Chicago Cubs Baseball

Something old. Something new. Something borrowed and something blue. No, the aforementioned isn’t referring to a spring wedding. Although the reception Chicago Cubs baseball received on opening day was worthy of any bride.

But all four ingredients were present and accounted for in the Cubs season opener. The difference is the Cubs played the perfect part of the bridesmaid rather than acting the role of the defending Central Division champs.

The 4-3 loss to Milwaukee was a cold reminder of the 2007 season start. It may be a new year for the Cubs but one would be hard-pressed to differentiate this year’s version with last.

With a few exceptions.

The new was easy to spot. From the unveiling of the Ernie Banks statue outside the Wrigley Field gates to the playing field and additional seating inside baseball’s Grand Dame, it was a sparkling way to start the season even through two separate rain delays.

And there was Carlos Zambrano pitching and acting like the staff ace and potential Cy Young award winner.

Unfortunately, the old was just as easy to see. The Cubs bats came to listless again - just like spring 2007. The top of the Chicago order went a combined 1 for 18 with six strikeouts. Only Derrek Lee’s opposite field, soft single saved the group.

Then there was Aramis Ramirez standing at third while teammate and catcher Geovany Soto battled the Wrigley Field winds on a popup that drifted and twisted towards third. The ball dropped to the ground, which Ramirez should have done after that lack of effort.

If that wasn’t enough reminder of seasons gone by, the Cubs new, revamped bullpen behaved much the same. Neither new closer Kerry Wood nor late-inning relief man Bob Howry could hold the Brewers bats. In a scoreless game, Wood surrendered three runs on two hits, a walk and a hit batsman.

With the scored tied again, Howry nearly duplicated Wood’s effort, minus a couple of earned runs and the base on balls. Needless to say, there’s only so many miracles you can expect on opening day.

Which brings us to borrowed. And thank goodness for Japan. Kosuke Fukudome made his Cub debut Monday and proved in three swings of the bat what $12 million a year can buy.

Fukodome’s opening day performance may be rivaled only by that of the fictional Roy Hobbs for the New York Knights. Besides driving a bullet to the wall in his first at bat, Fukodome followed it up with a walk, a single up the middle and a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth.

As for the blue part of the equation, you can figure that one out on your own.