Waiting for quality binder time

Even though I've only recently announced my more focused emphasis on set collecting and easing up a bit on the Dodgers completion quest, it's still been quite awhile since I've spent meaningful time with my Dodgers binders.

There are a couple of stacks of Dodger cards waiting to enter those hallowed binders. I usually update them after the most recent card show (at only 2 or 3 shows a year, it works out well). But after the last show in October, I didn't bother. So, they wait.

Also, it has been awhile since I received a card package like the one that was sent recently by cynicalbuddha at Collector's Crack. This was exclusively Dodgers, and mostly ones from that decade or so when I wasn't collecting.

I used to receive packages like this on the regular. It would make me flock to my binders to check whether I needed the cards. Then, since my knowledge of that time has always been limited, I'd have to check them again, because I can't retain anything made in the '90s or early 2000s in my head.

That's the way it was with this package. Check the binders! Now check them again! Good times.

It's a process. But finally I have it whittled down to just the cards I need.

Come with me now to that strange period between 1995-2005.

What a beauteous card. Picture someone making this card today. It ain't happening. Joe Black? Who's that? Don't you want a 47th card of Acuna? No? Here, have a Jackie Robinson card and shut up. I have 257 Jackie Robinson cards. I now have 14 cards of Joe Black.

I love getting 40Man cards, even more than getting Total cards (40Man looks better). You really feeling like you're making a dent when cards from sets like these arrive. Mark actually sent more than this, but these are the ones I needed. As you can tell, they're key ones.

There are plenty of lumber-themed cards from between 1995-2005. That's natural given wood's contribution to the game. But how about some more baseball-material themed sets? I've seen leather- and rawhide- inserts. I've seen dirt-themed inserts. Some grass-themed ones, too (I'd take a few more of the grass-themed ones). What's left? Sunflower seed cards?

It's interesting that personal computers arrived in the '90s yet some '90s cards are the most difficult to scan. This lovely Bowman's Best numbered parallel is more blue in person.

These, meanwhile -- from 1995 and 1998 -- are scanning disasters.

For the most part, these needs are well-designed cards from the early aughts (Topps Stars always had issues but I like this version better than the others).

This need is a crappily-designed card from the early aughts.

Moving on ...

When gold parallels were king. I miss borders.

The package contained even a few more modern-day cards that crossed off a few want list numbers. I especially like the Archives 1977-themed Turn Back The Clock Piazza card. I wish Topps wouldn't make its best cards the most difficult to get.

Lastly, my first relic card of Dodgers third-string catcher Kyle Farmer.

Back here, I thought I was buying my one-and-only Kyle Farmer card and overpaid for it (the only time I overpaid for a Topps Now card). I should have known better. This is now my seventh Kyle Farmer card.

I also have completed a trifecta for Kyle Farmer -- rookie card, autograph card, relic card. I think I have done that for maybe 30-35 Dodger players total. And now, Kyle Farmer is one of them. Weirdness.

These cards will join the other waiting stacks. I hope to have some quality time with my binders next week as a vacation is arriving. But there's some big holiday arriving at the same time, so who knows?

Just hold on binders. I'll be home for Christmas.