Chicago Sports Review

As the Cubs and Sox kick off their annual home and home series Friday at Wrigley, in honor of the six games here are six reasons why the Cubs have a better shot at the World Series than the Sox.

DEPTH

Since we are looking forward to October, let’s look back at recent fall classics. Why did the Red Sox win in 2007? Sure you must have stars like David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, but ultimately, you win with role players. Guys like Reed Johnson, Ronny Cedeno and Mark DeRosa could be last year’s Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury. No matter what the matchup, Cubs manager Lou Pinella has what every manager needs to be successful - options.

MANAGER

This selection is not so much a slight on Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen as it is a ringing endorsement of Lou Piniella. This guy is the baseball equivalent of a cardiovascular surgeon - smart, bold and an easy touch to boot. His ability to get the most out of his roster, while making each and every player from Derrick Lee to Mike Fontenot feel they are irreplaceable, is what makes him brilliant. One thing you know won’t happen with Lou? He won’t open his mouth and say something so ridiculous and offensive as to ruin his team’s season. This is a shot at Guillen, who if he wasn’t a baseball manager (and a good one at that) would be running a bowling alley in Caracas.

BULLPEN

My colleague Matt Kolsky makes some good arguments in his White Sox column. The Sox bullpen is one of the best in the American League, up to this point. But to say Scott Linebrink may be better than Carlos Marmol is like saying Atari is better than Xbox (I’m old enough to have played both). Again, in order to look forward, we must look back, my friends. How did the 2006 Cardinals go from an 83-win regular season to a World Series? Here are a few reasons - Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper, Josh Hancock. I believe the Cubs already have the 2008 equivalent in Bobby Howry, Kerry Wood and Marmol. And they are better than Linebrink, Matt Thornton and Bobby Jenks.

HOME SWEET HOME

This is been one of the few years I can remember where the Wrigley is a decided advantage to the home team. The Cubs have the most wins in the majors at home with 29, and haven’t lost since Hillary Clinton still had a shot the democratic nomination. The home demons from past seasons - too many day games, the wind blows in too much - have not reared their heads in 2008. When you have the lineup the Cubs have on a daily basis, expect those demons to take a rest, at least for this season.

FUKUDOME EFFECT

In my opinion, Kosuke Fukudome is the MVP of the National League. I know I am leaving myself out there for all the stat dweebs flying around the internet who will undoubtedly counter with an endless stream of mundane statistical minutiae as to why I’m crazy. The reason why I believe this? Fukudome is the most valuable (not best) player on the best team in the National League. The fact that Cubs hitters are considerably more patient this season is not a coincidence. The reason why the Cubs are mashing the ball at home is because they are consistently ahead of pitchers. Cubs batting coach Gerald Perry also deserves credit, but if the Cubs go deep into the postseason, the signing of this Japanese import will prove to be the most significant.

SIMPLY THE BEST

Notice how none of the categories are about the “curse” like Kolsky so predictably mentioned in his column. This argument by Sox fans has grown so tired, it’s like a guy who sees a buddy with a hot brunette and says, “I prefer blondes.” Well, then go get yourself one, kid! In the case of the Sox, they have their blonde - a 2005 World Series, yet prefer to focus how they don’t like brunettes. There are no curses, they only exist in urban legends and bad dramas on the CW network. The Cubs have had a bad century, we all know that. But their futility has all to do with mismanagement, brutal trades, horrendous free agent signings and just plain bad play on the field, nothing more. Bottom line, if this team wins it all this year it have everything to do with reversing the aforementioned futility, not because the Cubs are “due”, or because they have reversed some moronic “curse”. If they are playing their best in October, this team can win it all.

I wish I could say the same for the White Sox, but I can’t.

Oh, and I do prefer brunettes.

I admit I have developed a respectful disdain for Jim Edmonds over the years. He was everything the Cubs always needed but never had - a left-handed, power hitting centerfielder who catches everything in the outfield, and, oh by the way, hits for average too. Over the years, while we’ve been subjected to the likes of Brant Brown, Jacque Jones and Angel Pagan, Edmonds was consistently producing .300 hitting, 30 home runs, and 100 RBI seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals. And playing in two World Series.

