2006 Topps Allen & Ginter #250

This might be the worst looking card in the entire set.  Just kidding that belongs to Gustavo Chacin.

Gint-A-Cuffs X - Packs 17-24

Alright, this is it, the last hurrah.  We have one hit left.  My point total stands at 93.5.

Pack 17

Montgomery, Yankee

Harper, Nationals, FP (+1+4)

Contreras A&G Back Mini

World’s Greatest Beaches

Pack Score: 8

Box Score: 101.5

Pace: 132.176470588235

😀 Bryciepoo!

Pack 18

Riley Mini, -1

Ripken Fantasy Goldmine

Pack Score: 1

Box Score: 102.5

Pace: 127.666666666667

😦 Riley strikes again.  After Jackie Robinson, Ripken may have the best modern cards.

Pack 19

Indigenous Heroes

Baseball Equipment of the Ages

Pack Score: 4

Box Score: 106.5

Pace: 127.421052631579

😐

Pack 20

Larkin, FP list

Betts Framed Mini Relic

Carew World Talent

Pack Score: 10

Box Score: 116.5

Pace: 134.4

😁 Good, my last hit had a frame.  A&G frames are the best. I also love when folks pick the old school players for their favorite.

Pack 21

Magnificent Moons

Pack Score: 2

Box Score: 118.5

Pace: 131.571428571429

🌚 That's no moon. Ok, so it's a moon.  The Moon. And it's magnificent. but not that magnificent of a card. It's a not-so-magnificent Magnificent Moon Moon.

Pack 22

Torres, Yankee

Bruce Homerun Challenge

Moustakas A&G Back Mini

Gehrig Fantasy Goldmine, Yankee (+2-1)

Pack Score: 3

Box Score: 121.5

Pace: 130.090909090909

😐 Damn yankees.

Pack 23

Folio of Fears

World’s Greatest Beaches

Pack Score: 5

Box Score: 126.5

Pace: 130.826086956522

😏 Ok, ok, ok.

Pack 24

Sanchez World Talent, Yankee (+2-1)

Pack Score: 1

Box Score: 127.5

Pace: 127.5

💩



Welp, that ended with a thud. Or a turd.  Or a Yankee.  Potato Puhtahtoe.

The hot box bonus may be the only thing that saves me, but I'm not too hopeful.  Probably just enough to get me in the Top 5 but not the Top 1.


Anyway, final score:

127.5

Thanks for following along. Extra special thanks to the Commissioner!

Gint-A-Cuffs X - Packs 9-16

After the boxloader and first 8 packs, I'm sitting at 62 points.  Of course, that includes a +20 hot box bonus.  Here's what I got for the next 8 packs:

Pack 9

Baseball Equipment of the Ages

Pack Score: 2

Box Score: 64

Pace: 125.666666666667

😑 The Baseball Equipment of the Ages is a nice set, but it's not only-point-scorer-in-the-pack nice.

Pack 10

Turner, Nationals

Moncada Black Border Mini

Carew Fantasy Goldmine

Pack Score: 7

Box Score: 71

Pace: 132.6

😊 Pretty good with a Nat, a black border mini, and an insert

Pack 11

Smith, +1

Wiseau A&G Back Mini

Magnificent Moons

Pack Score: 5

Box Score: 76

Pace: 133.909090909091

😉 Cool Wiseau mini, cool Claire Smith, and cool Moon

Pack 12

Chapman Full-Size Relic, Yankee (+5÷2)

Turner Mini, Nationals

Schoop World Talent

Pack Score: 5.5

Box Score: 81.5

Pace: 136

😓 C'mon man.  I've always laughed at the guys who have to divide by 2. At least the Turner mini softens the blow.

Pack 13

James, +1

Indigenous Heroes

World’s Greatest Beaches

Pack Score: 5

Box Score: 86.5

Pace: 136.846153846154

😏 Okay.

Pack 14

Ohtani, FP List

Stugotz Mini, -1

Ruth Fantasy Goldmine, Yankee (+2-1)

Pack Score: 2

Box Score: 88.5

Pace: 132.428571428571

💰 Ok, so not a lot of points, but a hot box Ohtani is money in the bank.

Pack 15

Baseball Equipment of the Ages

Pack Score: 2

Box Score: 90.5

Pace: 128.6

😑 I repeat: The Baseball Equipment of the Ages is a nice set, but it's not only-point-scorer-in-the-pack nice.

Pack 16

Rivera, Yankee

Robinson A&G Back Mini

Quintana World Talent

Pack Score: 3

Box Score: 93.5

Pace: 126.75

🎨 Low points, but Jackie minis are flat out works of art.


Well, I'm a pack or two or three below 100 with 8 packs to go.  My pace has slown considerably.  Yes, slown.  With the first two hits being full-size relics, I'm at least hopeful for something different for the third.

Gint-A-Cuffs X - Packs 1-8

His Excellency, The Commissioner, hath mandated that a hot box shall be worth 20 bonus points. Therefore, I start this tally with +7 for the Boxloader and +20 for getting a hot box.

Pack 1

World’s Hottest Peppers Mini

Magnificent Moons

Pack Score: 5

Box Score: 32

Pace: 147

😃 5 points is a decent pack score.  The hottest peppers minis are pretty cool.

Pack 2

Strasburg, Nationals, FT

Bullpen Car, +1

Bryant Mini, FP List

Jackson Fantasy Goldmine, Yankee (+2-1)

Pack Score: 6

Box Score: 38

Pace: 159

😁 A Nat, a sweet bullpen car bonus, a Favorite Player List mini, and an insert.  Perfect non-hit pack if not for the damn Yankee.

Pack 3

World’s Greatest Beaches

Pack Score: 2

Box Score: 40

Pace: 131

😕 One insert...meh.

Pack 4

Ozuna Black Border Mini

Choo World Talent

Pack Score: 6

Box Score: 46

Pace: 141

😐 I know 6 is a good pack score, but it could have been better.

Pack 5

Evans, -1

Odor A&G Back Mini

Baseball Equipment of the Ages

Pack Score: 3

Box Score: 49

Pace: 132.6

😐 The Evans anti-bonus is a bummer, but the Baseball Equipment of the Ages is a great insert set.

Pack 6

Chapman, Yankee

Jeter, Yankee

Smoltz Fantasy Goldmine

Pack Score: 0

Box Score: 49

Pace: 115

😒 Seriously, one insert completely counteracted by a pair of Yanks

Pack 7

Murphy, Nationals

Zimmerman, Nationals

Rendon, Nationals

Indigenous Heroes Mini

Magnificent Moons

Pack Score: 7

Box Score: 56

Pace: 126.428571428571

😁 Triple Fave Team Points!

Pack 8

Riley, -1

Schoop Full-Size Relic

Perez World Talent

Pack Score: 6

Box Score: 62

Pace: 132

😐 Not good to have a neutral reaction to your first hit. The Riley didn't help.


So, after the first 1/3 of the box, I'm on a 132-point pace.  That's not bad, and the hot box bonus certainly makes things interesting.  Still a lot of cards to go.

Gint-A-Cuffs X - The Boxloader

Box Loader:

Banff National Park, Natural Wonders

Pack Score: 7

Box Score: 7

It really is a nice looking card.  I really like my idea of just making the boxloaders into postcards.  I am a bit biased toward my own ideas, though.  But only because they're the best.

Gint-A-Cuffs X - Choosing a Box

2006 Topps Allen & Ginter #249

Stewart once hit a single with two outs in the 9th inning against Curt Schilling to break up a no-no.  If I were him, I'd drive by Schilling every now and then and just smile at him.