Pre Gint-A-Cuff Box Break Warmup

My box of Ginter for Gint-A-Cuffs 2 should be here this week. I didn't pre-order and wanted to wait until the initial hysteria that drove boxes up to $110+ died down. I could NOT resist the lure of the retail packs/blaster however. I decided a little warmup was in order to prepare for busting my GAC box and to get used to the scoring system.

I've been hearing how loaded 2010 A&G retail is and I have to say I've had far better luck with loose packs than blasters. Here, for your viewing/reading pleasure, is a mini-GintaCuffication of a blaster and 8 loose packs. You'll have to forgive me for any scoring errors and feel free to point them out.

Let's go with the blaster first.

Standard Blaster with 7 packs plus the ever popular "bonus pack" for a total of 8 packs.

Pack 1
Luis Durango
Adrian Gonzalez--someone's favorite player +2
Jon Lester
Jimmy Rollins Sketch card +3


World's Wordsmiths Mini Washington Irving +4
Jay Bruce TDIH +1

TOTAL=10 points

Pack 2
Rickie Weeks
Kelvim Escobar
Adam Dunn--another favorite player +2

Christian Guzman black bordered mini +3

Jonathan Papelbon SP +2

Curtis Granderson TDIH Yankee -1

Points=6

Total=16

Pack 3

Tyler Colvin

Troy Tulowitzki

Wandy Rodriguez

World's Biggest Castle Mini (these are retail only, but fall 1:12 like Lords of Olympus) +3

Brandon Webb

Ryan Braun TDIH +3 (Favorite Player and TDIH) I think that's how that should be scored.

Points=6

Total=22

Pack 4

Clayton Kershaw favorite player +2

Magglio Ordonez

Daniel Hudson

Hiroki Kuroda SP +2

Aaron Hill TDIH +1

I was shorted a mini in this Dodger friendly pack.

Points=5

Total=27

Pack 5

Russell Martin

Tommy Manzella

Joakim Soria favorite player +2

National Animals Ostrich mini +2

Delmon Young A&G back mini +2

Shawn Johnson

Jason Heyward TDIH (Favorite and TDIH) +3

I got my missing mini from the last pack here.

Points=9

Total=36

Pack 6

Chase Utley favorite player +2

Judson Laipply

Shin-Soo Choo

Tony Hawk mini

Randy Winn Yankee -1

Carlos Gonzalez TDIH +1

Points=2

Total=38

Pack 7

Luke Hochevar

Tim Lincecum

Curtis Granderson Yankee -1

Lords of Olympus Hades mini +3

Dustin Richardson

Alex Rodriguez TDIH Yankee -1

Points=1

Total=39

Pack 8

Della Vega

Rick Porcello

Kendry Morales favorite player +2
Miguel Tejada mini

Placido Polanco SP +2

Mark Teixeira TDIH Yankee -1

Points=3

Total=42

That was pretty pathetic.

I'll be back shortly with the 8 loose packs for comparison.

Knockin' Em Down

Last week I heard Rangers manager Ron Washington on the radio talking about what it would take to win the A.L. West. "Win 2 out 3 or 3 out of 4, every time". Well, the Rangers helped themselves by taking 3 of the 4 games with the Angels over the weekend.

Chris Davis was tagged out on this play at the plate by Angels catcher Jeff Mathis. Despite the out, the play highlights what the Rangers did to the Angels over the weekend.

The Rangers entered the series last Thursday with a nice 5 game lead. They come out the other side with an even nicer 7 game lead. Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson and Tommy Hunter all won games and Neftali Feliz closed out the 3 victories. Vladimir Guerrero and Ian Kinsler struggled a little at the plate, but Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis were a combined 23-55 (.418). Young homered in each of the first three games, providing 1st inning homers in games 1 and 2. His game 2 homer was the only run in the 1-0 shutout.

