At 10-10 for the early season, you can't say the Cubs are good or bad. But this past week, they have been better than good, winning 4 straight to head toward respectability. Carlos Zambrano took a demotion for the team and is pitching his best as a late set-up man for Carlos Marmol. Now, the Cubs bullpen has been improved with a $90 million pitcher.
Slugger Alex Ramirez usually starts off slow and is only batting .145 for the year but he took 4 balls and walked with Cubs standing on each bag, to drive in the winning run in their half of the 10th frame. As Jack Brickhouse used to say, "Hey-Hey."
It's joy in Wrigleyville now. It's April and the Cubs aren't out of the race---well, that's gallows humor as Cubs fans know well. The Cubs bat's will heat up with the weather. The starting pitchers are giving manager Lou Piniella quality innings, and now that Zambrano diplomatically agreed to go the bullpen, the team has a new look and new life.
Don't forget Zambrano get hit too. He has 20 career home runs. And a batting average above .230. He gets wood on the ball. But he's paid to pitch, not be Derrick Lee. Suddenly, he looks like Kerry Wood out there. The Cubs never should have let Wood go, but they have a guy who can throw almost has hard as him. How long will be out there? No one knows, but if one of the starters falters, Piniella doesn't have to have to call up someone from Iowa to come in, he can call Carlos Z. It's late April and the Cubs are still in the race.
