So Long Ubaldo...It's Been A Great Ride

Ubaldo Jimenez traded to the Cleveland Indians tonight for a bunch of prospects including two great pitching prospects which I might be happy about in time.  But tonight I am sad because the best pitcher in Rockies history with a very team friendly contract for 4 more years is gone for a guarantee of nothing.  I am not a prospector by any means, but most prospectors think it was a great deal for Colorado.  Prospects fail every year and even if one of the two hit their ceiling (which is by no means a given), you might have another Ubaldo in three years.  I am depressed, but at least he isn't a Yankee which is the only thing I am holding onto right now.

Gint-a-Cuffs #2 Packs #10-14 FIRST HIT

Yesterday's (well it was supposed to be yesterday anyway) fifth took me out of the running for the victory more than likely, but I am still plugging along with a fairly strong set of packs here.

RELEASE MCCRACKEN

Total from first two days - 76 pts

Pack 10:                                             

159      Shawn Michaels (0 pts)

35        Adam Dunn (0 pts)

58        Alcides Escobar (0 pts)

269      Derrek Lee (0 pts)

bhs2     Jay Bruce Highlight Sketches (+2 pts FP list, +3 pts HS insert) +5 pts total

328      Chris Johnson SP (+2 pts SP)

pp5      The Hare Portraits in Penultimacy (+3 PP mini)

ff10     USS Monitor Floating Fortresses (+2 FF insert)

Pack total - 12 pts

Running total - 88 pts

           

I just don’t like the Highlight Sketches cards.  I am sure they have their fans, but when the base card is basically a sketch…what is the point of a sketch insert?  The Shawn Michaels card is pretty cool and, for me, the best non-baseball card I have pulled SO FAR.

           

Pack 11:                                             

225      Jack LaLanne (0 pts)

6          Micky Ward (0 pts)

77        Rafael Furcal  (0 pts)

26        Edwin Jackson (0 pts)

71        Chris Perez (0 pts)

304      Madison Bumgarner SP (+2 pts SP)

wmf7   The Man in the Iron Mask World's Most Mysterious Figures (+3 pts WMF mini)

ff1       HMS Victory Floating Fortresses (+2 FF insert)

Pack total - 7 pts

Running total - 95 pts

           

Did anyone see the DiCaprio version of The Man in the Iron Mask?  Anyone?  The Victory is, of course, from the famed Battle of Trafalgar which ultimately led to the defeat of Napoleon a couple of years later.  I know a little about the battle, but naval battles is not my milieu in history.

           

Pack 12:                                             

197              Jay Bruce (+2 pts FP list)

153              Scott Cousins (0 pts)

57                Derek Jeter (-1 pt DAMN Yankee)

4                  Jhoulys Chacin (+1 pt Rockies)

AGR-JLO   Jed Lowrie Framed Relic

235              Cole Hamels Mini (+2 pts FP list)

hh30          Dexter Fowler Hometown Heroes (+1 pt Rockies,+1 pt HH insert) +2 pts total

Pack total - 16 pts

Running total - 111 pts

           

There is a lot going on here in this pack.  Every card except one (DAMN you Scott Cousins) was involved in a score of some sort.  Obviously, the best two for me are the two Rockies.  Which bring the total score up to Rockies 7 Yankees 3…I love that.  Jed Lowrie is not exactly on my collecting list.  From other boxes I have seen, specifically Spankee’s, this entire set consists of a whole lot of Red Sox relics.

           

Pack 13:                                             

263      Mark Trumbo (0 pts)

201      Andrew Romine (0 pts)

25        Nelson Cruz (0 pts)

127      James Loney (0 pts)

163      Ian Kennedy (0 pts)

316      Manny Ramirez SP (+2 pts SP)

261      Carlos Pena Mini A&G Back (+2 pts AG back)

mmf37  John Deere Minds the Made the Future (+2 pts MMF insert)

Pack total - 6 pts

Running total - 117 pts

           

Are we sure Manny is a short print?  This is the second appearance for him in my box after the black border mini (Yes Zakwin this one is yours if you want it).  Coming from an old farming community, the John Deere is kind of cool.  You cannot walk down the street in this town without seeing several John Deere caps at any given time.  However, I think they named this set wrong.  These are the minds that made the PRESENT.  The mind that will make the future are not famous yet and I don't think some of these accomplishments will have as much of an impact in the future as in the past and present.  That being said , they were ALL brilliant for their time.