Looking forward, the Angels acquired Dan Haren from the Diamondbacks with the hopes he can counter the Rangers' Cliff Lee. The Angels next few series include Boston and Texas at home, then a road trip to Baltimore and Detroit. I hope Baltimore treats the Angels the way they treated Texas just before the All-Star break. Texas' next four series are against A.L. West rivals. They get three at home with Oakland before going on a three city road trip to the West Coast that sees them go against the Angels again, followed by Seattle and Oakland. The Rangers need to do more damage against the west with the Yankees and Red Sox coming to town later in August.

Night Owl commented that he wanted to know if the Rangers can beat the Yankees in a playoff situation. No one can answer that question until the playoffs start.

I just hope the Rangers put themselves in a position to answer that question when the time comes.

The Sandlot...Not the Movie

Not that it was a bad movie...as far as kid's baseball movies go. I watched it with my kids.

Forgive me, I'm easily distracted these days. I think I have AOADD. That's Adult Oneset Attention Deficit Disorder.

No, I'm talking about Joe over at The Sandlot. Most of us have made trades with other bloggers or readers. Many times those trades are initiated by a post in which one person sees a card of interest and inquires about it's availability. Sometimes, it's a trade bait post that draws offers in via comment or email. Then, amazingly, there are people that are aware of your interests, see a card that you might like to add to your collection, pick it up for you and before you know it, you've got something new. That's what Joe did.

He knew that I was picking up the occasional TEAM USA card for my son and let me know he had found a couple and thought I might like them. My son loves those cards. On our recent trip to Colorado Springs, his one and only request was a trip to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. It was our first stop on our first full day there and was a nice place to go. Free admission, a tour of the grounds by a member of the 2008 Olympic Team, a great experience all around.

Sorry, that AOADD got me again.

Anyway, Joe sent over two of those Team USA jersey cards that seem to irritate other collectors so much.

2008 UD Matthew Purke Junior National Team. Purke was drafted 14th overall by Texas in 2009 and they couldn't make a deal. You may have heard of his exploits with TCU this year and he played in this years College World Series. It will be interesting to see where he goes in this year's draft.

2008 UD Jordy Mercer National Team. Mercer was drafted by the Pirates in the third round of the 2008 draft. He is currently at AA Altoona for Pittsburgh.

Joe, thanks for the cards and we'll work out something for those others soon.

Score!

I don't buy much football product. It's not that I don't like football, I just can't afford to buy everything and so I mostly limit myself to baseball cards. When I bought the 2010 Topps packs I pulled the Everth Cabrera auto in, I also bought 4 packs of 2010 Score Football. I was hoping to pull a Colt McCoy or Jordan Shipley for my Texas Longhorn loving son. At $1 a pack, it was a small gamble.

There is supposed to be one rookie per pack so let's see if I got lucky.

The first card in the first pack was Cowboys RB Felix Jones. Winner! The boy loves the Cowboys too, so he'll be happy with this one.

Pack two and three were busts as far as Cowboys and former Longhorns go.

Pack 4 was better.

The first card out of pack four was this Tony Romo card. "Score" one more for Dad.

The rookie card in pack four was none other than Colt McCoy. I'm not kidding when I say I have never, ever, ever, never been happier to see a Cleveland Brown card before.

The good news is I don't have to buy anymore of these packs. Hopefully I can pick up the Shipley in a trade, if he even made the set.

Alright, enough football. The Rangers are in first place for goodness sakes!

Mutant 2010 Topps Pack

You can see how many cards are supposed to be in this 2010 Topps Wal-Mart retail stuff pack.

Twelve. That's all...twelve. No more. No less.

Well, this mutant pack of cards had thirteen cards! 13! Can you imagine my surprise?

Ok, I didn't realize until after I looked a 3rd or 4th time that there was an extra card. I'll bet you can figure out the bonus card. Let's take a look shall we.


I got one Turkey Red, Alexei Ramirez. Not spectacular, but one I needed.

I got one sketch card. I'm trying to talk my son into entering a sketch or three. If he decides not too, I'll post these for some artistic blogger to claim. Don't claim it now because I won't remember to look back here when if and when I do that.

