The Cubs will finish April with a winning record for the 4th straight year under Dusty Baker. Given the starting pitching and Derrek Lee injuries, I think if I'd told you this was going to happen before the season, you would have taken this record.

The Cubs talked in the preseason about making sure they got off to a good start and keeping within distance of the lead. So far, so good on that count in what has been a surprisingly strong division so far.

The biggest story of April was the continued brilliance of
Greg Maddux. He's been a pleasure to watch each time out. I talked with Greg on the Leadoff Man yesterday and we laughed when he said he doesn't really like all the attention. I told him he's going about it the wrong way then. At 5-0, he's going to have plenty of media all around him.

Bob

One of the few bright spots from yesterday was a visit to the booth by former Cubs reliever Lee Smith. He's always great to have around and did another bang-up job of leading the crowd in "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".

Lee Smith Sings 7th Inning Stretch

Weather permitting:

*Carlos Zambrano (0-1, 3.94) looks for his first win of the year today on WGN as the Cubs host the Brewers and left-hander Chris Capuano (3-2, 3.00) for the third, final and rubber game of the series.

*While Zambrano has had his own troubles, the Cubs have only score 9 runs while he has been in the game during his 5 starts.

*Matt Murton has his second five-game hitting streak of the year.

*Michael Restovich's pinch-hit yesterday snapped an 0-13 string for Cub pinch-hitters.

*Despite yesterday, the Cub bullpen leads the majors allowing only 18 runs from the 7th inning on.

*The Cubs are tied for the fewest errors committed (10) in the National League with San Diego.

*Today marks the 5th time in the last 6 games that the Cubs will face a left-handed started.

As we pray for no rain during the hours of 1:20-4:30 the next 2 days, a couple quick thoughts on the Cubs' recent play...

Ronny Cedeno and Neifi Perez turned a double play Friday that we rarely saw from the Cubs last year. Infield defense is such a huge component to a team's success and the Cubs are getting it from all around the diamond. Aramis looks better at 3B after a bit of a down year defensively, Perez and Hairston are solid at 2B and Todd Walker has looked pretty comfortable at 1B. He's no D Lee obviously, but he's done just fine thus far, doing everything the Cubs could ask of him.

Offensively, it's great to see everyone contributing. Matt Murton has had a huge homestand, Cedeno a big day yesterday and Ramirez and Jacque Jones look to be getting in a groove.

And lastly, the Cubs seem to be taking advantage of playing at home this year, something they didn't do last year. With the ever- changing weather conditions here, the Cubs should be able to be one step ahead of the competition in their own backyard. That appears to be happening early on.

Stay dry...

Len

The Cubs and WGN-TV are teaming up to help the kids of Chicago's Off The Street Club by offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone and a friend to join the broadcast for a day. You'll be able to go on the field before the game, watch the telecast from the production truck with our WGN crew, spend an inning in the booth to meet Len & Bob, and then enjoy the rest of the game in box seats at Wrigley.

For more information on this great opportunity, plus other unique packages, visit the on-line auction the Bozo Ball site to look and bid. The Off The Street Club on Chicago's West Side has provided refuge and guidance to Chicago's youth for over 100 years. This year's Bozo Ball will be held next Saturday, May 6 at Navy Pier.

* The Brewers won last season’s series, 9-7, but is 0-3-1 in its last four series in Chicago.
* Milwaukee has won three in a row, but is just 3-6 on the road this season.
* The Brewers’ Corey Koskie is 8-for-17 in the past five games, with four doubles, two home runs and four RBIs.
* Milwaukee’s Dave Bush is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA in two road starts; compared to 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two home starts this season.
* Chicago is batting just .194 (35-180) over the past six games, but is hitting .333 (12-36) with runners in scoring position in those contests.
* The Cubs’ Matt Murton has recorded three consecutive multi-RBI games (2 in each) and has six on the season.
* Chicago’s Greg Maddux is 12-3 all-time vs. Milwaukee. Maddux is also looking to win five games in April for the first time in his career.

There's still some lingering confusion over yesterday's incident involving Scott Williamson's balk in the 8th inning - that's par for the course for a balk call. Umpire Bruce Froemming saw some sort of movement after Scott came to a set position and immediately threw up his hands for a balk call as Williamson's throw came to first base, then the arguing ensued. That got us talking about balks and how they get called.

The most common point of contention in a pickoff situation with a right-handed pitcher revolves around his front leg. Guys will try to ever-so-slightly bend their left knee hoping the base runner sees that movement and begins to lean or take off. Then they immediately spin and throw to first. Umpires know this and look for it as well. One of the best I ever saw at this move did it from the Wrigley Field mound for many years - Rick Sutcliffe. He could flinch that knee and pirouette to throw almost all in the same motion and most of the time he got away with it. It's a very subtle movement and it almost has to be continuous with the spin and throw to avoid the balk call.

Bob

There is a fun contest going on at the Monopoly game site involving the locations for their new Here & Now edition of the game. Basically you get to vote for the board site in each city. For Chicago, the choices are beautiful Wrigley Field, Michigan Avenue, and Navy Pier. You can vote once a day until May 12. Of course, Wrigley Field is getting my vote(s).

bob v

It got a bit crowded in the booth yesterday with the football champs on hand, but we made it work. In case you missed it, here is their rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".

Lincoln-Way East sings 7th Inning Stretch

IOWA CUBS (7-12) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa had yesterday off.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (12-8) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn had yesterday off.

DAYTONA CUBS (7-10) - A Florida State League
*Daytona lost to Palm Beach 11-4.
*INF Nate Spears was the only Cub player to record multiple hits on the night, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs, 1 RBI and a stolen base.
*OF Ryan Harvey drove in a pair of runs. He leads the team with 15 RBI.

PEORIA CHIEFS (8-9) - A Midwest League
*Peoria is back to .500 with a 6-4 win over Dayton.
*Mitch Atkins (2-0) started and went 6 innings for the win.
*LHP Edward Campusano recorded his fifth save this season … he pitched 1.0 inning and did not allow a batter to reach base.
*OF Jesus Valdez went 3-for-3 with a run and 1 RBI.
*C Jake Muyco added a two-run home run (first of the year) in the fourth inning.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

You've often heard of the hot foot in baseball or the gum on the hat routine. Well, the latest prank du jour for the Cubs seems to be the pie in the face. There are all kinds of "unconfirmed" reports of Scott Eyre pie-ing Ryan Dempster before the game the other night and Dempster nailing Jacque Jones during our post-game interview.

Now, it's not the kind of pie you'd want to eat. It's the shaving cream pie. I've never tasted shaving cream, but I'm sure it doesn't taste very good and doesn't feel very good in your eyes. But that aside, guys normally actually like it because it usually happens after a great performance and during the post-game television interview. In Eyre's case, getting Dempster before a game might have been a REALLY bad idea for this reason - Demp, while a great guy, has, shall we say, a VERY creative mind. And if I were Eyre (or whoever did it, wink, wink), I'd be looking over my shoulder. Maybe for the rest of the year. Demp might just wait and wait and wait until Eyre thinks he's in the clear, then BAM! We'll do our best to keep you posted.

