Game 2 (1-1)

Perfect season dreams are now done. So are the dreams that middle/long relief is any better this year. Jerome Williams pitch terribly and let the game get away. Even against the Reds, a 5 run lead it too much to overcome in 3 innings. We cannot be letting up 7 runs a game. We will lose 100 games doing that. I know that Great American is a hitters park, but still. We need a better long man for the first few months. I nominate Angel Guzman or Rich Hill (assuming he gets a second pitch). If Jerome is the best we can do, it will be a long year.

Game 1 (1-0)

It was an interesting game. Bush throws out the first pitch and the season looks perfect through the first half inning. 5 runs and a Pierre triple to start. This is how things were supposed to go. Then Zambrono comes in a is all over the place. The bullpen lets up 4 runs in 4.1 innings after they got so much better. The Reds pitching was Reds pitching and let up 17 runs. I am happy we can score and that guys like Murton and Pierre played well. I am not happy that we let up 8 runs and played everyone off the bench but Blanco. I'll take a win, especially on opening day on the road, but this is not how I wanted it to happen.

Last minute predictions

First pitch of the season is about 1 hour from now, so no better time to make some season predictions.

Record: 85-77
Finish: 2nd in NL Central
Awards: Lee and Maddox Gold Gloves.
Post Seaon: nope

Others: Baker looks for new job after season. Cubs selling name rights to the stadium like the Bears did. (e.g Chicago Cubs baseball at Wrigley Field presented by Allstate Insurance).

What Else is New?

Lee is taking it slow as to not aggravate the shoulder, and they claim wood will be ready in late April. I'm not buying it at all. He'll be ready for something, just not pitching. I would put money down that something else comes up that side tracks him. At least Lee is a bull and will be fine in a few days. He will be ready to hit .340 and 40 HR's. Amazing that he and Prior see the same specialist on the same day and no one worries about Lee. Think about it.

Injuries, Injuries, Injuries

So another week and more strange injuries. Lee bruised his shoulder (damn WBC), but at least he will be fine in a few days. At least his was because of actual game action unlike the other injury we are now dealing with. Another year, another Prior injury. Not too shocking that he is hurt because well it is Prior. This might not be a freak thing though. He's out at least 10 days before he can throw again and after that who knows. He might tear his arm out of the socket or he might be perfectly fine. What is the deal with these guys?
It reminds me of a comment that Maddox made a few years ago on this topic. He said that when he started they were told to pitch through minor pain. He has always done that and never been seriously hurt. Wood and Prior on the other hand have been babied and are sent to the Dr. everytime that they feel any pain. I don't want anyone to end their career, but might some of this be in their head? If they feel pain they think injury. This cannot be good for their mechanics and they don't pitch the way they should. These "minor" setbacks put them on the shelf for months at a time because we don't want them to end their career. If we don't let them (or make them) pitch now their careers might be over already.

Wood's knee

So it's not being fix, just cleaned up. It doesn't bother him and he doesn't want it done, but he is getting it 'scoped on Tuesday. What is going on here? We are trying to move him along through rehab to be ready by May and now this. I don't care if normally people are back to normal in a few days. This is Wood. Nothing is normal with him and everytime he goes under the knife it is an ordeal. This seems like another Cubs cover up for something bigger. None of it makes sense to me. Why are they doing this now if there is no real need and he doesn't want it????

Let Life Begin Again

I think today should be a national holiday. People think I am crazy for saying that, but I really believe it. There are count down clocks on all the teams websites and it is just like the opening ceremonies. No one actually throws a pitch today, but they are there. They are ready to go. The WBC kind of takes away from this since guys will be dealing with that for the begining of spring rather than concentrating on their major league club. I still don't care. It could be all AA catchers reporting and I would be happy. It means that for the next 8 months I will be writing in this blog everyday and I have something to care about. It is cold in Chicago, but it feels like summer in my heart. Today is the day that Pitchers and Catchers report for the 2006 baseball season. Let the believing begin.