With April almost over, who has been the Cubs MVP so far? Is it D-Lee, Neifi, Prior, someone else? Hey, there are still two games left. Give us your choice and comments - we'll talk about them on Sunday.

We're in for a real treat tonight with Roger Clemens against Greg Maddux. The Cub hitters do have their work cut out for them against the Rocket, because he can beat you in a variety of ways. On a given day, he might have an overpowering four-seam fastball and he'll rely strictly on that to get the big outs when he needs them. Other days, he'll have the tremendous split finger. Unfortunately, there are a lot of days when he has both of them working and that's when you just have to try your best to take advantage of every baserunner you get, try to put pressure on him with your baserunners, and maybe play some hit and run or bunt and run, because he's not the type of pitcher who will allow you many opportunities to hit home runs.

I don't think you can manage differently just because of the dimensions of Minute Maid Park. When you're facing good pitchers, they will try to force you to hit the ball to the bigger parts of the ballpark. It's very short in left field and very short down the line in right field, but there are areas of Minute Maid where a pitcher can bail out. I think you just have to play the game straight up and try to take full advantage of your opportunities.

* Tonight’s contest will feature two of the most dominant pitchers of the last 20 years – Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens, with 11 Cy Young Awards between them.

Maddux and Clemens, Career Stats/Ranks Among Active Pitchers
(min 1500 IP for ratio stats)

Maddux vs. Clemens
Wins 305 (2nd) 329 (1st)
Strikeouts 2,929 (3rd) 4,349 (1st)
Games Started 608 (2nd) 643 (1st)
Innings Pitched 4,205.1 (2nd) 4,521.0 (1st)
ERA 2.96 (2nd) 3.16 (4th)
HR/All per 9 IP 0.58 (2nd) 0.67 (3rd)

* This is also the first matchup between 300-game winners since 1987, and only the fifth since 1900. The previous four were all in the AL, and all four involved Don Sutton.

Matchups Between 300-Game Winners – Since 1900

DATE Visitor Home Score Winner?
JUN-28-1986 Niekro (304), Cle @ Sutton (301), Cal 3- 9 --
JUL-27-1986 Seaver (308), Bos @ Sutton (303), Cal 0- 3 Sutton
JUN-08-1987 Niekro (314), Cle @ Sutton (312), Cal 2- 0 Niekro
AUG-04-1987 Carlton (328), Min @ Sutton (317), Cal 3-12 Sutton

The last matchup between 300-game winners in the National League was on July 21, 1892, when Tim Keefe (Philadelphia) faced off against Jim “Pud” Galvin (St. Louis), with the Phillies winning 2-0.

*Maddux needs a win tonight to avoid a winless April for the first time in his career.

*Clemens goes into tonight with a streak of 23 consecutive scoreless innings.

* Red-hot Derrek Lee will not shy away from facing Clemens tonight.

Derrek Lee, Highest Career BA by Opposing Pitcher
(min 15 AB)

Vs. Jeff Suppan .529 (9/17)
Roger Clemens .467 (7/15)
Jason Marquis .462 (12/26)
Curt Schilling .423 (11/26)

* After knocking in six runs Wednesday against the Reds, Derrek Lee has picked up at least five RBI in three games this season. No other National Leaguer has knocked in at least five runs twice this season.

Most Games With 5+ RBI, 2005

Derrek Lee, ChC 3
Manny Ramirez, Bos 3
Alex Rodriguez, NYY 2
13 players tied with 1

* The Astros have been shut out an MLB high 5 times this year, including 3 of the last 4 games. They are on a five-game losing streak.

Not a bad day for Len & Bob yesterday. After their stirring rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," the Cubs responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th en route to a comeback win. Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions.

Is Carlos Zambrano a marked man?

Carlos is really going to have to be careful. He's established a reputation in this game, whether right or wrong, of being emotional out there on the mound and taking his frustrations out on opposing hitters. The umpires have been made aware of that and they're going to keep a close eye on him. It's really important that he keeps his emotions in check.

What is the most important mental ingredient in a winning team?

A word I use all the time is grind and the ability to grind. It's such a long season and you know you're going to have streaks where guys are swinging the bat very well, but they're not catching the ball so well. Then, they start catching it well, but not pitching or hitting well. You have to show up every day and you have to grind, no matter what's working well for you that particular day.

A short memory is always good too, because if you play a bad game the day before, you have to let it go. Same thing if you play a good game the day before, you have to let it go and move forward.

From the Cubs media relations department:

Nomar Garciaparra underwent successful surgery this morning at Hahnemann Hospital (Drexel University School of Medicine) in Philadelphia, PA.

The surgery, which was performed by Dr. Bill Meyers, involved the reinforcement of the abdominal/groin musculature. The surgery lasted about 30 minutes.

It's still early, but after 20 games for the Cubs, we don't know how good they can be. The starting pitching has been the strength of the team which we anticipated back in spring training. Offensively, the Cubs seem to be able to score runs, but we still don't know just how good the offense can be. We do know that there are some problems in the bullpen right now, some of them because of the number of innings they've had to throw, some of it because of ineffectiveness and some of it because of injury. I think if there's one thing to be sure of is that we are unsure of the bullpen.

I think more than anything else right now, the manager's job is to maintain a positive attitude. Whether he feels that way inwardly, he has to project it outwardly so that his ballclub knows that he still has confidence in their ability to win games.

Len and I are singing today - my strategy is to hold the microphone farther away from my mouth and make sure Len has HIS mike very close to his mouth.

Bob

*It's Ryan Dempster (1-3, 4.57) vs. Aaron Harang (1-1, 3.70) at Wrigley Field this afternoon.

*Derek Lee has 21 RBI in April - the club record is held by Billy Williams with 25 in 1970.

*Good luck to Nomar Garciaparra, who is scheduled to have minor surgery on his groin in Philadelphia today.

* A quick snapshot of how the Cubs rank against the rest of the league:

Batting Average .274 T4
Runs/Game 5.15 3rd
On-Base % .335 9th
HRs 25 T1

ERA 4.23 9th
Hits Allowed 175 7th
Walks 59 4th
Strikeouts 165 T1

Hey Gang, I saw a recent post that said, "Hey, it's a blog, why don't you guys reply to some posts!" or something to that effect. And he was right! So, here goes:

Posted by Matthom at April 25, 2005 11:53 AM

Here are some things that irritate me, while listening to 7th inning stretch singers:

1 - When they don't sing, and just hold the mic out, wave it around, and let the crowd sing for them.

