2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 22-24

On the day I finish off my 2015 Ginter base set, I post my final packs for Gint-A-Cuffs, I like it when a plan comes together.

And down the stretch I go...
Coming off the nice red mini auto in my last post, I am hoping for something surprising in the last 3 packs to score enough points to contend.

Pack 22
Scoring Cards:
Andrew McCutchen (Starting Points insert) - +2
Chris Tillman mini (A&G back) - +2

Pack Total = +4
Running Total = +152

Not much to say other than this probably isn't the way to start off the last post when I am hoping to finish strong.

Pack 23
Scoring Cards:
Joe Panik (My Favorite Team) - +1
War Hammer (Ancient Armory insert) - +2
Chris Carter mini (SP) - +3

Pack Total = +6
Running Total = +158

Glad to see Panik getting some love in all the sets this year.  His great play down the stretch last year along with that ridiculous double play certainly helped get him on the radar and his All-Star play in the first half solidified his status.  We really need him back and healthy.

Pack 24
Scoring Cards:
Santiago Casilla (My Favorite Team) - +1
Banshee (Menagerie of the Mind insert) - +2
Elizabeth Monroe mini (First Lady) - +2

Pack Total = +5
Final Total = +163

There you have it, my first ever Gint-A-Cuffs break.  It was pretty strong on Giants and weak on Yankees which helped.  A nice red ink auto was a big scorer.  I am certain this won't win the title but I would count it as respectable.  And lots of fun too.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 19-21

I am heading down the home stretch on my first Gint-A-Cuffs adventure.  It has been a lot of fun and I will do it again next year if I decide to go after the set.

Pack 19
Scoring Cards:
Evan Longoria (Starting Points insert) - +2

Pack Total = +2
Running Total = +118

If I am not mistaken, this is my first pack with only 1 scoring card - ugh!

Pack 20
Scoring Cards:
Philae Probe (Philae Probe) - +1
Kelia Moniz (Framed Mini Red Autograph) - +22
Matt Harvey (Starting Points insert) - +2
Bald Eagle (Birds of Prey mini) - +2

Pack Total - +27
Running Total - +145

Boom - a nice red mini auto of a girl in a bikini, serial numbered 02/10 to boot.  This is one of my best Ginter pulls ever, probably second to a Cap Anson rip card with a mini Ken Griffey Jr. inside from the early days of Ginter.  This will at least help my score be in the respectable range.  I also love the Bald Eagle mini, one of my favorite birds since seeing a ton of them a few years back on a cruise to Alaska.  Great pack!

Pack 21
Scoring Cards:
Bernie Williams (Bernie Williams) - +1
Elf (Menagerie of the Mind insert) - +2

Pack Total = +3
Running Total = +148

I am kind of surprised the Michele Beadle mini isn't a scoring card.   She is one of my favorite TV sports personalities and not too back to look at.  One more post to go.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 16-18

Quick turn around for the next 3 packs, I would like to finish off my first Gint-A-Cuffs posts in the next day or two and get back to some Giants cards.

Pack 16
Scoring Cards:
World's Biggest Hoaxes, Hoodwinks & Bamboozles (Mini Topps A&G buyback) - +4
Lunar Colonization (What Once Would Be insert) - +2
Pan (Mythological Menaces mini) - +2

Pack Total = +8
Running Total = +105

Some good variety in this pack.  I told myself I wouldn't go after any insert sets this year but the Mythological Menaces and What Once Would Be would be in the running if I were to change my mind.

Pack 17
Scoring Cards:
Incredibeard (Incredibeard) - +1
Adrian Gonzalez Relic (Full-Size Relic) - +6
Josh Donaldson (Starting Point insert) - +2

Pack Total = +9
Running Total = +114

A little better here in this run of posts.  I have to admit the picture of Incredibeard eating noodles out of his own facial hair grosses me out.

Pack 18
Scoring Cards:
Taiaha (Ancient Armory insert) - +2
Zach Britton mini (A&G back) - +2

Pack Total = +4
Running Total = +116

I am hoping the final hit can boost my score a bit.  Six more packs and two more posts to go.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 13-15

I need to get back in and finish off my Gint-A-Cuffs posts.  I have been spending most of my hobby time organizing my card room and working on an inventory of some GU and Relic cards that I would like to get rid of.  I am going to take a stab at selling some on Sports Card Forum and then perhaps send them off to COMC

I stopped at the mid point in my last post and projected about a 160 score which won't even get me in contention for the title, let's see if I can make up some ground in the 2nd half.

Pack 13
Scoring Cards:
Travis Ishikawa (favorite team) - +1
Matt Cain (favorite team) - +1
Michael Pineda (Yankee) - -1
Alex Gordon (Starting Points insert) - +2
Jimbo Fisher (A&G back mini/Jimbo Fisher) - +2/-1 for net +1

Pack Total = +4
Running Total = +88

Cursed by a double Yankee/Jimbo whammy!

Pack 14
Scoring Cards:
Big Band (Great Scott! insert) - +2
Chris Sale (Favorite Player mini) - +3

Pack Total = +5
Running Total = +93

Not off to a strong start here 2 packs into the 2nd half.

