Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 7 of 7




Pack 21:
251 Adam LaRoche 
213 Elvis Andrus 
14 LaTroy Hawkins 
330 Jason Heyward 
85 Kris Bryant 
242 James McCann 
MM-16 Leprechaun Menagerie of the Mind (+2 Insert)
317 Hunter Strickland Mini A&G Back (+5 Mini A&G Back SP)

Really not a bad pack from both a GAC and value standpoint, but I'm going to need gold at the end of this rainbow.

Pack Total: 7
Box Total: 132






Pack 22:
270 Mike Foltynewicz 
234 Michael Cuddyer 
157 Jose Reyes 
59 Hector Rondon 
321 Ben Zobrist 
36 Anthony Ranaudo 
SP-30 David Price  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
BUG-13 Calleta Silkmoth Caterpillar A World Beneath Our Feet (+2 Mini Insert)

At least I got a Cuddyer.

Pack Total: 4
Box Total: 136






Pack 23:
200 Jose Abreu 
27 Maikel Franco 
61 Domonic Brown 
318 David Price 
246 Andrew Cashner 
229 Ivan Drago (-1 Commissioner Says So)
SP-100 Jayson Werth  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
238 Dee Gordon Mini

It pains me to lose points for the Drago card.  It's fantastic.

Pack Total: 1
Box Total: 137


Pack 24:
57 David Cross 
119 Paul Scheer (-1 Commissioner Says So)
282 Adeiny Hechavarria 
139 Chris Sale (+2 FP List)
327 Jeff Mauro 
89 Jonathan Papelbon 
AA-2 Katana Ancient Armory (+2 Insert)
142 Yasiel Puig Mini A&G Back (+2 Mini A&G Back)

Why does Paul Scheer get a -1?

Pack Total: 5
Box Total: 142



Well, that does it.  My final score is 142.  I'm guessing it is near the bottom of the leaderboard.  I can say with confidence that this was the worst box of my entire case...for the second straight year.  Pitiful.  I need to get better at choosing a GAC box.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 6 of 7




Pack 17:
240 Trevor May 
122 Jesse Hahn 
309 Gabe Kapler 
49 Hisashi Iwakuma 
191 John Lackey 
NNO Delmon Young (2011) Buyback (+3 Full Size Buyback)
MBT-2 Cornelius Vanderbilt Magnates, Barons & Tycoons (+2 Mini Insert)
MM-5 Griffin Menagerie of the Mind (+2 Insert)

Of 24 full-size buybacks in my case, 2 were Delmon Young.

Pack Total: 7
Box Total: 107






Pack 18:
198 Albert Pujols 
174 Joe Mauer 
19 Charlie Blackmon 
291 James Shields 
SP-65 Maikel Franco  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
FMR-PA Pedro Alvarez  Framed Relic (+8 Framed Relic)

Well, there goes my chance at winning.

Pack Total: 10
Box Total: 117





Pack 19:
75 Brandon Phillips 
188 Shelby Miller 
96 Tim Hudson 
103 Salvador Perez 
304 Gary Brown 
92 Michelle Beadle 
AA-3 Quarterstaff Ancient Armory (+2 Insert)
216 Jake Lamb Mini

Ugh.

Pack Total: 2
Box Total: 119





Pack 20:
294 Adam Wainwright 
146 Michael Morse 
70 Kyle Seager 
339 Clayton Kershaw 
230 Keith Law 
65 David Ortiz (+2 FP List)
SP-39 Clayton Kershaw  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
185 Gus Malzahn Mini A&G Back (+2 Mini A&G Back)

Kershaw hot pack, would have thought someone would have him as their FP.