2 - And, when they say the most often used catch phrase at the end - "let's get some runs!"

Other than that, all singers are interesting... you'll both do a good job. Can't wait to hear it.

LEN: Agreed on point #1. I probably did it the first time. Here's why--I'm not a good singer! It's a good way to lessen the impact of bad crooning. I'll promise I won't do it Wednesday. And on the "Let's get some runs" point, c'mon, you HAVE to say that, no?

Posted by jj Carlson at April 25, 2005 01:19 PM

with dempster struggling in the beginning i thinke the cubs should put him in the closer spot for the time being until joe gets back maybe longer and call up someone like sergio mitre or even maybe trade i know that the royals have very young great pitching in the majors and minors maybe for the right deal theyll do it like a runellyes hernandez or someone else

LEN: JJ, my guess is that Michael Wuertz will get the next shot now w/Chad Fox injured. Dempster is more valuable starting--you don't want to weaken your rotation in an attempt to strengthen your closer spot w/a guy who's never done it. Wuertz has done it in the minors. Dempster is simply more comfortable as a starting pitcher right now.

Posted by Sean Johnson at April 24, 2005 09:41 PM

Hey Len and Bob. I am not worried about the cubs at all but if Kerry Wood keeps having shoulder problems but if Kerry does not get better do you think we have a better chance winning if we trade Kerry and bring up Angel Guzman or have someone else pitch every other fifth day.

Thanks Sean Johnson
GO CUBBIES

LEN: Sean, Guzman is out w/forearm inflammation right now, so he's not an option. IMO you don't trade away the team's strength--starting pitching. Yes, Kerry has battled injuries, but trading him is not the answer right now. This team's strength is the rotation.

Posted by Jims at April 25, 2005 12:10 PM

Len-

We love the Bill James reference during the game.

Keep it up

LEN: Glad you noticed. I try to drop in some sabermetric stuff on occasion without getting too "nerdy" on the air. I'm sure as we move along, Bob and I will have some good "old school vs. new school" debates. As you know, not everything James has written is widely accepted inside the game. But there's some good stuff to use when the situation fits.

Keep posting and we'll answer some on the blog and some on the air throughout the season!

Check out photos of Ernie Banks hanging out in the broadcast booth and singing during the 7th inning stretch.

From the Hall of Fame website, it's a big anniversary day for the Cubs:

On April 26, 1941, the Chicago Cubs become the first major league team to install an organ in their home ballpark. Although the organ makes a successful debut at Wrigley Field, the Cubs lose their game to the rival St. Louis Cardinals, 6-2…

On April 26, 1997, Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs breaks Hall of Famer Joe Morgan’s major league record for most home runs by a second baseman. Sandberg’s 267th career home run at the position helps the Cubs to a 7-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

On April 26, 1905, Chicago Cubs outfielder Jack McCarthy throws out three runners at home plate, each time completing a double play, during a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. McCarthy becomes only the second outfielder in major league history to record three double plays in a single game.

*It's Eric Milton (2-2, 4.98) vs. Carlos Zambrano (2-0, 3.04) tonight. Last July 25, Milton took a no-hitter against the Cubs into the 9th inning in Philadelphia. Michael Barrett's leadoff double broke up the no-no and Milton ended up with a no-decision.

*Zambrano has had good luck against many of the Reds including Sean Casey (.167), Ken Griffey Jr. (.200), Adam Dunn (.105), Ryan Freel (.143), and Jason LaRue (.167).

*Aramis Ramirez is 5/15 with 2 HRs vs. Milton. Ben Grieve has 3 HRs in 33 careers ABs vs. Milton.

After a sterling rendition two weeks ago as emergency replacements, Len and Bob are scheduled to sing the 7th Inning Stretch on Wednesday afternoon. We invite you to post your advice and comments for our melodic duo - we'll pick the best ones and use them on the air.

* It's Mark Prior (2-0, 0.00) looking to continue his strong start against Paul Wilson (1-1, 5.63) tonight at Wrigley on WCIU.

* Cincinnati has scored exactly two runs in each of its last four games (1-3 record).

* The Cubs would look to be in good shape with Prior going tonight and Zambrano tomorrow.

Lowest Career ERA vs. Reds – Active Pitchers
(min 5 GS)

Carlos Zambrano* 1.49 (11/66.2)
Randy Johnson 1.51
Mark Prior 1.82 (7/34.2)
Pedro Martinez 1.96
Kevin Brown 2.01

* Let's hope Derrek Lee and Neifi Perez can keep the hot starts going tonight.

Cubs, Highest BA in March/April – since 1969
(min 50 PA)

Derrek Lee, 2005 .403 (27/67)
Neifi Perez, 2005 .396 (19/48)
Gary Woods, 1982 .388
Bill Buckner, 1980 .383
Steve Henderson, 1981 .379

* Ken Griffey Jr. is in the midst of his longest homerless drought to start a season in his 17 seasons in the league:

Griffey Jr., Most Plate Appearances Without HR to Start Season

2005 67
1991 50
2001 32
2000 27
2002 23

On April 25, 1876, the Cubs played the first game in franchise history, winning at Louisville 4-0. The White Stockings (as the team was initially known until 1894) were managed by Hall of Famer Albert Spalding, who tossed the shutout that day. Spalding is also credited with the first hit in franchise history.

* The team went 52-14 in their first season (25-6 at home, 27-8 on the road, and 52-14 in day games).

* The Cubs are the only team of the original 8 charter members of the National League to operate continuously in one city.

* The 1876 Opening Day lineup:

2B Ross Barnes
3B Cap Anson
1B Calvin McVey
CF Paul Hines
P Albert Spalding
RF Bob Addy
C Deacon White
SS Johnny Peters
LF John Glenn

* Going into tonight, the franchise's all-time record is 9,764-9,212.

Kerry Wood got the win today as the Cubs downed the Pirates 5-2 at Wrigley Field. Wood was pulled after 76 pitches and 5 innings. After the game, he offered this about struggling with some tendinitis in his right shoulder.

Have you had this in any of your other starts?

No - it was gone. It's been gone for awhile, but it was just a little cranky today. It was the coldest day I've pitched in so far this year. They kind of made the decision that was enough and to get ready for the next one in 5-6 days.

What do you have to do before your next start?

We'll do treatment. I'll continue to do my workout program and my shoulder program - all that stuff. Hopefully it will be warmer next week.

When did it crop up on you?