Len

It was another good night for our bullpen last night. Ryan Dempster got another save and his 2nd half success from last year has not only continued, but I think he's even better. The biggest difference for me this year is that he's throwing more strikes. On the whole this season, he's been a strike-throwing machine and with his stuff, that means trouble for the opposition.

I can't tell you what that means to a ballclub to feel so secure if you can just get a lead into the 9th inning. With Bob Howry, Scott Eyre, and Scott Williamson pitching the way they have been, you can shorten the game to six innings and know that those guys at the end of the ballgame are going to bring it home for you.

One other thing I like about them, especially Howry and I noted this on the game last night. You might have noticed I'm partial to catchers (EDITORS NOTE: Partial? How about worship, talk nonstop to and about, revere, and put on a pedestal? Just my two cents. bob v) Being a former catcher, Bob Howry comes into the game and he doesn't shake off Michael Barrett. Barrett's been the guy who has been behind the plate. He knows what the Marlin hitters have been swinging at and what they've been taking, how to go about getting them out tonight. Howry trusts in the judgment of his catcher and rarely shakes off.

That used to drive me crazy. You have a relief pitcher sitting down in the bullpen eating sunflower seeds and talking to pretty girls in the stands all afternoon. Then you bring him into the ballgame and he's gonna shake off me? C'mon! You haven't even been paying attention to the game! Oh well....

Bob

Gang, I inadvertently deleted several posts from Tuesday as I was cleaning up the blog today. Sorry if it was yours.

bob v

Last night, Ron Santo confided to us that he was worried about singing the stretch since the Cubs had not posted a victory in his appearances and were down 3-0 after his stirring rendition. Not to worry Ron! We're pretty sure the 8th inning comeback actually started in the 7th with your performance.

Ron Santo sings 7th Inning Stretch

IOWA CUBS (7-12) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Round Rock 4-1, extending its losing streak to seven games.
*RHP Bobby Brownlie took the loss allowing 5 runs in 4 innings.
*C Geovany Soto went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
*RHP Kerry Ligtenberg allowed 1 hit during his 2 scoreless innings of relief work.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (12-7) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn shut out Chattanooga 3-0.
*Chris Shaver picked up his first win scattering 5 hits in 6.1 shutout innings.
*INF Micah Hoffpauir went 1-for-3 with a homer for the second straight game. Hoffpauir has also been selected as the BC Powder – Southern League Hitter of the Week, for the week ending April 23, 2006.
*LHP Clay Rapada pitched a scoreless ninth inning to pick up his sixth save.

DAYTONA CUBS (7-10) - A Florida State League
*Daytona defeated Jupiter 8-7.
*OF Ryan Harvey went 1-for-3 with a homer (5) and 3 RBI.
*DH Nic Jackson was also 1-for-3 with 2 runs scored.
*C Jake Fox continued his hot hitting by going 3-for-4 with a homer (4) and 2 RBI.

PEORIA CHIEFS (8-9) - A Midwest League
*Peoria won its fourth straight vs. Burlington 3-2.
*INF Ryan Norwood went 2-for-3 with a double and one run scored.
*OF Davy Gregg went 2-for-5 with 2 RBI.
*RHP Mike Billek pitched 3.1 scoreless innings in relief to pick up his first win of the season.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee met with the media at Wrigley Field this afternoon and discussed his disappointment with being injured in Los Angeles last week.

Derrek Lee Talks About Wrist Injury

It's Monday, and that means it's your chance to check out a brand new podcast. Len & Bob are now doing a weekly podcast that can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in either audio or video formats, or you can just watch from your computer.

This week the topics of conversation includes how the Cubs face the next few months without Derrek Lee, good starts by Murton and Cedeno, adjusting to Chicago for new players, and movies in the clubhouse. Give a look or a listen and please let us know what you think. We look forward to any comments or questions.

* These two teams are meeting for the first time this season---While the Cubs took the 2005 season series, 5-4, the Marlins were 4-2 at Wrigley Field last season.
* Florida comes into today’s contest having lost five of seven games overall, including yesterday’s 4-2 setback in Philadelphia.
* The Cubs return home following a 9-game roadtrip (5-4 on the trip). Yesterday’s game saw Greg Maddux win his 4th straight start to begin a season for the first time in his career with a 7-3 victory in St. Louis.
* Todd Walker leads the NL in batting average thus far (.408) and was 12-for-29 with two home runs and nine RBI on the latest Cub roadtrip.
* Prior to yesterday, Ryan Dempster, who has converted 23 straight saves, last gave up an earned run on Aug. 12, 2005--- a streak that lasted 31 1/3 innings.
* Dontrelle Willis has a 2.92 ERA---all other Marlins starters combined have a 6.29 ERA.
* Today’s starter, Jason Vargas has allowed four home runs in his first 15.0 IP of 2006---He allowed four home runs total in 2005 (73.2 IP).
* Miguel Olivo is hitting .429 (6-for-14) with two home runs and five RBI during his modest 3-game hitting streak.
* Since the now-infamous “Steve Bartman” game on October 14, 2003, the Marlins have enjoyed a lot of success at Wrigley Field.

Marlins at Wrigley Oct 14, 2003 & Since – with MLB Ranks
(Min 4 Games – Reg & Post)

BA .287 (1)
Runs/G 6.25 (1)
Record 8-4 (T-3)

* Although his career is very young, we know one thing for certain about Jason Vargas: he’s extremely tough on left-hand hitters.

Lowest Career Opponent BA Vs LHB – Active Players
(Min 80 Opp AB)

Jose Valverde .167
B.J. Ryan .171
Jeff Harris .173
George Sherrill .181
Jason Vargas .186 (16/86)

* Hanley Ramriez is off to a great start for the Marlins.

Most Hits Thru First 16 Games of Season – Marlins All-Time

Hanley Ramirez, 2006 23
Mike Lowell, 2002 23
Juan Pierre, 2003 23
Five Players Tied 21

* After a mediocre start, Florida’s bullpen has been outstanding recently.

Lowest ERA in Relief - April 13 & Since

Los Angeles Dodgers 1.78
Florida Marlins 1.93 (6/28.0)
St. Louis Cardinals 2.51
New York Mets 2.75
Boston Red Sox 2.90

-- Through April 12, the Marlins’ bullpen posted a 4.91 ERA.

* Carlos Zambrano has been one of the best Cubs pitchers at Wrigley Field over the last 46+ seasons.

Lowest ERA at Wrigley Field, Cubs Pitcher Since 1960
(Min 300 IP)

Carlos Zambrano 3.14 (142/406.2)
Lee Smith 3.17
Milt Pappas 3.19
Bill Hands 3.30
Kerry Wood 3.40

Lowest Opp BA at Wrigley Field, Cubs Pitcher Since 1960
(Min 300 IP)

Kerry Wood .209
Carlos Zambrano .223 (327/1469)
Matt Clement .227
Mark Prior .234
Fergie Jenkins .244

* The last time a Cubs catcher had more RBI in April than Michael Barrett was 1996, when Scott Servais has 20.

