I love bobbleheads. Have I mentioned that?

I have a bobblehead of David Eckstein on my desk here at The National in Abu Dhabi. Whenever I bump the desk, Li’l Eck gives me a little nod.

It may be the only baseball bobblehead in a city of more than 1 million people. Thanks again, Michelle, for sending it to me.

David Lassen, a former journalism colleague in Southern California, knows of my bobblehead mania, and he has sent along a link to a history of 21st century Dodgers bobbleheads.

And what strikes me?

What a rogues gallery this is!

Here is the list. Go look at it, then come back and we will discuss.

Dum de dum …

Hmm, hmm, hmm …

You’re back?

OK, is that a sketchy crew, or what?

We can break out several groups with unflattering characteristics.

Guys Whom We Later Learned Were Drug Cheats: Paul Lo Duca, Eric Gagne (twice), Manny Ramirez (twice).

Guys We Later Decided Were Jerks:  Brad Penny, Joe Beimel, Jeff Kent, Manny Ramirez (he makes both lists), Nomar Garciaparra, Kirk Gibson (knew that back in ’88, actually),  and (yes, it’s true) Tommy Lasorda (twice).

Guys We Soon Learned Couldn’t Actually Play Anymore:  Brian Jordan, Fred McGriff, Russell Martin (till he landed in NYC), Jonathan Broxton (unhittable till his bobblehead came out, actually).

Guys We Soon Realized Never Cound Really Play: Cesar Izturis, Joe Beimel, James Loney (yes, I said it).

Interesting crew. You can see how the Dodgers have tried to guess the best way to approach this. The one year they went the two new old guys (Jordan, McGriff), then they realized that was not a good idea, and went for longer-serving guys not so old, but that gave us Beimel and Izturis …

Their safest bet seems to be to stick with dead guys. They’re not going to disappoint us with bad actions. Duke Snider? Don Drysdale? Pretty safe. (Actually, I can try to get a Duke doll; we will be in SoCal, inshallah, on August 9.)

Their other thought: When in doubt, give away a Fernando Valenzuela bobble. Three of them?

Still, and all … I wouldn’t mind having every one of these bobbleheads.  Even that freak Manny and crabby old Tommy. Twice each.