After a long delay yesterday, the Cubs finally played their home opener.  My toes are still cold from being out there, and the potato vodka I drank out of a flask is still sitting heavy in my stomach (it’s Passover so I can’t eat or drink most ballpark food).  The game was amazing once it started though, and here a few things that jumped out:

• Obviously the story was Ted Lilly, who looked dominant.  Unfortunately for me, I was sitting in front of some idiots who started talking about the no-hitter in about the 3rd inning.  I hate those guys.  I mean everyone knows you’re not supposed to talk about it, right?  But there’s always some jackass who says the words and jinxes everything.  Maybe you guys can’t all relate, being as that I have actually seen a no-hitter and you haven’t.  I’m so cool.
• The depleted roster made for a very interesting lineup.  The ideal would be to have Soriano bat 3rd in that situation, but that isn’t going to happen.  Whatever Lou did seemed to jumpstart Derrek Lee, however, and he had a great day.
• Cubs fans are only allowed to wear their Kosuke Cubs merchandise in April (me included).  That is an executive decision that I made about 2 days ago, and it remains the case until Kosuke hits above .250 in a month not named April.
• It’s not like it was raining hard, but their were Soldier Field-esque winds.  The kind that swirl around and cut right through whatever jacket or sweatshirt you’re wearing.  Fly balls were getting pushed all over the place, and a few sure-home runs were knocked down at the warning track by the powerful gusts.
• Another man caught stealing while the hit and run sign was on with Theriot at the plate.  I mean the TOOTBLANs are bad, but do we need to come up with a new Theriot-specific stat regarding how he’s causing other people to get TOOTBLANs.  Hard to stay mad at the kid when he is just raking the ball though (except yesterday of course, which lowered his average to .458).
• Kevin Gregg actually didn’t look all that bad.  I mean clearly not as good as Marmol or Heilman, but still not bad.
• Bases loaded walks.  After 4 on Sunday at  Milwaukee, the Cubbies got another yesterday.  Amazing patience at the plate by almost every Cubs hitter.
• Notable booings and cheerings:  When the lineups were announced, Gregg was booed hard, but Reed Johnson got the loudest cheer.

Mother Nature is trying to mess up the Cubs Home Opener, but I still think the game will be played.  Although all the weathermen are saying there is about a 75% chance of rain well into the evening, I have reason to believe they can squeeze the game in.  Here is the picture of the map on Weather.com for 9:35 am:

I know that doesn’t look good, but hear me out.  On the website, you can see the way the storm fronts have been moving for the last hour or so.  It looks like the storm is moving pretty quickly in a northerly direction.  The storm will be directly over us from about 11-1.  Just based on eyeballing it though, if the storm keeps moving at the speed it is, it looks like it will mostly have passed over us by about 2.

On the other hand, Kosuke hit that crazy home run to tie it up in the bottom of the 9th at the opener last year, and it was hurricane-like weather conditions out there.

Opening day was just as amazing as I thought it would be.  Here’s a few things that jumped out at me from the Cubs game and around the league.

CUBS

• Soriano had a great game, launching the second pitch into the stands.  Maybe this guy will be okay hitting leadoff.
• 2-3-4 (Fukudome, Lee, Bradley) in the order looked terrible, going a combined 0-9 with a walk.
• Fontenot looks amazing, he made great contact all day and it showed with a 3 for 4 performance.  Mark DeWho?
• My personal “Bradley Injury Scare” count is up to 2 already.  He rolled his ankle trotting to first base and he misplayed a ball in the outfield terribly and came crashing down on his shoulder/head.  Take deep breaths Cubs fans.
• Soto threw someone out! (barely)
• Zambrano didn’t throw a perfect game, but he looked very good.  Heilman came in and got a big double-play.  Marmol’s slider looked filthy.  Gregg made things a little bumpy, but got the save.  Someone told me Gregg is a “fly-ball” pitcher.  I’m sure that will be fun to watch all season. (“Honey!  Get my heart medicine!”)
• Did Fukudome work on his swing at all this off-season?  He was flailing at garbage and hitting weak grounders.
• Ramirez hit a bomb and was grinning ear-to-ear in the dugout afterwards.

Around the League

• The White Sox may have set the record for “Best Weather to Cancel a Game in”.
• It looks like K-Rod will be handling the New York media just fine.  Especially if he keeps throwing those filthy pitches.
• What’s with aces getting lit up yesterday? Cliff Lee, Brandon Webb and (gulp) C.C. Sabathia all looked terrible.
• Ok so some nobody named Emilio Bonifacio went 4-5 with a HR and 3 steals for the Marlins yesterday.  How the f#$% was this guy already picked up in my fantasy league by 6 pm?
• Who would have thought the Seattle-Minnesota game would be interesting?  Not only did Felix Hernandez dominate, but Griffey hit a home run.  For Seattle.  I love that he’s back in Seattle, that swing somehow looks even sweeter in an M’s jersey.  I feel like its 1998.  Let’s go play Super Nintendo while mom makes us some pizza rolls.
• The Tigers have some serious pitching issues.
• Speaking of pitching issues, what’s the deal in Oakland?  The only guy I’ve heard of is Dana Eveland, but is he even that good?  Some guy named Braden pitched for them yesterday, and he looked okay I guess.
• The NY Times are picking the Royals to win the AL Central.  God that division sucks.

Whether you’re a North Sider or a South Sider, this day has been a long time coming.  Every winter seems so long, waiting for the new season to start.  Not that I don’t love football and the NBA, but there’s something magical about baseball season.

It’s a new year for everyone.  From the Cubs down to the lowly Mariners every team is undefeated right now.  I can’t wait to smell the green grass of Wrigley and hear the first crack of a wooden bat smashing a ball over the bleachers.

And to the White Sox fans that have their opener pushed back: Don’t worry, you just have one more day to wait.

BASEBALL!!!!