Today? Just warming up in the bullpen. The best way to describe it (his shoulder) is that it was cranky. It just wasn't ready to go. I tried to get through it and get there and get some work done and see if it would loosen up. You know it loosened up a bit as we went. I think they didn't want to take any chances so they made the decision after 5 that it was enough.

Does it bother you to have another thing to worry about?

Honestly, I'm not really gonna worry about it too much. The way it felt today and the way I threw the ball, I'm pleased with the way I threw. I didn't throw a whole lot of breaking balls, but my changeup was outstanding and I used it today. It's frustrating any time you have anything bother you. Sometimes, you have stuff bother you and you have to go out and get through it. It should get better.

I think Dusty is doing the right thing right now making a change for the sake of the entire ballclub. We had Matt Mantei last year, our closer in Arizona, blow 5 saves in the first 3 weeks of the season. You call it snakebit, you give credit to the other team, bad pitch selection, bad pitch location - whatever the reason, the effect was the same. Each time we saw the closer coming in from the bullpen we thought "what's going to happen today?" Obviously that's a negative thought you don't want to continue.

I think Dusty is making the right move. He's got some options down there in the bullpen - Chad Fox (who got the save today), Glendon Rusch, Michael Wuertz, dependent on the matchups.

He said the right thing about LaTroy, too. He's an important part of that bullpen and he will be all season, but right now, they need to make some kind of change just for the sake of the entire ballclub.

I was talking to Dusty in his office earlier today. Nothing was written in stone, he was just thinking out loud. LaTroy has had success on the road and he's had some tough losses here at Wrigley Field so it's a possibility that we could see a closer by situation here and maybe have Hawk close games on the road.

* It's Kerry Wood (0-1, 6.38) for the Cubs today . Wood and the Cubs couldn't hold a lead in Cincinnati Monday night as Kerry went 6 innings, giving up 5 runs on 8 hits.

* With yesterday's loss, the Cubs fell to 2-4 in one-run games this season.

* Temperatures in Chicago are in the upper 40s - up a bit from yesterday's frigid conditions.

* It's Ernie Banks Glove Day at Wrigley Field. Mr. Cub will sing the 7th inning stretch today.

Hey Cubs Fans,

Hang in there...a very tough loss yesterday as LaTroy Hawkins couldn't hold a one-run lead in the 9th. We're on the air today at 1 pm with the Lead-Off Man. Kerry Wood looks for his first win as he opposes Josh Fogg.

I thought Greg Maddux pitched a very good game yesterday. He's still winless after four starts although he's dealt back-to-back quality starts. Dempster, Zambrano and Prior are pitching very well, so you can look at the rotation and feel good that everyone is getting in a groove. Hopefully, Kerry can pick up his first win today.

Dress warm if you're coming to the ballpark. Otherwise, tune in and we'll have all the action for you on the Superstation!

Len

* Even though temperatures are hovering around 40 degrees, things aren't as bad as two seasons ago. Gametime temperature for the April 8, 2003 game with Montreal was 32 degrees.

* The Cubs announced that they have purchased the contract of outfielder Ben Grieve from Iowa (AAA) and optioned infielder Mike Fontenot to the Triple-A club.
Grieve, 28, hit .308 with 2 doubles, 4 homers and 10 RBI in 11 games with the minor league affiliate. The left-handed batter, who saw action in 15 games for the Cubs last year, re-signed with Iowa (AAA) April 5.

Like many Cub fans, the idea of revisiting the 2004 season wasn't at the top of our list of things to do this spring. However, Gene Wojciechowski's new book "Cubs Nation: 162 Games. 162 Stories. 1 Addiction." takes a different turn on a very painful year and is filled with interesting stories about the world around Wrigley Field. The won/lost record doesn't change, but the book is a great testament to the unique passions that surround Cubs baseball.

You set out to chronicle what had the potential to be a historic season for the Cubs. How did you have to adapt the project when things took a very different turn in September?

The only real concession I made to September's events was spending much more time curled in the fetal position in the Wrigley Field press box. Otherwise, the format and the essence of ``Cubs Nation'' stayed the same: part ``Season On The Brink,'' part tale of the people who live and die with this franchise on a daily basis. Having moved 4 1/2 blocks away from Wrigley for the better part of 8 months gave me quick and easy access to both the team (the Cubs were kind enough to provide me a season press pass--plus, I traveled frequently with the team) and to the people who are part of a season's life.

But as September unfolded, I did try to find stories that reflected the emotions, tautness and drama of a playoff stretch run. Those stories weren't always pleasant (for example, I watched a late September game with Jim Hendry in his Wrigley suite--he showed me the wall phone he once heaved after a loss), but they didn't lack for interest.

There are many great stories in the book - do you have any favorites?

My favorite interviewees included Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, ESPN's and Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon, former Cubs Eric Karros, Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, Rick Sutcliffe, Ernie Banks to name a few, Pulitzer prize winners George Will and Studs Terkel, and writer/director Ron Shelton (``Bull Durham''), Billy Goat Tavern owner Sam Sianis, umpires room attendant Jimmy Farrell, Wrigley organist Gary Pressy, a Wrigley beer vendor, LaTroy Hawkins (blunt--but in a good way), Greg Maddux (perhaps the guy I ended up having the most respect for at season's end), Jim Hendry, Ron Santo and Pat Hughes, and marketing staff member Jim Oboikowitch (who chaperones the stars during the first pitch and seventh-inning stretch). But really, asking me to pick a favorite is like asking me which cold Bud or Old Style I like best.

As for favorite chapters, that's equally subjective. I spent three hours with Shelton at a fancy LA restaurant as he detailed how he'd write a movie about Steve Bartman; Jimmy Farrell told me how he occasionally writes the letter, W, on the ball that he places on the pitching rubber. W is for Win--he did for Kerry Wood during the 2003 NLCS; I spent a day at the Majestic Athletic plant in a dinky town a couple of hours outside Philadelphia. This is where the Cubs uniforms are made. They showed me exactly why the Cubs unis are so different from almost every other major league teams' unis. And at day's end they presented me with an authentic jersey of my personal Cub favorite--Ron Santo; Scott Nelson, the Cubs director of baseball operations, gave me access to a little-known storage room that houses just about every Cubs player scouting report in the past 50-60 years; I spent a day on Waveland and Kenmore with the Ballhawks; a day hanging out with Ron and Pat in the WGN booth; and, of course, I was in the clubhouse for keys parts of the season (the day Nomar got traded to the Cubs, the day Sammy Sosa ditched the team, etc.)

