Today the Milwaukee area got about a foot of snow dumped on it, prompting the public schools to close. I was relatively ambivalent about the whole thing, since it was supposed to be the last day before Christmas Break, traditionally a blowoff day filled with pizza parties and photocopied coloring sheets. Now, since the Powers That Be have something shoved up their asses that they can no longer manage to extricate, today's missed day will likely have to be made up in a warmer month. F--- you!
SuperNintendo Andrekopoulos needs to grow and pair and tell the Wisconsin DPI to suck it.

Anyways, once we were able to dig out, a trip to Target was in order. With the store so empty, we had quite the Career Opportunities moment, although we were never chased by Dermot Mulroney. I decided to splurge a little and try a pack of Donruss Elite Extra Edition, which was mysteriously labeled "Hobby Exclusive" inside of its blister pack. Will the results be more akin to hobby or retail?

Let's tear in.

Top to Bottom:
54 Jon Mark Owings (Braves prospect, Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans. I'll try to give you a look at the cool minor league logos represented in this pack.)


13 Brent Morel (White Sox prospect, Single-A Kannapolis Intimidators)


135 Jose Martinez AUTO 588/868 (Cardinals prospect, AA Springfield Cardinals)


84 Ryan Pressly (Red Sox Prospect, Gulf Coast League Red Sox)


9 Bobby Lanigan (Twins prospect, Rookie League Elizabethton Twins)


Guess this was a hobby pack after all. I have nothing to say about these guys right now, but in a couple of years we'll find out if this was a good pack or not. Martinez is the farthest along in his career of the bunch, but his profile picture reveals something a little Jack Clark-esque.

Tweezers, son.

And while you're at it, check out the 2008 Card-vent Calendar.

Ok, honesty time: if this pack had anyone else besides Gordon Beckham on the wrapper, I wouldn't have gotten it. The shop also had Bowman Draft, Timelines, Heritage and that new Donruss Legends competing for my attention. Gordon in a Bulldog uni made my decision for me. I think this is the third pack of Elite Extra Edition (a silly name since there's no longer a first edition) I've ever gotten so let's see if I can get something decent.


The cards are pretty much all foil, which is why they look pitch black in the scan. They are actually silver. The first thing I notice with these cards is that there's no draft information on the back. A line for 2008 stats, a small write up, a lot of wasted space, but no draft information. Pretty stupid for a set that is supposedly heavy on draft picks. Danny was a second round pick last year for the Twins. He's only played in rookie ball so far but he'll only turn 20 a week from today.


No, not the pitcher. Mike was also drafted in 2007, but hit 39 homers in the South Atlantic League last year. Dang! I guess you can call him a serious prospect.


Another 2007 draft pick, this time a fourth rounder for the Nats. Was anybody in this set drafted in 2008, or did Razor sign 'em all up from that draft? Norris is a 19 year old catcher so we might see him say, around 2017.


2007 pick, 7th round. I'm pretty sure I got all the '07 draft picks I want in my TriStar set from last year. Good news: Tyson has advanced all the way to double-A. Bad news: 2-9 record, 7.89 ERA at Reading.


Aw geez, the Braves traded this guy way back in the Mark Teixeira deal! Where are the freaking draft picks?! Feliz is a highly rated pitching prospect for the Rangers, but that only reminds me on how badly we got burned by Teixeira. Ugh. This pack sucked. I wanted draft picks and I got the class of '07. Caveat Emptor, folks. I should have just bought the Beckham and been done with it.