Pack Total: 6
Box Total: 125

Well, with 4 packs and no guaranteed hits remaining, I'm on pace for 148.  I would be shocked if I get there.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 5 of 7




Pack 13:
2 Nick Markakis 
45 Chris Owings 
281 Cory Spangenberg 
322 Mark Melancon 
145 Santiago Casilla 
NNO Francisco Rodriguez (2007) Buyback (+3 Full-Size Buyback)
WAS-1 Flat Earth What Once Was Believed (+2 Insert)
329 Brett Gardner Mini (+3 Mini SP, -1 Yankee)

2007 Cards look good as buybacks since they have plenty of space for the stamp.

Pack Total: 7
Box Total: 83





Pack 14:
33 Michael Wacha 
106 Yunel Escobar (+1 Nationals)
257 Pablo Sandoval 
314 Ian Desmond (+1 Nationals)
171 Anthony Rendon (+1 Nationals)
193 Aramis Ramirez 
SP-60 CC Sabathia  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
136 Tyson Ross Mini A&G Back (+2 Mini A&G Back)

Wow, that's a great pack to get if you're a Nats fan. Hey, I am.  Woohoo!  No, I don't want your Nationals cards.

Pack Total: 7
Box Total: 90





Pack 15:
220 Yasmani Grandal 
9 Jeff Samardzija 
101 Stephen Strasburg (+1 Nationals)
50 Francisco Rodriguez 
276 Alex Rodriguez (-1 Yankees)
158 Kurt Suzuki 
WOULD-4 Automated Kitchen What Once Would Be (+2 Insert)
278 Cliff Lee Mini

I have an automated kitchen...it's called a wife! JustkiddingMywifeisawonderfulhumanbeingwhomIloveverymuchSorrysweetieIdidntmeanitIloveyou.

Pack Total: 2
Box Total: 92




Pack 16:
273 Cole Hamels 
127 Nick Castellanos 
313 Jhonny Peralta 
284 Jay Bruce 
FSRB-CBL Charlie Blackmon  Full-Size Relic (+6 Full Size Relic)
SP-21 Aroldis Chapman  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
291 James Shields Mini

Ouch.  I had never heard of this guy until I saw this card.  That's usually not good.

Pack Total: 8
Box Total: 100


So, after 2/3 of my box, I'm sitting at an even 100 with a 145 pace.  My last hit needs to be a doozy.


Sunday, August 16, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 4 of 7




Pack 9:
180 Scott Kazmir 
140 Jose Altuve 
183 Edwin Encarnacion 
51 Matt Garza 
84 Josh Harrison 
207 Derek Norris 
WAS-9 California Island What Once Was Believed (+2 Insert)
58 Jacob deGrom Mini A&G Back (+2 Mini A&G Back)

deGrom AKA Samardzija 2.0

Pack Total: 4
Box Total: 57





Pack 10:
64 Austin Jackson 
262 Alex Cobb 
190 Michael Bourn 
203 David Wright (+4 Favorite Player)
305 Chris Carter 
110 Victor Martinez 
SP-13 Hanley Ramirez  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
159 Devin Mesoraco Mini

Always good to beat the 1:3ish box odds and get your favorite player's base card.

Pack Total: 6
Box Total: 63






Pack 11:
20 Leonys Martin 
266 Drew Storen (+1 Nationals)
295 Joe Nathan 
338 Mike Napoli 
72 Joe Panik 
172 Matt Carpenter 
GS-10 Dolly the Sheep Great Scott! (+2 Insert)
BP-4 Burrowing Owl Birds of Prey (+2 Mini Insert)

Topps really blew it here.  Every Dolly the Sheep card should have an identical one right behind it.  At least they put owls in the set.

Pack Total: 5
Box Total: 68

Pack 12:
15 Justin Verlander 
239 Zach Britton 
147 Yoenis Cespedes 
328 Val Kilmer 
29 Nick Swisher 
289 Wil Myers 
SP-5 Freddie Freeman  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
108 Prince Fielder Mini Black Border (+3 Mini Black Border, +3 FP List)

A black mini Prince Fielder is both redundant and oxymoronic.

Pack Total: 8
Box Total: 76

So I've increased to a 142-point pace at the halfway mark.  I need some help.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 3 of 7




Pack 5:
167 Julie Foudy 
13 Koji Uehara 
48 Coco Crisp 
301 Justin Morneau 
247 George Springer 
192 Fernando Rodney 
SP-99 Stephen Strasburg  Starting Points (+2 Insert, +1 Nationals)
131 Josh Reddick Mini Black Border (+3 Mini Black Border)

That Coco Crisp card is just amazing.