What happened to the 2004 Cubs?

Three things happened: injuries to the absolute wrong people (Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Sammy Sosa, Joe Borowski, Mike Remlinger, Aramis Ramirez); a sometimes dysfunctional clubhouse, and the Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals. In my mind, the injuries were the real reason for the collapse, but there were other factors, including the pressure of raised expectations and an unnecessary Us vs. Them mentality that seemed to fester as the season wore to an end.

Are you surprised that there appears to be a bit of a "hangover" from 2004 with regard to the fans and this year's team?

Get used to it. Cubs fans aren't spoiled (a look at the number of NL pennants proves that), but no longer are they satisfied with mediocrity--and I think that's a good thing.

Dusty Baker said he wanted to rid the franchise of that Loveable Losers tag. I think he's done that, but the by-product of that change is a less patient fan base. One of the things I noticed most while reporting and writing ``Cubs Nation'' was the importance Cubs fans put on each game. In seasons past, there wasn't such an emphasis on individual outcomes. It was more, ``How many beers can I hold with one hand.'' Eric Karros told me the Cubs' biggest challenge in 2004 would be their ability to handle those expectations. Now that they've been through the nightmare of '04, I think they'll be much better prepared for whatever 2005 brings. If--the most important word in sports--this pitching staff stays healthy, I think they'll win anywhere between 86-90 games, reach the playoffs, and, well, who knows after that.

All I know for sure is that the Cubs are blessed with, quite simply, the most devout, passionate and intriguing followers in baseball.

The Cubs game with Pittsburgh was cancelled due to rain this afternoon and will be made up as a single game on July 14 at 1:20pm. Tomorrow's game is set for 1:20opm as scheduled on Comcast and Sunday we are back on WGN at 1:20pm as well.

Hey Gang, kind of a downer day in St. Louis Thursday with the Cubs losing 4-0 to Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals. The real bummer though was the news that Nomar has a torn groin and will be out 2-3 months minimum (by early projections) and possibly could be done for the year. This one hurts (literally and figuratively). Yes, he was scuffling big time. Offensively and defensively. But he was going to get out of it eventually and he's a big part of this team. All right the good news: defensively the Cubs are fine. Neifi Perez is a former Gold Glover and Jerry Hairston will handle 2B with Walker out. These guys can pick it. The bad news is obvious--you lose your #3 hitter. Perez is simply a below-average hitter when you look at his career numbers. Hopefully he can stay as hot as he's been, but nobody is assuming he's going to make people miss Nomar at the plate. That's just not realistic.

Will Jim Hendry make a move? Probably not right off the bat. The Cubs need to figure out if Nomar has a chance of coming back first. And finding someone of his caliber during the season is far from easy.

So, the Cubs just hope to press on. We might get a look at young Ronny Cedeno at short at some point as well. The other guys are just going to have to pick up the slack. Hang in there...still a long way to go and this team hasn't come close to putting it all together yet.

The weather here is a bit gloomy so I hope we get to play today. See you at the park and/or on WGN this weekend!

Len

Nasty weather here in Chicago today - hopefully it will clear up to get this one in.

*Today's matchup is a repeat of last Sunday as Greg Maddux (0-1, 5.63) hooks up with Pirate left-hander Mark Redman (1-1, 2.33).

*After giving up 4 HRs in his first 2 starts, Maddux kept the Pirate hitters in the yard on Sunday, allowing only 2 runs on 5 hits.

* Ever since Nomar Garciaparra became a member of the Cubs, his teammates have rallied when forced to play without the talented shortstop.

Cubs With/Without Nomar Garciaparra, Since August 1, 2004

With Without
Record 29-28 12-5
BA .262 (532/2029) .298 (181/607)
SLG .444 (901/2029) .501 (304/607)
Runs/Gm 4.9 (278/57) 6.1 (104/17)

One of the key things the Cubs tried to do during the offseason was improve their depth. Unfortunately, now that is going to be tested very early this season. The good thing is that Neifi Perez has been swinging a very hot bat. Every time Jerry Hairston has an opportunity, he has made a some things happen. He's got a lot of energy and I'm sure as they work more and more together up the middle, they'll be able to turn double plays well.

Reports out of St. Louis are not good for Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, with indications that he may have torn the groin muscle from the bone which would lead to an extended stay on the DL. In the meantime, the Cubs have issued the following press release:

The Chicago Cubs today placed infielder Nomar Garciaparra on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin injury and recalled infielder Ronny Cedeno from Iowa (AAA). Cedeno, who will be looking to make his major league debut, has batted .348 with 3 homers and 6 RBI in 13 games for Iowa this season.

Garciaparra suffered the injury in yesterday's contest while running to first base after an at-bat in the 3rd inning.

Cedeno will wear #11.

Fri vs. Pitt 2p WGN
Sat vs. Pitt 1p Comcast
Sun vs. Pitt 1p WGN
Mon vs. Cincy 7p WCIU Chicago
Tue vs. Cincy 7p Comcast
Wed vs. Cincy 1p WGN

* After an Opening Day win, the Cubs have dropped the opening game of their next 4 series.
* Derrek Lee is hitting .385 and has 17 RBI in 14 games. Prior to this season, Lee was a career .230 hitter in April.
* St. Louis is coming home after a 5-0 road trip, during which they outscored the Brewers and Pirates by a combined 29-7 count.
* Jim Edmonds has led off the second inning with a home run in each of the Cardinals’ last two games.
* Albert Pujols has yet to strike out at Busch Stadium this season (20 at-bats).
* The Cardinals were 11-8 against the Cubs en route to the NL pennant in 2004, including six wins in eight one-run games against their arch-rivals.

We recently had the chance to catch up with Cubs broadcaster Ron Santo and his son Jeff on the status of "This Old Cub". The documentary is available for purchase on DVD with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

All the pertinent information can be found at www.thisoldcub.com, including updates on Wild Bill's walk from Arizona to Wrigley Field.

Can you believe the public reaction to the film?
Ron - I tell everybody I was never popular till this came out.
Jeff - It's been excellent. We're in the Top 10 all-time for documentaries sold. It's crazy. There are lines everywhere to see my Dad for an autograph or just people who want to tell us how the film touched their lives, be it at the ballpark, hotel, anywhere we are. I've been across the country everywhere we've shown the film and met so many wonderful people. Some people are just so touched by it, they can't even begin to explain it.

