Gint-A-Cuffs: Loader, Wrap Up, and Ready to Trade!

Huh, I think this is the standard Box Loader, thus no points?  Bummer.

I finish my entry for the 2015 Gint-A-Cuffs competition with 140 total points.  Ouch.  That's 67.5 points behind last year's winning score.   Oh well.  It is what it is.

Let's look at some other numbers!

The box felt heavy on Yankees and Cardinals and light on Cubs, so I broke down the cards I received in the box team-by-team.  You know, because that's what team collectors who are math nerds do.

The Brewers were shut out and the Blue Jays only had one card in my box. Ouch.

Eight teams had three cards in the box, including my favorite team, the Cubs:

The Cubs have eleven base cards in the set and I only pulled three. Sigh.

The Nationals, Dodgers, and Yankees each had eight cards in my box.  Stupid Yankees and the penalty points.

They were bested by the Royals, with nine cards.  Of those nine cards four of them were minis!

Speaking of minis:

Oh, here's some base and a Starting Points insert:

Yeah, and don't forget the hit:

That's right. ELEVEN Cardinals for this CUB FAN. 

I'm not even mad about the 140 points, which will surely put me at the bottom of the standings.  What I'm upset about is that stinking 3 Cubs to 11 Cardinals ratio.  WTF?

Well, there you go.  That's my Gint-A-Cuffs box.  140 points unless the judge sees it differently.

Trade Announcement:
I thought I was going to try to complete the Allen & Ginter's set, but I think I'm done with A&G. I'm willing to part with everything from this box except the Ben Zobrist base card and the three Cubs pictured above.  If you have any Cubs, I'll gladly trade for them.  Oh, and I'd like to collect the Hoist The Black Flag minis.   Leave a message in the comments if you're interested in a trade!

Gint-A-Cuffs: Packs 21-24

Hey, it's the set of four packs!  I've already found the three guaranteed hits, but I'm still short a mini framed buyback card.  Maybe a rip card or something else fun is in my future?  Let's see . . .

Pack #21

027 – Maikel Franco

024 – Appomattox Court House

037 – Mike Mills

AA-1 Ancient Armory – Catapult +2

Mini MBT-4 Magnates, Barons, & Tycoons – Andrew Carnegie +4

338 – Mike Napoli

278 – Cliff Lee

222 – Gregory Polanco

Pack Total = +6

Running Total = 121

Average Per Pack = 5.76

Pack #22 = The Iceman!

240 – Trevor May

174 – Joe Mauer

228 – Robb Wolf

046 – Andrew McCutchen

SP-41 Starting Points – Jimmy Rollins +2

Mini 103 – Salvador Perez (black border) +3

328 – Val Kilmer

244 – Jason Kipnis (favorite player) +2

Pack Total = +7

Running Total = 128

Average Per Pack = 5.81

Comments: I think we need a scoring check.  Shouldn't Val Kilmer be worth at least fifteen points?  He's the Iceman AND he's Batman!

Pack #23 = The Last Buyback.

075 – Brandon Phillips

080 – Joe Gatto

Mini 281 – Cory Spangenberg (regular back)

GS-7 Great Scott – Continental Drift +2

2008 Yuniesky Betancourt Framed Mini (#207, regular back) Buyback +4

322 – Mark Melancon

210 – Starling Marte

Pack Total = +6

Running Total = 134

Average Per Pack = 5.83

Comments:  That should just about do it as far as box “hits” are concerned, if you consider a mini buyback to be a hit.  Yuniesky Bentacourt?  Eesh.

Pack #24 = One More Cardinal for Good Measure!

188 – Shelby Miller

294 – Adam Wainwright

185 – Gus Malzahn

SP-55 Starting Points – David Wright (fav. player) +4

Mini 254 – Alex Gordon (A&G back) +2

314 – Ian Desmond

125 – Nori Aoki

004 – Wilmer Flores

Pack Total = +6

Running Total = 140

Average Per Pack = 5.83

Comments:  I’ll have to go back and count to be sure, but I think I pulled thirty-one different St. Louis Cardinals cards. 

So, that does it for the twenty-four packs in the box. Each of the last four packs helped increase my average card per pack number.  Not bad, not bad.  Although, my overall point total at this point is not good.

Tomorrow I’ll rip open the box loader, post a final score, and look at some other numbers.  Stay tuned!

Gint-A-Cuffs: Packs 17-20

We've seen all of the hits, but maybe I can finally start pulling some Cubs?  Let's find out!

Pack #17 = Moose On The Loose!

159 – Devin Mesoraco

144 – Bandon Belt (favorite player) +2

155 – Mike Moustakas

WOULD-10 What Once Would Be – Lunar Colonization +2

Mini 155 – Mike Moustakas (regular back)

330 – Jason Heyward

134 – Joc Pederson

032 – James Murray

Pack Total = +4

Running Total = 93

Average Per Pack = 5.47

Comments:  Say what you want, but I think Joc Pederson is making a duck face on his card.

Pack #18 = Boom, Goes the dynamite!