This was my bonus card. I actually got two Peak Performance cards. This one was tucked in right behind a regular Carlos Lee Peak Performance card. I haven't pulled an auto from a Topps flagship set in a long time. Not that I can remember anyways. According to the wrapper, there are three levels of these autos: Group A falls 1:14,500 packs, Group B falls 1:1725 packs and Group C falls 1:1100 packs. I'll assume Cabrera is in Group C, but even that is a tough pull for retail.

Incidentally, I picked up this pack and two others yesterday on my way to see Inception. It was good, but don't get up to go to the bathroom during the movie. You may be lost when you get back.

It's Electric!

This is my first ever blog post from home.

Seriously.

The family is out of town, I just came home from watching Inception, and I heard something unusual on the radio. Cheering.

I quickly tuned the radio to the Rangers game and I heard loud cheering. After C.J. Wilson threw a strike. Huh? That was just a strike, not an out. Then the crowd went nuts when he got an flyout. Then he struck a guy out and the crowd went crazy. What is going on? That isn't typical Rangers fan behavior. Then the announcers said it was 1-0, Rangers through 7 innings.

Really, 1-0? Wow. Against the Angels no less. I got home in time to watch Neftali Feliz close it out for C.J. and the Rangers!

Sweet!

That gives the Rangers a 7 game lead over the Angels. I honestly don't ever remember hearing the fans at the Ballpark cheering for every strike like that in July. It's JULY people! I'm just amazed at what's going on out there. Those of you that are fans of teams that have won a World Series...hell, won more than one postseason game EVER, don't understand what this is like. It's a new feeling for us Rangers fans and we are loving it. Of course, there is a part of my heart, deep down inside, that says don't get sucked in...don't fall for it! But, I can't help it. The Rangers have won the West before, been in the playoffs. They flamed out mightily every time. This time people all over are talking about the Rangers having a real shot this year. That's good stuff.

Tonight was amazing. The Rangers won their first 1-0 game at the Ballpark since September 3, 2008 against Seattle. Michael Young hit his second straight first inning homer and that was all the Rangers needed. C.J. Wilson pitched 8 shutout innings, giving up 4 hits and 0 walks. That is the same C.J. Wilson that leads the league in walks. I think Mr. Cliff Lee is having a positive influence on C.J. Neftali Feliz picked up his 27 save, tying for the Major League lead. When he struck out Bobby Abreau for out 27, the Ballpark went nuts.

I wish I had been there! Keep it up Rangers!!

Did you see that!?

Crazy stuff happens in baseball all the time. You know it. I know it. Last night was crazy with the ejections, the catches, the plays at the plate.

Gettin' Wiggy With It

Last night in Baltimore, Umpire Gary Darling blew a call on an aborted steal attempt by J.J. Hardy. Hardy returned to first and was tagged out Ty Wigginton. Darling called him safe and Wigginton lost his mind!

Wigginton was almost immediately ejected and then he got his money's worth and will most likely get a fine if not a suspension for playing bump the ump. Later in the inning, Hardy scored, at which point O's pitching coach Rick Kranitz clapped for the ump and was immediately ejected. That led to Juan Samuel losing HIS mind and getting ejected. All's not well in Baltimore, but they got hosed on this sequence of events.

Phantom Out???

Umpire Eric Cooper called Billy Butler out on this play at the plate. The only problem was Cooper was behind Jorge Posada and didn't see that Posada's tag never made contact with Butler and he should have been safe.

Why I Respect Catchers

Prince Fielder must weigh 300 pounds. He came barreling around third against the Pirates and the throw came in to catcher Eric Kratz. Kratz stood his ground, took a cheap shot to the chin/chest area and held on to the ball as his mask and Fielder went flying. Fielder was out and Kratz never left his feet. Nice...

Still wanna trade for DeJesus?

David DeJesus made a great catch on a drive by Derek Jeter. Unfortunately, he didn't hold on to the ball and sprained his thumb in the process. All the while, Derek Jeter is motoring around the bases for his second career inside the park homerun.


The Best For Last--Ichiro

If you haven't seen the replay of this U.N.B.E.L.I.E.V.A.B.L.E. catch by Ichiro, go find it now. Right now. Well, you could comment first, but you have to see this catch. I've never seen a more amazing catch. Never.

Man, I love this game.