My First 2008 White Sox Card Is...

Jose Contreras #283. Today was all about spending time with the first fresh packs of the new year. There's no showboating or teaser posts. Just the simple purity and joy of opening the first true packs of the year. It's a moment of solitude.

The fourth card in of the first pack I grabbed in the store brought Jose Contreras. In the same pack, the 12th card, came Scott Podsednik, the newest member of the Rockies. He's trying to get his injury prone body onto first base by bunting. There was even Rudy Giuliani as the last card in the pack. Yes, the words 9/11 were written in the text on the back.

The second pack brought me an image of Frank Thomas lying down on the ground, just hanging out without a care in the world. Sure, he's a Blue Jay, but that's the happiest I've seen him on a card in a long time. Hanley Ramirez even popped up towards the end of the pack, just to say hello.

These two packs of Upper Deck made me feel happy and I enjoyed the pack opening like I was still a kid. It was a completely different experience than the 4 Topps packs. Maybe the jumbo packs of Topps will make me feel better.

Thorzul must be getting to me this week. When the Jose Contreras popped up, I said out loud, "My first 2008 White Sox card bitches!" Maybe those packs of Donruss Americana have been effecting me more than I realized. It was probably the image of Pizza The Hutt from Spaceballs drinking on his card.

I don't know how to explain it, but I have a better feeling about Upper Deck this year. I felt that way from the first card of the first pack, which was Russell Martin. He just seems to have a look of hope on his face. Maybe that's the feeling I needed today, when opening a fresh pack.