Did you have any idea when you started that you would touch a nerve like this?Jeff - I didn't think about even doing the story until my Mom suggested it when they were going to take Dad's second leg. I sat down and talked with him. He was all for it and since then, it's been nonstop. I knew once we had the idea, we could make a great film. Everything just came together and we've been helped by so many people.

How has the partnership with JDRF worked?
Jeff - It's been awesome we've raised over $120,000 for the cause with this project.
Ron - Obviously, I'm very proud and gratified with the response and the money we've been able to donate so far.
Jeff - The best thing about it is that we're helping a great cause. Cub fans who watch "This Old Cub" will certainly be inspired, but people in general have also been inspired by his courage, attitude, and spirit.

Here is the list of singers for the upcoming homestand:

Friday April 22nd - Phil Lesh from the Grateful Dead

Saturday April 23rd - Billy Williams - Jersey Day

Sunday April 24th - Ernie Banks - Glove Day

Monday April 25th - Glenbrook North HS - Boys basketball champs

Tuesday April 26th- Pat Hughes & Ron Santo

Wednesday April 27th- Len Kasper & Bob Brenly

Hey Gang, what a wild one last night and unfortunately a rough loss for the Cubs. If you're still confused about that bases loaded double play in the 8th inning, let me walk you through it. Admittedly, it took me several minutes to piece it together. I should have been on top of it the second it happened, but I admit I missed the fact that the runner who had scored, Adam Dunn, was already out. So, here's what happened...groundball to third, Ramirez forced Dunn by stepping on the base and then fired to home where Barrett tagged the runner for the second out. Then, Michael fired to third, apparently thinking he could nail the runner (Dunn). The ball of course got past third and Dunn scored, making it 6-5. But again, Dunn had already been forced at third base. Dunn certainly sold it by flying home with what was the phantom 6th run. Eventually we got it right, and eventually they took the extra run off the scoreboard, but unfortunately, Jason LaRue made it a bit academic a few pitches later by smacking a 2-run double to center. It was one of those nights in which the Reds bullpen was simply better than the Cubs pen. Hopefully, the Cubs can earn a split behind Mark Prior tonight.

Once again, just when you think you've seen it all in this game, you witness something like that 8th inning play...what a game.

Len

Tonight's game will be seen in Chicago on WCIU-TV, Channel 26.

* Mark Prior (1-0, 0.00) faces lefthander Brandon Claussen in tonight's series finale. It will be Claussen's first big league appearance of the season.

* Both Derek Lee and Corey Patterson homered off Claussen the last time he faced the Cubs last season.

* Mark Prior has been successful against the Red power hitters Sean Casey (.154) and Adam Dunn (.111), but Jason LaRue is 5/11 lifetime against Prior with 4 doubles.

* When these two teams have met at Great American Ball Park in the past, in terms of wins and losses, its equal---this despite the Reds’ poor play in the field and at the plate.

Cubs vs. Reds at Great American Ball Park – All-Time

Wins Cubs - 9 Reds- 9
Batting Avg. Cubs -.269 Reds -.223
ERA Cubs -3.84 Reds - 4.36
Errors Cubs - 9 Reds - 17
Unearned Runs Alwd Cubs - 7 Reds - 19

How has Michael Barrett improved defensively this year?

I think it's a combination of a couple of different things. Number one - experience. He knows the pitching staff a little better. He can get himself into a better throwing position on steals knowing what a pitcher's pitch is likely to do as it comes to the plate. The second part of it is that he worked at it extremely hard in spring training. He was down in the bullpen every day with with bullpen coach Juan Lopez and they were either working on blocking balls in the dirt or footwork or just talking about calling a game and how to keep a pitcher focused and how to keep his concentration on the mound. Experience is part of it, but more than anything else, it's just hard work.

Would Michael Wuertz be a candidate to be a closer in the future?

Wuertz has spent some time as a closer in the minor leagues before and had some success at it, so it's a possibility. I think for the time being, Dusty and his staff are still content that LaTroy Hawkins is the guy they're going to go to in the 9th inning with a lead. Given the fact that Wuertz has done it at the minor league level, he knows what it means to get those last three outs of the game. I think it's something he could do, but in order to do that, he's got to become more consistent with his pitches. For instance, sometimes he'll put two really nasty sliders and then he'll hang one or spot two great fastballs, then lose one right down the middle. The key will be to develop consistency with his delivery and consistency with his location.

One of the things we hope to do throughout the summer is take our blog readers to some of the interesting places around Wrigley Field.

At the corner of Kenmore and Waveland sits one of the oldest rooftop viewing sites that Cub fans know as the Budweiser house, designated as such for its brightly painted roof.

Owner Pat Kelly was kind enough to show us his bleacher set-up in the building's attic (see the photo gallery). His family has owned the building since 1940, but its construction actually predates Wrigley Field, which opened in 1914.

"I love it up here because it's a throwback to another era" Kelly told us. "We don't sell the seats, just make them available to our family and friends, along with tenants from the building."

"We've never had a ball come in up here, but downstairs, we've had more broken windows that I can count from balls both on the fly and on the bounce. Banks, Kingman, Santo, and lots of others have gotten us over the years."

* Kerry Wood (0-1, 5.84) goes against Cincinnati right-hander Adam Belisle (2005 (1-1, 3.52) in the opener of the two-game series tonight.

* Kerry Wood has 155 career strikeouts vs. the Reds---most of any hurler since 1998. Wood is 12-3 all-time vs. the Reds with a 2.74 ERA.

* The Cubs’ pitchers are hitting .310 thus far in 2005---it's currently the highest of any NL team’s pitching staff since 1974.

* Ken Griffey Jr. has had 39 plate appearances without a home run in 2005---it’s the longest beginning of the season streak for Junior since 1991 when it took him 50 PA to get his first HR of the season.

* The Cubs have won two straight and three of four to climb to .500 and just one game behind St. Louis in the NL Central.

* Derrek Lee has hit in six of his last seven games and is batting .417 (10-for-24) with nine RBI during the streak.

When a player like Nomar is slumping, what's the best thing to do to break out of it?

Everything - and that can be the problem sometimes. When you are struggling, everybody wants to help and and everybody thinks they have an idea of what's going wrong. If you're not careful, you can listen to too many differing opinions and really fill your head with garbage. I always found and I think most players find that the easiest thing to do is to get back to basics. Make it as simple as possible - just see ball, hit ball. Don't worry about where your elbow is and where your feet are. Get in the box, get comfortable and really concentrate on seeing the ball. Just keep it as simple as possible and work your way back from there.