So when I heard the Cubs were interested in signing Edmonds, I knew what was coming. My inner Cub predictably reared its ugly head and uttered the following words-

“Not Edmonds. This guy killed us for years. He’s not a Cub. We shouldn’t sign him.”

But over the past few seasons, I have learned to suppress this instinctive response. The desire to win supersedes this childish, whimsical allegiance. It’s sort of like when I saw a box of Ding-Dongs at the bagel shop the other day. The instant gratification is not worth the long term suffering.

Harnessing my counterintuitive powers has become one of the true joys of adulthood.

So what if Edmonds reminds me of what the Cubs have lacked over the years? He can help us win now. This is what matters. Another left-handed hitter in the lineup gives manager Lou Pinella much more flexibility. He can play center against righties. Who would you rather have facing Roy Oswalt or Ben Sheets? A guy who has been in the division for almost a decade, or Felix Pie? If Joe Girardi was managing this team and development of players was the priority, Pie would have time to work out his hitting problems. But not now. Not as long as we have Pinella. Not as long as we have Lee, Ramirez, Fukudome and Soriano (speaking of Soriano, the guy can play a bit, can’t he?)

No one would argue Edmonds is not the player he was as recent as 4 years ago, when he hit 42 homers. The discussion of his moody clubhouse manner is valid. But Steve Traschel he is not. Traschel’s negative personality did little damage to Cub team chemistry last year, mainly because veterans like Derrick Lee minimized the impact. Edmonds can be surly to just about anyone he comes in contact with, but as long as this team continues to win, it won’t matter. The Cubs are signing him to catch and hit, not raise money for stadium improvements.

Maybe another trip to the minors will bring Felix Pie one step closer to becoming the all-around centerfielder we all want him to be. Maybe he will channel the patience of a certain Japanese teammate and learn to take a pitch. Sure, and Roger Clemens is a family guy who won all those games in his 40’s by spiking his Gatorade with Red Bull.

But this isn’t about Pie. This isn’t about what may happen in 2010. The future is now. So if this is true, and Edmonds becomes a Cub, I will embrace it.

I mean, he has to be better than Corey Patterson, right?

It’s time to frame the endless Alfonso Soriano debate a little bit differently. If you frame the argument based on where Soriano’s natural hitting abilities are best utilized - where most of the debate is centralized - hands down, he is better in the 4, 5 or even 6 spot. Not selective enough to hit 2 or 3, the Cubs already have a good cleanup hitter in Aramis Ramirez, so 5 or 6 is best suited for a free-swinging, home run hitter who has lost about two steps. Agreed?

But the reason Soriano’s spot in the lineup continues to baffle all of us with the lone exception of the man responsible, Lou Piniella, has nothing to do with Soriano’s hitting acumen.

It has more to do with psychology and nothing to do with statistics.

It is undeniable athletes can be fragile, moody individuals (Cedric Benson?) They say team accomplishments are the driving force behind why they play, but it is an argument fraught with flaws. I remember speaking to a baseball scout who told me the number one attribute he looks for in ballplayers, even more important that the five tools - hitting, power, speed, catching, throwing - is competitiveness. Not as easily taught or developed as say, throwing, baseball fields all over the country are littered with “can’t miss” prospects who simply never cared enough about baseball to sustain major league careers. Former Cub manager Jim Riggleman used the term “dead ass” when I asked him why Kevin Orie never made it. Remember Kevin Orie? He was the starting third baseman for the Cubs 10 years ago when Kerry Wood struck out 20 Astros.

This competitiveness doesn’t necessarily have to be about winning, it can be about a player’s position in the lineup. No one understands this identification better than Lou Piniella. A master psychologist, who as a player, learned this skill from his manager at the time, Billy Martin. So, when Pinella says he bats Soriano leadoff because he wants to get the “most out of his player,” that’s exactly what he means. Soriano identifies with himself as a ballplayer at the leadoff position. His competitiveness is reflected through this designation. If Pinella bats him 5th or 6th, where his current skills are best suited, he might lose an edge, a level of competitiveness. It sounds silly to us, but Pinella gets paid a lot of money to understand this.