Most RBI in April – Cubs Catcher Since 1960

Scott Servais, 1996 20
Michael Barrett, 2006 18
Jody Davis, 1984 15
Michael Barrett, 2004 13
Jody Davis, 1988 13
Barry Foote, 1980 13

* Aramis Ramirez will need to pick up his game with former Marlin Derrek Lee out. Ramirez’ batting average is just .196 (11-for-56) overall, but he hit a big two-run home run in yesterday’s win in St. Louis.

Aramis Ramirez with/without Derrek Lee, 2006

w/Lee w/out Lee
AB/RBI 9.2 (46/5) 3.3 (10/3)
AB/HR 23.0 (46/2) 10.0 (10/1)

There's no crying in baseball, right? I think it's a good reminder in the wake of the Cubs losing their best player for at least 2 months. The Cubs know NOBODY will feel sorry for them around the league and now is the time for everybody to step up. One thing to think about is this - the Cubs offense wasn't tearing the cover off the ball when Derrek went down. They were ranked 11th in the NL in runs going into Friday's game here in St. Louis and 13th in home runs. So, to suddenly expect the Cubs to score a ton of runs without Lee isn't realistic. What is realistic is this--hoping Ramirez and Jones get hot at some point soon and the pitching staff really tightening up the screws. The Cubs went into the weekend 2nd in the league in ERA and they might have to keep that up in order to win consistently in Lee's absence.

I know it's been a rough week, but take a deep breath. As I write this, the Cubs have 146 games left. A lot can happen in a short period of time. And with a favorable home schedule coming up, there's a chance to grab some momentum in the next week and a half.

Len

*It's a battle of unbeatens at 1pm on WGN today as Greg Maddux goes for the Cubs and Jason Marquis for the Cardinals. Both pitchers are 3-0 on the season.
*Maddux leads the NL with a 1.33 ERA.
*Ryan Dempster's scoreless streak stands at 31 1/3 innings.
*Jacque Jones has fanned in 4 of his last 7 at-bats.
*No surprise - Albert Pujols hits Maddux well. He is 10/27 lifetime against him with three home runs and five RBIs.
*Michael Barrett is 7/15 against Marquis. Juan Pierre is only 3/15. Todd Walker is 4/9, Aramis Ramirez 4/12, and Matt Murton and Ronny Cedeno have not faced him.

IOWA CUBS (7-10) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Round Rock 10-5, extending its losing streak to five games.
*INF Ryan Theroit went 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
*INF Buck Coats went went 1-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBI.
*RHP Brandon Emanuel pitched 3.0 scoreless innings in relief.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (10-6) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn lost to Chattanooga 9-0.
*Relievers Rocky Cherry, Federico Baez and Carlos Jan coombined to pitch 4.1 scoreless innings.

DAYTONA CUBS (5-10) - A Florida State League
*Daytona vs. Vero Beach was postponed.

PEORIA CHIEFS (7-9) - A Midwest League
*Peoria won its second straight vs. Burlington 2-1.
*LHP Donald Veal gave up only 1 hit and 1 run in six innings.
*INF Robinson Chirinos went 1-for-4 with one RBI
*RHP Jeff Teasley picked up the win, pitching 2.0 scoreless innings in relief.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

What a win for the Cubs Wednesday night. After losing TWO guys on one play, the Cubs certainly didn't want to lose the contest on top of it. Ronny Cedeno continues to come through, with the game-winning hit and the great defensive play to end the ballgame. Yes, he made what could have been a costly throwing error, but think about the range he's displayed thus far and his offensive prowess.

I wanted to give you what I know about new Busch Stadium based on what I've read. 1) It looks like you might see some more HRs there than old Busch. The last game there saw 7 balls leave the yard. The wind might come into play a lot more because it's not an enclosed bowl like the old park. The ball has carried well during the day and better to left and left center than to right and right center. 2) Players have said that shadows are an issue late in the afternoon. 3) You have a nice view of downtown as opposed to simply looking at Big Mac Land out in LF. 4) They need to replace the foul poles because they're too thick and some fans have complained of obstructed views. Seriously. 5) Once again, the seats are red. If there were any doubt where you were when you walk in, you're immediately reminded. I hope to see lots of Cub blue sitting in those seats this weekend.

Len

Monday, April 24 - Ron Santo

Tuesday, April 25- Nathan Vasher - Chicago Bears Pro Bowl Defensive Back

Wednesday, April 26 - Lincoln Way East High School- Class 8A football champs

Friday, April 28 - Julia Ruth Stevens and Tom Stevens - Babe Ruth’s daughter and grandson

Saturday, April 29 - Lee Smith

Sunday, April 30 - Bill Madlock

Monday, May 1 - Jim Les - Bradley Basketball Coach

Tuesday, May 2 - Doug Bruno - DePaul University Women’s Basketball Coach

IOWA CUBS (7-7) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa lost to Albuquerque 8-4.
*Angel Guzman took the loss (1-2) giving up 6 hits and 7 runs in 6 innings.
*INF Ryan Theriot continued his hot hitting by going 2-5 with a run and RBI.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (10-4) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn rallied past Mississippi for a 6-4 win.
*Micah Hoffpauir was 3-4 with a HR and 3 runs scored.

DAYTONA CUBS (4-9) - A Florida State League
*Daytona shut out St. Lucie 4-0.
*OF Nic Jackson was 2-4 with a HR (2).
*C Jacob Fox was 2-4 with a HR (2).

PEORIA CHIEFS (5-8) - A Midwest League
*Peoria dropped their second straight game to Beloit, losing 8-2.
*OF Jesus Valdez drove in the only Chiefs run.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

The Cubs announced on Tuesday they will hold a garage sale at Wrigley Field this Saturday from 8a-4p.

The Cubs will be selling stadium memorabilia including authentic Wrigley Field bricks, bleacher benches and flags flown from the roof, scoreboard and foul poles. In addition, discounted Cubs merchandise, game-used equipment and autographed memorabilia will be available for purchase.

The day of the sale, customers can enter the ballpark via Gate D (at the corner of Sheffield and Addison) and Gate K (on Waveland Avenue). Parking will be available in the Green Lot, located at 1126 W. Grace, just north of Wrigley Field. Payment forms accepted are cash and all major credit cards. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Cubs Care Charity.

I don't know what you can say about Greg Maddux last night except that maybe he's a better pitcher at 40 than he was at 39. That was the best sinker we've seen him have this year and he mixed in just enough changeups to keep the Dodger hitters off balance. It was all working off his sinker, using both sides of the plate.

