March 2008 Archives

Game One - Cubs 3 Brewers 4 - 10 innings
WP - Eric Gagne (1-0, BS 1) LP - Bobby Howry (0-1) Save - David Riske (1)

Despite the cold and the rain, it was Opening Day at Wrigley Field and the it had everything.... except for a Cubs win. The game started 40 minutes late and not even the weather dampened the spirits in and around the ballpark. The Ernie Banks Statue was unveiled a few hours before the first pitch, and it is a beautiful tribute to Mr. Cub.

Once the game began, it was a good ole fashion pitchers duel. Two of the game's best starting pitchers held both offensives to a combined 2 hits in the first 5 innings. Carlos Zambrano started out his season on a positive note before leaving with a cramp in his forearm with 2 outs in the 7th. Kerry Wood gave up the first runs of the game in the 9th. Wood hit Rickie Weeks to start the inning before allowing a 2-out, 2-run double by Corey Hart. Bobby Howry took the loss after giving up a leadoff double to Craig Counsel and a sacrifice fly to Tony Gwynn, Jr.

Those in attendance witnessed arguably one of the greatest debuts in team history by the Cubs first Japanese ballplayer. Kosuke Fukudome was Lou Piniella's offense. He reached base all 4 times to the plate and hit a game tying 3-run homer in the 9th off of Brewers' closer Eric Gagne.

While one game does not make a season, these two teams will have match-ups like the one on Opening Day throughout the year.

Game One - Opening Day: Cubs (0-0) vs. Brewers (0-0)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV, ESPN 2 - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Carlos Zambrano (0-0, -.--/-.--) vs. Ben Sheets (0-0, -.--/-.--)

It's finally here....Opening Day and Chicago Cubs Baseball is on the Air! Carlos Zambrano will take the mound today for the fourth consecutive Opening Day. The Cubs need a solid season and especially a good start from Zambrano....and it begins today as he shoots for his first career win on Opening Day. Weather permitting....

During the course of a year there are dozens of days with more meaning than others. But for a lifelong fan of America's Pastime, there is one that outweighs them all....Opening Day. Technically the season has already begun, but for most of the teams and their fans today is the first, today is the beginning.

Opening Day is special and unique. For one day, no matter if your team wins or loses, there is reason for hope and optimism that this might be the year that your team will be the last one standing at the end of October. Opening Day means another spring, summer and hopefully fall full of trips to the ballpark, listening to the game on the radio and countless hours in front of a television....sometimes cheering, sometimes yelling but always watching. Today is Opening Day.

The remaining spot on the Cubs' Opening Day lineup was announced early Sunday afternoon. According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, Carmen Pignatiello will be the lone southpaw in the Cubs bullpen when the season starts on Monday. Scott Eyre is expected to return by the second week in April, but for now Pignatiello will get his shot.

The Cubs optioned Sean Marshall to Triple-A, along with Matt Murton. The report in the Tribune indicated Jim Hendry tried to find a suitable deal for the fan favorite. The Opening Day roster for the 2008 Chicago Cubs is....

The corner of Clark and Addison was the scene of the 100th Annual 'Next Year Day' party on Saturday night. Rick Telander from the Chicago Sun-Times and Brad Zibung of The Heckler hosted the event at the Cubby Bear and hundreds upon hundreds of Cubs fans turned out to celebrate the start of the baseball season.

At the stroke of midnight, Steve Goodman's family joined Rick Telander's band, the Del-Crustaceans, and led the crowd in singing 'Go Cubs Go.' The balloons dropped as Telandar said, "It's been 100 years since the Cubs won the World Series, but you must have faith that next year is here."

