Clearly, I've underestimated Bowman ... and Kmart

I'm usually no fan of Bowman, but I do like to sample anything new that appears on the card shelves, as long as it's baseball.

I didn't expect to see any Bowman until the end of this month. Not around here. But I was running errands today and stopped at the store for some garbage bags before getting a haircut.

I'll give you a moment to catch your breath from that recounting of my epic, adventurous, wild-and-crazy afternoon.

Recuperated?

OK, to review: Errands. Garbage bags. Haircut.

Still OK?

All right.

While in Kmart, I was amazed to find rack packs of 2010 Bowman. Simply stunned. Kmart is blowing away Wal-Mart in the card aisle. Sheer annihilation. Target's going to have to watch its back soon, too, if it doesn't start moving.

I had cash for just one rack pack. So I bought that and the garbage bags. You'll note on the scan that the wrapper is torn. I had 10 minutes before my haircut. I had to open the pack before I got home. What else am I going to do, look at gel product?

So here are my first Bowman cards of the season. Will they be my last? Probably not. Considering:

Top compartment:

1. #145 - David Wright, Mets

2. #138 - Carlos Quentin, White Sox
3. #14 - Carlos Pena, Rays

 4. #220 - Daniel Hudson, White Sox

5. #68 - Carlos Beltran, Mets

6. # 156 - Johnny Damon, Tigers

7. #5 - Zack Greinke, Royals, gold

8. #BP43 - Alexander Colome, Rays, 1st card

9. #BP54 - Charlie Leesman, White Sox, 1st card

10. #BP71 -  Bo Greenwell, Indians, 1st card
11. #BP86 - Michael Wing, Angels, 1st card

12. #BE13 - Bowman Expectations, front: Joe Mauer; back: Buster Posey

Top compartment notes: It's funny that Wright is my first card, since I've seen that image more than any other Bowman card, even Strasburg ... I'm debating whether the Damon uniform is photoshopped. I think it's real. Maybe. Are those Blue Jays sitting in the background? ... Not a fan of players from two different teams sharing the same card. But I'll make an exception for Mauer and Posey.

Bottom compartment:

13. #BT68 - Justin Verlander, Tigers, 1992 Bowman insert set

14. #BC54 - Charlie Leesman, White Sox, Chrome

15. #BCP71 - Bo Greenwell, Indians, Chrome

16. #BCP86 - Michael Wing, Angels, Chrome

17. #BCP108 - Jose Iglesias, Red Sox, purple refractor

Bottom compartment notes: OK, clearly that's not 20 cards. I don't know if I received less because of the purple refractor (which is only 1:4 packs) or the '92 Throwback (1:2) or the Expectations (1:3) or all three. Or maybe I was gyped. Wrapper doesn't say. ... For the 1st-year cards, I received both the base and chrome cards for Leesman, Greenwell and Wing. I don't know if that's standard. If it is, that's cool if you're looking for certain players. Not so cool if you aren't. ... Greenwell is the son of former Red Sox Mike Greenwell. You learn stuff from Bowman. ... The Iglesias card is a little off-center, which is a little too bad. Iglesias is an MLB.com top 50 prospect.

OK, if you're wondering, the Iglesias card is reserved for someone. Those twitter people move fast.

Overall view? I think that was a pretty cool pack for retail, even though I pulled four White Sox and no Dodgers. It was certainly interesting. If I had enough cash (haircuts cost too much), I would've went back for another one.

I'm literally shocked. Bowman? Kmart?

Who knew?