How was your first time singing the 7th inning stretch?

Actually, it felt pretty good. The fans had thinned out by that point in the second game and only those that hung around were subjected to the beating on their ears. It was actually kind of fun and I think I might have a future in this singing business!

* Greg Maddux (0-1, 7.20 ERA) faces lefthander Mark Redman (1-0, 1.50 ERA) in the series finale at PNC Park.

* Maddux has been plagued by the home run ball again this year. After giving up a career-high 35 last season, he has been touched for 4 HRs in his two starts in 2005.

* Maddux is 24-13 lifetime vs. the Pirates with a 2.50 ERA.

* Redman has had a strong start to his season, including Tuesday's win over Milwaukee where he went six innings, allowing five hits and two runs to earn the win.

* Nomar Garciaparra is the leading Cub hitter against Redman, going a career 9/15 with 3 doubles and a HR. Jeromy Burnitz is 4/12 with a HR and Derek Lee is 2/5.

* The Cubs hope a win today will get them on the road to repeating their 2004 success against the Pirates when they went 13-5.

On April 16, 1948, WGN-TV televised a baseball game for the first time as the Cubs hosted the White Sox in an exhibition game at Wrigley Field. Jack Brickhouse was at the microphone handling the play-by-play.

It's always big to win games within your division, especially games early in the season. You try to establish a precedent so that when the Pirates, the Reds, and the Cardinals come to Wrigley, they will feel like they're looking up at the Cubs at that point. Getting off to a good start in your division is huge. I think the bottom three teams in the division got a little better this year and the top three stayed where they were or maybe slid back just a little bit. I think the division is going to be really competitive this year, so it's especially important to get off to a good start.

The Cubs next 19 games are within their division. Is there a special reminder given before this trip?

There are always going to be some players who aren't sure who we're playing tonight and others who are well aware of the schedule and what's important. I don't know if Dusty will say something to the ballclub. I really don't think you need to make a special effort to be aware of it at this point because it's way too early in the season to have a pressure-filled series. The important thing is to come in here and continue to build on the good things the Cubs have done so far and correct some of the mistakes they have made. It's probably a little too early in the season to put a lot more emphasis on a particular series than any other.

From Jon in NW Indiana:
What is the latest on touted Cubs prospect Bobby Brownlie?

Brownlie, the Cubs first round draft pick in 2002, had his first start of the season on Tuesday night. He went 6 innings, giving up 1 run on 3 hits in a 2-1 win for the Iowa Cubs over Round Rock. Brownlie is a right-hander who is listed at 6-0, 210 lbs. Tuesday's game was his Triple-A debut.

* Happy Birthday to Jeromy Burnitz who turns 36 today.

* The Cubs are 20-16 at PNC Park since it opened in 2001. The Cubs are working on an eight-game winning streak against the Pirates.

* Tonight's matchup features Carlos Zambrano (1-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Oliver Perez (0-2, 11.00 ERA).

* After opening the season making only three errors in their first six games, the Cubs committed five while losing two out of three at home versus the San Diego Padres.

* Zambrano is 5-2 in his career against the Bucs with a 3.17 ERA. In 2004, Zambrano became the first pitcher since Art Mahaffey in 1964 to win five games against Pittsburgh in one season without a loss.

* Jason Bay of the Pirates has the most career home runs versus Friday starter Carlos Zambrano (3). Three others have hit two against Zambrano (Berkman, Rolen, Edmonds).

* Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez is hitting .500 (7/14) in the Cubs four wins and .105 (2/19) in their five losses.

Vince Iadipaolo wrote us:

Bob and Len, I have an interesting proposal for the both of you for the 2005 Cubs season. If the Cubs win 10 games in a row or win 90 or more games total this year Bob should shave his mustache and Len should grow one.

Vince, we talked about this briefly on the air the other day. Bob and I accept your challenge, though his mustache will probably grow back long before we see any darkening on my upper lip. Let's hope the Cubs can put a string together to make this interesting.

Len

Phil and Nancy Pontillo
Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

Back in the late 50's, could be 1959 or 1960, I'm not sure, the Cubs had a ball player, top prospect by the name of Danny Murphy. He was called the $40,000 bonus baby. He came up at the end of the year for about 20 or 30 games and once the season ended we never heard any more about him. Maybe Ron might know what became of him.

Phil & Nancy,

We put the WGN staff on this one. Here are the numbers on Danny Murphy from the Baseball Encyclopedia:

YEAR GAMES AVG. HR RBI
1960 CUBS 31 .120 1 6
1961 CUBS 4 .385 2 3
1962 CUBS 14 .200 0 3
1969 SOX 17 .000 0 0
1970 SOX 51 .333 1 1

Len

*Kerry Wood faces Jake Peavy in today's opening game. Wood went 5.2 innings last Friday vs. Milwaukee, giving up 4 hits and allowing 5 walks to go along with 7 strikeouts.

*Padre hitters career vs. Wood:
Sean Burroughs 1/8
Mark Loretta 4/23
Brian Giles 5/23 with 4 HRs
Ryan Klesko 2/18
Phil Nevin 2/9
Geoff Blum 6/19
Xavier Nady 1/2

Hey Gang, well, I know the weather prevented Mark Prior from making his 2005 debut yesterday, he'll take the ball in Game 2 of the DH today. I look at the weather this way--we were VERY fortunate to see the nice conditions we saw over the weekend vs. Milwaukee. It was great to see all the fans in short sleeves!

I have to say, I've been treated so well here in Chicago, it's been beyond my expectations. Every single fan I've run into has been so kind! I also love the passion for this team, one that is unmatched maybe in pro sports today.

Hang with this team...it's going to be fine. With the injuries the Cubs suffered early on, I think the key is to get through the first month with their head above water. The bullpen has been very good collectively and hopefully the starters will find their groove as a group. Zambrano has been great from day one of spring training, Dempster pitched a very good game Monday, Maddux will find his groove soon hopefully and in Wood and Prior's case, I think it's just getting consistent innings every 5th day for a few weeks. Wood gave his team a shot to win Friday despite some walks and that's all you can ask.

The Walker injury hurts no doubt, but luckily in Jerry Hairston, the Cubs have another "starting" player who just happens to be on their bench. I think he'll fill in admirably.

Keep sending email and blog comments; we encourage the feedback. Go Cubbies!

