In the future....April

The Cubs win on opening day as Carlos Zambrano, and his new 200 million dollar contrat, throws a complete game shutout. Cubs everywhere rejoice at the future of the franchise. But was it really that important that Big. Z throw 140 pitches in game one with the Cubs up 7-0? I am just saying it looks like something we have seen before.

Jacque Jones move to center field was great with a little reluctance to start the year, but his .320 start with 7 HR has the bleacher fans in an uproar. The Cubs start off with 10-2 start and have a 3 game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers.

April 20
Mark Prior never left Spring Training. The Cubs training staff says he had an accident getting out of bed one morning and his leg was hurt, but a spy reports that Prior can't lift his right arm. The Cubs keep saying that he will be back soon, but we aren't holding our breath. Meanwhile, the Cubs start losing a little big and now stand at 12-7. Zambrano is 3-0 and Hill is 2-0, but Jason Marquis' ERA is at a robost 6.78, but he is hitting .415 and has three pinch hits already. Thanks Tony LaRussa.

End of April
The month comes and goes with no major injuries, other than Prior, who still hasn't graced the club with a single pitch. Reports are flying around that he is pitchin in May, but nobody really thinks it will happen.
The Cubs finish the month on a three game win streak as Ted Lilly has dominated the National League. After getting rocked in his first start, the crafty left finished the month 4-1 with a 2.76 ERA. The Cubs finish 18-7 during the first month and still remain in first place. Alfonso Soriano already has 15 stolen bases and has thrown out six runners from the outfield.

What have we learned? Zambrano wll win the CY Young, 5-0 with a 1.76 ERA. He has 45 K's in 38 innings of work. D-Lee is a monster when healthy, the righty is hitting .355 with 8 HR. Aramis Ramirez is a much faster starter with a manager that makes him work. A-Ram is off to a .291 start with 18 RBI. Matt Murton can flat just hit, after Cliff Floyd broke down in week one, the red headed Murton has hit a team best .366.

Will is last? check back later for May's outlook.

How time files

Seems like yesterday we were all complaining about Dusty Baker and his ways. Now, four months later we are closing in on Spring Training 2007.

Dusty is gone and thanks to a stroke of luck, Neifi Perez can't bat in the No. 2 hole this season. But the question remains, are the Cubs any better off than last year? I think the answer is yes, but I don't know if we are good enough to actually compete. There are a lot of people that throw numbers at you, but what numbers don't tell you are what breaks you might actually get.

Now it is time to look in the future about the upcoming 2007 season. Will it be a good one? Check out the end to see.

Feb.

The month doesn't start great as pitchers and catchers report, but Mark Prior is nowhere to be found. The Cubs hold a press confernce saying that his flight was delayed out of California and he would be back later this week. Jim Hendry asures everyone that he has been throwing just fine. In other news, free agent signings Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis have taken to Larry Rothschild's pitching program, which can't be a good sign. They say they haven't felt stronger. Maybe they are ready for big years?

Mark Prior shows up to Spring Training a week late and reports start to circulate that his shoulder is once again a problem. Prior says it really was a flight delay out of L.A., but we aren't buying it.

March

Spring training is in full swing and Alfonso Soriano looks amazing. He has 15 home runs during spring training and 15 stolen bases. He proclaims that he is going 50/50 this year and how are we doubt him?

Mark Prior has yet to pitch, instead opting to pitch in the pool. He says it will save his arm for the season. Does that plane story seem likely now? I didn't think so either.

The Cubs haven't lost a spring training game and things are looking up.

Check back for April tomorrow.....