A Nice Chat With Lou and Other Cub Thoughts

Well seven games into the season the Cubs have been playing some close dramatic baseball and I'll admit I'm a bit more interested in the regular season than I thought I would be. So here are my opening week Cubs impressions.

First the Lou chats are becoming my favorite part of this team. He hates the bullpen right now, and if they don't start throwing the ball over the plate it will only get worse. Starting the first week he was with the Cubs Lou set the precedent that he has no problem walking out to a relief pitcher mid at bat and informing them that if they don't start throwing strikes then he will put his foot somewhere they don't want it. Ryan Dempster got this early on, and yesterday Aaron Heilman got his first Lou chat of the season. While less Lou chats mean that the pitchers are doing their jobs, I wouldn't mind seeing a few more of these as the season goes on.

Don't start the Alfonso Soriano MVP talk just yet. While I will only be calling Soriano MVP for the next few weeks, that doesn't mean he is the MVP. He had a white hot week at the plate, he has done it before and he will do it again. Just remember that he will also have some cold stretches that will have Greg calling for him to be moved down in the order. 

Don't buy Fukudome quite yet. Great start to the season but he did this last year. Don't get sucked in thinking he has it all figured out just yet. Come June 1 if he is still hitting really well then we can start talking about him being great this year. So far he is just repeating last season.

Bradley, and Aramis will be fine and can take their time resting throughout the season. Bradley is going to miss time with nagging crap like this groin strain thing, and Aramis has always missed games with little crap too. We have plenty of protection for Bradley especially with Fukudome hitting right now. Fontenot can do the third base thing once every two weeks if he has too, so I'm not worried about that either.

Reed Mantle remains the highlight reel fielder that we all love.

This starting pitching is pretty good and after Thursday we should know what we have. Ted almost tossed a no hitter. Rich Harden dominated and looked healthy (that won't last), Big Z is Big Z and Dumpster was average. After Sean Marshall starts this week the whole thing should round into shape. It seems that right now I feel pretty good about the Cubs starting pitcher no matter who is going that day.

Carlos Marmol is really good at getting guys out and I still love him.