It's only one game

but it certainly was a stinker. After playing well most of the spring, the Cubs played an execrable game to open the season. Some observations:

Cubs were solid batting 2 through 5. Everyone else was useless. Fukudome had four impressive ABs, working the count, 2 for 3 with a walk. Why isn't he hitting first? Lee was patient and workman-like. Ramirez and Byrd showed pop.

Theriot looked over-matched and impatient. Seemed as if he was trying to pull everything or hit for power. No plate discipline. He hit two balls well. In the first, he hit a long fly, but it was not in danger of falling in. Later he hit a hard liner right to the shortstop that turned into a double play because of really poor base-running by Tracy. He's supposed, though, to walk and hit singles to right field.

Soriano was just plain awful. If he has been working with Jaramillo on his mechanics, it sure doesn't show. In his first two ABs, he saw three pitches and hit the ball altogether less than 80 feet. After that he was content to strike out twice on pitches well out of the strike zone.

People are going to be quick to criticize Zambrano's performance, and he surely did not have sharp stuff or good command, but how many outs does a guy have to throw to get out of a jam? After a lead-off walk, Prado hit a bloop single to right. A cheap hit, but a clean one. No one could have caught that ball. After that there was a succession of misplays. Popup behind shortstop. Theriot should have caught it, but where were Byrd and Soriano? Another popup where Byrd was evidently playing too deep or sound asleep because it was far enough out to have been a relatively easy play. Then a routine ground ball up the middle that Theriot fails to even come close to getting a glove on. Then, of course, the home run. A few more botched popups and misplays before the inning ends. And the second inning was the same thing. Zambrano makes a terrific play to cover first on a ground ball, but then throws it away. On this play, Ramirez was way out of position. Another homer and it is over for Z.

Oddly enough, though, they still made a game of it for awhile, even though there was a succession of errors, fumbles, throws to the wrong base or errant relay throws, etc. One of the sloppiest games I've seen. In the sixth, they might have had Lowe, who did not pitch well (5 runs in 6 innings), on the ropes were it not for being the victim of a really bad umpire's ruling when the Braves CF clearly dropped the ball after making a great diving attempted catch. Instead of men on first and second and no outs, the Cubs had two outs and no one on base. Soriano promptly struck out.

Just as an aside, the umpiring in major league baseball has been deteriorating for some time, reaching its pinnacle in the post-season last year. The arrogance of the umps, however, has been moving in the opposite direction. In this case - and I know the umps are supposed to rely on their own judgment and observation - the Braves stadium has an enormous jumbotron and they must have been the only guys in the stadium who didn't know that the ball had clearly been dropped.

Relief pitching:

Marshall was excellent. I still think he should be the fifth starter. Russell also did well. The Braves don't seem to hit lefties that well. Everything went to pieces when Lou seemed to give up on the game and inserted Samardzija. I have observed many times that he does not belong in the big leagues. Today he demonstrated why yet again. Walked the bases full, then Rothschild came out and evidently told him to throw strikes, whereupon the Braves hitter cleared the bases with a double. It got worse and the final was 16-5. which I think is the worst loss ever on opening day for a Cubs team.

I still expect the Cubs to win their division even though the team has some obvious weaknesses, not because they are a great team, but because the Cardinals and Brewers are not. Part of that is contingent on their making the adjustments that need to be made and that were made by Piniella in his two successful seasons here. So far, and I know it is only one game, but it is going to become fairly obvious that the Cubs are not strong defensively up the middle. Byrd is not a good CF and, even though I have always defended Theriot as at least a steady SS, it is becoming increasingly obvious that he has his limits. If Castro starts strong, they will need to consider bringing him up sooner rather than later. They also need to get Colvin in the lineup and the odd man out is Soriano. Their strongest outfield right now would be Fukudome, Colvin, and Byrd, from right to left.

The Cubs success this season is going to depend on how many games they lose early before they make adjustments.

Anyway, Tuesdy is an off-day, so lets hope Wednesday brings better news.