2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Final Pack!!!

Our very last pack!  We're due to receive one more Starting Points card.  Could it be yet another favorite player?!?!

#140 Jose Altuve

#64 Austin Jackson

#139 Chris Sale +2 FP

SP-81 Matt Adams +2 Starting Points

Alas, 'twas not to be.  But we did get a Sale earlier which brings our favorite player total to 11/15!  Can we get a Kimbrel!?!?!

Regular Back MINI - #156 Brian Dozier - another zero point mini...

#331 Alcides Escobar

#26 Steven Souza Jr.

#218 Carlos Rodon

Pack total: 4 points
Running total: 185.2 points

Well, not the best of packs to end on... and no Kimbrel.

Overall points per pack: 6.9667

GRAND TOTAL: 185.2

As of the time of writing this post (Wednesday the 19th), this would be the highest score submitted so far.  I'm also fairly confident that this is an extremely good score.  We netted favorite players out the wazoo... just not my own favorite player.  Minis, inserts, and our boxtopper carried us here, so I feel like the score is beatable, but it would take a high scoring hit (or a cloth mini) to do so.  We shall soon find out!

Oh, final Yankee count: 2
AWESOME!

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 23

#259 Jonathan Schoop

#38 Evan Longoria

SP-3 Mike Trout +2 Starting Points, +2 FP

More favorite players coming through this insert set!  If I even come close to winning this contest, it will certainly be on the backs of these cards.

A&G Back MINI - #172 Matt Carpenter +2 for laughing at me and telling me that, "I should go into your binder!  You NEEEEED me!"  I say... "YOU DON'T HAVE STATS!  WHY WOULD I WANT TO LOOK AT YOU!"

#87 Francisco Liriano +0 for not being a Yankee

FSRB-MKA Megan Kalmoe +10.2 for being a hit on FP list.

COM'MON... another dupe relic?  Boo.  At least this one gets bonus points.

#270 Mike Foltynewicz +1 FT

Pack total: 15.2 points
Running total: 181.2 points

We just broke our expected total from the halfway and two thirds point of the box which sat at 174.  One pack remains.  Is it possible we break 200??? Very unlikely, but either way this pack was a Gint-A-Cuffs success though not an actual one... a second dupe relic.  Sigh... anybody want either of them???

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 22

#262 Alex Cobb

#61 Domonic Brown - where did this guy ever go???

10th Anniversary Buyback - 2009 #51 Ryan Perry +3 because people assign arbitrary value to Topps stamping an otherwise worthless card...

MM-15 Banshee +2 Menagerie of the Mind


A&G Back MINI - #72 Joe Panik +2 for being the variety of mini that I hate the most.

#343 Angel Pagan

#22 Trevor Rosenthal

#77 Jason Hammel

Pack total: 5 points
Running total: 166 points

This is the addition of Gint-A-Cuffs in which I get points for cards I hate.  Awesome.  166 with 2 packs to go!  One should still have a hit!!!

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 21

#234 Michael Cuddyer

#220 Yasmani Grandal

#184 Marcell Ozuna

MM-2 Elf +2 Menagerie of the Mind

Hey look!  It's a different full sized insert!  Woah!

Regular Back MINI - #313 Jhonny Peralta +3 SP

#350 Masahiro Tanaka -1 NOOOOOOOOOO! More Yankee scum!

#177 Bernie Williams NOOOOOOOO!!! ...oh... wait +1 for not being in uniform??? COOL!

#247 George Springer

Pack total: 5 points
Running total: 161 points

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 20

#199 Zack Greinke

#297 Magna Carta +1 Well, I really don't know why.  I dislike this card.  It's boring.

GS-7 Continental Drift +2 Great Scott!

Another one?!?!?! Why?

Regular Back MINI - #86 Rick Porcello

10th Anniversary Buyback MINI - 2010 Black Bordered #219 Adam Wainwright +4 because its a buyback

I feel like the frame doesn't do this card justice.  It simply makes an otherwise beautiful card feel far too busy.  Oh... and then there's that stamp that's completely out of place.  Bleh.

