 topps tribute blue parallel

2013 topps tribute superstar swatches and famous four baggers relics

2014 topps kemp green parallel

2014 topps chrome orange refractor

2014 topps chrome purple refractor

2014 topps chrome xfractor

2014 topps turkey red

2018 topps big league blue parallel

2018 topps chrome update pink refractor (all-star game)

2018 topps chrome update pink refractor 

2018 topps update (all-star game) rainbow foil parallel

2018 topps update (all-star game) rainbow foil parallel

and how about a 2013 topps museum collection primary pieces quadruple relics patch card numbered to 5 to cap things off

there are only five players better represented in my card collection than kemp, who clocks in at around 530 unique cards. i am always keeping an eye out, so that total will likely continue to grow.  happy birthday to the bison!

the k is for kershaw kountdown continues!

for the first time in 2024, we have an update on clayton kershaw's career strikeout total.

yes, the kountdown to 3,000 strikeouts for clayton kershaw continued as he took the mound against the giants on thursday in los angeles. he struck out 6 batters to give him 6 strikeouts for the 2024 season. those 6 giants that he k'd increased his career total to 2,950.

in honor of his performance, here are 6 not seen on this blog before cards from my collection to represent strikeouts 2,945 through 2,950.

2,945 - 2011 topps gypsy queen framed green parallel

2,946 - 2013 topps triple threads emerald parallel

2,947 - 2014 topps turkey red

2,948 - 2019 topps chrome xfractor parallel

2,949 - 2020 topps stadium club chrome beam team

2,950 - 2022 topps finest refractor parallel

kershaw remains in 21st place on the all-time leader board, and he will remain there until he passes zack greinke. greinke, who hasn't formally retired but hasn't joined a team so far in 2024, has a career strikeout total of 2,979. kershaw is now 29 k's behind greinke and 50 away from the 3,000 milestone. 

kershaw pitched just four innings in his season debut and recorded his first strikeout in the top of the first inning. he ran into trouble in the top of the third, allowing two runs on four consecutive hits to begin the frame, but then struck out the next three batters to end the giants' threat. for good measure, kershaw k'd the leadoff batter in the fourth for four consecutive strikeouts.

so now we wait and see how he recovers from the first start. if all is well, he should be back on the bump to either close the series in san diego or begin the series in oakland. regardless, when kershaw makes his next regular season appearance, know that i will be back to update the kountdown soon thereafter. stay tuned!