Something's got to give

 

This is my most recent Dodger binder -- binder No. 37 -- sitting there on the floor waiting for its forever home on one of two four-tiered card shelving units in the card room.

 

It's been sitting there for more than a month. I was supposed to figure out a spot for it during vacation last month but that didn't happen. Turns out it's going to take significant thought and upheaval to get that thing in there.

 

I always thought that when I got to Dodger binder No. 40, I would stop right there. Any other cards gaining entrance would have to boot other cards. But it looks like it's time for that already.

 

It seems like a send from Johnny's Trading Spot always touches off this kind of talk. An earlier shipment had me kicking out Bowman and Panini cards of supposed Dodger players who never even made the majors. They're in boxes now. But now I'm going to have to go a step farther.

 

I think next up will be Bowman and Panini cards that just aren't interesting to me. They're sloppy, unattractive or feature players who barely made a dent and for whom I have a card of with a more appealing card, like, say, Topps. Also certain parallels that I consider ridiculous -- think the Marlins/Rockies commemorative stamp sets -- are good targets. I've already booted a host of Donruss inconsequential back errors. Listen, I know some of you team collectors are covering your ears, but something's got to give.

 

The other option is maybe using a binder that houses a complete set for a new Dodger binder, maybe a set that isn't all that exciting to me -- send it to a box. But I'll have to think hard about that, too, those are my babies.

 

Anyway, Johnny sent me a whole bunch of Dodgers again. Let's see what's gaining entrance ... or not.

 

Here we go. A lot of this is prime candidacy for a new box address. Autographs I have already of dudes who didn't do much, Panini and Bowman stuff that is not exciting. 2020 Topps color parallels -- one of my least favorite color parallel years. Not saying they all get the binder boot but a few will.

 

 

John sent practically the full 2024 Prism Dodger set. I instinctively want to add this to the binder -- it's almost the full set!! But these are the tough decisions I need to make. Does Jake Gelof belong on the same page with Don Sutton? These are the questions.

 

 

Prizm parallels. Yes, I know some of them look like the regular cards in the previous photo. They're not, which means it's a box for them. But not Dalton Rushing -- he's getting his first MLB start today!

 

 

Ha, ha, nice try Bowman. A parallel that took me forever to determine what it is are definite box candidates. This is a "lunar parallel". Colorful, but these guys need to hit the majors.

 

 

By now you're probably wondering what WILL make a binder? Stuff like this. This is all Topps from well-known sets. Some are parallels but worthy ones to me. Also it's time to count the number of Shawn Green relics again.

 

 

I think Johnny's discarding his Dodger Freemans. Good news!!! All of these were needs and definitely binder-bound.

 

 

More really worthy stuff. A Koufax 2024 insert, a new Jackie Robinson card, the Betts Around the Horn completes the trifecta for me, I love those plaid Holiday parallels -- this is my third Dodger now -- and Seagers are always welcome because people have started to hoard some of them.

 

And, oh yeah, that Yankee! That finishes the 2024 Update set for me!

 

 

A lot of the cards in the envelope are connected to 2024 Topps. These are all Chrome refractors. I almost never see those, which is wild that John can just throw a bunch in an envelope.

 

 

 More parallels (yes, they're all binder worthy).

 

 

FOUR different Teoscar Hernandez parallels. Perhaps confusing to some that I will discard something like this from Bowman yet am excited about these. Don't know what to tell you, the heart wants what it wants.

 

 

But here is where not even Topps gets a pass. The Montgomery Club parallels hold zero meaning. I can't wait to banish all of these. See? Weeding out can be fun!

 

 

 Golds stay though.

 

 

And the night card binder is still welcoming cards that qualify. Both of these do!!!

 

This just demonstrates how the collection is always evolving. My pursuits are pretty consistent and don't change a lot, but you always have to make decisions as the collection grows along with you.

 

So, until I run out of box space like I've run out of binder space, everything's cool!