#337 Mike Olt

#116 Freddie Freeman +1 FT

Pack total: 8 points
Running total: 156 points

A very solid pack.  It's been a while since I got a Brave.  About time.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 19

Down to one hit and two 10th anniversary cards.  Do we get one today???

#31 Frank Caliendo

#268 Jimbo Fisher -1 I'm assuming Mr. Aubrey hates the Seminoles... I can't say that I have anything against them.  Oh well

#45 Chris Ownings

SP-16 Anthony Rizzo +2 Starting Points, +2 FP

Hey look!  It's Rizzo!  That's 10/15 now!  ...and yet another from the Starting Points set!

MINI - MBT-3 Hill +2 Magnates, Barons, and Tycoons

Need this one too!!!  4/5 on the mini inserts!

#342 Josh Donaldson

#212 Chris Tillman

#293 Philae Probe +1 Because AWESOME

Pack total: 6 points
Running total: 148 points

Lots of scoring again in this pack, but we only come away with 6 points.  Not too bad though!  5 packs to go!

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 18

Yesterday's pack was an absolute monster; let's see if we can build on that.

#52 Jake Marisnick

#101 Stephen Strasburg

Regular Back MINI - #211 Kyle Lohse - These minis have been strange.  I seem to either do exceedingly well on them or just get no points whatsoever...

SP-53 Lucas Duda +2 Starting Points

FSRA-MG Malcom Gladwell +6 Full Sized Relic Version A

Gross... Would you believe that this is the 3rd copy of this exact same relic???  I pulled one in my case and one in some of the retail I got... yuck.

#303 Denard Span

#30 Megan Kalmoe +2 FP

Pack total: 10 points
Running total: 142 points

This pack felt like a complete dud.  I guess it still got me 10 points.  Hooray for useless hits... also hooray for Megan Kalmoe being related to the Ginter Godfather.  Of note... I wonder how many favorite players I've actually acquired in this box.  I feel like they're coming every other pack.

• Jose Bautista - yep
• Brandon Belt - OH YEAH
• Adrian Beltre - nope...
• Madison Bumgarner - nope...
• Prince Fielder - nope...
• Cole Hamels - yep
• Ryan Howard - yep
• Megan Kalmoe - hooray!
• Craig Kimbrel - sigh....
• Jason Kipnis - yep
• Yadier Molina - OH YEAH
• David Ortiz - No???
• Anthony Rizzo - nope... I pulled a rip card of you... why oh why!?!?!
• Chris Sale - nope
• Mike Trout - BOX TOPPER!
• Joey Votto - yep
• David Wright - this guy has been showing up a bunch too

So it looks like we're at 9/15.  Not too bad!  ...though I still hope a Kimbrel shows up.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 17

Two thirds of the way complete and sitting at 122 points.  We're still averaging exactly 6.5 points/pack which seems to be extremely good at this point.  This still puts us on pace for 174 points ...  Also, we still have 2 of our expected 3 hits to go!  Let's see what the last 8 packs bring us!

#54 Javier Baez

#239 Zach Britton

#147 Yoenis Cespedes

10th Aniversary Buyback - 2012 #123 Adam Lind +3 Full Sized Buyback

HOLY CRAP!!! I totally forgot about these!  This is the first one of the box and we're expected to get 2 more (one is a mini).  So as long as the box odds hold true and neither of the other two are Yankees, then we've got a decent injection of points coming our way!!!

GS-4 Large Hadron Collider +2 Great Scott!

So... apparently this box only feels like supplying me with Ancient Armory and Great Scott! full sized inserts... whatever, doesn't change the point values.

NNO MINI - #151 Jorge Soler +6 NNO mini

#329 Brett Gardner -1 Yankee nonsense

Gah!!! Somehow this card got overwritten when I saved Ryan Howard's base card.  Alas, you will not get to see this Yankee.  I'm not re-scanning it... its a base card and a Yankee.  Instead, I suppose I can give you real-life Brett.  Here.

How Brett really feels about being a Yankee...