While the psychology might be a bit transparent, statistics never are. With two hits Tuesday night against the Reds, Soriano is hitting a robust .190, with an on-base percentage of .242. If you are a stat brat - just Google “Alfonso Soriano leadoff stats” and you’ll find plenty of evidence as to why he’s miscast at the top of the order (and speaking of miscasting, did I see Ashton Kutcher starring in a movie with Cameron Diaz? I know the movie is not “Juno”, but how is this guy starring in anything other than a “That 70’s Show” reunion?). Yes, the Cubs average more runs with Ryan Theriot leading off. Yes, Reed Johnson’s OBP is almost 60 points higher. Yes, Soriano swings too much. Yes, the leg injuries the past two years have him running a step or two slow.

But it’s not about statistics. It runs deeper than that. It’s about catering to a high-salaried, high-profile player. It’s about making him comfortable; it’s about making him identify with who he is as a player. For Soriano, that’s at the leadoff spot.

Sure, that may not be a thought process grounded in unselfishness, but how do you think Soriano got a contract paying him 18 million a season? Because of all those World Series rings? No, guys get ridiculous contracts based on personal achievements. Yet, we complain the Cubs would be a better team if he hit fifth or sixth. So, what do we want? As fans, we always want it both ways.

But reality is always a bit more complicated and not as easily understood.

The wheels are certainly not off the tracks on the Cubs season. The optimist in me says they are hitting a bump in the road on their way to a division championship, but four losses in five games provides plenty of reasons to gnaw at the fingernails.

This team misses Alfonso Soriano. The eight wins in nine games right after he left the lineup was deceiving, as it was a streak more a function of adrenaline. The Cubs inability to hit with runners in scoring position over the past week is the best indication of what a Soriano-less lineup will do. Stick him anywhere and it creates another match up problem for opposing managers.

Reed Johnson is a nice player - his catch in Washington last weekend might be on of the best I’ve seen - but whom would you rather face, a guy who Toronto didn’t think was good enough, or a guy who two seasons ago went 40-40? With a threat like Soriano, it forces pitchers to throw a more steady diet of fastballs to Derrick Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Kosuke Fukudome. Major league hitters like fastballs. They have a tendency to hit them, and hit them far.

I’ve seen enough of Kevin Hart to understand he’s not major league ready. Tuesday night, with the Cubs down 5-4 and the game well within reach, manager Lou Pinella trotted Hart out to start the sixth inning. By the time he was relieved by Sean Marshall in the seventh, that one-run deficit was extended to four. When Jason Marquis starts, the Cubs can expect to be in slugfests. Having long relievers who can hold leads, or in the case of Tuesday night, hold deficits, is huge. The offense is too good, even with Soriano out. Why Pinella went with Hart over the reliable Jon Lieber in this situation is a bit puzzling. Lieber proceeded to pitch a scoreless eighth and ninth, but at that point, the game was out of reach. I understand a manager’s need to get the inexperienced Hart work in tight game situations, but in this case, it had a significant impact on the outcome of a game.

Sure it’s only April, but the Brewers will be the Cubs biggest obstacle towards winning the Central. A young, fast, free-swinging club, Milwaukee is not going anywhere unless their pitching completely blows up. Corey Hart might be the best unknown player in the National League. He had a couple of really good hit songs in the 80’s and it’s nice to see him make a smooth transition to baseball.

My only other cause for concern this week? Fukudome fever is official. Sports Illustrated has made our right fielder its cover boy this week.

If Kosuke hits .200 this home stand, I’ll know who to blame.

Stepping foot inside a major league ballpark is an annual pilgrimage for me. Two dozen or so new parks have been built since the 1990’s, so there is plenty of product. And when I found myself in Tampa Bay, FL last week, my trip would not be complete without a trip to the Trop.