Len

With the wind blowing steadily off the lake today, here are some numbers on the wind from the 2004 season.

Wind blowing in - 35 games Cubs W/L 16-19
Wind blowing out - 39 games Cubs W/L 26-13
Crosswind - 8 games Cubs W/L 3-5

Game 1 will be shown on WGN-TV at noon central time.

Game 2 will be shown on Comcast SportsNet Chicago approximately 20-30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.

With the Cubs 1-0 loss yesterday still in mind, a check of the media guide shows that in 1906, the Cubs were involved in 4 straight 1-0 games.

The Cubs beat Cincinnati on July 1 1-0 at the West Side Grounds and fell the next day by the same score. The Cubs then swept an Independence Day doubleheader at Pittsburgh by twin 1-0 scores.

Wednesday, April 13 vs. San Diego 12pm WGN
Sunday, April 17 @ Pittsburgh 12:30pm WGN
Tuesday, April 19 @ Cincinnati 6pm WCIU Chicago

* Mark Prior makes his first start of the season after starting on the DL today. Prior's other two "comeback" games after DL stints have gone well:

June 4, 2004 vs. Pitt 6 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs
Aug. 5, 2003 vs. SD 6 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs

* Jake Peavy, the National League ERA leader in 2004, makes his second start of the season today. In 2 career starts against the Cubs, Peavy is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA.

* Numbers vs. Peavy
Corey Patterson 3/5
Neifi Perez 0/10
Nomar Garciaparra 0/3
Aramis Ramirez 2/5
Jeromy Burnitz 0/11
Derek Lee 1/5
Todd Hollandsworth 1/5
Michael Barrett 0/2

* Numbers vs. Prior
Sean Burroughs 1/6
Mark Loretta 3/8
Brian Giles 4/10 with a HR
Ryan Klesko 0/6
Phil Nevin 1/7
Geoff Blum 2/14
Ramon Hernandez 2/2

The Cubs announced this morning that Mark Prior will start Tuesday's game at Wrigley Field vs. the San Diego Padres.

Dusty Baker: “Prior is starting tomorrow. We feel he's ready and he feels good so we're gonna start Mark tomorrow.

Will he be on a pitch count, say 90-95? “We will have a pitch count definitely., similar to when he came off the DL last year. It'll be pretty close to that limiter, but a lot depends on how difficult a time it is and how much stress he's had at that time in the game.”

Mark Prior - “I feel good and I'm ready to go tomorrow. The preparation is like it always is. I'll prepare for this like I did the other 70 starts I've had in my career. As far as going out there, I expect to go out there and give us the chance to win a ballgame.”

Check out photos from Cubs Home Opening Day on April 8 at Wrigley Field against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Actor and Evanston native Jeremy Piven was our 7th inning stretch guest singer yesterday. He was in town hosting a fundraiser for the Evanston-based Piven Theatre workshop and we had the chance to talk to him on and off the air for a few moments. Here's some of his on-air highlights with Len and Bob:

On his first pitch:

Who were you warming up with? "I think it was Daryl Strawberry. Is that wrong? I've been out of the game a little bit. You know I have to say I felt the pressure on the mound. I came up a little bit short. I didn't throw the heat, because the players all said if I bounced it, they were going to punish me."

How would Ari (his agent character on “Entourage”) be as a sports agent? Would he be the same or a bit different? “I think he would be the same - it's hard to say. He's a wrecking ball and I don't know the world of sports agents, but this guy definitely gets it done. He alienates lots of people, but he's charismatic enough to smooth it out. You're dealing with guys that can snap your neck at any point so I think Ari would be a bit humble, but if you're dealing with somebody like Andy Dick you can really go off.”

Would Ari be telling Barry Bonds 'let's hug it out'? “I think he would hug it out with Barry. To be honest with you, Barry needs to hug it out right now. He needs to breath through it. It's a brilliant career, he's gone a little awry, but yeah, Barry needs a big hug. I think Sammy Sosa needs a big hug.”

* Ryan Dempster looks to rebound from a shaky first outing of the season against a team he has never lost to as a starter:

Best Record as Starting Pitcher vs. Padres – Active Players
(min: 5 decisions)

Ryan Dempster 5-0 1.000
Livan Hernandez 8-1 .889
Russ Ortiz 12-2 .857
Kevin Millwood 5-1 .833
Randy Johnson 13-3 .813

* The Cubs have a few players in their lineup that have given Adam Eaton fits throughout his career:

Highest Career Batting Avg. vs. Adam Eaton –
(min: 15 PA)

Todd Hollandsworth, ChC .563 (9/16)
Jeromy Burnitz, ChC .471 (8/17)
Todd Walker, ChC .471 (8/17)
Royce Clayton, Ari .455 (5/11)
Juan Pierre, Fla .444 (12/27)

* Corey Patterson looks to continue his solid start to the season against a team he has hit pretty well throughout his career:

Highest Career Batting Avg. vs. Padres – Active Players
(min: 50 AB)

Jose Guillen .426
Albert Pujols .412
Corey Patterson .389 (21/54)
Aaron Miles .388
Brian Giles .385

Mark Prior threw on the side at Wrigley Field this morning. Afterward, the team said that his status for a start Tuesday would be reviewed tomorrow.

Excerpts from Dusty Baker's press conference:
"We'll know something tomorrow...It's really kind of how he feels, you know, because nobody knows how he feels but him. According to him, he's feeling pretty good. Larry (Rothschild) said he's looking pretty good, so he's in a positive frame of mind, which is a lot of it. Like you said it's just speculation right now but we anticipate he'll be fine on Tuesday, but we'll just wait till tomorrow to announce it, that's all."

Greg Maddux 2004 vs. Milwaukee
3-0, 1.80 ERA in 4 starts including a complete game, 6-hit shutout on July 17 at Wrigley.

*Damian Miller is 6/15 lifetime off Maddux.

Victor Santos 2004 vs. Cubs
3-1, 2.08 ERA in 4 starts

* It's no surprise Carlos Lee has already hit some rockets in the first two games of the series. Over the last five seasons, Lee has dominated Cubs pitching like no other player.

Highest Batting Average vs. Cubs, 2000-04
(min 90 PA)

Carlos Lee .359 (42/117)
Jose Vidro .354
Brian Giles .344
Fernando Vina .342
Jose Vizcaino .335

DID YOU KNOW? Of the current Cubs, which player was the first to hit a HR in the major leagues?

