Goodwin, you're not so bad

Goodwin Champions finally made an appearance in my neighborhood this weekend. Blasters and rack packs and a stuffed gravity feeder.

I wanted the opportunity to give Goodwin a fair evaluation. I was intrigued enough to want to see them in hand, even though my gut feeling was that it was a copy-cat set (tobacco-era retro set that includes mini cards, with black border variations. Sound familiar?), and the artwork didn't impress me much.

Then, I got even more wary after the reviews came out. Some liked them, but a lot of others weren't impressed. They said the scans looked better than the cards. They said the cardboard was flimsy. Not good signs.

But finally on Saturday I found the cards and bought a couple of rack packs. Twelve cards for $4.99. "Super Value," Upper Deck claimed.

I was surprised to find that I actually don't dislike them. They're not bad. Some cards are very nice. The cardboard is just like Goudey, which I don't find flimsy at all. I'm not crazy about some of the non-baseball subjects, and they seem to pop up more often than in Allen & Ginter, the set that you can't help but think of when you look at Goodwin. But the set is definitely worth my time.

I know some of you might be surprised by this opinion. So to set your mind at ease, I'll answer your question: No, Goodwin doesn't even come close to Allen & Ginter. The artwork isn't as appealing, the design isn't as appealing, the card construction isn't as good, and A&G arrived first, which means a lot to me. So, yeah, A&G still kicks ass. Fully and completely. Goodwin is merely a nice effort, kind of like OPC is a nice effort.

As for collecting the set, it's not interesting enough for me to do that. And I have a feeling if I was collecting the set, I'd like it a lot less, what with the collation and the 20th anniversary cards. So, what you see from the retail rack pack break is all trade bait. Except one card, which will be up for trade if I get duplicates.

PACK ONE

1. #48 - Joe Carter, Blue Jays.

Not crazy about the painted likeness. Out of all the cards, it reminds me of Goudey the most.

2. #76 - Joe Mauer, Twins

If Goodwin put cloud backgrounds on all the cards, it would be awesome.

3. #103 - James Shields, Rays

4. #68 - Matt Ryan, non-baseball

Current Falcons QB, but he's in a college uniform, so my interest in this card is, hey, is that a pillow over there? I think I'll take a nap. Zzzzzzzzz.

5. #120 - Stephen Drew, Diamondbacks

6. #118 - Bucky Dent mini, Yankees

My one mini per rack pack. I couldn't have picked a mini I wanted less than the luckiest weak-hitting shortstop in the history of time.

7. #129 - Laird Hamilton, non-baseball

He must be famous because if I've heard of a surfer, it means you've cut through a whole lot of not paying attention/couldn't care less/what, they stand on a board and try not to fall off? It doesn't hurt that he's married to Gabrielle Reece, who would make a much better card subject than him.

8. #18 - Bo Jackson, Royals

The neat, little, leafy logo version.

9. #44 - Barack Obama, non-baseball

We're going to see politicians in card sets for eternity, aren't we?

10. #2221 - Joe Mauer, 20th century retrospective chew toy.

At least he's a ball player.

11. #40 - Phil Niekro, Braves

Nice image, but recycled from Goudey.

12. #90 - Jonathan Toews, non-baseball (hockey)

PACK TWO

1. # 53 - Anderson Silva, non-baseball

Bleah, MMA. I am so far away from the MMA target demographic. It's like A&G when it puts motocross riders in its set. I'm not 16 anymore. I don't care. I wish everyone else didn't care either.

2. #107 - Joe Nathan, Twins

3. #134 - Felix Hernandez, Mariners

Nice card.

4. #16 - Abraham Lincoln, non-baseball

Who painted this thing? Why does he look so evil?

5. #145 - Joey Votto, Reds

6. #42 - Justin Upton, Diamondbacks

This must be the sunset background. It definitely looks better here than in person.

7. #53 - Anderson Silva mini, non-baseball

Oh goody. Two of him. Someone please take this dude off my hands.

8. #69 - Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners

Awesome card. I'm keeping this one.

9. #97 - Johan Santana, Mets

10. #124 - Steve Carlton, Phillies

Cool. I love retired players in sets!

11. #34 - Alexander Ovechkin (non-baseball)

The youtube darling.

12. #83 - Akinori Iwamura, Rays

So, Goodwin will join OPC, Heritage and Topps Chrome among the sets that will get a dollar or two from me when I'm at the store. It's not worthy of collecting the whole set, but it is fairly entertaining.

Oh, and I'm collecting any and all Dodgers.