Talk about being economical and efficient - 86 pitches in 8 innings. He was getting the first strike in there consistently to keep the LA hitters on the defensive. Everything he threw was moving and darting and as usual, he was working quickly. He didn't make a mistake anywhere where a Dodger hitter could hurt him. What a great night for a great pitcher.

Bob

What a performance by Greg Maddux last night. 8 innings of pure brilliance. Big game for Carlos tonight. He needs to dominate the Dodgers, who have 6 hits and 1 run combined the last two games. Todd Walker is red hot and has played solid defense too. I don't know about you, but these first couple weeks have already been a ton of fun to watch.

Thanks to Dan the Fan and others for posting the Kenny Lofton note. The Dodger notes said Lofton had never faced Greg Maddux prior to last night, which is true. However, as you all so adroitly noted, they did match up in the playoffs previously. In the '95 World Series and then again in the '03 NLDS. I'll try to make a note of it tonight.

Looking ahead, maybe Albert Pujols can get all his home runs for the week out of the way in Pittsburgh before the Cubs hit St. Louis Friday...

Len

If it's Tuesday, it must be time for another podcast. Len & Bob are now doing a weekly podcast that can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in either audio or video formats, or you can just watch from your computer.

This week the topics of conversation include the Cubs bench, the National League Central, simulated games, and life on the road during the season. Give a look or a listen and please let us know what you think. We look forward to any comments or questions.

* Over the last three seasons, Carlos Zambrano has been one of the league’s elite starters

Lowest ERA Since 2003
(Min 400 IP)

Johan Santana 2.90
Roger Clemens 2.92
Pedro Martinez 3.04
Chris Carpenter 3.07
Carlos Zambrano 3.09

* And Zambrano has been lights-out against the Dodgers in his career.

Carlos Zambrano as Starter Vs Dodgers – Career

ERA 0.78 (2/23.0)
Opp BA .105 (8/76)
K/9 IP 9.8 (25/23.0)
HR 0
Team W-L 2-1

-- As a starter at Dodger Stadium, Zambrano has a 0.00 ERA (0/16.0) and .058 (3/52) opponent batting average.

* Aramis Ramirez has hit very well against the Dodgers over the last two seasons.

Highest Batting Avg. vs. Dodgers – 2004  2006
(minimum 25 PA)

Marlon Byrd .519
Brian Schneider .462
Aramis Ramirez .458 (11/24)
Randy Winn .447
Cory Sullivan .436

-- Ramirez has three hits in his last three games, after starting the season just 4-for-26 (.154).

* The Dodgers were off to one of their best starts at the plate in recent memory until this past weekend, when their bats were virtually shut down.

Los Angeles Dodgers -- 2006

First 10 Games Last 4 Games
Batting Avg. .312 .152 (17/112)
Runs/Gm 6.9 1.3 (5/4)
Extra Base Hits 35 6
Slugging Pct .474 .232
BAVG, RISP .287 .043 (1/23)

* Both these teams have jumped out to early leads on their opponents this season.

Largest Run Differential in First Inning, 2006

Team RS RA Diff
Chicago White Sox 17 5 +12
Los Angeles Dodgers 19 8 +11
Chicago Cubs 15 6 + 9
New York Mets 9 1 + 8
San Francisco Giants 7 0 + 7

* Derek Lowe has really struggled with runners on so far in his first two starts this season.

Derek Lowe Opponent BA by Situation, 2006

None On/Out .188 (3/16)
None On .278 (10/36)
Runners On .281 (9/32)
w/RISP .533 (8/15)

* By adding Bill Mueller this past off-season, the Dodgers acquired one of baseball’s best hitting third-baseman.

Highest BA as 3B, Since 2003
(Min 1000 PA as 3B)

Melvin Mora .310
Alex Rodriguez .303
Bill Mueller .296
Aramis Ramirez .295

IOWA CUBS (7-5) - AAA Pacific Coast League
*Iowa rallied for an 8-5 win over Round Rock.
*LHP Les Walrond pitched 6 innings, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs (all unearned) to get the win.
*INF Ryan Theriot went 3-for-5 with one RBI and a stolen base (3).
*INF Buck Coats went 2-for-4 with 2 runs and raised his season average to .387 (12-31) … he’s reached base in all eight games played this season.
*OF Michael Restovich went 2-for-4 with a homer (2)and 2 RBI.

WEST TENNESSEE DIAMOND JAXX (8-3) - AA Southern League
*West Tenn defeated Mississippi 6-2 in the home opener.
*LHP JR Mathes went 5.1 innings, allowing only 2 hits and 1 run, to pick up the win.
*INF Eric Patterson, OF Luis Montanez, INF Scott Moore and C Jose Reyes had two hits each to power the Diamond Jaxx 12-hit attack.
*INF Carlos Rojas had two RBI on the night.
*RHP Carlos Marmol, has been selected as the BC Powder- Southern League Pitcher of the Week, for the week ending April 16, 2006.

DAYTONA CUBS (2-9) - A Florida State League
*Daytona lost to St. Lucie 12-3
*DH Nic Jackson went 2-for-3 with a run.
*INF Matt Craig, OF Jeffrey Culpepper and C Jacob Fox each had one RBI.

PEORIA CHIEFS (5-6) - A Midwest League
*Peoria defeated Beloit 6-2 in the series opener.
*IF Brandon Taylor went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI.
*C Mark Reed also went 2-for-3 with 2 runs.
*LHP Donald Veal threw 6 innings of 4-hit ball to earn the win.

BOISE HAWKS (0-0) - A Northwest League
The Hawks’ season begins on June 19th when they take on Eugene.

MESA CUBS (0-0) - Rookie Arizona League
The Cubs face off against Anaheim on June 22nd in the season opener.

* The Cubs have won four straight games at Dodger Stadium.
* The Dodgers are averaging 1.3 runs and hitting .167 in their last three games. In their first 10 games of the season they were averaging 6.9 runs and hitting .312.
* Greg Maddux is 2-0 and has given up just two runs and seven hits through 12 1/3 innings this season. Maddux is 12-7 with a 2.82 ERA in 30 career starts against the Dodgers.
* Los Angeles has lost four of its last six games.
* In his last five games against the Dodgers, Aramis Ramirez is hitting .550 (11-for-20).
* In his last start against the Pirates last Wednesday, Brett Tomko gave up five runs and 9 hits, three of which were home runs.

The Cubs held their first-ever "Race To Wrigley" this morning, a 5K run/walk with all proceeds to benefit Cubs Care. Check out some photos of what is hopefully a great new tradition at the Friendly Confines.

Let's hear it for the kids!

Sean Marshall, Ronny Cedeno and Matt Murton were in part responsible (gotta give MAJOR props to veteran reliever Scott Williamson and a 4-5 Todd Walker too) for last night's 11-6 win in Pittsburgh. Marshall retired the first 9 he faced, worked out of what could have been a disastrous 4th by limiting the damage to 2 runs and helped the offense with his 1st major league hit and RBI as well. Cedeno played some stellar defense and added some late insurance with a 2-run single in the 9th. And Matt Murton ALMOST hit 2 home runs to right-center, instead picking up a double in the 2nd and a huge 3-run triple in the 5th.