Pack 14:                                             

34        Pedro Ciriaco (0 pts)

242      Cheryl Burke  (0 pts)

261      Carlos Pena (0 pts)

90        Roy Halladay (0 pts)

192      Carl Pavano (0 pts)

332      Luke Hochevar SP (+2 pts SP)

103      Andres Torres             Mini A&G Back (+2 pts AG back)

HH38  Andre Ethier Hometown Heroes (+1 pt HH insert)

Pack total - 5 pts

Running total - 122 pts

           

A “meh” pack ends the day here.  Two of my scoring cards involve a Dodger and a Giant, so I am not exactly thrilled with this pack.  Eric, if you need the Hochevar…let me know.  <Sarcasm mode on> This pack also ends my lifelong dream of having a card of a non-athlete from Dancing with the Stars.  <Sarcasm mode off>   I think it is cards like this that is the main reason I never gravitated toward A&G in the past. 

Not a bad fifth here with a total of 46 points and STILL two hits to go including tomorrow’s which I am hoping will pay for a second box (if both parties agree).

Gint-a-Cuffs #2 Packs #5-9

I had a pretty good first 5 packs yesterday let's see how this set of 5 works out.  

RELEASE MCCRACKEN

Day 1 Total - 50 pts.

Pack 5:                                               

149      Lars Anderson (0 pts)

276      Desmond Jennings (0 pts)

170      Tim Lincecum (0 pts)

185      Justin Upton (0 pts)

95        Dan Uggla (0 pts)

78        Luke Scott (0 pts)

104      Huston Street Mini Black Border (+1 pt Rockies, +3 pts MBB) (+4 pts total)

hh94    C.J. Wilson Hometown Heroes (+1 pt HH insert)

Pack total - 5 pts

Running total - 55 pts

Nice.  A black border mini of the Rockie’s closer (for now).  I really don’t want to see Street traded, but this does not appear to be Colorado’s year and he is the best trading chip other than Ubaldo (who shouldn’t be a chip at all).  Maybe we could get a couple of good prospects for him from a desperate team, because the homegrown prospects aren’t doing much this year.

                       

Pack 6:                                               

293      Royal Wedding (0 pts)

23        Aubrey Huff (0 pts)

103      Andres Torres (0 pts)

181      Mark Buehrle (0 pts)

bhs15   Aroldis Chapman Highlight Sketches (+3 pts HS insert)

308      Jhonny Peralta SP (+2 pts SP)

pp4      Igor Portraits in Penultimacy (+3 pts PP mini)

mmf29 Antoine Lavoisier Minds the Made the Future (+2 pts MMF insert)

Pack total - 10 pts

Running total - 65 pts

Nice selection points-wise, but honestly none of these cards really does anything for me.  The Royal Wedding card, much like the Guy Fieri from yesterday, SHOULD have been worth negative points.  Sorry I am not a bored housewife so I don’t give a shit about the Royal Family.  Pardon my French (or British?).

                       

Pack 7:                                               

286      Cory Luebke (0 pts)

182      Clay Buchholz (0 pts)

29        Johnny Cueto (0 pts)

207      Kosuke Fukudome (0 pts)

bhs23   Mark Teixeira Highlight Sketches (-1 pt Yankees, +3 pts HS insert) (+2 pts total)

319      Jon Niese SP (+2 pts SP)

2          Ty Wigginton Mini (+1 pt Rockies)

hh9      Adam Wainwright Hometown Heroes (+1 pt HH insert)

Pack total - 6 pts

Running total - 71 pts

Nice Wiggy mini in this pack.  Teixeira is only my second Yankee in the box and he was still worth positive points.  The count so far is Rockies 5 Yankees 2.  The only box I have ever opened with more Rockies than Yanks was a Colorado boxed team set.  In that one there were 15 Rockies and only 14 Yankees.

Pack 8:                                               

151      Brandon Beachy (0 pts)

112      Timothy Shieff (0 pts)

237      Carlos Quentin (0 pts)

129      Kelly Johnson (0 pts) 

46        Edinson Volquez (0 pts)        

296      Derek Lowe (0 pts)

240      Matt Holliday Mini A&G Back (+2 pts AG back)

hh99    Andrew Bailey Hometown Heroes (+1 pt HH insert)

Pack total - 3 pts

Running total - 74 pts

Blah pack.  Nothing much to say about anything in that pack other that the fond remembrances of Matt Holliday in a Rockie uniform.

                         

Pack 9:                                               

3          Lou Holtz (-1 pt Marbles in Mouth Disease)

11        Marc Forgione (0 pts)

279      Brian Wilson (0 pts)

61        Brian Roberts (+2 pts FP list)

49        Javier Vazquez (0 pts)            

98        Jason Bay (0 pts)

86        Greg Halman Mini (0 pts)

hh3      Brian Wilson Hometown Heroes (+1 pt HH insert)

Pack total - 2 pts

Running total - 76 pts

That was possibly my least favorite pack ever because of the two cards of “The Bearded Douche” (trademark pending).  Aside from that, the rest of the pack was saved from complete garbage by the surprising inclusion of Brian Roberts on the Favorite Players list.  (Thank you Troll).

