this is the year....

...but not judging from yesterday's game.

Granted, there are still 161 games left to be played and one game does not a season make. However, if yesterday's outing versus the Atlanta Braves is any indication, Cubs nation is in for a bumpy 2010 season.

Carlos "Big Z" Zambrano made his sixth straight Opening Day start Monday, a Cubs record. He also managed to have the worst Opening Day start leading to the worst Opening Day loss since 1884. In 1-1/3 innings, Big Z allowed eight runs on six hits, hit a batter, and mixed in a throwing error for good measure. In case you're wondering, that calculates to an ERA of 54.00. Unacceptable, yet not the worst outing of the day - Jeff Samardzija gave up six runs in 1/3 inning for a "stellar" ERA of 108.00. If this is how the Cubs opens the season, I shudder to think of what the rest of the pitching staff will serve up. Hopefully, the arrival Greg Maddux as assistant to the GM (among other roles) can assist the Cubs in their pitching predicament. Hmmm....maybe he'll come out of retirement...

However, there is a light at the end of the pitching tunnel. Sean Marshall pitched two scoreless innings in middle relief. Thank goodness someone could effectively throw the ball over the plate. Also, there is a semblance of an offense. Scoring five runs is promising and pretty damn good - provided Cubs pitching is effective on the flip side. Aramis Ramirez (read: Ra Ra Ra Ra Ra) knocked in a two-run homer while Marlon Byrd (read: replacement for the douchbag of an outfielder who sadly symblized the 2009 campaign) added a three-run homer.

Thus, despite a train wreck of an opener there is hope in Cubs nation. C'mon, we've been hoping for what is going on 102 years...and we won't be stopping now...