It was the kind of night that really showed us how different this team is. You have some youth now and you have some guys you can really see being in the lineup way down the road for the Cubs.

I think it's cool that on a day Greg Maddux turned 40 (and he still has a lot of gas left in his tank), the youngster Marshall served notice that he has the poise and stuff to pitch at this level.

Len

* The Cubs have had a lot of recent success in Pittsburgh, winning 8 of their last 9 road games against the Pirates (including 8 straight):

Chicago Cubs At Pittsburgh, 2005  2006

W/L 8-1
Runs/Gm 5.4 (49/9)
Team Avg. .282 (86-305)
Team ERA 3.60 (32/80.0)
Saves/Save Opp. 6/7

* After hitting .265 with runners in scoring position against Chicago Cubs’ hurlers in 2005, opponents’ hitters have found the going much more difficult so far this season:

Lowest Opponent Batting Avg. With RISP  2006

St. Louis Cardinals .145
New York Mets .189
Chicago Cubs .200 (12-60)
Arizona Diamondbacks .205
Cleveland Indians .220

* With 21 home runs in their first 12 games, The Pirates are on pace to hit 46 this month, which would be by far their most in April of any season since 1960:

Most Home Runs By Pittsburgh Pirates In April  Since 1960

April 1996 33
April 2001 24
April 1988 23
April 1990 22
April 1974 22
April 1973 22

* Zach Duke is coming off one of the best rookie seasons for a starting pitcher in the live ball era:

Lowest ERA By Rookie Pitcher  Since 1920
(min. 14 starts in rookie season)

Steve Rogers 1973 Expos 1.54
George Witt 1958 Pirates 1.61
Cal Eldred 1992 Brewers 1.79
Zach Duke 2005 Pirates 1.81 (17/84.2)
Dave Righetti 1981 Yankees 2.05

* Michael Barrett (14) has accounted for more than 27 percent of the total runs batted in by Cubs’ batters so far this season (51):

Most Runs Batted In, N.L.  April 2006

Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves 15
Michael Barrett Chicago Cubs 14
Lance Berkman Houston Astros 14
Brad Hawpe Colorado Rockies 13
Scott Rolen St. Louis Cardinals 12
Chase Utley Philadelphia Phillies 12
David Wright New York Mets 12

* Neifi Perez battered Pirates pitching last season:

Highest Batting Avg. v. Pittsburgh Pirates  2005
(min. 0.15 PA/team game)

Jose Guillen Washington Nationals .500
Neifi Perez Chicago Cubs .460 (23-50)
Marcus Giles Atlanta Braves .458
Lance Berkman Houston Astros .447

* A career .211 with two strikes on him entering this season, Jack Wilson has flipped that around so far in 2006:

Highest Avg. With 2 Strikes  2006
(min. 15 AB w/ 2 strikes)

Ramon Hernandez Baltimore Orioles .800
Jack Wilson Pittsburgh Pirates .500 (11-22)
David Wright New York Mets .500
Alex Rios Toronto Blue Jays .467
Mark Teixeira Texas Rangers .444

* The Cubs have won 11 of the last 12 meetings in Pittsburgh, including the last seven.
* Chicago has allowed 12 home runs in its three losses and just four home runs in its five wins.
* Chicago’s Michael Barrett has 13 RBIs in his seven games this season, including at least one in five straight games.
* Cubs’ rookie Sean Marshall makes his second career start today. In his major league debut, Marshall allowed four earned runs in 4.1 innings of work, getting no decision vs. the Cardinals.
* Pittsburgh has 18 home runs so far this month, after hitting just 11 last April.
* Pirates’ RF Jeromy Burnitz faces his former team for the first time since signing as a free agent this past off-season. Burnitz batted .258 with 24 home runs for the Cubs last season.
* Pittsburgh pitcher Victor Santos is 1-1 in his first two starts this season and is 3-2 with a 2.42 ERA in seven career starts vs. the Cubs

The Conant state champion gymnastics team sang the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley on Thursday.

Conant Gymnasts Sing 7th Inning Stretch

We've had a few posts over the spring that I wanted to revisit now that the Cubs home season is underway regarding the fact that the home jerseys don't have player names on the back.

I love it. To me it evokes a simple, classic look in the Cub home uniform (if I never see the blue tops again - no problem) much like the Yankees look. In a way, it forces Cub fans to learn the team a bit better.

How about you?

bob v

In yesterday's first inning, we got a glimpse of what will hopefully be an every day occurrence on the basepaths.

Juan Pierre led off for the Cubs with a perfectly placed bunt single down the first base line and then the fun really began. With lefthander Brandon Claussen using a pretty good slide step on the mound, it was tough for Pierre to get a jump. One way to combat that as a manager is to put the runner in motion and leave it up to the hitter to protect him. Dusty tried that once with Jerry Hairston which resulted in a foul ball.

Claussen continued to use his slide step. It's designed to slow down base stealers, which it does, but it can also alter a hitter's timing at the plate. Instead of a big leg kick, you see an abbreviated windup out of the stretch and if you're the hitter, you need to speed everything up as well.

After Hairston flied to left, Derrek Lee stepped in for a long battle as Claussen continued to worry about Pierre. He was trying to show Juan several different looks, using a slide step to both first and home and a high leg kick to both first and home. When I managed against Juan, one thing we tried to do sometimes was tell our pitcher to come to the set position, then just hold the ball. You know he wants to steal and be aggressive so sometimes if you just hold the ball, you can get him to jump at first base. Plus it's a bit harder on his legs to stay poised for a few more seconds.

After several foul balls, Claussen walked Lee on a 3-2 pitch, sending Pierre to second. There we got to watch Juan do two things while taking his lead. First, he stayed even with the bag. Most guys will take their lead deep, trying to give themselves an angle to round third and score on a hit. Base stealers stay more shallow right in the baseline between second and third, figuring the shortest distance between two points is right in that line. Second, Juan got a walking lead which allowed him to take off for third. A high throw from Valentin went into left field and Pierre turned that into the Cubs first run with Derrek Lee moving into second.

The pair pulled a double steal without a throw later in the game. It was great stuff to watch and hopefully we'll be treated to much more as the year unfolds.

Bob

*Lefthander Eric Milton (0-1, 2.57) goes for Cincinnati today against Carlos Zambrano (0-0, 4.22) and the Cubs on WGN.
*Greg Maddux has the only two wins by Cub starters so far this year.
*The Cubs swiped four bases yesterday (two each by Lee and Pierre), the most since they stole four at Detroit in 2001.
*Michael Barrett has RBIs in six of seven games this year and is tied for the major league lead at 13 with Andruw Jones.
*Cub pitchers have held opponents to a .174 batting average with runners on base, second in the majors to St. Louis (.170).
*Cub pinch-hitters are 6-for-12 with 5 RBIs this season.
*Dating back to last year, Ryan Dempster has thrown 26.1 consecutive scoreless innings and converted his last 21 save situations.