The White Sox are in town, which makes me feel a bit more at home. As I pull into the parking lot, I soon realize I might as well be at 35th and Shields. The familiar grey and black unis are a comfortable fashion statement amongst the tailgaters in Aisle 6. I hate to break the color barrier as I slip on my Irish Green “Wrigley Field” T-Shirt, but being a Cub fan is a daily burden. We can’t selectively show our support, we must demonstrate it at all times. I get a few awkward glances as I head to the ticket window.

Where are the hometown jerseys? I see about a half dozen Frank Thomas jerseys on Floridians before I see the first Ray. You want to know why a franchise is floundering? Check out how many of their jerseys are worn by fans. I don’t have any scientific evidence to back this up, but have you been to St. Louis recently?

Based on advice given by a colleague, I buy the cheapest ticket I can, $11, and promptly walk towards the visiting dugout. The White Sox are finishing batting practice and I want to get a closer look. Nick Swisher is raking the ball, Javier Vazquez - tonight’s starter - is long tossing in the outfield. Jim Thome runs over to sign some autographs, and within seconds he is right in front of me. I am as empty handed as one can be during one of these sessions - no pen and with nothing to sign. A middle-aged guy from Boca next to me has a backpack filled with baseballs and a separate insert stacked with Sharpies. I quickly back away as I realize I am taking up valuable signage space from serious-minded professionals.

We’re still about 20 minutes before first pitch, so I decide to take a stroll around the old ball yard. Within minutes I come to a conclusion - this might be the worst ballpark in America. Worse than Phoenix. At least the one in Anaheim is outdoors. With more concrete then the Millennium Falcon, the Trop has as much charm as a hospital ER. As I take a lap around, I feel as though I am at the County Fair. The only thing missing are the pig races and butter cow. With no franchise history to speak of, plastered on the walls is a collage tilted “100 years of baseball in St. Pete”.

In case you were wondering, the old St. Louis Browns held spring training in Tampa. They hosted the Cubs on Feb. 27, 1914 in the first baseball game ever in the area. The Cubs traveled to Florida via steamboat. They are just six years removed from their last World Series.

I shouldn’t complain all that much. The advantage to attending a game in a place devoid of baseball interest is for $11, I get to sit wherever I want! I pick a spot 5 rows behind the visiting dugout. A “greatest moments in Rays history” montage is playing on the jumbo screen as the hometown boys take the field. I think the only thing shorter would be a Cesar Izturis Cubs highlight DVD.

By the ninth inning, the Sox are up 9-0 on the Rays. Paul Konerko and Jim Thome both hit home runs. Vazquez gets out of a few jams. The Sox are a much improved team that should contend all season. They seem to be playing with more confidence than last season. It’s hard to tell against a team like Tampa - are the Sox this good, or are the Rays this bad? The few folks who follow the team tell me this game is out of character for them, the team finally has some good, young talent. All I know is by the sixth inning, I’m ready to leave. The ballpark feels like a bus ride to Des Moines, there is a guy two rows in front of me wearing a Ryne Sandberg jersey with the name “Urban” stitched on the back and I’ve got a plane to catch.

Before I feel the urge to defend the Sandberg family name, I head to the parking lot. I see the Cubs beat the Pirates 3-2. A group of a dozen kids are playing tag in front of the exit doors as I walk out.

All I can think of is get me back to Chicago. Get me back to outdoor baseball. The White Sox are good.

It’s going to be a fun summer.

I was strolling down Clark St., just in front of Wrigley Field earlier this week. I had just finished meeting with a ticket broker, discussing a business transaction. As I glanced over towards the new Ernie Banks statute, I noticed a man sitting on the new benches that surround Banks. Dressed all in black, clutching a cell phone, I wasn’t sure if I recognized the hovering figure until he spoke into his phone-

“Dude, it’s a clear day.”

Then I knew. It’s Dusty. Back in Chicago, the Cubs former manager was spending part of his off day at his old place of employment. I’m sure he wanted to see the new landmark, which looked stunning on this clear day. As I drove away, I gave myself a few minutes to sort out how I felt. Former Cubs managers are a lot like old girlfriends - seeing them again is bound to stir up some emotion. And as I turned onto Lake Shore Drive I felt…grateful.

