2012 Panini Triple Play

Back in the spring I picked up all of the Donruss Triple Play Cubs.  The sets were from the early '90s, 1992 - 1994.  It was a no frills set, but there were some interesting cards....

Twenty years later, Panini, which owns the Donruss brand name, brought back the set.  Without a license, however, the cards have a slightly different look to them.

I actually like what Panini has done.  To me nothing looks worse than a card with the team logos removed.  It is so distracting.  Something that I know belongs in the picture is gone, and that's all I can focus on. Panini found a way to get me to focus on the card...

 ...with drawings instead of photographs.  I'm not focusing on the lack of logos because the cartoon has my attention.  The missing logos don't seem so glaring in the cartoons, either.

Three Cubs made the 90 player base checklist, which is exactly the right number.  Besides Matt Garza...

 

...it was Alfonso Soriano and Geovany Soto.

Starlin Castro was included in the puzzle pieces checklist, with cards #100 - 108.  Except for the card number, the fronts all looked like this.

The nine backs come together to make this puzzle...

....of the Cubs shortstop.

I don't think I'd want a 660 card set of these, but this smaller set I can handle.  Nicely done, Panini.