#150 Brody Stevens

Pack total: 10 points
Running total: 132 points

Well!  This pack was all types of fun!  Lots of point cards and, unfortunately, our very first Yankee.  Let's dwell on that for a second.... it took 17 packs of a product to hit a Yankee.  Hallelujah!  Is Topps really changing their ways???  Doubt it...

In other news, we got a freaking JORGE SOLER NNO MINI!!!! Heck yeah!  This box has been a huge success regardless of my final Gint-A-Cuffs score.  So far we have:

• Jorge Soler NNO mini
• Willie Cauley-Stein framed mini autograph
• A case hit mini insert
• Not to mention 3/4 mini inserts are ones that I still need for set building purposes!
• Oh... and I still have two hits (expected) left :D

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 16

#166 Carlos Gomez

#153 Brandon Moss

#300 Bryce Brentz

#216 Jake Lamb

SP-15 Jon Lester +2 Starting Points

A&G Back MINI - #171 Anthony Rendon +2 A&G Back

#346 Shin-Soo Choo

#278 Cliff Lee

Pack total: 4 points
Running total: 122 points

NOOOOOOO!  This has been the worst pack in quite some time, probably all the way back to pack 3 or 4.  Oh well, got to expect some doozies.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 15

#62 Andrelton Simmons +1 FT

#137 Marlon Byrd

#124 Lakey Peterson - For some reason I initially thought this was someone's FP... I guess not.

Regular Back MINI - #95 Kole Calhoun

SP-55 David Wright +2 Starting Points, +2 FP

#301 Justin Morneau

#192 Fernando Rodney

#186 Desmond Jennings

Pack total: 5 points
Running total: 118 points

Back down to questionable territory.  That David Wright Starting Points insert saved my butt.  Like I said before, I've been doing incredible on these inserts.  I suppose most people's favorite players are in the set so they're a bit easier to pull... but I feel like I'm way, way above average for them.  Hopefully that's the case for the entire box.

Some zip codes.

I've been delaying some of these for quite some time now.  If you're one of them, SORRY!  They're now on their way!  Got tracking info if you want it as well.

27314
16933
60060
83651
60586

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 14

#2 Nick Markakis +1 FT

#33 Michael Wacha

#103 Salvador Perez

SP-67 Ryan Howard +2 Starting Points, +2 FP

MINI - BODY-5 The Turnplatz +4 A Healthy Body

WOOO!!!! Another mini case hit!  I still need this one too! 3/4 for the mini inserts now!

#334 Nick Tropeano

#66 Billy Butler

#176 Jon Niese

Pack total: 9 points
Running total: 113 points

Another great pack total.  We're creeping up to where we're looking to be.  I think I'm more excited about that case hit though.  I hate chasing after those...

Oh, and have I mentioned yet... STILL no Yankees!!!

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 13

At the halfway mark of this case we're sitting at a stingy 94 points (including an 18 box topper).  The second half will have to do much better to get in contention I think!

#167 Julie Foudy

#203 David Wright +2 FP

#295 Joe Nathan

SP-97 Bryce Harper +2 Starting Points

Eh, Eh??  Nobody???  I've been doing excellent on these Starting Point inserts seeming to get all the stars plus quite a few favorite players.  Not today though...

Black Bordered MINI - #144 Brandon Belt +3 Black Border, +3 FP

There we go!  Great start to the second half!  Another favorite player black border!  Keep 'em coming!

#315 Steve Cishek

#134 Joc Pederson

#32 James Murray

Pack total: 10 points
Running total: 104 points

Fantastic start to the second half of the case.  Yet another favorite player that has been doing wonders for me in Brandon Belt.  Thanks to another blog that I haven't had the chance to check out yet in Design on Deck.  You just got another reader simply because of your favorite player choice! :p

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 12

#288 Robinson Cano - Another former Yankee that doesn't count!  WOOO!