Yes, grateful.

Baseball fans in Chicago have a tendency to place too much blame on franchise futility with the manager. When things go bad, as they so often do, it’s open season on the guy who fills out the lineup card. Remember this time last year? All I heard about Lou Pinella was how the “game had passed him by”, “he’s out of touch with today’s players”. Nonsense. All Pinella needed was a little time to get to know his players, get rid of the ones who weren’t with the program (Michael Barrett, Cesar Izturis), and let the talent on the roster win ballgames. Which it eventually did.

You see, players win games, not managers. At most, you can site a handful of games every year where the manager is responsible for a win or a loss. The value of baseball managers at the major league level is mostly determined by factors that are difficult to document - psychological, inspirational - qualities from a leader that are arguably more important than their ability to execute a double switch.

I will always be grateful to Baker for how he blew into town. Fresh off a World Series with the Giants in 2002, Baker arrived with instant credibility. When asked about the ridiculous Billy Goat curse and the franchise’s hollow history, Baker played dumb.

“I don’t know nothing about no curse” or words to that effect. These were uttered at his opening press conference in 2002.

My reaction?

That’s what I’m talking about! At that point, I didn’t care if Baker could fill out a lineup card as strategically as Tony LaRussa. I cared that he didn’t care about anything that happened at Clark and Addison before he showed up.

The first year, it worked. Raising the expectations of a franchise, it was no coincidence the Cubs made it all the way to the NLCS. But for all of Dusty’s uplifting clubhouse demeanor, the 2003 team never would have gotten five outs away from the World Series without the following names: Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Borowski, Sosa and Alou. They made the pitches, they hit the home runs, they made the key saves.

When things started to go bad late in 2004, the ‘In Dusty we Trusty’ T-Shirts were replaced by “Baker Blows”. Last I checked, which was while I was writing this column, Baker didn’t blow that three-run ninth inning lead to the Mets in late September, all but sealing the Cubs fall from the wild card. No it was LaTroy Hawkins. But the damage was done. Dusty never recovered.

Now let’s be clear. You don’t lose 179 games in 2 seasons without some blame, as Baker did in 2005-2006. Once Derrick Lee got hurt early in the 2006 season, Baker seemed to lose interest. And I will never forgive him for trotting Mark Prior back on the mound after the once-phenom collided with Marcus Giles in 2003. I believe this decision had a lot to do with Prior’s lingering health issues.

But as I came to a stop at the northbound light on Clark, I glanced over at the man who at one time was discussed more in Chicago barber shops than Drew Peterson. I wanted to roll down my window and say something, but the light was turning and Baker was yapping into his cell phone. Here’s what I would have said given the chance:

Thanks Dusty. Thanks for being the first Cubs manager to understand that for the franchise to move forward it had to forget about its past. Thank you for having the guts to say what needed to be said.

Dude, good luck with the Reds. And Corey Patterson still can’t play.

While this baseball season is still in its infancy, this fact does not prevent us who follow the Cubs from forming opinions, rational or otherwise. Here are my initial thoughts on the first week of the 2008 season:

WHAT WE EXPECTED; VALIDATED:

*Derrek Lee is back. Remember the guy who wore out right and lefthanders in 2005? They guy who drove the ball consistently to right center field? This is the D-Lee the Cubs paid $75 million for in early 2006, only to have him break his wrist in a collision with Rafael Furcal one night in LA two years ago. His .455 average, .833 slugging and 25 total bases through 7 games is early proof the Cubs mercurial leader is at full strength.

*Big Z was worth the money. Here’s my pitch to Chicago water and coffee marketing reps - will someone step up and give this guy an endorsement? If Rachel Ray can pitch Dunkin’ Donuts, why can’t our caffeine-challenged ace? Like the paparazzi with Britney Spears, we know Carlos Zambrano comes with an extra large scoop of drama. If Z were a Ben and Jerry’s flavor of ice cream, he’d be Chunky Monkey. But we love the production - 12 strikeouts and an ERA just over 1.00 after two starts. With the security of a long contract, Z is forgetting past April failures, throwing with purpose and like a guy who could win 20.

