Curtis Goodwin, 1995 Score Summit Edition #123

Sometimes it takes me entirely too long to find a suitable card to feature on the blog. Tonight was not one of those nights. I picked up my box of 1995 Orioles cards, lifted a stack of Score products from the middle of the box, and immediately my senses were assaulted by the sparkliest Curtis Goodwin card I have ever seen. "My word," I could have said but didn't, "That is one bright and shimmery baseball card. I must share it with the world." It was just that easy, as well it should be on a lazy Saturday night in February.

Curtis Goodwin, 1995 Bowman's Best Mirror Image #10

As often happens when you're banking on the future, the comparison between Curtis Goodwin and Kenny Lofton is not a flattering one for the younger man. Goodwin's big league career lasted all of 5 seasons, 431 games total. He put together a batting line of .248/.307/.302 with 3 home runs, 56 RBI, and 66 stolen bases (28 caught stealing). Lofton, on the other hand, stayed around for 17 years and 2,103 games. He batted .299/.372/.423 with 130 home runs, 781 RBI, 622 stolen bases, and 160 caught stealing. This year, he's eligible for the Hall of Fame for the first time. He probably won't make it in, but he's got better odds than most of the first-time members of the current ballot.

Curtis Goodwin, 1996 Pinnacle #111

Pictured left to right are Cal Ripken, Jr., Brady Anderson, Rafael Palmeiro, and Curtis Goodwin. How humbling do you think it must be to be the fourth banana on your own card? Goodwin lasted five seasons in the major leagues with five clubs, and totaled three home runs in that time. Brady went deep 210 times in 13 years. Cal touched 'em all 431 times in 21 years. Raffy hit 569 four-baggers in 20 seasons. I guess Pinnacle had Curtis sniffed out when they chose a photo of him congratulating Ripken for the latter's successful turn at bat.

Curtis Goodwin, 1995 Upper Deck #4

This Day in Orioles History: July 1, 1995

Orioles 6, Blue Jays 2 at SkyDome

Rookie outfielder Curtis Goodwin continued a torrid start to his major league career with a 3-for-5 performance in the O's win over the last-place Blue Jays. He hit his first home run, a two-run shot in the fifth inning off of Toronto starter Al Leiter, doubled, and drove in three runs total. A month into his stint with the Birds, the speedy outfielder was hitting .370. Though he would slump later and finish at .263, Curtis' future was bright enough that Baltimore was able to swap him to the Reds for veteran pitcher David Wells.

The Oriole attack on this day was top-heavy; the three hitters at the top of the lineup (Goodwin, Manny Alexander, and Rafael Palmeiro) accounted for nine of the team's ten hits (designated hitter Bret Barberie had the other).

On the mound, lefty Jamie Moyer excelled, evening his record at 3-3 by pitching into the eighth inning while allowing six hits and no walks and striking out four. He was economical, throwing just 83 pitches. Incidentally, Moyer is the only participant in this game who is still an active player some thirteen years later; he was 32 at the time and is now a 45-year-old veteran starter for the Phillies. Time flies, huh?