The Simeon HS state champion basketball team took their turn at the mike for the 7th inning today.

HS Hoop Champ Simeon Sings 7th Inning Stretch

I have an injury update for you. Jacque Jones has a mild right hamstring strain and is listed as day-to-day. We probably won't see him the rest of the Reds series and hopefully he'll be back this weekend in Pittsburgh. Aramis Ramirez has a strained.....glut muscle. You know where I'm talking about! He's day-to-day too. It bothers him when he swings. So, the bench is short today. Jerry Hairston gets his first start of the year @ 2B while Angel Pagan makes his first career start in RF. Neifi spells Ramirez at the hot corner.

Also, Pagan bats 5th to break up the RHH. In case the Reds bring in a RH out of the pen, he can turn around and bat lefty.

That's the injury update.

Len

We've added another Cubs baseball feature to wgntv.com that we hope you will enjoy. Len & Bob are now doing a weekly podcast that can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in either audio or video formats, or you can just watch from your computer.

One of the reasons we love working with these guys is their accessibility and willingness to try new things. Take a look, take a listen, and let us know what you think. We'll try to talk about some things that go beyond the game and look forward to your input.

Well, it would be easy to say the wind got Glendon Rusch in trouble Tuesday, but as he said, it didn't affect Bronson Arroyo's performance. The Reds are a very powerful offensive club and if you don't keep the ball down on a day like yesterday, you're going to be
in trouble. Will Ohman found that out too.

Greg Maddux will look for his second straight win to begin the year today and we'll see what the lineup looks like after Jacque Jones and Aramis Ramirez both left early Tuesday. In both cases, let's hope it's nothing serious. Jerry Hairston will likely get his first start of the season at 2B vs. LH Brandon Claussen.

Take a deep breath. It's a long season as we all know and the rollercoaster ride has just begun. Win the next two and you hit the road 6-2 for a long roadtrip.

We're on WGN both today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday).

Len

* Cincinnati picked up right where they left off last season in Wrigley. The Reds hit six home runs including a grand slam by Edwin Encarnacion in Tuesday’s 9-2 victory over the Cubs.

Cincinnati at Chicago – Since 2005

Reds Cubs
Wins 7 3
Runs/Game 7.3 (73/10) 4.8 (48/10)
ERA 4.67 (47/90.2) 6.87 (71/93.0)
Save Pct (Sv/Opp) 50.0% (2/4) 0.0% (0/2)
Batting Avg .268 (99/369) .277 (99/358)
On-Base Pct .372 (161/433) .326 (126/387)
Home Runs 22 15
Runs, Inning 7+ 25 20

* Of their six home runs on Tuesday, five of them were solo shots including Bronson Arroyo’s second on the year.

Most Solo HR - 2006

Cincinnati Reds 12
Detroit Tigers 12
Baltimore Orioles 9
Atlanta Braves 8
Cleveland Indians 8

* Brandon Claussen is 1-3 in his career against the Cubs, including a 1-1 mark at Wrigley. He has failed to pitch beyond the fifth inning in all three losses.

Highest ERA vs. Chicago Cubs – Since 2004
(Minimum 4 Starts)

Brandon Claussen, Cin 7.91 (17/19.1)
Josh Fogg, Col 6.90
Woody Williams, SD 6.75
Matt Morris, SD 6.70
Chris Capuano, Mil 6.44

* Claussen will be squaring off against Greg Maddux who has consistently recorded 10+ wins in his last 18 seasons. Maddux, who turns 40 on Friday, has a career 18-16 record against the Reds.

Most Consecutive Seasons With 10+ Wins – All-Time

Cy Young 19
Greg Maddux 18 *ACTIVE*
Steve Carlton 18
Don Sutton 17
Warren Spahn 17

* Adam Dunn has hit the Cubs for 24 home runs and a .294 average in his career, although he has struggled when facing Greg Maddux.

Lowest Career BAVG vs. Greg Maddux – Active Players
(Minimum 25 PA)

Jose Vizcaino, SF .125
David Bell, Phi .125
Marlon Anderson, Was .130
Adam Dunn, Cin .154 (4/26)
Luis Castillo, Min .163

* With a solo home run in the ninth inning in yesterday’s game, Michael Barrett tied Ernie Banks and Dave Martinez for the most RBI in Chicago’s first six games of the season since 1960.

Most RBI Through Cubs First 6 Games – Since 1960

Michael Barrett, 2006 10
Ernie Banks, 1965 10
Dave Martinez, 1988 10
Ernie Banks, 1960 9
Ernie Banks, 1964 9
Ernie Banks, 1969 9

* Chicago’s offseason moves to strengthen their bullpen has paid off so far this season.

Runs Allowed In Innings: 7+ - 2006

Chicago Cubs 3
Minnesota Twins 5
Oakland Athletics 6
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 6
Colorado Rockies 6

-- The Reds have allowed 22 runs from the 7th inning and on, the most in MLB.

It's great to see the Cubs get the deal with Derrek Lee done so both sides can get on with the season. One thing to remember - in two-plus years with the Cubs, Derrek Lee has only missed five games. Not only does he put up great numbers, play great defense, run the bases, and is a leader in the clubhouse, he's also reliable. You know he's going to be in the lineup producing every day.

When you're in that position to give out a contract of that size and length, you have to make sure that it's a guy you want to build your organization around. You'd like to think that Derrek will be able to continue to remain healthy for the duration of that contract. You want a guy who can be a leader on the field and a leader in the clubhouse and certainly Derrek Lee is all of those things.

Bob

Derrek Lee Talks about his new 5-Year Contract

A few random notes on our Monday off day:

*Um, it's a looonnnnnnggggg season. BUT, what a way to start! The ballpark was rocking all weekend from start to finish. As Bob pointed out on Friday, the only reason Opening Day wasn't louder was the clapping gets muffled by the gloves.

*There's a post about WGN giving up on the national anthem. On Monday in Cincinnati, the anthem happened before we even came on the air. On Friday at Wrigley, the program went more quickly than we were prepared for due to the frigid conditions. We still got most of the anthem and will continue to cover it on the 1:20 starts. On the 3:05 or 7:05 starts, the anthem occurs before we begin our telecast.

*The loudest roar of the weekend that wasn't for a home run was for a foul ball. When Juan Pierre laid down the suicide squeeze on Friday, I thought Wrigley might explode. Even though it didn't work (he ripped a single on a subsequent pitch), the play really captured the imagination of the crowd and hopefully signals a more rounded Cubs offensive approach this year.

*The new bleachers are spectacular. Kudos to Cubs executive VP Mark McGuire and his staff for seeing this project through some rocky times. The added concourse room is great and I think they have managed to do this addition as seamlessly as possible.