#245 Ryan Howard +2 FP

#14 LaTroy Hawkins

#157 Jose Reyes

SP-61 Billy Butler +2 Starting Points

A&G Back MINI - #188 Shelby Miller +2 A&G Back, +1 FT

#133 Addison Russell

#107 Giancarlo Stanton

Pack total: 7 points
Running total: 94 points

7 points seems like an incredibly good total at this point.  We'll keep shooting for that...

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 11

#121 Wei-Yin Chen

#254 Alex Gordon

#50 Francisco Rodriguez

#127 Nick Castellanos

GS-2 Big Bang +2 Great Scott!

MINI - FIRST-4 Madison +2 First Ladies

We're 2/3 now on mini inserts.  Pulled this one in the case.

#82 Dalton Pompey

#132 Dilson Herrera

Pack total: 4 points
Running total: 87 points

Still no Yankees?!?!?! This has to be a record... how many Yankees did Topps actually print in this set???  Meanwhile.... 4 points.  Bleh.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 10

#106 Yunel Escobar - Does former Brave count???

#70 Kyle Seager

#213 Elvis Andrus

GS-3 Polio Vaccine +2 Great Scott!

Regular Back MINI - #322 Mark Melancon +3 SP

#326 Mitch Moreland

#260 Hunter Pence

#250 Jimmy Rollins

Pack total: 5 points
Running total: 83 points

We just keep trudging alone at 5-6 points a pack.  We're through 10 packs and one hit and are sitting at 6.5 points per pack.  On pace to hit 174.  Probably not going to cut it...

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 9

#180 Scott Kazmir

#273 Cole Hamels +2 FP

#10 Curtis Granderson

#282 Adeiny Hechavarria - dat bat flip :)

AA-8 War Hammer +2 Ancient Armory

...wat?  MOAR?!?!?!

MINI - MBT-6 Astor +2 Magnates, Barons, Tycoons

ANOTHER mini insert that I need!  We're 2/2 so far!

#320 Dallas Keuchel

#8 Garrett Richards

Pack total: 6 points
Running total: 78 points

Alright, I feel like that is a pretty decent pack.  We've STILL have yet to pull a Yankee... nope, Granderson is a Met now.

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 8

#215 Joey Votto +2 FP

#281 Cory Spangenberg

#257 Pablo Sandoval

Regular Back MINI - #39 Jon Singleton

AA-1 Catapult +2 Ancient Armory

Jeez... what's with the overload of the Ancient Armory cards in this box??? 3 of them through 8 packs??? Seems a bit ridiculous.

#349 Sam Tuivailala

#272 Glen Perkins

#225 Thunderlips

Pack total: 4 points
Running total: 72 points

Joey Votto savin' the pack from oblivion!

2015 Gint-A-Cuffs!!! Pack 7

#20 Leonys Martin

#122 Jesse Hahn

#19 Charlie Blackmon

SP-82 Jason Heyward +2 Starting Points, +1 FT

Black Bordered MINI - #17 Yadier Molina +3 Black Border, +3 FP

Thank you St. Louis Cardinals' Cardboard for participating this year.  I believe you've single-handedly netted me 8 points with your favorite player.  I might have to send you all these Yadi's after I'm done... I certainly don't need 'em.

AGA-WCS Willie Cauley-Stein +7 framed mini autograph

This is pretty awesome.  While his auto doesn't seem to be doing super-well on the secondary market right now, this is one that might be worth a fortune later on.  I believe this is one of the harder autos to pull, but I also could be very wrong.  Either way, I'm pretty happy... much more happy than the measly 7 points I get for this card... com'mon! :p

#182 Todd Frazier

Pack total: 16 points
Running total: 68 points

Our big hit has come and gone.  From my experience opening a case of this stuff, you're pretty much guaranteed to get one of each type of full sized relic.  Your last hit will then vary from an auto, to a mini relic, to a rip card, or something more special.  So I'm not holding out much hope for this box as I'm probably going to net 12 points with my last two hits (maybe a few more with a multiplier thrown in).  I suppose I have to hope for some really sweet minis to get my point total going.  Oh wait, I got one in this pack right here!!! Keep on coming Yadi!