Spring Training Game Thirty-Two - Cubs 4 Mariners 2
WP - Ryan Dempster (3-1) LP - Jarrod Washburn (2-2) Save - Kerry Wood (2)

Lou Piniella's pitching staff made up for their poor performance on Friday night by allowing only 1 earned run in the final game of the spring. Ryan Dempster was very effective on Saturday afternoon. He allowed the only earned run on 6 hits in 4 innings with 4 strikeouts and most importantly....no walks. Michael Wuertz surrendered his first run of the exhibition season in the 5th, but it was unearned due to an error by Mike Fontenot. Sean Marshall could not retire the only 2 batters he faced but Jon Lieber and Henry Blanco kept the Mariners off the board in the 6th and set it up for the backend of the bullpen.

Carlos Marmol, Bobby Howry, Carmen Pignatiello and Kerry Wood gave up just 2 hits in the final 3 innings with a walk and 5 strikeouts. Wood put an exclamation point on his spring by striking out Charlton Jimerson to end the game.

Reed Johnson led off the game with his first home run as a Cub. Henry Blanco and Ronny Cedeno each drove in a run with singles in the 4th inning. Micah Hoffpauir scored the final run of the day in the 9th on a groundout by Mike Fontenot.

Spring Training Game Thirty-Two: Cubs (14-15-2) vs. Mariners (13-15-3)
Game Time - 2:05pm C.T. TV: WGN TV, MLB.TV - Radio: 720 WGN, Gameday Audio on MLB.com, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Cashman Field, Las Vegas

Ryan Dempster (2-1, 5.23/1.45) vs. Jarrod Washburn (2-1, 2.42/1.25)

This is it.... After today, every game counts. Lou Piniella's crew will be the visiting team today at Cashman Field as the Cubs conclude their 32-game exhibition season against the Mariners. Ryan Dempster started the spring very strong and a bookend performance today would be more than welcome.

It does not matter if the Cubs win or lose today, it will be how they play the game....and leaving for Chicago healthy and ready for the season.

Spring Training Game Thirty-One - Cubs 2 Mariners 10
WP - Carlos Silva (1-2) LP - Ted Lilly (0-1) Save - None

Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis had rough outings in their last spring tune-ups. Ted Lilly made his fifth and final start of the exhibition season and allowed 5 runs on 8 hits in 5 innings. Lilly gave up all 5 runs on 3 home runs before settling down and retiring 9 of the last 10 batters he faced. Jason Marquis did not fair much better. Like Lilly, he left the ball up and allowed 5 runs, 4 earned, on 6 hits in 3 innings. Neither pitcher walked a batter and Lilly struck out 4. The Mariners' offense scored 10 runs on 14 hits with 6 home runs and 2 doubles in the first 8 innings.

The Cubs offense struggled against Carlos Silva and the Mariners pitching staff. Alfonso Soriano hit his second home run in as many days in the 4th inning. Kosuke Fukudome doubled with 2 outs in the 7th and scored on an infield single by Jason Marquis. The Cubs managed only 6 hits and 7 total base runners.

Spring Training Game Thirty-One: Cubs (14-14-2) vs. Mariners (12-15)
Game Time - 9:15pm C.T. TV: WGN TV, MLB.TV - Radio: 720 WGN, Gameday Audio on MLB.com
Location - Cashman Field, Las Vegas

Ted Lilly (0-0, 6.00/1.40) vs. Carlos Silva (0-2, 9.20/2.18)

The final tune-up of the spring for the Cubs begins tonight in Las Vegas against the Seattle Mariners. The quick 2-game series is dubbed as 'Big League Weekend' and takes place at Cashman Field, home of the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s.

Ted Lilly is slated to make the start tonight, with Ryan Dempster scheduled to take the hill on Saturday afternoon. The night game has featured a majority of the Cubs' regulars in the past, let's see how Lou Piniella plays it tonight....

Could this finally be the year? Crane Kenney has repeatedly mentioned the 100-year due bill the Cubs' front office is faced with on a daily basis. It is more than obvious the Cubs are in "win now" mode. But do they have enough to play games in October? Some say yes, some say no....but what does the Faithful think?

The final look ahead before Opening Day stateside is centered around not only the final standings in the National League Central, but in all of Major League Baseball.