*There were several posts about the Comcast problem on Saturday. I'm not qualified to even speculate about their telecasts and havin been in that situtation myself, I can tell you nobobdy takes it harder than their people. The game count on WGN will remain consistent as it has for the past 7 years. I'm pretty sure WGN and the Cubs still carry more free, over the air baseball than any other franchise. Some cities like Detroit and Cincinnati will have 50 games that won't even be televised this year.

*For all the talk about the Cubs runs this weekend coming via the home run, don't forget there were men on base in front of those dingers for a change. Three walks preceded Barrett's slam last night.

We look forward to all your posts and comments.

Go Cubs!

bob v

I wanted to echo Bob V's sentiments regarding Jim Hendry. On a personal level, he's always been great with us and he's probably the
most straightforward executive I've ever been around in this game.
I'm confident he's the right person to lead this club to the World Series.

Couple of other quick thoughts today...it appears as though the Cubs hitters have already gotten a bit of an assist or two from the taller bleachers. Derrek Lee's 2 blasts to LF Friday and Saturday were lower and might have been better protected from the wind than before. Michael Barrett's seemed to fit that category too. So, when in doubt, hit a rope and you might get it out even on a gusty day.

Also, I'm going to ask a bunch of the hitters this week how the new Batter's Eye Lounge affects the hitting background, if at all. We had an overcast day Friday, a sunny day Saturday and the night game Sunday, so they're getting a bunch of different looks.

Is it just me or does this team look a lot better than last year's club? And consider the three starters who are on the DL. I really think this is going to be a fun summer.

Len

The good news from Wrigley Field yesterday was not only the Cubs win over St. Louis, but also the announcement that Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry has received his contract extension.

Totally objective? Nope. Jim is great with us, giving us his time and always being very straightforward with what's going on. More importantly, his moves have strengthened the club steadily in his tenure. Has he had some misses? Absolutely, but I'd say his track record is pretty strong and we're happy he's going to be with the team for a few more year.

bob v

One of the funny things that happens to Len is being mistaken for Matt Murton. Personally, I don't see it, but he does hear it a fair amount. Matt sat down with Len on Opening Day to talk about his impressions of the start of the season at Wrigley.

Lookalikes? Len Talks With Matt Murton

You won't meet a more engaging baseball player than Scott Eyre, who is already becoming a fan favorite on the North Side. He's one of those guys who really "gets it" as evidenced by the fact that he made time to talk with us on Opening Day.

Scott Eyre Talks With Dan Roan

Opening Day 2006 at Wrigley Field was a cold, blustery affair, but Cub fans can turn any sort of weather into a party. Check out some photos of a great, but fun Opening Day at the Friendly Confines.

The Cubs honored the memory of Ray Meyer yesterday by having the Meyer family participate in a great pregame ceremony, then took the mike for the season's first 7th inning stretch.

Meyer Family Sings 7th Inning Stretch

Hey Gang, Happy Opening Day, Wrigley-style!

I got a chance to tour the bleachers this morning and I was really impressed with the expansion. I think you'll all see that while they're "new" they fit in quite well with the Wrigley asthetic. There's a ton of room behind the stands, more concessions, more bathrooms, and some great sightlines. I know they have some plans to make the concrete more green as soon as the weather warms.

It will be cooooold and winnnnnndddddddy today, but as long as we stay dry, it will be an awesome day.

Let's have a fun homestand. It would be nice to send a message to the Cardinals and get off to a great start.

Len

* This will be the first meeting in 2006 between the players who almost certainly have been the National League’s most prolific hitters since the beginning of last season.

Albert Pujols / Derrek Lee (with NL ranks) – 2005 & Since
(minimum 500 PA for BA, OBP, Slg ranks)
Pujols Lee
BA .333 (2) .335 (1)
OBP .434 (2) .419 (4)
Slg .622 (2) .665 (1)
HR 44 (3) 47 (2)
RBI 123 (2) 111 (7)
Runs 134 (1) 123 (2)
2005 MVP Votes 378 (1) 263 (3)

-- Pujols and Lee also rank first and third in the National League with 27 and 23 intentional walks, respectively, since 2005.

-- While Pujols is 10-for-24 (.417) with three home runs and five RBI against Greg Maddux lifetime, Lee is 12-for-25 (.480) with two homers and four RBI vs. Suppan.

* Since he joined the Cubs in 2004, Lee has collected at least one hit in 33 of 35 games against the Cardinals. Over the same span, Aramis Ramirez has hit in 23 of 25 games versus St. Louis and been nearly as dynamic.

Derrek Lee & Aramis Ramirez Vs Cardinals – 2004 & Since

Lee Ramirez
BA .408 (51/125) .384 (38/99)
OBP .507 (76/150) .435 (47/108)
Slg .800 (100/125) .646 (64/99)
HR 11 6
RBI 28 22
Runs 26 21

* Two of Juan Pierre’s four hits this season have been of the infield variety. Cubs fans should get used to seeing Pierre leg out his share of infield hits.

Most Infield Hits – 2003 & Since

Juan Pierre 147
Ichiro Suzuki 137
Luis Castillo 114
Alex Sanchez 102
Carl Crawford 96

* Greg Maddux remained a durable, efficient, good-fielding pitcher in 2005. But he had trouble controlling the running game and also went 3-10 at Wrigley Field.

Greg Maddux (with NL ranks) – 2005

Games Started 35 (T-most)
BB/9 IP 1.44 (fewest)
Pitches per Batter 3.31 (fewest)
Pitches per Start 88.6 (2nd fewest)
Chances per 9 IP, Pitchers 2.84 (2nd most)
SB Allowed 32 (most)
Home Losses 10 (most)

* Although they romped to another 100-win season in 2005, the Cardinals had a hard time solving the Cubs.

Cardinals Record by Opponent – 2005 & Since

Vs Cubs 6-10 (.375)
Vs All Others 97-52 (.651)

* Jeff Suppan, however, posted a 1.71 ERA against the Cubs last season, as he thrived against the Central Division in general.

Jeff Suppan Vs NL Central – 2005

Record 6-1
ERA 1.95 (16/74.0)
BA Allowed .219 (59/269)

-- Since joining the Cardinals in 2004, Suppan is 19-6 (.760) in road games, tied for the majors’ second-highest winning percentage over that span (minimum 10 decisions). Only Chris Carpenter (22-4, .846) has been better.

* With Aaron Miles joining David Eckstein in their middle infield, the Cardinals feature one of the most “vertically-challenged” starting tandems in a long time.

Aaron Miles / David Eckstein

-- Miles (5-8) and Eckstein (5-7) average 5’ 7.5” between them. They form the major league’s shortest double-play combination (#) since Mark Lemke (5-9) and Rafael Belliard (5-6) also averaged 5’ 7.5” for the 1992 Braves.

-- Miles and Eckstein comprise the shortest Cardinals keystone duo since Miller Huggins (5-6) and Art Butler (5-9) also averaged 5’ 7.5” for the 1915 Cardinals.