001 – Madison Bumgarner (favorite player) +2

040 – J.J. Hardy

095 – Kole Calhoun

SP-16 Starting Points – Anthony Rizzo (my favorite player) +6

092 – Michelle Beadle (A&G back) +2

321 – Ben Zobrist

150 – Brody Stevens

212 – Chris Tillman

Pack Total = +10

Running Total = 103

Average Per Pack = 5.72

Comments: It’s a foregone conclusion, even with six packs left, that I did not win the Gint-A-Cuffs competition this year.  But, this was a nice pack.  I finally pulled a Rizzo and I got local boy Ben Zobrist in the same pack.  I’m happy.

Giving Zobrist some love.

 
Pack #19 = More Cardinals.  Ugh.

057 – David Cross

151 – Jorge Soler (favorite team) +1

081 – Buck Farmer

2009 Jonathan Sanchez Full Size Buyback +3

GS-4 Great Scott – Large Hadron Collider +2

Mini – Sam Tuivailala (black border, SP) +6

313 – Jhonny Peralta (another stinkin’ Cardinal) +0

104 – Didi Gregorius (Stupid Yankee) -1

Pack Total = +11

Running Total = 114

Average Per Pack = 6.0

Comments: I was excited to pull the Soler, but that was quickly put in check by two Cardinals and a Yankee.  Seriously? Tuivailala?  Is A&G just making up names now to spite me?

Pack #20

119 – Paul Scheer -1 (for dorky card)

200 – Jose Abreu

255 – Steven Moya

Mini 101 – Steven Strasburg (regular back)

SP-7 Starting Points – Chris Davis +2

305 – Chris Carter

272 – Glen Perkins

225 – Thunderlips

Pack Total = +1

Running Total = +115

Average Per Pack = 5.75

Whelp, there's four more packs to go in the box.  Let's hope they'll pack more of a punch than the last pack/card. (Pun intended.)

Gint-A-Cuffs: Packs 13-16

I'm halfway home and still hopeful for some big cardboard mojo.  Here's the next four packs:

Pack #13 = A Mini Cub!

273 – Cole Hamels (favorite player) +2

180 – Scott Kazmir

035 – Paul Goldschmidt

034 – Buster Olney

WAS-5 What Once Was Believed – Alchemy +2

Mini 77 – Jason Hammel (Favorite Team, A&G back) +3

311 – Michael Brantley

156 – Brian Dozier

Pack Total = +7

Running Total = 66

Average Per Pack = 5.08

Comments: Jason Hammel to the rescue!  Heck yeah!  How is that only my second Cub in 13 packs?  And why does he have to be paired with the player who no-hit the Cubs for the first time in fifty years?  Sigh.

Pack #14 = More Cardinals Scoring Points?

140 – Jose Altuve

064 – Austin Jackson

163 – Zach Lowe

SP-81 Starting Points – Matt Adams +2

Mini 146 – Michael Morse (regular back)

317 – Hunter Strickland

007 – Eric Hosmer

063 – Edwin Escobar

Pack Total = +2

Running Total = 68

Average Per Pack = 4.86

Comment: No more players from the St. Louis ball club, please.

Pack #15 = First Buyback & 2 More Yanks

262 – Alex Cobb

187 – Miguel Cabrera

2012 Mark Teixeira Full Size Buyback +3, -1 (Stupid Yankee.)

MM-20 Menagerie of the Mind – Centaur +2

Mini FIRST-15 First Ladies – Mary Lincoln +2

350 – Masahiro Tanaka (Stupid Yankees, again.) -1

149 – Andrew Heaney

117 – Corey Kluber

Pack Total = +5

Running Total = 73

Average Per Pack = 4.87

Comments: These Yankees are going to be the end of me. I think I’ve pulled two of the eleven Cubs versus seven of the thirteen Yankees in the set at this point.

Pack #16 = I got some Cardinal Fan’s box.

20 – Leonys Martin

67 – Malcolm Gladwell

223 – Incredibeard +1 (for awesomeness)

SP-95 Starting Points – Ian Desmond +2

Mini 017 – Yadier Molina (black border, favorite player) +6

AGA-MA – Matt Adams Framed Mini Auto +7

235 – Michael Taylor

Pack Total = 16

Running Total =89

Average Per Pack = 5.56

Comments: Sigh.  Well, that was my last hit and my best scoring pack.  Naturally, it was carried by two Cardinals. In this box I've found two Yadier Molina minis as well as a Matt Adams Starting Points card and this "wonderful" mini autograph.  Cardinals hot box anyone?

I have eight packs to go, the whole left side of the box, but I think my big scoring cards are gone.  Time will tell, but this is not promising.

Gint-A-Cuffs: Packs 9-12

Four more packs and another hit.  Here we go! 

Pack #9

146 – Michael Morse

251 – Adam LaRoche

170 – Chris Davis

253 – Carlos Beltan -1 (Stupid Yankee.)