Pack Total: 6
Box Total: 39






Pack 6:
115 Dustin Pedroia 
175 DJ LeMahieu 
306 Stephen Drew (-1 Yankee)
300 Bryce Brentz 
216 Jake Lamb 
288 Robinson Cano 
Would-7 Easy-clean furniture What Once Would Be (+2 Insert)
261 Yu Darvish Mini

I have two cats and a toddler...our furniture is too destroyed to clean. This pack isn't helping my case for victory.

Pack Total: 1
Box Total: 40





Pack 7:
237 Hyun-Jin Ryu 
217 Wade Miley 
297 Magna Carta (+1 Commissioner Says So)
44 Sal Vulcano 
335 Collin Cowgill 
135 Mark Teixeira (-1 Yankee)
SP-73 Brandon Belt  Starting Points (+2 Insert, +2 FP List)
FIRST-21 Caroline Harrison First Ladies (+2 Mini Insert)

Love Impractical Jokers.  I was so excited when I found out there were in this set.  My Sal card keeps falling on the ground, though.

Pack Total: 6
Box Total: 46






Pack 8:
83 Matt Harvey 
112 Buck 65 
311 Michael Brantley 
102 James "Clubber" Lang 
NNO Aaron Rowand (2009) Mini Buyback (+4 Mini Buyback)
297 Magna Carta Mini (+1 Commissioner Says So)
MM-13 Cyclops Menagerie of the Mind (+2 Insert)

I love the Rocky inclusions even more than the Impractical Jokers. Finally getting some decent pack scores.

Pack Total: 7
Box Total: 53

Well, for hitless packs, these weren't terrible, but now I'm only on a 139-point pace.  Not looking good.

Friday, August 14, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 2 of 7




Pack 1:
52 Jake Marisnick 
121 Wei-Yin Chen 
12 Nelson Cruz 
317 Hunter Strickland 
243 Jean Segura 
162 Anthony Rizzo (+2 FP List)
SP-77 Robinson Cano  Starting Points (+2 Insert, -1 Yankee)
288 Robinson Cano Mini

 Cano hot pack.  Too bad he's nobody's favorite player.  And too bad that one card is a Yankee.

Pack Total: 3
Box Total: 13 





Pack 2:
254 Alex Gordon 
69 Christian Bethancourt 
208 Jose Fernandez 
271 Dexter Fowler 
131 Josh Reddick 
138 Michael Pineda (-1 Yankee)
AA-18 Dory Spear Ancient Armory (+2 Insert)
296 Kenley Jansen Mini A&G Back (+2 A&G Back)

That Dory Spear card makes me want to play with my old Legos.

Pack Total: 3
Box Total: 16






Pack 3:
206 Erick Aybar 
116 Freddie Freeman 
6 Lucas Duda 
99 Yan Gomes 
SP-93 Edwin Encarnacion  Starting Points (+2 Insert)
FSRA-JF Jose Fernandez  Full-Size Relic (+6 Full Size Relic)
FIRST-13 Jane Pierce First Ladies (+2 Mini Insert)

Well, that's just not a very exciting relic at all.  Even Jose doesn't want to make eye contact with me on that one.

Pack Total: 10
Box Total: 26





Pack 4:
252 Mike Trout (+2 FP List)
90 Darren Rovell 
231 Henderson Alvarez 
350 Masahiro Tanaka (-1 Yankee)
87 Francisco Liriano 
136 Tyson Ross 
MM-4 Phoenix Menagerie of the Mind (+2 Insert)
BODY-4 Gymnasticon A Healthy Body (+4 Unannounced Mini Insert)

Darren Rovell is one of the best follows on Twitter.  The Healthy Body mini was a pleasant surprise.  I actually ended up with 2 from my case (as well as one Healthy Mind insert).

Pack Total: 7
Box Total: 33

Well, at this point, I'm on pace for 148.  That's not going to cut it.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Gint-A-Cuffs VII - Part 1 of 7





Boxloader:
B-1 Mike Trout  Box Loader (+8, Box Loader, +2 FP List)

Pack Total: 10
Box Total: 10

Well, it's about as good a boxloader as you're going to get without hitting a relic, auto, or red mini pack.