-- Miles and Eckstein form the first double-play combo in which both players stood less than 5-9 since the 1948 Yankees featured Snuffy Stirnweiss (5-8) and Phil Rizzuto (5-6).

# -- based on the players with most starts at second base and shortstop

The Cubs hosted the media this afternoon for a brief tour of the new Bud Light Bleachers. We were able to take a moment and grab a few photos
of the exciting new project. Take a look and see what you think.

One of the great guys we work and travel with is WGN Radio's Andy Masur, whose ties with Len go back to college days.

Andy has joined us on the daily blog front and has some fun stuff to read each day. His postings can be found at www.wgnradio.com.

The Cubs opened the 2006 regular season in Cincinnati on Monday. The Queen City was a gracious host to both the Cubs and President Bush. Check out some photos of a memorable Opening Day at the Great American Ballpark.

Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux was clearly savoring Opening Day today, taking in all the sights from a perch in the dugout. He told Dan Roan that it never gets old.

Greg Maddux Talks About Opening Day With Dan Roan

Happy Opening Day!

I'm totally pumped about the game today...President Bush is here to throw out the first pitch and it's always a HUGE deal here in Cincinnati on Opening Day.

The weather could be a factor. Might see some showers at some point and lots of wind, but let's hope we play without interruption.

The Cubs haven't lost on Opening Day under Dusty Baker and I like the Cubs' chances today behind Carlos Zambrano.

Looking forward to a great season. Go Cubbies!

Len

*The Cubs open their 131st National League season today.
*The Cubs are facing the Reds for the 35th time on Opening Day - more than any other Chicago opponent. The Cardinals are second with 30 meetings.
*The Cubs are 17-15 in openers at Cincinnati.
*President Bush will be on hand today to throw out the first pitch. He is the fourth sitting U.S. President to attend a regular season Cubs game. The others were Ronald Reagan (who called an inning in the booth on WGN-TV with Harry Caray and Steve Stone) on 9/30/88, Bill Clinton in 1999, and Bob's favorite, William Howard Taft on two occasions in 1909 (the Cubs were a big draw even then).
*Since Taft started the tradition of Presidents throwing out a first pitch in 1910, Jimmy Carter is the only sitting President who did not throw out an Opening Day first pitch in office. Now that's trivia!
*The Cubs are 2-3 in games with a President in attendance.

* At the beginning of every season, Cub fans have hope that this year could end the World Series drought. Just a few more times than not, their season opener has increased their hopes.

NL, Best Record on Opening Day – since 1900
(pre-expansion franchises only)

Giants 62-43 .590
Cubs 56-48 .538
Pirates 55-51 .519
Dodgers 54-51 .514
Reds 51-54 .486

* For the past few seasons, the Chicago Cubs have been looking for a true leadoff hitter. This offseason, the Cubs addressed their need with the acquisition of Juan Pierre.

Stats as Leadoff Hitter, 2001-05

All Cubs Juan Pierre
BA .270 .304 (902/2963)
OBP .330 .354
Runs 514 456
SB 113 234
K 546 179

* While the health of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood has commanded the headlines, the Cubs have another dominating pitcher in Carlos Zambrano.

Lowest ERA, National League, Since 2003
(min 400 IP)

Roger Clemens 2.43 (115/425.2)
Carlos Zambrano 3.05 (219/647.0)
Chris Carpenter 3.10
Jake Peavy 3.13
Roy Oswalt 3.16
Mark Prior 3.23 (178/496.2)

* Last year, Derrek Lee set career highs in nearly every offensive category. This season, he will begin against a team he dominated in 2005.

Derrek Lee vs. Reds, 2005 Season (with MLB ranks)

HR 9* (1st)
RBI 19 (1st)
XBH 15 (1st)
Slug % .905 (1st)
Runs 16 (t-2nd Albert Pujols 17)
Hits 24 (t-2nd Lyle Overbay 25)

* Lee hit seven home runs in his first six games against the Reds last year.

* Last season, the Reds found themselves having to come from behind time and time again.

Highest Percent Of Total Wins That Were Comebacks, 2005

Cincinnati Reds 63.0 (46/73)
San Francisco Giants 58.7 (44/75)
Texas Rangers 55.7 (44/79)
Los Angeles Dodgers 54.9 (39/71)
Minnesota Twins 54.2 (45/83)

* The injury bug prevented Ken Griffey Jr. from finishing out a phenomenal second half of 2005.

Fewest AB/HR, Post All-Star Break, NL, 2005
(min 200 PA)

Ken Griffey Jr., Cin 9.67 (174/18)
Tony Clark, Ari 10.35
Andruw Jones, Atl 10.79
Troy Glaus, Ari 12.78
Ryan Howard, Phi 13.05

* Plenty of home runs will be hit in Cincinnati this season.

Most Home Runs by Stadium, 2005 Season

Great American Ball Park 246
Ameriquest Field 233
U.S. Cellular Field 213
Yankee Stadium 206

* In seven career starts against the Cubs, Aaron Harang has never lost (4-0). Of course, he has had some serious run support behind him.

Active Pitchers, Highest Career Run Support Average vs. Cubs
(min 7 starts)

Aaron Harang 7.61 (40/47.1)
Randy Johnson 7.53
Shawn Estes 7.20
Kevin Millwood 7.18

* Cub pitchers should be able to strike a few batters out this series.

Strikeouts, 2001-05

Cubs Pitchers 6683 (most in MLB)
Reds Hitters 6324 (most in MLB)

Cubs pitchers have led the majors in strikeouts in each of the last five seasons.

* The Reds will look to 36-year-old Tony Womack to provide some speed at the top of the lineup.

Highest Stolen Base Percentage, 2004-05
(min 50 SB attempts)

Alfonso Soriano 87.3 (48/55)
Carlos Beltran 86.8
Tony Womack 84.1 (53/63)
Bobby Abreu 83.5
Alex Rodriguez 83.1

I know there's a concern out there that Derrek didn't get many at-bats this spring since he was with Team USA, then hurt his shoulder. Last year, Derrek got off to a great start and he gave all the credit to Dusty Baker for giving him so many at-bats in spring training. He's been a slow starter throughout his career until last year, so certainly we're all hoping that's not the case due to the WBC. I think Derrek learned some valuable lessons last year about how to start the year and certainly hope he can carry them into the regular season this year.

At second base with Todd Walker getting the initial starts, I can remember being a similar situation and it's always a delicate one. Players are very prideful and definitely want to see their name in the starting lineup. The reality is that over 162 games, Jerry Hairston is going to contribute and so is Neifi Perez. Sure, they would all like to be the starter and play 155 games, but I don't think it's a bad situation. Todd is a strong left-handed bat, Neifi can go from both sides of the plate, and Jerry Hairston in my eyes is probably the best defender of the three. I think we'll see them all in some combination. That's a much better problem to have than not having anyone capable of playing the position.

Bob

The Cubs headed to Las Vegas this weekend for their final spring training games with the San Diego Padres. Sin City is a great way to finish out the spring schedule and see some sites.