Pack 15
Scoring Cards:
Craig Kimbrel (Other favorite player) - +2
Troy Tulowitzki (Starting Points insert) - +2

Pack Total = +4
Running Total = +97

Only 13 points in 3 packs, let's hope the next post has better results, I do think I have a hit or two left so that should help.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 10-12

I am bringing 69 points into this grouping of cards.  Still no Yankees which is pretty cool and quite a few Giants.  I still have a couple hits left in the box, maybe one will show up in these 3 packs.

Pack 10
Scoring Cards:
Mark Teixeira (Yankee) - -1
Polio Vaccine (Great Scott insert) - +2

Pack Total = +1
Running Total = +70

Cursed by a Yankee and not too much to compensate for it.  Rough start to the post.

Pack 11
Scoring Cards:
Anthony Rizzo (other favorite player) - +2
Yasiel Puig (Starting Points insert) - +2
John W. Gates mini (MBT insert) - +2

Pack Total - +6
Running Total - +76

Pack 12
Scoring Cards:
Justin Verlander (Full-Size Topps A&G buyback) - +3
Cutlass (Ancient Armory insert) - +2
Shin-Soo Choo mini (short print) - +3

Pack Total = +8
Running Total = +84

We reach the half-way point plus box topper at 84 points.  At this point my final score would project to be 160 points, doubt that is even close to contention.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 7-9

Here is my 3rd post for this year's Gint-A-Cuffs contest.  I am having fun and hoping I am doing the scoring correctly at this point.  I have had an okay start but nothing spectacular.  Let's see if I can kick it up a notch in packs 7-9.

Pack 7
Scoring Cards:
Paul Scheer - -1
Hunter Pence (favorite team) - +1
Jose Bautista (Starting Points insert, other favorite player) - +4
Brandon Phillips mini (A&G back) - +2

Pack Total = +6
Running Total = +59

Not a great start with the first card but somewhat of a save by the Bautista insert.

Pack 8
Scoring Cards:
Jim Thome (Full-Size Topps A&G buyback) - +3
Zombie (Menagerie of the Mind insert) - +2

Pack Total = +5
Running Total = +64

At the 1/3 point I have gotten 1 of 3 hits, 1 of 3 buy backs and am on a pack for about 180ish points, hmmmm not thinking I am on a winning pace but still having fun.

Pack 9
Scoring Cards:
Max Scherzer (Starting Points insert) - +2
Domonic Brown mini (black border) - +3

Pack Total = +5
Running Total = +69

I need to pick up the excitement, 3 fairly boring packs. 

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Packs 4-6

I am working to complete the base set so if you have some cards to trade, check out my Set Want List tab and let's made a deal!

I started off fairly strong with my boxtopper and first 3 packs, here are 3 more packs. let's see how I do.

Pack 4
Scoring Cards:
Tim Hudson (favorite team) - +1
Catapult (Ancient Armory insert) - +2
Ian Desmond mini (Short Print A&G back) - +5

Pack Total = +8
Running Total = +41

A pretty strong back and will the no-Yankee streak continue?  I don't know if I have cracked a box of cards in quite a while that didn't have a Yankee in it by the 4th pack.

Pack 5
Scoring Cards:
Brandon Belt (favorite team, other favorite player) - +3
Torii Hunter (Starting Points insert) - +2
Hermes mini (Mythological Menaces) +2

Pack Total = +7
Running Total = +48

Pack 6
Scoring Cards:
Madison Bumgarner (my favorite team & player) - +5
Continental Drift (Great Scott insert) - +2

Pack Total = +5
Running Total = +53

No hits in this group but 20 points over 3 packs.  Not great but the no Yankee streak continues.  I hope that doesn't catch up with me.

My First Foray Into Gint-A-Cuffs - 2015 Gint-A-Cuffs - Box Topper and Packs 1-3

Over the last few years I have strongly considered entering Gint-A-Cuffs but I never took the plunge.  The last time I bought a box and collected the set was in 2012 but this year since I passed on boxes of Heritage and Archives, I figured it was time to go after the set and join the Gint-A-Cuffs fun.

I will do my best to score this properly but if any of my fellow participants notices a scoring error, drop me a comment and I will correct it.

Here is my boxtopper, a nice jumbo sized card of Pirates star Andrew McCutchen.  I was kind of surprised not to see him on the Favorite Players List.  Not the best start but also not the worst.

Pack Total = +8
Running Total = +8

Pack 1 - I scanned these when I thought cards >300 were short prints.
Scoring Cards:
Chris Sale (other favorite player) - +2
Gary Brown (favorite team) - +1
Rusney Castillo (Starting Points insert) - +2

Pack Total = +5
Running Total = +13

Not a horrible start with 5 points in that pack, hopefully the presence of Giants and lack of Yankees will continue.

Pack 2
Scoring Cards:
Large Hadron Collider (Great Scott insert) - +2
Jake Arrieta mini (A&G back) - +2

Pack Total = +4
Running Total = +17

Nothing too exciting here but the insert and mini paid off.

Pack #3
Scoring Cards:
Prince Fielder (other favorite player) - +2
Mike Trout (Starting Points insert, other favorite player) - +4
Giancarlo Stanton (Full-Size Relic) - +6
Philae Probe mini (black border mini, Philae Probe) - +4

A really nice pack to finish off my first post.

Pack Total = +16
Running Total = +33

I wish there was hope of me continuing at this pace...