Well, that fifth sucked.  I’ll be back tomorrow evening (maybe morning) with the next 5 packs and the first hit.

Gint-a-Cuffs #1 Box Topper + Packs #1-4

I am probably the card blogger with the least amount of love for Allen & Ginter.  That being said, Gint-a-Cuffs is a community project that I did not want to miss.  The Commish has put together a nice set of rules (Dick Vitale +1 really?) and I have had a lot of fun doing the points.  A lot more than I would have without.  In all probability I would not have purchased this box, from my trading buddy Jon at Community Gum, without it.  As you will soon see over the next week, I didn't get a bad box at all and I should be in the top 5 or so overall.  I am not going to be collecting this set (exceptions: all Rockies and the Ascent of Man inserts), so everything mentioned will be available for trade, unless otherwise noted.

AND NOW ITS TIME TO RELEASE MCCRACKEN

Sorry Mark, a Rockies fan had to make that joke.

Box Topper

CB10   Lyndon Johnson / John E. Raker Redwood National Park (+8 pts cabinet card)

Pack total - 8 pts

Running total - 8 pts

This cool box topper is being swapped with Brian at Play at the Plate for his Ubaldo Jimenez N43 topper.

Pack 1:                                   

147      George W. Bush (0 pts)

106      Jonathan Broxton (0 pts)      

137      Carlos Beltran (0 pts)

1          Carlos Gonzalez (+1 pt Rockies)      

bhs-12 Armando Galarraga Highlight Sketches (+3 pts HS insert)  

343      Drew Stubbs SP (+2 pts SP)

316      Manny Ramirez Mini Black Border SP (+14 pts mini BB SP)

hh80    Cliff Lee Hometown Heroes (+1 HH insert)

Pack total - 21 pts

Running total - 29 pts

What a great first pack (George W. Bush notwithstanding)!  Let's ESPN this thing...If the box ended today by extrapolating at 21 pts per pack I AM ON PACE TO end up with 504 pts (512 counting the topper).  Man, those guys sure do suck.

 

Pack 2:                                   

209      Guy Fieri (0 pts)

96        Daniel Boulud (0 pts)           

260      Alex Rodriguez (-1 pt) DAMN Yankees     

240      Matt Holliday (0 pts)

186      Yunel Escobar (0 pts)

311      Ian Stewart SP (+1 pt Rockies, +2 pts SP) (+3 total) WOOHOO

338      Lance Berkman mini SP (+2 fave player, +3 mini SP) (+5 total)

hh56    Brett Anderson Hometown Heroes (+1 HH insert)

Pack total - 8 pts

Running total - 37 pts

Guy Fieri?  Really?  No, Really?  Why is he not worth at least -1 point Commish?  The upside is I knocked out a Rockies short print and a 2nd straight pack with a short print mini. 

Pack 3:                                   

164      Heather Mitts (0 pts)

212      Aramis Ramirez (0 pts)

114      Brandon Phillips (0 pts)

189      Dexter Fowler (+1 pt Rockies)

100      Albert Pujols  (0 pts)

aom26 Homo Sapiens Sapiens Ascent of Man (+1 AOM insert)      

ap8      Blue Whale Animals in Peril mini (+3 AIP mini)

hh20    David Price Hometown Heroes (+1 HH insert)

Pack total - 6 pts

Running total - 43 pts

3 packs, 3 Rockies...this is fantastic.  The way my luck goes with boxes, I expected 3 Rockies total in the box.  The Ascent of Man really works for me as well, because one of my bachelor's degrees is in anthropology (the other is history).  I am also debating collecting the Animals in Peril.  It is the only other insert set that appeals to me even a little.

Pack 4:                                   

31        Jimmy Rollins (0 pts)

10        Miguel Cabrera (0 pts)

214      Elvis Andrus  (0 pts)

116      Josh Beckett   (0 pts)

91        Joel Pineiro (0 pts)

340      Ryan Zimmerman SP (+2 pts SP)

ug3      Waverly Hills Sanatorium Uninvited Guests mini (+3 pts UG mini)

ff20     USS Pennsylvania Floating Fortresses (+2 pts FF insert)

Pack total - 7 pts

Running total - 50 pts

Well after 20% of the box, I am at 50 points and still have all three relics to go.  Will I maintain the breakneck pace or will reality set in in the next group of five?  Tune in tomorrow for the next fifth of this box.