Chicago Cubs' Opening Day

For baseball fans Opening Day is like Christmas and New Years rolled into one. It's the start of a new Major League Baseball season which in turn signifies the beginning of spring along with the promise of summer. This year after a successful spring training camp, the Chicago Cubs opened up the 2010 baseball season on the road against the always competitive Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, there would be no storybook happy ending for the Northsiders as the Cubs were routed 16-5.

The game did get off to a good start as the Cubs were able to plate three runs in the top of the first inning. Marlon Byrd, the team's new centerfielder, took the Braves' starter, Derek Lowe, deep for a 3-run homer. For one brief shining moment all was right in Wrigleyville. With their ace, Carlos Zambrano, ready to toe the rubber it looked as if the baseball gods might be smiling on the Cubs. It was simply not to be.

Zambrano, who set a Chicago Cubs' team record by making his sixth straight Opening Day start, dropped fifteen pounds in the off-season and has made statements to the effect that he was going to be more in control of his emotions this year. His spring numbers were solid, and with an early lead, looked like he was ready to take a large step in the right direction of putting the 2009 season behind him. Carlos just did not have it however.

By the time the smoke had cleared, Atlanta scored six runs in the first to take the lead; one they would not relinquish. The offensive onslaught against Zambrano was highlighted by a 3-run bomb from Braves outfield phenom, Jason Heyward who took Carlos deep in his first Major League at bat. For Big Z, he matched the shortest outing of his career by lasting on 1.1 innings and gave up a total of eight runs, all earned.

Aramis Ramirez provided a glimmer of hope when he hit a 2-run shot cutting the Atlanta lead to 8-5 but this was as close as the Cubs would get. For his part, Ramirez looked good in the box all day. The Cubs sorely missed his production a season ago when he had an extended stay on the disabled list after separating his shoulder last May diving for a ground ball. Ramirez did not show any ill effects from the shoulder injury, and his health is a key factor if the Cubs want to have any hope of success this year.

There were few bright spots in the game for the Cubs including Sean Marshall and James Russell who both looked good out of the bullpen with 4.2 innings of scoreless relief. Marshall could prove to a pivotal figure out of a Cubs' bullpen that features three rookies. He has become a security blanket for Cubs' manager, Lou Piniella, and look for him to serve a number of roles as the season goes on.

Other than Zambrano's collapse, the most disappointing aspect of this Opening Day game was Jeff Samardzija's ineffectiveness. He walked the bases loaded in the seventh inning before giving up a 3-run double to Braves shortstop, Yunel Escobar. Samardzija could not find the strike zone and when he did, he was hit hard. He only lasted a third of an inning giving up six earned runs in the process. After pitching himself out of the starting rotation with an abysmal spring training he has not gotten off to the kind of start the team would like to see. If Samardzija cannot return to the promise he showed in 2008 he cold find himself back in the minors in a hurry.

I know this is only one game but it does set an ugly precedent and tone for the rest of the season as the Cubs' team defense looked poor. They had two errors for the game, but could have had as many as three if not for the official scorer ruling a Mike Fontenot miscue a hit. Even at that, the team did not look in synch the entire game. There were several poor throws from the outfield, balls that should have been caught or fielded that were allowed to fall in, and Ryan Theriot and Fontenot showed poor range up the middle. If you go by the old adage of pitching and defense winning championships then the Chicago Cubs could be in for a long and disappointing summer.

Hopefully the Chicago Cubs' Opening Day performance is not a precursor of things to come. Marlon Byrd and Aramis Ramirez did provide some offense early and the Cubs were not really out of the game until late when Samardzija had his issues in the seventh inning. Again, this is only 1 out of 162 games, but already the Cubs find themselves looking up at a St. Louis team many predict will repeat as Central Division Champs. Let us hope this is not a view the Chicago Cubs and their fans will have to get used to as the 2010 baseball season wears on.