*Alfonso Soriano likes to swing the bat, which makes him a perfect 4, 5 or 6 hitter. Unfortunately, he hits leadoff. I will write more about this during the season as this is a debate worthy of more time and space. At this point in his career, Soriano is the hitter he’s going to be - 30 home runs, .300 average, 40 doubles, 20 stolen bases, 150 strikeouts. What angers Cubs fans is when he was signed in 2007, they didn’t actually believe he would be hitting first. Batting deeper in the lineup, Soriano’s Q rating at Wrigley would be appreciable higher.

*Brian Roberts needs to come here. The only reason the Baltimore second baseman is not a Cub is Orioles owner Peter Angelos. How do you explain why this deal was “in negotiations” for almost 5 months? It doesn’t take that long for Simon, Paula and the other guy to choose the next “American Idol” for Pete’s sake. How would a switch-hitting, contact hitter who isn’t afraid to take a pitch look at the top of the Cubs line up right now? Pretty darn good.

*Kerry Wood can close. Sure, he blew up in the opener. But since then, Wood has been lights out, saving 3 of 4 save opportunities. It’s never mental with Wood - this guy is nails between the ears - it’s always physical. If his back and shoulder can hold up during these chilly first few months, he will save at least 30 games this year.

NOT EXPECTED; SOME SURPRISES ARE OK, OTHERS NOT SO MUCH

*The right fielder from Japan can play. Whether he was taking the spring to get comfortable with Major League pitching - he barely hit .200 - it looks as though Kosuke Fukudome knew what he was doing all along. From his theatrics on opening day, to his slap hit that scored the winning runs April 6 at Wrigley Field, to his javelin-like arm in right field, this guy is worth every yen, er, dollar the Cubs invested in him. Fans, media and marketers are all winners here. Forget the “Indiana Jones” sequel; this will be the runaway box office hit of the summer.

*The league has caught up to Ted Lilly. Or are we seeing the lingering effects of his mound meltdown in Game 2 of the NLDS last October? In ‘07, Lilly was a legit number two starter. Some thought he should start over Big Z in game 1 of the playoffs vs. Arizona. Whatever it is, we know his two-start ERA of 9.72 will come down, we just don’t know how much.

*Ryan Dempster can start. His seven-inning, one-hit shutout performance vs. the Pirates April 9 is proof he’s going to be in the rotation for awhile. A below .500 career starter with an ERA well over 4.00, his move to the rotation was not met with overwhelming support. But with Wood and Carlos Marmol set to take over as closer, this was addition by subtraction. A great clubhouse guy who is a bit of a flake (and I say that in the most flattering way possible), Demp should easily hit 12-15 wins and 200-plus innings.

*Where are the Cubs? OK, let me rant here a bit. I come home Wednesday night, flip on the TV, only to find Bulls-Magic on Comcast, “Family Guy” on WGN and “King of Queens” on the U. I have Direct TV, so I am CLTV-less, and after flipping through each channel in the sports-filled 600’s, I am forced to flip on the radio and the Pat and Ron show. Not even the ESPN 5 channel, my typical go-to signal in these rare situations, has the game. In this Sam Zell-fied, on-demand, downloadable, mega media conglomerate overindulged universe we live in, there should never be a scenario where I can’t find the Cubs game! Anybody with me? Or better yet, any ideas in this situation?

It would have been OK if I could have heard Ron Santo try and pronounce Fukudome.

I would have turned the TV sound down for that.

Is there a better hooky day than a Monday baseball opener? Never before have the Cubs opened at home in March. I was not about to sit this historic day out.

6:15 I rise with this thought dancing in my head- which do I wear to the game…my vintage Moonlight Graham jersey or the Cubbie parka? I have four hours before I make my way to the park, so I let the thought percolate.

6:20 I turn on WGN TV to see what chubby, jolly weather guy Paul Konrad is predicting. It looks like rain, yet fairly mild for a Cubs opener, with a high in the upper 50’s. Definitely Moonlight Graham.