Greg Maddux - he homered off San Diego's Jose Melendez on July 16, 1991. Next up would be Jeromy Burnitz who hit his first big league dinger on June 29, 1993.

Today is my second broadcast debut. In 1990, I was working with Thom Brennman, Ron Santo and myself for WGN Radio for our first telecast together. Ronnie back in those days actually kept a scorecard and he had taken about an hour to get it all fixed up and get it ready. They were counting us down 3-2-1 and when they got to 1, Ronnie knocked a cup of coffee all over his immaculate scorecard and the first word the fans heard was a profanity. That was a great start to the season, but certainly things got much better after that.

Len and I hope to have just as much fun today.

Bob

Stats logo

Cubs fans are understandably concerned about the spring arm troubles of staff leaders Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. However, the Cubs were just a surprising 22-21 (.512) when Wood or Prior started last year, compared to 67-52 (.563) when they didn't.

Wood vs. Milwaukee career
6-6. 2.97 ERA

Derek Lee vs. Chris Capuano
.556. 2 HRs 8 RBIs

Carlos Lee vs. Kerry Wood
.471. 1 HR. 6 RBIs

Hey Cubs Fans, well, the BIG day is finally here--the home opener for 2005. On Friday, the Cubs will open Wrigley Field for the 90th time as they host Milwaukee. This will be the third time the Cubs have hosted a club from Milwaukee in the home opener, but the other two times it was the Braves back in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The Brewers are coming off a 2-game sweep of the Pirates in which they scored a ton of runs. The Cubs will try to get back on the winning track after dropping the final two games in Arizona. Kerry Wood will get his first start Friday and everyone's excited to see him out there after the shoulder bursitis in spring training. I think one of the big things to watch is Jeromy Burnitz's jog out to right field in the first inning. He says he's going to give a tip of the cap to the fans and that's it. He's straightforward, not showy, just goes about his business and I think Cubs fans will really root for him. We've already seen him make a couple of really nice defensive plays in right field.

Bob and I will see you at Wrigley tomorrow on WGN!

Len

Check out photos from Cubs Opening Day on April 4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Check out photos from the Cubs trip to Las Vegas on April 2&3 to play the Seattle Mariners at Cashman Stadium.

Here's the schedule for the upcoming Cubs homestand:

Opening Day- Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams

Saturday- Bonnie Hunt

Sunday- Jeremy Piven

Monday- Mother McAuley- Illinois Class AA Girls Volleyball Champions

Tuesday- Glenbrook North- Illinois Class AA Boys Basketball Champions

Wednesday- Libertyville High School- Illinois Class 7A Football Champions

Hey Gang, if you're scoring at home, here are the Opening Day lineups:
Cubs
Patterson CF
Walker 2B
Garciaparra SS
Ramirez 3B
Burnitz RF
Lee 1B
Hollandsworth LF
Barrett C
Zambrano P

Arizona
Counsell 2B
Clayton SS
Gonzalez LF
Glaus 3B
Green RF
Cruz CF
Tracy 1B
Hill C
Vazquez P

Mark Prior will start the season on the DL, not because he's hurt (his arm feels great) but because he needs to pitch in another minor league game before making his first start, which hopefully will be on April 12 vs. SD. Plus, it gives the Cubs an extra arm in the bullpen for the first week. Kerry Wood was lights out yesterday in a brief outing vs. some Angels minor leaguers and is on schedule to pitch the home opener Friday.

We'll see you this afternoon at 4 pm central on WGN for the Cubs-Diamondbacks.

Len

Welcome to the 58th season of Cubs baseball on WGN. We're on the air at 4pm Central today from the Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix with the Cubs and the Diamondbacks.

Len and Bob are excited about doing their first regular season game together and we're delighted to welcome them officially to the WGN family. One of the goals of this blog is to help you get to know them a little bit better and give you a place to interact with them.

One of the great things about our entire broadcast team is that we share with our viewers a complete passion for Cubs baseball. We've always felt our unique relationship with our viewers and the fans in the stands made our broadcasts just a little bit different. We pledge to you to provide an informative, entertaining, and thorough telecast each game.

Feel free to give us your feedback, send us questions, or make suggestions. Post comments after any entry on this site. We want to hear from you and we'll do our best to get back to you in one way or another.

Thanks for reading, thanks for watching, and Go Cubs!

Bob Vorwald
Executive Producer - WGN Sports

It's funny that we're starting the season at the BOB today, because my favorite memory of Opening Day would have been the 2002 home opener with the Diamondbacks. As the defending World Champions, that was quite a feeling to be able to go out there on that third base line and all the fans were on their feet cheering. They unfurled the banner out in center field and that was pretty special. It was pretty tough to beat.

This year I think it's going to be every bit as exciting as any Opening Day I had as a player. I still get butterflies up in the booth just like I used to get them in the dugout. There's that sense of anticipation that you've been carrying around for the last six months and you realize that finally you're gonna get back to doing what you love to do again. I'm going to be a little nervous and a little anxious, but believe me, I'm ready to go!

Bob

Since the Cubs are in Vegas, we thought it would be fun to go to Caesar's Palace and look at what the “experts” think:

ODDS TO WIN SERIES
Yankees 9/5
Red Sox 9/2
Cubs 9/2
Cardinals 6/1
Angels 8/1
Mets 10/1
Braves 12/1
Astros 40/1

ODDS TO WIN NL
Cubs 5/2
Cardinals 3/1
Mets 5/1
Braves 6/1
Marlins 7/1
Giants 8/1

- Bob Vorwald

Hi Everybody, the Cubs play their final two exhibition games in Las Vegas vs. the Mariners tonight (Friday) and tomorrow afternoon (both games on WGN). Ryan Dempster starts tonight for the Cubs in his final tuneup. He'll get the ball Wednesday in the third game of the season at Arizona.

The club is feeling good about the three pitchers who've taken most of the headlines the last few weeks--Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Joe Borowski. Woody is slated to throw 2 or 3 innings Sunday in a minor league game in Arizona and, assuming all goes well, will likely start the home opener vs. Milwaukee. Prior takes the ball Saturday for the Cubs AAA team back in Arizona and could be on target for an April 12 debut vs. SD. And Borowski's right wrist is healing faster than expected, so he could be throwing again before May 1.

On the field, the Cubs offense has been great (.302) as a team in Cactus League play. Granted, offensive numbers are a little inflated in Arizona, but it looks like an offense that will score some runs this year and one that will get contributions from top to bottom. Three days until the opener. I can't wait!

Len