Their best cards

The pandemic gives me even more time to go down Major League rabbit holes in putting together teams. I was looking at Ival Goodman, a corner outfielder. I googled him and it turns out that --- for a little while -- he was quite a player. He had back-to-back .900-plus OPS seasons, and hit 30 HRs in one of them to set the Reds' homer record at the time. He was fast and was considered a very good outfielder. His big years were 1938-39. We have two of his seasons -- 1937 and 1940.

Then, I was looking at Charlie Maxwell, another cheap lefty corner outfielder. Even as a long time Tiger fan, I was surprised at some of his stats. In 1956, he hit .328 with 28 homers and an OPS of .948. He followed up with another good, but not as good, season in 1957. He was an All-Star both years. But we have his 1958 card.

I am sure there are lots of other examples of his phenomenon in the card set. I was just looking for a left-fielder.

For high-end players, we expect to have their best cards. It would be nice to do the same with more of the Ival Goodmans and Charlie Maxwells of the world, who weren't all-time greats but, for a few years there, were pretty darned good.

Good catch, JLT, on two worthy potential additions to the ATG card set.

The 1956 Charlie Maxwell card will be added with the next bunch of new cards to be added to the ATG set. Here's his numbers in a neutral ballpark, as broken down by ATG card guru Andy Cummings:

1956 Charlie Maxwell DET Bats-L BAL-2R LF-3(+1)e5, RF-4(+1)e5 .326 28 87 .414 .534 .948, INJ Risk-15
LH--2b- 1.0 3b-0.0 HR-5.6 BB-21 .376/.503/.583 OPS-1.086
RH--2b- 1.5 3b-0.6 HR-9.5 BB-16 .427/.518/.770 OPS-1.288
1958 Current Maxwell, Charlie Bats-L BAL-5R lf-4(+1)e5 / 1b-4e13 / rf-5e5
LH--2b- 0 3b-0 HR-0 BB-23 .131/.316/.131 OPS-.447
RH--2b- 2.95 3b-1.05 HR-4.25 BB-18 .317/.431/.514 OPS-.945

Here's 1938 Ival Goodman's numbers per Andy Cummings. This card has never been nominated for inclusion into the ATG set, despite two lesser Goodman cards being included in the ATG card set. I hope Andy made a typo in the description, LOL. See Andy's quote below! Maybe Andy was just trying to see if anybody bothers to read what he posts!

1938 Ival Goodman CIN Bats-L BAL-1R RF-2(-2)e4 .292 30 92 .368 .533 .901 INJ Risk-3. Career highs in PA, hits, R, HR, RBI, SLG, HBP & OPS+. Led league in HBP.
LH--2b- 5.1 3b-0.0 HR-12.6 BB-8 .287/.373/.738 OPS-1.111
RH--2b- 5.3 3b-2.8 HR-9.8 BB-7 .353/.425/.773 OPS-1.198
1937 Current Goodman, Ival Bats-L BAL-1R rf-2(0)e7 lf-2e7 cf-3e7
LH--2b- 3.75 3b-3 HR-3.3 BB-10 .284/.357/.487 OPS-.844
RH--2b- 4.15 3b-3.4 HR-3.5 BB-10 .307/.378/.528 OPS-.906
"Check out Goodman’s HR numbers in ’38. Would be a nice ass for prewar Reds."

Good catch, JLT, on two worthy potential additions to the ATG card set.

The 1956 Charlie Maxwell card will be added with the next bunch of new cards to be added to the ATG set. Here's his numbers in a neutral ballpark, as broken down by ATG card guru Andy Cummings:

1956 Charlie Maxwell DET Bats-L BAL-2R LF-3(+1)e5, RF-4(+1)e5 .326 28 87 .414 .534 .948, INJ Risk-15
LH--2b- 1.0 3b-0.0 HR-5.6 BB-21 .376/.503/.583 OPS-1.086
RH--2b- 1.5 3b-0.6 HR-9.5 BB-16 .427/.518/.770 OPS-1.288
1958 Current Maxwell, Charlie Bats-L BAL-5R lf-4(+1)e5 / 1b-4e13 / rf-5e5
LH--2b- 0 3b-0 HR-0 BB-23 .131/.316/.131 OPS-.447
RH--2b- 2.95 3b-1.05 HR-4.25 BB-18 .317/.431/.514 OPS-.945

Here's 1938 Ival Goodman's numbers per Andy Cummings. This card has never been nominated for inclusion into the ATG set, despite two lesser Goodman cards being included in the ATG card set. I hope Andy made a typo in the description, LOL. See Andy's quote below! Maybe Andy was just trying to see if anybody bothers to read what he posts!

1938 Ival Goodman CIN Bats-L BAL-1R RF-2(-2)e4 .292 30 92 .368 .533 .901 INJ Risk-3. Career highs in PA, hits, R, HR, RBI, SLG, HBP & OPS+. Led league in HBP.
LH--2b- 5.1 3b-0.0 HR-12.6 BB-8 .287/.373/.738 OPS-1.111
RH--2b- 5.3 3b-2.8 HR-9.8 BB-7 .353/.425/.773 OPS-1.198
1937 Current Goodman, Ival Bats-L BAL-1R rf-2(0)e7 lf-2e7 cf-3e7
LH--2b- 3.75 3b-3 HR-3.3 BB-10 .284/.357/.487 OPS-.844
RH--2b- 4.15 3b-3.4 HR-3.5 BB-10 .307/.378/.528 OPS-.906
"Check out Goodman’s HR numbers in ’38. Would be a nice ass for prewar Reds."

Oops.
I don't think any of us alive today have seen Ival Goodman's backside, so I'm thinking I meant to say he'd be a good ADD for prewar Reds.

Good post! Both of these cards are very deserving.

When I was a kid in upstate NY, someone in the neighborhood had a 35 inch Ival Goodman model baseball bat. It was too big for anyone to use. No one knew who he was and we all assumed he was a monster.

I haven't heard his name again until I read this post.