10:15 As I walk to the L stop to catch the red line to Addison, I stroll past my local catholic church. On the marquee, it reads “He is Risen?” The fact it is stated in a question fuels my optimism for this Cubs season. Just who is ‘He’ in the kingdom of Cubdome in 2008? I can’t wait to find out.

11:30 I try to get into Goose Island on Clark, only to be turned away for a private party. I walk into Bar Louie, only to be handed a Jager shot as soon as I put my ID away. I wish I was given this option every Monday.

1:10 We leave to head into the park. We glance at the TV, only to see a tarp filled field behind Cubs broadcasters Len Kaspar and Bob Brenly, realizing a rain delay is inevitable. So, we stroll over to the new Ernie Banks statute in front of the park. It is magnificent. My friend Don, who is old enough to have seen Banks play, points out how the statute is so detailed, you can see Ernie’s fingers hovering over the bat’s grip, just as he used to hold the bat when he played. One of the most beloved sports figures in Chicago history, the landmark is a long time coming. Speaking of landmarks, I am approached by a woman requesting I sign a petition protecting Wrigley Field’s landmark status with the city. I respectfully decline.

1:25 We get to our seats in Aisle 231. As we survey the field for the first time since last October, I few differences stand out. The field is flat. Yes, flat. No more sandlot baseball, my friends. No more complaining about those sightlines, Lou! We also notice our cup holders are painted red, sponsored this year by Bank of America. I think of how I may need to open up a Bank of America money market account to subsidize my adult beverage intake this season. With an introductory rate of 4% and no annual fee, that’s a slam dunk.

2:00 After a 40-minute rain delay, the first pitch is thrown by Carlos Zambrano. I fully admit, Z is my favorite Cub. He drives me crazy, especially in April, but he is such a gamer. No one wants to beat your ass like ‘Los. If I had a team of blackjack players like in the movie ‘21′, Z is the guy I’d have in the last chair, to the right of the dealer. He would know when to hit and when to stay, every time. On this day, he knows how to throw strikes, as he whiffs opening batter Richie Weeks, the first of his 5 strikeouts.

2:33 The Cubs new right fielder, Kosuke Fukudome steps into the batter’s box for the first time. He lines Ben Sheets’ first pitch over centerfielder Chris Gwynn. Standup double. This guy is already an upgrade over Jacque Jones.

2:55 Zambrano strikes out to end the third, which kicks off the second rain delay of the game. I decide to take advantage of the down time and make my way for the Wrigley urinals (you can’t really call them restrooms, can you?) Of course, the 30,000 other men in the park all had the same idea. As I waddle my way to the entrance doors, I look up at the concourse just above and see a Japanese photographer. He’s pointing his lens down at all of us, snapping pictures of the carnage. I turn my head in multiple directions to see if Bill Murray or John Cusak are in line with us (hey, celebrities have to pee too, right?). Otherwise, I’m not sure of the visual appeal. A picture of a rancher herding cattle in Saskatchewan would be easier on the eyes.

3:45 Play resumes. Zambrano has put long sleeves on. I actually remove a layer of clothing as in spite of the rain, it is the warmest opening day I can remember.

4:38 Seventh inning, still scoreless, and Big Z picks Corey Hart off at second. He leaves clutching his forearm. This falls into the ‘drives me crazy’ category regarding Big Z. This is a symptom of dehydration, and Zambrano has left games countless times because of “cramps”. The guy doesn’t like to drink water before or during games. As I see him walk off the field, I am tempted to buy a bottle of Aquafina, run onto the field and force feed it down his throat. But the idea of having to explain this behavior to a judge keeps me in my seat.

5:18 With the game still scoreless, our new closer, Kerry Wood takes the mound. He promptly gives up 3 runs, instigating the rally when he drills Weeks with his first pitch of 2008. This on the heels of Carlos Marmol throwing lights out in the eighth. More fuel for the Wood vs. Marmol in the closer role debate.