MM-11 Menagerie of the Mind – Zombie +2

Mini 005 – Craig Kimbrel (regular back, favorite player mini) +3

292 – Grant Balfour

148 – Yasmany Tomas

Ginter Code Promo

Pack Total = +4

Running Total = 38

Average Per Pack = 4.22

Comments: The Zombie card is now the ugliest piece of cardboard in my collection.  Going back to yesterday, that’s three packs in a row which have lowered my per pack average.  I’m due, baby!  I’m due!

Pack #10 = Second Hit!

270 – Mike Foltynewicz

296 – Kenley Jansen

094 – Xander Bogaerts

SP-66 Starting Points – Cole Hamels (favorite player) +4

Mini FIRST-8 First Ladies – Letitia Tyler +2

FSRB-LP Lakey Peterson 10^th Anniversary relic +6

021 – Kolten Wong

Pack Total = +12

Running Total = 50

Average Per Pack = 5.00

Comments: That was by far the most prolific scoring pack to date. The Lakey Peterson relic has that swimsuit feel to it.  That’s kind of cool.

Pack #11 = Another Choo Mini?  WTF?

234 – Michael Cuddyer

220 – Yasmani Grandal

109 – Troy Tulowitzki

WOULD-3 What Once Would Be – Robot Housekeepers +2

Mini 346 – Shin-Soo Choo (SP) +3

306 – Stephen Drew -1 (Stupid Yankee.)

290 – Ryan Zimmerman

285 – Ichiro

Pack Total = +4

Running Total = 54

Average Per Pack = 4.91

Comments: This is my second SP mini of Choo.  Granted the last one had the A&G back, but I’m not a fan of this.  And no, you won’t get a picture of the Choomongous like I showed last time. Boooo!

Pack #12

009 – Jeff Samardzija

298 – Rubby De La Rosa

265 – Jung Ho Kang

Mini 017 – Yadier Molina (favorite player) +3

SP-72 Starting Points – Matt Kemp +2

335 – Collin Cowgill

173 – Buster Posey

091 – Howie Kendrick

Pack Total = +5

Running Total = 59 (projected score = 118)

Average Per Pack = 4.92

Comments:  So, a Cardinal netted me three points. As a Cub fan, I would like the GAC Rules Committee to consider applying the Yankee Rule to the Cardinals for 2016.  Just sayin’. 

I'm halfway through the box, and although I've uncovered two of the three hits there has to me much more good mojo left in this box. Right?  I still haven't seen a 10th Anniversary card or a black bordered mini, plus a plethora of other A&G shenanigans which could pop up.  Good things are still to come!

Gint-A-Cuffs: Packs 5-8

Welcome back to A&G Week here on my humble little blog.  I have four more packs to open today and I found my first hit!  Also, this just in: Yankees . . . bleck.

Pack #5

217 – Wade Miley

083 – Matt Harvey

088 – Carl Crawford

AA-12 Ancient Armory – Shuriken +2

Mini 018 – Adam Eaton (regular back)

340 – Neftali Feliz

269 – Jeremy Roenick

152 – Jacoby Ellsbury -1 (Stupid Yankee.)

Ginter Code Promo

Pack Total = +1

Running Total = 20

Average Per Pack = 4.00

Pack #6 = First Hit!

052 – Jake Marisnick

259 – Jonathan Schoop

Mini 109 – Troy Tulowitzki (regular back)

SP-45 Starting Points – Giancarlo Stanton +2

FSRA-JR – Jeremy Roenick full-size relic +6

334 – Nick Tropeano

039 – Jon Singleton

Pack Total = +8

Running Total = 28

Average Per Pack = 4.67

Comments: Anyone else think the Starting Points card of Giancarlo Stanton should read “Mike” Stanton?  I mean, that IS how he started his MLB career. 

Also, I’ll take a Roenick hit.  He’s a former Blackhawk, and outside of pulling a Cub player I don’t know that I could be happier.
Lastly, does Topps not have a deal with the NHL?  I don’t know these things because I’m not a hockey guy.

Pack #7

121 – Wei-Yin Chen

254 – Alex Gordon

038 – Evan Longoria

184 – Marcell Ozuna

GS-9 Great Scott – Fingerprints +2

Mini 172 – Matt Carpenter (A&G back) +2

179 – Manny Machado

274 – Mookie Betts

Pack Total = +4

Running Total = 32

Average Per Pack = 4.57

Comments:  Cardinals.  Earning me points.  Ugh.

Pack #8 = Yankees Come Home to Roost

069 – Christian Bethancourt

206 – Erick Aybar

137 – Marlon Byrd

005 – Craig Kimbrel (favorite player) +2

SP-32 Starting Points – Jose Altuve +2

Mini 138 – Michael Pineda (regular back) -1 (Stupid Yankee.)

326 – Mitch Moreland

241 – CC Sabathia - (Stupid Yankee.)

Pack Total = +2

Running Total = 34  (projected score = 102)

Average Per Pack = 4.25

Comments: I pulled my first favorite player, but that was quickly negated by two slimy Yankees.  Bah, humbug.

It’s also the first time I’ve pulled four cards in one pack that affected my score.  

I'm a third of the way through the box and I've found one-third of the hits.  My projected score still isn't pretty, but at least it's still over one hundred!  #silverlinings