Chicago Cubs Baseball

The sum read Chicago Cubs 1, Pittsburgh 0. In reality it was one of those rare instances in a team sport where the parts on this occasion were actually greater than the sum.

Thank Chicago General Manager Jim Hendry for this one. Heck, since we’re in the asterisk era of baseball, why not put one behind the Cubs’ win column and assign it to him?

Following tonight’s game there was one reoccurring thought that crossed my mind. Would a win like tonight’s, been possible a year ago?

Easy. Heck no.

This Chicago Cubs win goes to Hendry’s $300 million off-season gamble. You know, the bet he placed when he signed players like the heroes of tonight’s game - Alfonso Soriano and Jason Marquis.

Soriano led off the game with his third home run of the season and Marquis pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout. The win was Marquis’ fifth of the season, and more importantly, the complete game took the ball literally out of the hands of a tired and sometimes unreliable, Cub bullpen.

As brilliant as the individual efforts were, make no mistake, there are clouds forming overhead. Whether they contain rain or not is anyone’s guess.

Stranding 10 runners in each of the last two games isn’t going to always translate into many Cub wins.

While I’m on the subject are there two more streakier hitters in the game than Jacque Jones and Michael Barrett? Their batting averages rise and fall faster than a thermometer on an April day.

And what about Chicago manager Lou Piniella allowing Marquis to finish the game.  Was that a testament to Piniella’s confidence in Marquis, or lack of in Ryan Dempster?

Just asking.

For now, I’ll savor the sweetness of success and raise my coffee cup to Hendry.  Thanks for the win, Jim.