5:37 With two men on, Fukudome smashes a Eric Gagne fast ball into the bleachers in right center field, tying the game at 3. The Cubs haven’t had this much excitement over one player on opening day since Tuffy Rhodes hit three homers in 1994. Ironically, Rhodes is still playing in Japan and is the all-time leader for home runs in Japan by foreign-born players. If you believe in karma, this is a text-book example. When he takes the field to start the top of the tenth, you can see Fuk fever in full force. Fans in the right-field bleachers pay homage with multiple signs, spelling out his name in letters. I see a half dozen Japanese headbands being worn throughout the park. One dude looks eerily like Ralph Macchio’s character in the movie “Karate Kid”. If I can track down Mr. Miyagi, maybe he can sneak into the dugout and give Alfonso Soriano a quick pep talk, reminding him that the secret to hitting a baseball lies in the heart and mind, not the hands.

5:50 Derrick Lee flies out to end the game, which the Cubs lose 4-3. The Brewers score two of their runs via small ball - moving runners over, bunting - the little things that make a difference in tight ballgames. With the exception of Fukodome, the Cubs offense is non-existent.

6:55 After a quick post game drink at Sports Corner, I walk to the Addison Red Line station to head home. I remember previous opening days when the Cubs won handily, only to lapse into mediocrity. I fire up my IPod and the first song is Billy Joel’s “Keeping the Faith”.

This year, that won’t be a problem.

I admit I am a fan of sports radio. Sometimes it can be a bit tiresome, but other times thought-provoking and the latter was my reaction when I flipped on the radio twice in the same day only to be hit with the same topic-how do Cubs fans feel about Mark Prior?I was fighting my urge to call in (I never call these shows, who has the time?), but just my reaching for the cell phone confirmed the emotion ran deep. I was conflicted. Imagine that, a Cubs fan conflicted. That’s like saying Britney Spears has dependency issues.

I attended Prior’s first start as a Cub on May 22, 2002. My friend Jayson and I bought tickets from a scalper and went to witness this baseball event. That’s what I remember feeling as I sat down and sipped my first taste of stale Old Style.

Sort of like the first time I went to a Smashing Pumpkins concert.

Boy did the Wonder Kid deliver. He struck out 10 defenseless Pittsburgh Pirates; he threw hard, he threw with control and he was only 21. He was unhittable, but infinitely watchable.

I never saw Sandy Koufax pitch, but my dad and mom did. They tell me how he threw a one-hit shutout at Dodger Stadium once in less than and hour and a half. Best pitcher they ever saw.

I felt like I was watching a young, right-handed Koufax.

Fast-forward to 2008. Coming off shoulder surgery, Prior says he pitched pain-free in his first spring training workout. It’s a quote we are all too familiar with here in Chicago. The only quote we had gotten more tired of was “Rex is our quarterback.” Only this time, Prior says it in a San Diego Padres uniform.

You see, the Cubs made a business decision in the off-season. They decided not to offer Prior a contract. He was free to sign anywhere he wanted. He chose San Diego, his hometown.

So, that’s it. He’s gone. Nothing is going to bring him back. This happened a few months ago. So, why was this a popular topic on sports radio the other day? Why can’t I, along with other Cub fans, just get over this?

Prior gave us no reason to like him. His infamous autograph signing appearance at a Chicago-area store in 2004 was a public relations disaster. He was eventually sued and lost.

He was a bit churlish with the media, always giving off an air of superiority. I never got the sense he didn’t have time for the press, it was more of an issue with attitude. There was a certain California coolness about his demeanor, which made Chicagoans feel distant from him, as if he would rather be somewhere else. This is the opposite of Kerry Wood, who Cub fans accept as one of their own. The difference? Wood has gone out of his way to embrace his inner Cub. To fans, he’s Woody. He’s one of us.

As I grapple with these issues, I finally come to a moment of clarity regarding Prior. Why is it so hard to let go of this supremely talented, injury-prone, unlikable jerk?

Because of how I felt that day on May 22, 2002.

We finally had our Koufax. Our Gibson. Our Clemens.

It was as if Mark Prior was pitching in the backyards of every Cub fan watching the game that night.

How were we lucky enough to get this guy? It’s about time, we all thought.

Now he’s gone.

Oh well, at least Old Style isn’t going anywhere.